Numa Droz

Who was Numa Droz?

Numa Droz was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council.

Born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, he was elected to cantonal government of Neuchâtel in 1871 and to the Swiss Council of States in 1872.

On 18 December 1875, he was elected to the Swiss Federal Council and handed over office on 31 December 1892. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland. He was elected President of Switzerland in 1881 and 1887.

During his office time he held the following departments:

⁕Department of Home Affairs

⁕Department of Trade and Agriculture

⁕Political Department as President of the Confederation

⁕Department of Trade and Agriculture

⁕Political Department as President of the Confederation

⁕Department of Foreign Affairs

He died in Bern in 1899.

In La Chaux-de-Fonds a street and in Neuchâtel a square are named after him. A statue by Charles l'Eplattenier which was erected by the station is at present being renovated and will be placed on Rue Numa-Droz in the autumn of 2012. He has been described as a "man of progress" and "one of Switzerland's major political figures". He was a radical democrat who clashed with Bismarck over a police spying case, the Wohlgemut Affair, in 1889.