Enrique Múgica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enrique Múgica
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| Ombudsman of Spain | |
| In office 15 June 2000 – 30 June 2010 |
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| Monarch | Juan Carlos I |
| Preceded by | Antonio Rovira Viñas |
| Succeeded by | María Luisa Cava de Llano y Carrió |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 12 July 1988 – 12 March 1991 |
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| Monarch | Juan Carlos I |
| Prime Minister | Felipe González |
| Preceded by | Fernando Ledesma Bartret |
| Succeeded by | Tomás de la Quadra-Salcedo |
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 1977–2000 |
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| Constituency | Gipuzkoa |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Enrique Múgica Herzog
20 February 1932 San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spanish Republic |
| Died | 10 April 2020 (aged 88) |
| Political party | PSOE |
Enrique Múgica Herzog (born February 20, 1932 – died April 10, 2020) was an important Spanish lawyer and politician. He was known for his strong opposition to the Franco dictatorship in Spain.
He spent three years in prison because he was against the government. He was a key leader of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) during Franco's time. He also helped Spain and Israel become diplomatic friends. Enrique Múgica served as the Minister of Justice from 1988 to 1991. He was a member of parliament for Gipuzkoa from 1977 to 2000. Later, he became the Ombudsman of Spain from 2000 to 2010.
Enrique Múgica was born in San Sebastián, a city in Spain. His father was a violinist who died during the Spanish Civil War. His mother was from France and had Polish Jewish roots. His brother, Fernando, died in February 1996. Enrique Múgica was proud of his Jewish heritage. He saw Spain, the Basque Country, and Israel as his "three loves."
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Fighting for Democracy in Spain
Enrique Múgica was always against the Franco dictatorship, which was a non-democratic government. In 1953, he joined the Communist Party of Spain (PCE), even though it was against the law. He stayed with them for ten years.
In 1956, Múgica and some friends wrote a paper asking for a special university meeting. This meeting would not be controlled by the government's student union. This led to the first public student protest against the Franco government. After a fight with government supporters, Múgica and others were arrested. He was put in Carabanchel Prison for three months. This event helped start an organized student protest movement.
Spain's Move to Democracy
When Spain started to become a democracy again, Enrique Múgica was elected as a member of parliament for the PSOE in 1977. He served in this role for 23 years. In the late 1970s, he also worked as the PSOE's Secretary for Political Relations.
Múgica played a big part in helping Spain and Israel become diplomatic friends. He and his brother, Fernando, convinced Felipe González, who later became Prime Minister, to make this happen. Diplomatic relations were officially started in 1986.
Serving as Justice Minister
Enrique Múgica was the first person of Jewish faith to be a minister in the Spanish government since the time of the Spanish Inquisition. As Justice Minister, he helped pass new laws. These laws included rules for companies and changes to the court system.
He believed in following the law strictly. He also thought that students should use formal language when speaking to teachers, like usted instead of tú. He said this showed "mutual respect" and helped create a better classroom environment. He left his role as Justice Minister in 1991.
Becoming the Ombudsman
In 2000, Enrique Múgica left the PSOE party to become Spain's Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is like a public defender who helps people with problems they have with the government. He was the first Ombudsman to serve for two terms, staying in the role until 2010.
Death
Enrique Múgica passed away on April 10, 2020, from COVID-19.
Images for kids
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Enrique Múgica speaking to the press.
See also
In Spanish: Enrique Múgica para niños
