Former President

Biography

Historian and politician (Báscara on 29 July 1945 – Girona, 12 December 2012)

Lives in Girona. Married with two children.

Education

Studied in Girona, Barcelona and Paris (Sorbonne). History lecturer at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the University of Girona.

Activities, present and previous main functions

An active member of the underground opposition movement against the Franquist regime and participant in Spain’s transition to democracy as leader of the Socialist Party and, from 1979, member of parliament.

Member of the Congress of Deputies for 25 years (1979-2004). Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. International delegations co-ordinator for the Socialist Group from 1996 to 2004.

Chair of the Spanish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) (1993-1997)

Vice-President of PACE (1993-1996)

Chaired the Political Committee of the Westen European Union (WEU) Assembly (1995-1997)

President of the WEU Assembly (1997-2000)

Chair of the PACE Committee on Culture, Science and Education (2002-2005)

Elected Senator for Girona in 2004

Chair of the Spanish delegation to PACE 2004-2008

Elected Chair of the PACE Socialist Group 2004-2008

Elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in January 2008.

Has tabled more than fifty reports and resolutions within these European institutions. His role in European politics has led him to publish many books and studies on European themes, such as “Las lenguas minoritarias en Europa”, “The contribution of the Islamic civilisation to European culture”, “History and the learning of history in Europe”, “Historia de la Unidad Europea”, “Gironella, la izquierda europeísta”, “El rapto de Europa”, “Europa contra la guerra”, etc.

Vice-President of the Ernest Lluch Foundation since January 2002

Publications

Author of fifteen books on history and contemporary politics, including “Girona Francesa 1812-1814”, “Carles Rahola”, “Tarradellas”, “Tomás Puig”, “Catalanisme i afrancesament”, “Girona, guerres i absolutisme” and “La Constitució de Batlle i Jover”, and co-author of another 22; has also written some one hundred academic studies on history, culture and politics as well as frequent articles in the Spanish and international press.

Distinctions

Doctor Honoris Causa , University of Constanţa