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The President and his office

An alphorn and a cow, both miniatures and carved from wood. Cow bells. And the definitive symbol of Switzerland - the crossbow. A view into the office of the 2013 President.

Defence minister Ueli Maurer, who takes over the largely ceremonial role of Swiss president, is surrounded by memorabilia and symbols of a rural Switzerland while he works. swissinfo photographer Thomas Kern captures Maurer in his office in Bern.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR