Joaquín Almunia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joaquín Almunia
Almunia in 2007
European Commissioner for Competition
In office 9 February 2010 – 1 November 2014
President	José Manuel Barroso
Preceded by	Neelie Kroes
Succeeded by	Margrethe Vestager
European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs
In office 24 April 2004 – 9 February 2010 Served with Siim Kallas
President	Romano Prodi José Manuel Barroso
Preceded by	Pedro Solbes
Succeeded by	Olli Rehn
Leader of the Opposition
In office 14 May 1999 – 1 July 2000
Prime Minister	José María Aznar
Preceded by	Josep Borrell
Succeeded by	José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
In office 22 June 1997 – 24 April 1998
Prime Minister	José María Aznar
Preceded by	Felipe González
Succeeded by	Josep Borrell
Minister of Public Administrations
In office 26 July 1986 – 12 March 1991
Prime Minister	Felipe González
Preceded by	Félix Pons Irazazábal
Succeeded by	Juan Manuel Eguiagaray
Minister of Labor and Nacional Health Service
In office 2 December 1982 – 26 July 1986
Prime Minister	Felipe González
Preceded by	Santiago Rodríguez Miranda
Succeeded by	Manuel Chaves González
Personal details
Born	Joaquín Almunia Amann (1948-06-17) 17 June 1948 (age 77) Bilbao, Spain
Political party	Socialist Workers' Party
Alma mater	University of Deusto Practical School for Advanced Studies

Joaquín Almunia Amann, born on June 17, 1948, is a Spanish politician. He was an important member of the European Commission, which is like the government of the European Union. He worked there from 2004 to 2014. During this time, he helped manage economic and financial matters. Later, he became a Vice-President and the European Commissioner for Competition. Before working for the EU, he was a minister in the Spanish government. He also led the main opposition party in Spain, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, from 1997 to 2000.

Early Life and Education

Joaquín Almunia was born in Bilbao, Spain, on June 17, 1948. His father was an engineer, and his mother came from a family with German roots. His grandfather, Isaac Amann, helped build the Bilbao–Getxo railway.

Almunia went to the Jesuit School of Indautxu in Bilbao. He studied economics and law at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, finishing his degrees in 1971 and 1972. He continued his studies in Paris from 1970 to 1971. In 1991, he also completed a special program at the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University. From 1991 to 1994, he taught law at the University of Alcalá de Henares.

Political Career

Early Roles and Government Service

Almunia in May 1990

Before becoming a politician, Almunia worked as an economist. From 1976 to 1979, he was the chief economist for a major trade union in Spain called the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT). This union was connected to the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).

Almunia was elected to the Congress of Deputies, which is like the Spanish parliament, in 1979. He represented Madrid and served there until 2004. He held important positions in the Spanish government under Prime Minister Felipe González. He was the Minister of Employment and Social Security from 1982 to 1986. After that, he became the Minister of Public Administration from 1986 to 1991. He also served as the spokesperson for the PSOE party from 1994 to 1997.

Leading the Socialist Party

After the 1996 elections, the PSOE party leader, Felipe González, stepped down. Joaquín Almunia was then chosen as the new leader, or Secretary-General, of the PSOE. He held this position from 1997 to 2000.

In 1998, another politician from his party, Josep Borrell, decided to run against Almunia. This was the first time the PSOE held a primary election to choose their candidate for prime minister. Borrell won this election, even though many party leaders supported Almunia. This created a situation where Almunia was the party leader, but Borrell was chosen to run for prime minister. However, Borrell later resigned as the prime ministerial candidate.

In the 2000 general election, Almunia became the PSOE's candidate for prime minister. His party lost to the conservative PP, led by José María Aznar. This was a difficult election for the PSOE, and Almunia resigned as party leader afterward.

Almunia also directed a research program on income equality from 1991 to 1994. In 2002, he started and led a progressive research group called Laboratorio de Alternativas.

European Commissioner Role

Almunia in October 2009 next to Latvian PM Valdis Dombrovskis.

Joaquín Almunia joined the European Commission in April 2004. He first served as the EU Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs. He was reappointed in November 2004 by President José Manuel Barroso.

Later, he became the EU Commissioner for Competition. In this role, he was responsible for making sure companies followed fair rules in the European Union. He investigated large companies like Google, Apple, Starbucks, Fiat, and Amazon to ensure they were not breaking competition laws or avoiding taxes unfairly. His work on these cases was continued and finalized by his successor, Margrethe Vestager.

Almunia is also an Honorary Fellow at St Edmund's College, Cambridge.

Other Activities

Joaquín Almunia has been involved in several international and non-profit organizations.

• He was a member of the Board of Governors for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) from 2004 to 2010.
• He is a member of the Scientific Council for the Aristide Merloni Foundation.
• He has been part of the Scientific Committee for 'Building the Energy Union to Fuel European Growth' at The European House – Ambrosetti.
• He is the Chairman of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS).
• He is a member of the Advisory Board for the Centre for European Reform.
• He is also a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the Strategic Council of the European Policy Centre (EPC).
• He serves on the Board of Trustees for Friends of Europe.
• He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Jacques Delors Institute.

See also

In Spanish: Joaquín Almunia para niños