Born in Istanbul to a Greek father and a Jewish mother, Josef Zisyadis was the first immigrant elected to the Swiss Parliament. His membership in the Labor Party did not affect his capacity as head of the department of Justice, Police and Military affairs; in fact, he succeeded in effectively addressing the problem of drugs.

Meanwhile, his family background did not prevent him from supporting the pledge of the Palestinian people. He admits that from a very young age he envisioned a just society, while he believes that his political success was to a great extent a result of his focus on people, instead of merely immigrants.

Josef Zisyadis distinguishes between the function of the Greek and Swiss Parliaments, noting that in Greece everything is controlled by political parties, whereas in the Swiss Parliament personal values are placed above party membership.

He tries to visit Greece every year and plans to establish an olive oil press on Patmos island, in cooperation with the Ministry of Rural Development. He confesses that at some point he would like to move permanently to Greece, even though he accepts that it would take him some time to become accustomed to an entirely different way of life. His chosen place of resident would be his beloved Patmos, which he considers “totally capable of withstanding the imminent Apocalypse of globalization”.