Abel Matutes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abel Matutes
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Official portrait, 1993
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 6 May 1996 – 27 April 2000 |
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| Prime Minister | José María Aznar |
| Preceded by | Carlos Westendorp |
| Succeeded by | Josep Piqué |
| European Commissioner for Transport and Energy | |
| In office 1993 – April 1994 |
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| President | Jacques Delors |
| Preceded by | Karel Van Miert |
| Succeeded by | Marcelino Oreja, 1st Marquess of Oreja |
| European Commissioner for Mediterranean and Latin American Policy | |
| In office 1986–1992 |
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| President | Jacques Delors |
| Preceded by | Claude Cheysson |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Abel Matutes y Juan
31 October 1941 Ibiza, Spanish State |
| Political party | People's Party |
Abel Matutes y Juan (born 31 October 1941) is a Spanish politician who used to work in the government. He was Spain's top diplomat, known as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, from 1996 to 2000. He also served as a European commissioner, helping to run the European Union, from 1986 to 1994. Later, he became a Member of the European Parliament.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Abel Matutes was born in Ibiza, an island in Spain, on October 31, 1941. His first steps in politics happened in this region.
His Political Journey
Matutes started his political career as the Mayor of Ibiza in 1970 and 1971. This meant he was in charge of the city's local government.
Later, in 1977, he became a Senator for Ibiza and Formentera. A Senator is like a representative in one part of the Spanish Parliament.
In 1982, Matutes moved to the Congress of Deputies. This is the lower house of the Spanish Parliament, where laws are made. He represented the Balearic Islands until 1985.
Working for Europe
In 1986, Abel Matutes took on a big role in Europe. He became a European commissioner. This is a very important job where he helped manage different areas for the European Community (now the European Union).
He was in charge of things like:
- Helping with money and investments.
- Supporting small and medium-sized businesses.
- Managing relationships with countries in the Mediterranean, Latin America, and Asia.
From 1993, his job changed. He then focused on transportation, energy, and making sure there was enough fuel for nuclear power.
After his time as a Commissioner, Matutes became a Member of the European Parliament in 1994. Here, he spoke for the People's Party, a major political group in Spain. He was also a founding leader of a political group in the Balearic Islands called the Liberal Union.
Life Outside Politics
Outside of his busy political life, Abel Matutes is married and has four children. He studied Law and Economics at university. He also taught public finance as a professor. He is an honorary professor at the University of Santiago de Chile and the Complutense University of Madrid. He is also part of several important academic groups.
See also
In Spanish: Abel Matutes para niños
