Nello Celio (12 February 1914 – 29 December 1995) was a
Swiss politician from the
Canton of Ticino. He was a member of the
Free Democratic Party. He was a member of the
Federal Council from 1966 to 1973 and served as the
President of the Swiss Confederation
The president of the Swiss Confederation, also known as the president of the Confederation or colloquially as the president of Switzerland, is the head of Switzerland's seven-member Federal Council, the country's executive branch. Elected by ...
in 1972.
Biography
Celio was born in
Quinto,
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
, Switzerland in 1914. He studied law at the
University of Basel
The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis'', German: ''Universität Basel'') is a university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest surviving universit ...
and the
University of Bern
The University of Bern (german: Universität Bern, french: Université de Berne, la, Universitas Bernensis) is a university in the Swiss capital of Bern and was founded in 1834. It is regulated and financed by the Canton of Bern. It is a compreh ...
. In 1944, he was appointed as a public prosecutor in the
Sopraceneri The Sopraceneri (''above the Ceneri'', lombard: ''Surascender'') is the part of the Swiss canton of Ticino that lies to the north of the Monte Ceneri Pass through the Lugano Prealps. It includes the whole of the valley of the Ticino river and it ...
area of Ticino. He became active in politics as the president of the Ticino FDP and entered elective office in 1946 as a member of the
Council of State of Ticino. He served in that body until 1959.
In 1960, he became the party president of the FDP. He stood for the
1963 Swiss federal election
Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 27 October 1963. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p1895 The Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 53 of the 20 ...
for the National Council and was elected. After the
Mirage Affair scandal, which resulted in the departure of
Paul Chaudet from the Federal Council, Celio was elected to succeed him.
He initially headed up the Military Department, which was vacant after Chaudet's departure. No other Federal Councilor at the tim was willing to take over the ministry.
In 1968, he took over the Department of Finance
In 1971, he was the Vice President of Switzerland and in 1972, he served a single term as President of the Swiss Confederation
The president of the Swiss Confederation, also known as the president of the Confederation or colloquially as the president of Switzerland, is the head of Switzerland's seven-member Federal Council, the country's executive branch. Elected by ...
.[ In 1973, he resigned from office.][
Celio died on 29 December 1995 from pneumonia at the age of 81.]
References
External links
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1914 births
1995 deaths
People from Ticino
Swiss Roman Catholics
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland politicians
Members of the Federal Council (Switzerland)
Finance ministers of Switzerland
Members of the National Council (Switzerland)
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