He was elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland on 22 February 1940 and handed over office on 15 October 1950.

During his office time he held the Department of Posts and Railways and was President of the Confederation twice in 1943 and 1948.

He attended the Salesian gymnasium in Balerna[1] and received his high school diploma at the Jesuits in Milan.

From 1916 to 1921 he was a journalist and then director of the newspaper of the Ticino conservative party People and Freedom.

In 1932 he succeeded Giuseppe Cattori in the Ticino State Council[5] where he took the lead of the Department of Public Education and Justice and Police.