Francisco Fernández Ordóñez

Francisco Fernández Ordóñez (22 June 1930 – 7 August 1992) was a Spanish politician who was the minister of foreign affairs in the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) government of Felipe González from 1985 until shortly before his death from a terminal illness in 1992.[1]

Francisco Fernández Ordóñez
Fernández Ordóñez in 1988
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain
In office
5 July 1985 – 16 June 1992
PresidentFelipe González
Preceded byFernando Morán
Succeeded byJavier Solana
Minister of Justice of Spain
In office
9 September 1980 – 1 September 1981
PresidentAdolfo Suárez and Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo
Preceded byÍñigo Cavero
Succeeded byPío Cabanillas Gallas
Minister of Finance of Spain
In office
4 July 1977 – 6 April 1979
PresidentAdolfo Suárez
Preceded byEduardo Carriles Galarraga
Succeeded byJaime García Añoveros
Personal details
Born
Francisco Fernández Ordóñez

(1930-06-22)22 June 1930
Madrid, Spain
Died7 August 1992(1992-08-07) (aged 62)
Madrid, Spain
Resting placeMingorrubio Cemetery
Political partyUnion of the Democratic Centre (UCD), Democratic Action Party (PAD), Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
RelationsMiguel Ángel Fernández Ordóñez (brother)
ProfessionLawyer, Civil Servant

Early life and education edit

Fernández Ordóñez was born on 22 June 1930.[2] He studied law in Madrid and at Harvard University.

Career edit

Minister of Finance and Justice edit

After graduation, Fernández Ordóñez joined the ministry of economy in 1959, becoming the assistant secretary in 1973 and president of the National Institute of Industry in 1974, but resigned the same year for political reasons. He then founded the tiny Social Democratic Party. In 1977, his party joined the larger Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), led by Adolfo Suárez, serving under him as the finance minister from 1977 until 1980, and then as the minister of justice, in which position he legalized divorce.[1]

Foreign Affairs edit

In 1982 he resigned from office and from the UCD in protest over a case of police torture, creating the small, new Democratic Action Party (Spain) (PAD). He then joined the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE),[3] becoming one of its deputies in the Cortes Generales when it won the general election of 28 October 1982. He was made president of the Banco Exterior de España until 1986 and was made later minister of foreign affairs. In the Congress he sat as a deputy for Madrid from 1977 to 1979 and from 1982 onwards and represented Zaragoza between 1979 and 1982.

Later life edit

Fernández Ordóñez died on 7 August 1992 of cancer at the age of 62.

References edit

  1. ^ a b (in Spanish) Gobiernos de España (1931–2008) Archived 29 June 2012 at archive.today Terra
  2. ^ "Francisco Fernandez-Ordonez, Former Spanish Official, 62, Dies". The New York Times. 8 August 1992. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  3. ^ R. W. Apple Jr. (13 October 1982). "Spanish socialist a darling of public, if not army". The New York Times. Madrid. Retrieved 9 September 2013.

External links edit