Pedro Solbes

Life and career

Solbes was born in Pinoso on 31 August 1942.

While independent in the sense of not being affiliated to any party, his various ministerial roles in Spain were always within Socialist Workers' Party cabinets.

From 1985 to 1991, he was third 3rd secretary of state for the European Communities. He was agriculture and fisheries minister (1991–1993) and finance minister (1993–1996) in Felipe González's cabinets, also MP representing Alicante for the same party until 1999.

Appointed by Spanish premier José María Aznar (of the main competing party, the People's Party), Solbes was a European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs in the European Commission presided over by Romano Prodi (the Prodi Commission).

Then Solbes served as second vice president and minister of economy and finance in the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, which he held from 2004 to 2009.

Solbes died from cancer on 18 March 2023, at the age of 80.

Other activities

• African Development Bank (AfDB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)
• Asian Development Bank (ADB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004-2009)
• European Investment Bank (EIB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)

Decorations

• [[File:ESP Order of Civil Merit - Collar.svg|60px]] Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (24 April 2009)
• [[File:ESP Charles III Order GC.svg|60px]] Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (10 May 1996)
• [[File:ESP Isabella Catholic Order COM NUM.svg|60px]] Commander by Number of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (30 May 1985)

References

References

1. "Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior - FRIDE". EuroMesco.
2. "Who's who in the Spanish Cabinet.". Spain View.
3. (22 April 2004). "Spanish cabinet - key players". BBC.
4. (1 July 2004). "Whose head will roll?". The Economist.
5. (18 March 2023). "Muere Pedro Solbes, hombre clave en la integración de España en Europa". El País.
6. [https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/afdb_group_annual_report_2006.pdf 2006 Annual Report] [[African Development Bank]] (AfDB).
7. [https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional-document/31326/adb-annual-report-2005.pdf 2005 Annual Report] [[Asian Development Bank]] (ADB).
8. [https://www.200.com/downloads/research/annual/ar05a.pdf 2005 Annual Report]{{Dead link. (May 2020)
9. [https://www.eib.org/attachments/general/reports/fr2006en.pdf 2006 Annual Report] [[European Investment Bank]] (EIB).
10. (25 April 2009). "Royal Decree 776/2009, of April 24, by which the Collar of the Order of Civil Merit is awarded to Mr. Pedro Solbes Mira.". BOE.
11. (11 May 1996). "Royal Decree 1159/2004, 999/1996, of May 10, by which the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III is granted to Mr. Pedro Solbes Mira.". BOE.
12. (1 June 1985). "Order of May 30, 1985, by which the Order of Isabella the Catholic is granted the Commander by Number to Mr. Pedro Solbes Mira, General Technical Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.". BOE.