Ruth Dreifuss (born 1940) was Switzerland's first female president, holding the office in 1999. She was also the first Jewish member of the Federal Council, Switzerland's government. 

Shortly before she took office, Mrs Dreifuss said the fact that Switzerland had a woman president was a symbol for the progress made on the way to sexual equality,  but her presidency should not give the illusion that the goal had been reached.

Asked whether she was happy to be the first woman president of Switzerland, she answered: "I would have been just as happy if it had been any of my sisters."

She headed the Department of the Interior throughout her period in government, which she joined in 1993. 

She stepped down from the cabinet at the end of 2002.