José Manuel García-Margallo
José Manuel García-Margallo | |
---|---|
Melilla | |
Member of the European Parliament for Spain | |
Assumed office 1 July 2019 | |
In office 19 July 1994 – 22 December 2011 | |
Personal details | |
Born | José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil 13 August 1944 Madrid, Spain |
Political party | People's Party (1989–present) People's Democratic Party (1983–1989) Union of the Democratic Centre (1978–1983) People's Party (1976–1978) |
Alma mater | University of Deusto Harvard University |
José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil (pronounced
Early life and education
García-Margallo was born in Madrid. In 1960, he joined the Young Spanish Monarchists. He graduated in Law and Economics from the University of Deusto in Bilbao (1965) and subsequently received a master's degree in law (LLM) from Harvard University (1972). His great-grandfather was General Juan García y Margallo, who was killed in 1893 during the First Melillan campaign, otherwise known as the Margallo War.[1]
Political career
In 1976, Margallo was one of the founding members of the center-right
After the UCD disbanded in 1983, Margallo joined the
Member of the European Parliament, 1994–2011
Throughout his time in the European Parliament, Margallo served on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy; between 2002 and 2011, he was the committee's vice-chairman. In this capacity, he led the Parliament's work on the European Banking Authority (EBA). He also called for the creation of a European Financial Protection Fund that would bail out large banks in times of crisis and would be financed primarily by contributions from banks themselves.[4]
Margallo also served on the Special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis between 2009 and 2011 as well as on the Special Committee on the policy challenges and budgetary resources for a sustainable European Union after 2013 between 2010 and 2011. In addition to his committee assignments, he was a member of the parliament's delegation for relations with the countries of Central America.
Margallo led the EU-Election Observer Mission for the 2010 presidential election in Togo.
Foreign Minister of Spain, 2011–2016
On 22 December 2011, Margallo was inaugurated as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in the first cabinet presided by Mariano Rajoy.[5]
In March 2012, Margallo announced that, in response to savage killings and human rights abuses in Syria, his country would cease activities at its embassy in Damascus, but would not formally close its mission.[6]
In November 2012, Margallo announced that Spain would follow France in announcing it will support a bid of the Palestinian National Authority for enhanced status at the United Nations when the issue goes to a vote of the General Assembly.[7]
In 2014, amid negotiations towards an accord with the European Union aimed at opening up Cuba, Margallo irritated Raúl Castro's government with his call for Cuba to grant free travel rights to dissidents arrested in the Black Spring of 2003 and later released under strict conditions. During a visit to the country, Margallo was denied an audience with Castro and instead met with First Vice-President Miguel Díaz-Canel.[8]
Following the
Almost 50 years after coming close to possibly provoking a nuclear disaster, Margallo and his counterpart
Later activity
Margallo did not continue at the post of Foreign minister after the formation of the
Margallo was included 7th in the PP list for the 2019 European election.[15] Once elected, he became a Member of the European Parliament again, after his 1994–2011 spell. In 2020, he joined the Subcommittee on Tax Matters.[16]
In addition to his committee assignments, Margallo is part of the European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas.[17]
Other activities
- Elcano Royal Institute for International and Strategic Studies, member of the board of trustees
- Instituto Cervantes, ex officio member of the board of trustees
Controversy
Often[
In June 2016 Margallo said Spain would demand control of Gibraltar the "very next day" after a
Honours
- Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (8 March 2016)
Works
- — (2020). Memorias heterodoxas. De un político de extremo centro. Barcelona: Ediciones Península.[12]
References
- Cadena Ser(in Spanish). Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- Spanish Congress. Archivedfrom the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ "García Margallo y Marfil, José Manuel" (PDF). Diccionario biográfico de políticos valencianos 1810-2005 (in Spanish). Institució Alfons el Magnànim. 2005. p. 233. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- European Voice.
- ^ MAEC News: Inauguration of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, 22/12/2011 Archived 14 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Nakhoul, Samia (10 March 2012). "Syria begins pulling envoys out of EU: diplomats". Reuters.
- ^ Morris, Harvey (28 November 2012). "Europe Divided Ahead of U.N. Palestinian Vote". The New York Times.
- ^ Robin Emmott and Daniel Trotta (9 December 2014), EU-Cuba talks delayed by dispute over cultural event Reuters.
- ^ Adrian Croft (4 September 2015), Spain sending high-level business delegation to Iran Reuters.
- ^ Angus Berwick and Robin Emmott (18 January 2016), Spain seizes on end of Iran's sanctions with plan for joint refinery Reuters.
- New York Times.
- ^ a b Hoz, Cristina de la (21 January 2020). "Margallo sobre Rajoy: "Comenzó a mirarme con cierto recelo; yo me sentí defraudado"". El Independiente (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ "El sentido de humor de Margallo tras su escaso éxito en la votación". Cadena SER. 6 July 2018.
- Europa Press. 15 July 2018.
- ISSN 0212-033X.
- ^ Members of the Subcommittee on Tax Matters European Parliament, press release of 9 July 2020.
- ^ Members 2019-2024 European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas.
- ^ Madrid closes Gibraltar language school as 'only apes don’t speak Spanish', in The Telegraph
- ^ "Spanish PM's anger at David Cameron over Gibraltar". BBC News. 16 June 2016.
- ^ "Spain summons British ambassador over 'reckless' Gibraltar police boat". The Daily Telegraph. 11 July 2016.
External links
- Personal profile of José Manuel García-Margallo in the European Parliament's database of members
- Declaration (PDF) of financial interests (in Spanish)