A former director of the Consumer Protection Foundation, which merged into the Swiss Alliance of Consumer Organisations in 2010, Sommaruga has headed the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications since 2019, previously heading the Federal Department of Justice and Police (2010–2018).

Sommaruga assumed the role of President of the Swiss Confederation in 2015, before returning to the position in 2020.

[7] Sommaruga held the directorship of the Consumer Protection Foundation (German: Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz) from 1993 to 1999, which earned her public recognition in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, where it was active.

[8] Sommaruga's political career began as a member of the Grand Council of Bern from 1981 to 1990.

[9] She was eventually elected for a full four-year term in 2011, before successfully seeking reelection in 2015 and 2019.

Her first international presidential trip was to Paris, where she joined the Republican marches of 11 January 2015, organised to defend freedom of speech following the Charlie Hebdo shooting perpetrated by Islamic terrorists.