Karin Keller Sutter

Biography

Keller-Sutter lived her childhood in Wil before moving to Neuchâtel. She studied language interpretation at Dolmetscherschule Zürich. She then worked in a private capacity while studying political science in London and Montréal. She also achieved a pedagogy post-grad from Fribourg university and worked as a professor in a professional school.

Keller-Sutter undertook a political career as a municipal councilor between 1992 and 2000. She presided the municipal assembly in 1997.

From 1996 to 2000, she was a deputy of the Kantonsrat, while presiding the local arm of the FDP.

On 12 March 2000, Keller-Sutter was elected to the Regierungsrat of the canton of St. Gallen, where she was appointed to the department for security and justice. She was also vice-president of the conference of cantonal directors for justice and police. She presided the government in 2006-2007.

On 22 September 2010, Keller-Sutter was a candidate for the Swiss Federal Council to succeed Hans-Rudolf Merz but was not elected.

On 23 October 2011 she was elected with 64.56% of the votes to represent the canton of St. Gallen in the Council of States.

Keller-Sutter is the vice president of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies.