Esther Friedli
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Esther Friedli | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Esther Friedli (2019) | |
| Member of the Council of States (Switzerland) | |
| Assumed office 30 May 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Rechsteiner |
| Constituency | Canton of St. Gallen |
| Member of the National Council (Switzerland) | |
| In office 2 December 2019 – 29 May 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Esther Barbara Friedli 4 June 1977 |
| Party | Swiss People's Party |
| Other political affiliations | Christian Democratic People's Party (1995-2016) |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | University of Bern Aarhus University |
| Occupation | Politician, political strategist, consultant |
| Website | esther-friedli |
Esther Barbara Friedli[1] (/frɪdlɪ/ born 4 June 1977) is a Swiss politician who currently serves on the Council of States (Switzerland) on 30 April 2023 and assumed office on 30 May 2023.[2][3] She previously served on the National Council (Switzerland) for the Swiss People's Party since 2019.[4][5] She is the domestic partner of Toni Brunner, former president of the Swiss People's Party and also a member of the National Council.[6] Between 2008 and 2014, Friedli served as the secretary general of the Department of Education of the Canton of St. Gallen.
Friedli was born 4 June 1977 in Bern, Switzerland. She grew-up in nearby Worb,[7] where she attended public schools. Between 1997 and 2003 she studied Political Science at the University of Bern. She took minors in Constitutional Law, National Economics and Media Studies. Friedli also completed a student exchange at Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark in 2001. While growing up she had been an active member of the Christian Democratic People's Party and engaged in their youth commission.[8]
Career
She completed a Federal Palace of Switzerland internship at the executive office of Federal councilor Ruth Metzler in the early 2000s. After completing her studies in Political Science, she initially worked in Public Relations, for Mediapolis and then as a consultant for Farner Consulting AG, one of Switzerland's leading consulting companies. Between 2008 and 2014 she served six years as the secretary general of the Department of Education in St. Gallen. Since 2015 she works as an independent consultant for her firm polestica gmbh which is primarily active in the field of political consulting and communication. Toni Brunner is a partner in this firm. They also own and operate Landgasthaus Sonne a family-style restaurant. With her consulting firm she led several political campaigns, such as for Roger Köppel, publisher of Weltwoche.[9]
