Flavia Wasserfallen

Flavia Alessandra Wasserfallen^[1] (Swiss Standard German: [ˈflaːvi̯a ˈvasərˌfalən]; born 7 February 1979) is a Swiss politician who serves on the Council of States (Switzerland) the Social Democratic Party since 2023.^[2] She previously served on the National Council (Switzerland) from 2018 to 2023 and the Grand Council of Bern between 2002 and 2012.^[3] She is likely not related to Christian Wasserfallen of The Liberals.^[4][5]

Wasserfallen was born 7 February 1979 in Bern, Switzerland, the oldest of three children, to Bruno Wasserfallen (born 1948) and Anna Wasserfallen (née Mastrocola), both municipal politicians for the Social Democratic Party.^[6][7][8] Her maternal grandfather, Mario Mastrocola (1914–1978), was an Italian bassoon musician, who naturalized as a Swiss citizen in 1960.^[9][10]

She has two younger brothers and was raised in the hamlet of Hinterkappelen (part of Wohlen bei Bern). In 1998, Wasserfallen completed her Matura, at Gymnasium Bern-Neufeld, followed by a gap year spent working as a snowboard teacher.^[11] Between 2000–2007, she completed studies with a major in political science and a minor in economics, at the University of Bern and erasmus exchange at the University of Bologna, graduating with a Master's degree.^[12]

Wasserfallen was a freelance snowboard teacher for a gap year in 1999 and thereafter during her studies at the University of Bern. In 2006, she started her professional career working in a variety of positions at the Federal Office of Energy.^[13]

In 2010 she established a local service who distributes organic vegetables to the city of Bern. She credits this with keeping her in contact with working people.^[14][15]

Between 2012 and 2018 she was a member of the Grand Council of Bern and the co-secretary of the SP.^[16] She succeeded Evi Alleman (who was elected into the executive council of Bern) in the National Council in June 2018.^[16] After Simonetta Sommaruga announced her resignation from the Federal Council in November 2022, she was considered a potential candidate, but she declined, alleging her envisioned candidacy to the Council of States. ^[17] During the 2023 Swiss federal election, Wasserfallen was elected into the Council of States (Switzerland).^[18]

She advocates for equal pay and affordable health care.^[16] She advocates for better working conditions in relation to the patients^[19] and she is the president of the Mother and Father Counseling Association.^[20] In September 2020, she was a co-founder of FC Helvetia, the female football team of the Swiss Parliament.^[21] In November 2022, Wasserfallen cut her hair in solidarity with the women in Iran, who were protesting against the Government in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini.^[22]

Wasserfallen is married to Omar El Mohib.^[23] They have three children (born 2008, 2012 and 2016).^[16]

Her place of origin is Langnau im Emmental and Ferenbalm.^[24]