Grand Clerk of State, Charles Kleiber has died

Charles Kleiber died on the night of Monday to Tuesday at the age of 82. Born in Moutier, this adopted Vaudois showed his interest in public affairs very early on, particularly in the field of health, then in research. In 1981, he became head of the Public Health and Health Planning Department of the canton of Vaud, before taking over the management of the Hospices Vaudois in 1991.

But it is at the federal level that Charles Kleiber will find his way. In 1997, he joined Federal Councilor Ruth Dreifuss. She then heads the Department of the Interior, which includes the federal polytechnics and aid to universities. He became head of the Science and Research Group and became Secretary of State. In 2005, schools and research moved to the Department of Economy, then headed by Pascal Couchepin.

During the 2000s, Charles Kleiber will be one of the important players in the development of EPFL with Patrick Aebischer. After ten years, in 2007, he left Federal Bern and, the following year, took over as president of the Foundation of the Swiss Institute in Rome (ISR). Then he will experience another turbulent adventure in Valais. The canton came looking for him to chair the board of directors of the Valais Hospital in 2012. But in 2014, after multiple controversies, he resigned from this position with a certain fanfare. And since then, he had been more discreet.