St. Gallen cantonal councillor Fredy Fässler resigns from office
Published: Wednesday, Nov 29th 2023, 13:40
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St. Gallen cantonal councillor Fredy Fässler (SP) has resigned from office for health reasons. According to a statement, he is now on sick leave until the end of his term of office.
The head of the Department of Security and Justice will remain formally on sick leave as a member of the government until the end of the legislative period on May 31, 2024, the St. Gallen State Chancellery wrote on Wednesday. No further information would be provided on his current state of health for reasons of personal privacy.
Fässler suffered a traumatic brain injury in October 2022 after a serious fall at home. From mid-March 2023, he took over the management of the Department of Security and Justice again. At the end of May, he had an epileptic seizure, which set him back again in his recovery process.
After a slight fall on Tuesday morning, Fässler decided "with a heavy heart" to put more weight on his health, the press release continued.
A "thoroughbred politician"
Fredy Fässler has been a member of the St. Gallen government since 2012. His regular deputy is now Marc Mächler (FDP), wrote the State Chancellery.
Fässler had already declared some time ago that he would not be standing for re-election to the St. Gallen cantonal council on March 3.
Before joining the government, the "thoroughbred politician" Fässler was a member of the St. Gallen cantonal council for 20 years and also served as SP parliamentary group president. His party paid tribute to him in a press release as "a formative figure in cantonal politics and the SP". His health and the recovery process are now his top priority.
©Keystone/SDA
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