{{Short description|Swiss lawyer and politician}} {{confused|text=the French athlete Fabienne Ficher}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Fabienne Fischer | image =Portrait de Fabienne Fischer, conseillère d'Etat chargé du Département de l'économie et de l'emploi de la République et Canton de Genève.jpg | image_size = | birth_name = | birth_date = 1961 | birth_place = Zambia | title = State Councillor | alma_mater = University of Geneva<br><small>Master's degrees in History and Law</small> }}
'''Fabienne Fischer''', born in 1961 in Zambia, is a lawyer and Swiss politician, a member of the Green Party of Switzerland, elected at the Council of State by-elections for the canton of Geneva on 21 March 2021.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=2021-03-28|title=A Genève, la gauche unie a réussi son pari|language=fr|work=Le Temps|url=https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/geneve-gauche-unie-reussi-pari|access-date=2021-05-05|issn=1423-3967}}</ref> In charge of the Department of Economy and Employment, she lost her seat in the election in 2023 to Social-Democratic candidate Carol-Anne Kast.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|date=2021-03-30|title=A Genève, Fabienne Fischer s'occupera de l'Economie et de l'Emploi|language=fr|work=Le Temps|url=https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/geneve-fabienne-fischer-soccupera-leconomie-lemploi|access-date=2021-05-05|issn=1423-3967}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Fischer was born in Zambia (at that point a British colony), where she spent the first two years of her life, with her parents and two brothers. Her parents were committed Protestants. Her mother, Nicole, was president of the Protestant Church of Geneva (the first woman to take this post)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Genève: Une femme à la tête de l’Eglise protestante de Genève – Portail catholique suisse|url=https://www.cath.ch/newsf/charlotte-kuffer-succede-a-georges-bolay/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=cath.ch|language=fr-FR}}</ref> and her father, Jean, was Secretary general for the Conference of European Churches.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Keith Clements succède à Jean Fischer – Portail catholique suisse|url=https://www.cath.ch/newsf/geneve-changement-a-la-tete-de-la-conference-des-eglises-europeens/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=cath.ch|language=fr-FR}}</ref> The family then travelled back to Geneva where Fabienne Fischer went to school in Grand-Saconnex.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2021-02-08|title=Une femme, plusieurs vies|url=https://lecourrier.ch/2021/02/08/une-femme-plusieurs-vies/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Le Courrier|language=fr-FR}}</ref>
In 1985, Fischer was a student at the University of Geneva, where she chaired the Scholarship Board for the National Students’ Union of Switzerland. After a graduate degree in History, she taught humanities from 1987 to 2003 at a local school.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Qui est Fabienne Fischer, élue dimanche au Conseil d'Etat genevois?|url=https://www.watson.ch/fr/!707060995|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Watson|language=fr}}</ref> She earned second master's degree in law in 2002 and the Geneva bar in 2005.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Her work as a lawyer consisted of administrative and employment law, as well as family law and amicable settlements of disputes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Portrait de Fabienne Fischer, candidate au Conseil d'Etat|url=https://verts-ge.ch/complementaire-ce-2021/fabienne-fischer/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Les Vert·e·s genevois·e·s|language=fr-FR}}</ref>
== Political career == Fischer has been a member of the Green Party of Switzerland since 2007. She was elected municipal councillor for the city of Geneva in 2011, but stepped down in 2012 for professional reasons.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|date=2020-12-09|title=Fabienne Fischer, candidate verte au Conseil d’Etat genevois: "Je sais être à l’écoute et négocier"|language=fr|work=Le Temps|url=https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/fabienne-fischer-candidate-verte-conseil-detat-genevois-sais-lecoute-negocier|access-date=2021-05-06|issn=1423-3967}}</ref> In 2021, she became a member of the cantonal office for the Green Party of Switzerland and co-president for the Lancy area.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Portrait de Fabienne Fischer, candidate au Conseil d'Etat|url=https://verts-ge.ch/complementaire-ce-2021/fabienne-fischer/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Les Vert·e·s genevois·e·s|language=fr-FR}}</ref> She sat on the board of directors of the Geneva International Airport from 2012 to 2018, followed by the same role for the Hospice général (welfare office).<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />
Fischer won the by-election held on 28 March 2021 for the Council of State of Geneva (41.82%), against the resigning Councillor of State Pierre Maudet (33.6%).<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-03-28|title=La Verte Fabienne Fischer succède à Pierre Maudet|language=fr|work=Le Matin|url=https://www.lematin.ch/story/la-verte-fabienne-fischer-succede-a-pierre-maudet-506526552581|access-date=2021-05-06|issn=1018-3736}}</ref> She was sworn in on 29 April 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Élections – Et maintenant, que va-t-il se passer?|url=https://www.tdg.ch/et-maintenant-que-va-t-il-se-passer-171171733594|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Tribune de Genève|language=fr}}</ref> Running again for the 2023 regular election, she finished eighth and lost her seat to Carole-Anne Kast.<ref name=":5" />
==Other== Fischer has three children.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=AdminCLAFG|date=2021-03-02|title=Interview de Fabienne Fischer|url=https://www.clafg.ch/interview-de-fabienne-fischer/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=CLAFG - Genève|language=fr-FR|archive-date=5 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505200337/https://www.clafg.ch/interview-de-fabienne-fischer/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}} {{Portal bar|Biography|Switzerland|Politics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fischer, Fabienne}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Green Party of Switzerland politicians Category:University of Geneva alumni