18 Facts About Ignazio Cassis

The Liberals, Cassis was elected to the Federal Council on 20 September 2017 following the resignation of Didier Burkhalter.

Ignazio Cassis has headed the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs since he took office.

On 8 December 2021, Ignazio Cassis was elected President of the Swiss Confederation for 2022.

Ignazio Cassis was born 13 April 1961 at Malcantonese Hospital in Croglio in Ticino, to Gino Ignazio Cassis and Mariarosa.

Ignazio Cassis was born an Italian citizen and received Swiss citizenship by derivation when his parents naturalized in 1976.

Ignazio Cassis held dual citizenship until his election in 2017.

Ignazio Cassis studied Medicine at the University of Zurich and the University of Lausanne until 1987.

Ignazio Cassis subsequently specialised in internal medicine and public health; he received his master's degree in public health in 1996.

Ignazio Cassis was a cantonal doctor in Ticino from 1996 to 2008 and vice president of the Foederatio Medicorum Helveticorum from 2008 to 2012.

When Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter announced his retirement in 2017, Ignazio Cassis was one of the three candidates the FDP chose to replace him, the other two being Isabelle Moret and Pierre Maudet.

Ignazio Cassis was supported by the centre-right and right-wing parties in the Assembly.

Ignazio Cassis became the first Federal Councillor from Ticino since 1999, and the first Italian-speaking Federal Councillor since then.

Ignazio Cassis took office on 1 November 2017 as head of the Department of Foreign Affairs, succeeding Didier Burkhalter.

Ignazio Cassis caused some controversy shortly after his election when the media reported that he addressed and joined ProTell, a gun rights advocacy group, nine days before his election, something that might have made his relationship with the EU difficult as Foreign Minister due to discussions over joint gun policy.

Ignazio Cassis ended his membership in ProTell and other gun rights organisations shortly afterward.

Ignazio Cassis assumed the office on 1 January 2022 succeeding Guy Parmelin.

In 2022, as president of the Swiss confederation, Ignazio Cassis took a leading role in redefining Swiss neutrality in light of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

Ignazio Cassis is married to Dr Paola Ignazio Cassis and lives in Montagnola.