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'''Christoph Blocher''' (born 11 October 1940) is a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] businessman and politician. He is best known for his prominent and influential role in the [[Swiss People's Party]] and for his membership on the Swiss Federal Council.
'''Christoph Blocher''' (born 11 October 1940) is a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] businessman and politician. He is best known for his prominent and influential role in the [[Swiss People's Party]] (SVP) and for his membership on the Swiss Federal Council.
==Early life==
==Early life==
When Blocher was voted into the [[Swiss Federal Council]] in 2003, he retired from all business functions in EMS and sold his majority holding with his four children on Dcemeber 30, 2003.<ref name=History>{{cite web|url=http://www.ems-group.com/en/about-ems/about-ems/company-history/ |title=EMS Company History |publisher=EMS-Chemie |date=1 January 2015 |accessdate=17 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Forbes"/> Blocher's oldest daughter, [[Magdalena Martullo-Blocher]], became CEO of EMS on January 1, 2004.<ref name=History/><ref name="Forbes"/>
When Blocher was voted into the [[Swiss Federal Council]] in 2003, he retired from all business functions in EMS and sold his majority holding with his four children on Dcemeber 30, 2003.<ref name=History>{{cite web|url=http://www.ems-group.com/en/about-ems/about-ems/company-history/ |title=EMS Company History |publisher=EMS-Chemie |date=1 January 2015 |accessdate=17 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Forbes"/> Blocher's oldest daughter, [[Magdalena Martullo-Blocher]], became CEO of EMS on January 1, 2004.<ref name=History/><ref name="Forbes"/>
Blocher was a successful businessman, and when he was a member of the Federal Council, he was worth about $1.4 billion, the ninth wealthiest person in Switzerland..<ref name="BBC"/>
==Political career==
==Political career==
Blocher has state that "he fell into politics by chance following a local zoning dispute."<ref name="Firebrand"/> He became the chairman of the Zürich canton chapter of the SVP, and in 1979 he was elected to the Swiss National Council, the lower legislative chamber.<ref name="BBC">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3206778.stm Profile: Christoph Blocher]. ''BBC News''. October 15, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2016.</ref>
Blocher served as a member of the Swiss National Council, the lower house, from November 25, 1979 until December 12, 2003, when he was elected to the Federal Council, and again from December 4, 2011 until May 30, 2014.<ref name="Parliament">[https://www.parlament.ch/en/biografie?CouncillorId=21 Christoph Blocher]. ''parlament.ch''. Retrieved October 8, 2016.</ref><ref>McLean, Morven (May 9, 2014). [https://www.thelocal.ch/20140509/svp-strongman-blocher-quits-bureaucratic-parliament Christoph Blocher quits ‘bureaucratic’ parliament]. ''The Local''. Retrieved October 8, 2016.</ref>
Blocher served as a member of the Swiss National Council, the lower house, from November 25, 1979 until December 12, 2003, when he was elected to the Federal Council, and again from December 4, 2011 until May 30, 2014.<ref name="Parliament">[https://www.parlament.ch/en/biografie?CouncillorId=21 Christoph Blocher]. ''parlament.ch''. Retrieved October 8, 2016.</ref><ref>McLean, Morven (May 9, 2014). [https://www.thelocal.ch/20140509/svp-strongman-blocher-quits-bureaucratic-parliament Christoph Blocher quits ‘bureaucratic’ parliament]. ''The Local''. Retrieved October 8, 2016.</ref>
In 1986, Blocher "led and financed" a campaign opposed to joining the [[United Nations]].<ref name="BBC"/>
==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Blocher is married and has three daughters (Magdalena, Miriam, Rahel), a son (Markus), and eleven grandchildren.<ref name="BlocherWebsite">{{cite web | title=Personal information | url=http://www.blocher.ch/en/cv/ | date= | publisher=''Blocher.ch'' | accessdate=January 27, 2016}}</ref>
Blocher is married and has three daughters, a son, and eleven grandchildren.<ref name="BlocherWebsite">{{cite web | title=Personal information | url=http://www.blocher.ch/en/cv/ | date= | publisher=''Blocher.ch'' | accessdate=January 27, 2016}}</ref>
==References==
==References==