Jovial, generous, open: the qualities are not lacking when it comes to evoking the personality of the former Geneva State Councilor Carlo Lamprecht, who died yesterday Wednesday at the age of 86 following an illness. Originally from Lugano, this engineer by profession, basketball hope in his youth, gradually rose through the political ranks. He left his mark on his party, the Center (ex-PDC) and several generations of elected officials.
Driven by a deep sense of community and public affairs, Carlo Lamprecht began his political career in 1975 on the municipal council of Onex, which was then only a village. In 1987, he joined the Administrative Council and then, in October 1997, the Geneva Grand Council, where he only stayed for a few days. And for good reason: a few weeks later, he was elected to the Council of State where he inherited the Department of the Economy, Employment and External Affairs. At the end of 2005, then aged 70, he decided to give up a third mandate and left the executive.
“A character of great humanity”
Current Minister of the Center at the Geneva State Council, Serge Dal Busco confides his immense sadness when saying goodbye to the one he met in the early 90s, during his debut in politics. “A character of great humanity, who considered the human being before his social or professional status”, he recalls.
“Politically, Carlo Lamprecht arrived in government in a very difficult period for Geneva, with an economic and real estate crisis, the setbacks of BCGE or the bankruptcy of Swissair”, recalls Serge Dal Busco, welcoming the very active policy. of revival led then by the minister, which led many companies to be established in the canton. “If Geneva is prosperous today, it is largely thanks to him.”
Support for the next generation
Even without a political mandate, Carlo Lamprecht had remained very active within his party. “He came regularly to meetings and even recently accompanied the change of name to Onex”, recalls the president of the Center, Delphine Bachmann, very moved. “He was one of those political figures who release something by their mere presence,” she says, referring to an elegant man, attentive to attention to detail and propriety. “When I entered politics, he was a heavyweight but he didn’t have the desire to grab more and more space. On the contrary, he wanted to support the next generation, to transmit to them the values of the party, he was not in the selfishness of power at all costs.
“A rare gift in politics”
“A rare gift in politics”: this is how his former colleague at the Council of State, Pierre-François Unger, qualifies Carlo Lamprecht. “He was a man who transcended politics by the generosity he had for everyone,” said the former elected representative of the Center, describing a firm man but also insightful, good-natured and funny. “I remember the laughter shared during my first legislature, during which he supported me a lot, like a mentor, he adds. As a state councilor or mayor, people often come to you with vague requests, Carlo was able to find solutions right away, he had this sense of the need of others.
Carlo Lamprecht’s aura transcended the boundaries of his party. The former Socialist State Councilor (and Federal Councilor) Micheline Calmy-Rey also has fond memories of him. “He was someone who was very appreciated, very friendly, open, who maintained good relations with everyone, beyond political divisions”, she recalls.
