Out of the limelight

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Hans-Rudolf Merz takes the oath as he enters the Senate on September 27, 1997 (Keystone/Edi Reiben) Keystone

The newly elected cabinet minister accepts the post before a joint session of parliament on December 10, 2003 (Keystone/Lukas Lehmann)

A reception for the new cabinet minister in Herisau, Appenzell Outer Rhodes, on December 18, 2003. Merz is accompanied by the outgoing minister, Kaspar Villiger (RDB/Daniel Ammann) RDB

In the finance minister's office (Reuters/Pascal Lauener) Reuters

The daily routine inside parliament (Keystone/Monika Flückiger) Keystone

Merz pays a visit to a special exhibition on honey bees as he strolls around the annual Olma agricultural fair in St Gallen on October 13, 2005 (Keystone/Regina Kühne) Keystone

Waiting to answer questions in the House of Representatives on June 6, 2005. Seated is Christoph Blocher, the former justice and police minister (Keystone/Monika Flückiger) Keystone

Merz shakes hand with a new acquaintance at the Geneva car show in March 2009 (Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann) Reuters

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev with Merz during a visit in September 2009 to the museum housing the federal charter in Schwyz (Keystone/Fabrice Coffrini) Keystone

Photographers and a TV crew wait at Bern airport in vain for the return of Merz from Libya with two Swiss hostages that were detained in the country (Keystone/Marcel Bieri) Keystone

Merz met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (centre) in Geneva on April 19, 2009 (Keystone/Anja Niedringhaus) Keystone

On the way to the traditional von Wattenwil talks in Bern that include members of the government and senior members of political parties (Reuters/Pascal Lauener) Reuters

Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey and Merz give a news conference on September 2, 2009 about the crisis between Switzerland and Libya (Keystone/Lukas Lehmann) Keystone

Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, Merz and Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf explain to the media the agreement reached between Switzerland and the United States concerning Swiss bank UBS (Keystone/Peter Schneider) Keystone

A family brunch in 2010 celebrating Switzerland's national day on August 1 (Keystone/Ennio Leanza) Keystone

Merz goes hiking with a journalist on the Kronberg in the Appenzell region on January 2, 2010 (RDB/Peter Gerber) RDB

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Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz has plenty to reflect on after retirement.

Merz, who leaves the government in October, had his fair share of ups and downs during almost seven years as a minister. These pictures reveal the good and not-so-good times.