Enrique Barón

Spanish politician, member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, former minister, former President of the European Commission, former Member of the European Parliament.

Born on 27 March 1944 à Madridis a politician Spanishmember of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).

After being the first Minister of Transport from Felipe Gonzálezbetween 1982 and 1985He was elected Member of the European Parliament in 1987and then President of the European Parliament two years later. In 1999he took over the presidency of the Socialist Group in the European Parliamentwhich he retained for five years, retiring from politics in 2009.

Training and professional activity

He holds a license in right of theUniversidad Complutense de Madridand in business administration at the Institut catholique d'administration et de direction des entreprises (Icade) and theÉcole supérieure des sciences économiques et commerciales (ESSEC) of Paris. He was then a professor of economic structure between 1966 and 1970to theUniversidad Complutense de Madrid.

Spanish political career

The beginnings

Active member of May 68He belonged to the Socialist Convergence of Madrid (CSM) and was even one of the leaders of the Federation of Socialist Parties (FPS) in the early days of the democratic transition. It adheres to the PSOE in 1977following the dissolution of the WSC, and was elected deputy for Madrid during the first democratic elections. He was a member of the Constitution, Finance and Public Works Committees, and became the Socialist Group's spokesperson on economic and budgetary issues for five years.

Minister of Transport

Re-elected in 1979and then in 1982Enrique Barón is appointed Minister of Transport, Tourism and Communications the 2 December 1982at the age of 38. He was faced with the obsolescence of the railway network and launched a vast modernisation plan which led to the closure of lines that were little or not used at all. During the reorganisation of 4 July 1985It is replaced by Abel Caballero. The following year he joined the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Congress of Deputies.

European political career

He is President of the European Movement from 1987 à 1989.

President of the European Parliament

From the 1^er January 1986He is part of the Spanish delegation to the European Parliamentfollowing the accession of theSpain to the European Community. Appointed Vice-President of the institution at the beginning of the year 1987He was elected Member of the European Parliament at direct universal suffrage a few months later, retaining his position in the office. After the 1989 European electionsHe was chosen as the new President of the European Parliament the 25 July. He hands over his position midway through the term to the German conservative Egon Klepsch.

A long parliamentary career

In 1992he took over the presidency of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Securitywhich he abandons in 1994but still a member of the committee. The 20 July 1999He was elected President of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES), and held this position for the entire legislature. After the 2004 European electionsHe will be the head of the European Commission for two and a half years. Committee on International Trade. He is not standing for re-election. 2009 European elections.

In 2015, he is a candidate for the presidency of the Party of European Socialists.