Alfred Heer


Alfred "Fredi" Marius Heer was a Swiss businessman and politician who served on the National Council (Switzerland) for the Swiss People's Party from 2007 to 2025. He concurrently served as member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Heer previously served on the Cantonal Council of Zürich and on the City Council of Zurich. He was a well known right-wing politician with a focus on migration politics having also presided over the cantonal chapter of his political party between 2009 and 2016. He considered himself to be a Libertarian.

Early life and education

Heer was born 12 October 1961 in Zurich, Switzerland, the youngest of three children, to Eduard Heer, a police officer, and Nelly Heer, a homemaker and later salesperson at Coop, into a Protestant family.
His upbringing was modest being initially raised in a two bedroom apartment in the Aussersihl, a predominantly working class neighborhood. Whilst his two older brothers went to college, Heer completed a commercial apprenticeship and later completed a federal certification.

Career

In 2001, after holding a variety of positions, Heer became a partner in C and E GmbH, a small IT and software company headquartered in Zurich, which he co-founded with Mauro Tuena, who was a political party ally.
Heer also served as president of the Bund der Steuerzahler and on the board of trustees of the Audiatur-Stiftung. He previously also served on the board of directors of Alex Weiss Immobilien und Finanz AG.
He was a friend of Swiss-Albanian relations and was among the initiators of the Chamber of Commerce Switzerland-Kosova with the intentions to bring investors to the Balkans.

Politics

Between 1994 and 1998, Heer served on the city council of Zürich. He was ultimately elected into Cantonal Council of Zürich where he served as a representative for the Swiss People's Party from 1995 to 2008. In the 2007 Swiss federal election he was elected into the National Council (Switzerland). From April 2009 to April 2016 Heer served as the president of the Swiss People's Party in the Canton of Zürich.

Personal life

Heer was married to an Italian woman until 2003 and subsequently obtained Italian citizenship. The marriage produced one child. In the Swiss Armed Forces he held the rank of Soldier. He resided in Zürich until his death on 19 September 2025, aged 63.