Gerardo Iglesias facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerardo Iglesias
|
|
|---|---|
_Felipe_Gonz%C3%A1lez_conversa_con_el_secretario_general_del_Partido_Comunista_de_Espa%C3%B1a_(cropped).jpg) |
|
| Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Spain |
|
| In office 10 December 1982 – 21 February 1988 |
|
| Preceded by | Santiago Carrillo |
| Succeeded by | Julio Anguita |
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 1986–1989 |
|
| Constituency | Madrid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 June 1945 El Cerezal, Mieres, Spain |
| Political party | PCE (1950s–1988); IU |
| Occupation | Miner, politician, trade unionist |
Gerardo Iglesias Argüelles, born on June 29, 1945, is a Spanish person who used to be a politician and worked as a miner. He was the main leader, called the secretary-general, of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) from 1982 to 1988.
Contents
Who is Gerardo Iglesias?
Early Life and Work
Gerardo Iglesias was born on June 29, 1945, in a place called El Cerezal, which is in Mieres, Spain. He came from a family where many people worked as miners. He started working as a builder when he was just 12 years old.
By the time he was 15, he began working in coal mines. Even at that young age, he was already a member of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE). This party was not allowed to operate openly at that time.
A Leader for Change
During a time in Spain called the Francoist dictatorship, Gerardo Iglesias spent a lot of his youth in prison. This was because he was involved in political activities that went against the government. He later became part of the PCE's main leadership group, called the Central Committee.
When Spain started to become a democracy again, a period known as the Spanish transition to democracy, he became an important leader. He led the workers' union group called Comisiones Obreras in the Asturias region. He also led the PCE's group in Asturias.
In 1982, Gerardo Iglesias took over from Santiago Carrillo as the main leader of the PCE. In June 1986, after a big election, he was chosen to be a member of the Congress of Deputies. This is like being a representative in the Spanish parliament. He represented the area of Madrid.
He ran as a candidate for a new group called United Left (IU). The PCE was part of this new group.
Life After Politics
Gerardo Iglesias stepped down from leading the PCE in March 1988. He left the party completely in November 1988 because he had different ideas from the new leader, Julio Anguita.
For a short time, he was the first coordinator of the United Left group. But then he also handed over this role to Julio Anguita. In 1989, he went back to working in the mine.
He had an accident while working in the mine shafts. He had also had surgery for a back problem and had not fully recovered. Because of this, in 1990, he asked for special benefits for people who can no longer work due to injury. These benefits were approved in 1992.
See also
In Spanish: Gerardo Iglesias para niños
