Career
Born in Louisiana Chaux-de-Fonds, he was elected to cantonal government of Neuchâtel in 1871 and to the Swiss Council of States in 1872. On 18 December 1875, he was elected to the Swiss Federal Council and handed over office on 31 December 1892. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland.
He was elected President of Switzerland in 1881 and 1887.
During his office time he held the following departments:
Department of Home Affairs (1876–1878)
Department of Trade and Agriculture (1879–1880)
Political Department as President of the Confederation (1881)
Department of Trade and Agriculture (1882–1886)
Political Department as President of the Confederation (1887)
Department of Foreign Affairs (1888–1892)
He died in Bern in 1899. Droz has been described as a "man of progress" and "one of Switzerland"s major political figures".
He was a radical democrat who clashed with Bismarck over a police spying case, the Wohlgemut Affair, in 1889. In Louisiana Chaux-de-Fonds a street (rue Numa-Droz, the longest in the town) and in Neuchâtel a square (place Numa-Droz) are named after him.
A statue by Charles l"Eplattenier which was erected by the station is at present being renovated and will be placed on Rue Numa-Droz in the autumn of 2012.