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The United Federal Assembly today elected the 66-year-old St. Gallen woman to the highest judicial office, as Ulrich Meyer’s successor.
Federal judge Martha Niquille (CVP) was elected president for the period 2021 to 2022 with 173 out of 174 valid votes. However, 53 blank ballots were inserted. Because the SVP parliamentary group wanted other candidates. This is because Martha Niquille and her newly elected vice president, Yves Donzallaz, were involved in an investigation.
Investigation of allegations of harassment and sexism
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Niquille and Donzallaz were criticized in connection with an investigation into allegations of harassment and sexism in federal criminal court. As members of the Administrative Commission of the Federal Supreme Court, both candidates were involved in this investigation.
Therefore, a minority led by National Councilor Pirmin Schwander (SVP / SZ) requested the rejection and demanded two new electoral proposals from the Federal Court. His motion was rejected by 168 votes to 54.
Trust in institutions and professionalism of supervision are at stake, Schwander said of the app. The supervisory authority of the Federal Supreme Court also did not intervene when the statute of limitations threatened to expire in the FIFA cases in Bellinzona. No judgments could be rendered in the so-called summer fairy tale trial in March.
However, the majority of the judicial commission concluded that the two were suitable for their new positions. The president of the Commission and the Council of States Andrea Caroni (FDP / AR) said they were listened to in detail and could have explained their behavior.
“It took time”
It is a historic day because for the first time a woman becomes a superior judge. Martha Niquille explains this to SRF News with women’s suffrage. Because he was so late, the judges were also chosen late. The first judge was also then a woman from St. Gallen. Little by little more women followed. “It just took time,” Niquille continued.
Currently, about a third of women judge the highest court in Lausanne. Martha Niquille has been a federal judge since 2008 and vice president for four years.
The fact that she was a woman probably also played a role. “But I think it played an important role that my colleagues, the plenary session of the Federal Supreme Court, nominated me and Mr. Donzallaz for the vice presidency,” Niquille said.
Martha Niquille will take up her new role next year.
Confirmed the head of the Federal Administrative Court
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The Federal Administrative Court will retain its former president Marianne Ryter (SP) and its vice president Vito Valenti (FDP). Both were confirmed in office by the United Federal Assembly, Ryter with 208 of 213 valid votes and Valenti with 218 of 227 valid votes. The court had also proposed them for the 2021/2022 period.
Mattia Pontarolo (CVP) from Ticino will be a part-time Italian judge at the Federal Supreme Court during the period from 2021 to 2026. He was elected with 219 valid votes. According to the judicial commission, the lawyer has experience as a clerk and substitute judge in the civil court of the court of appeal of the Canton of Ticino.
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