JoaquÃn Almunia
Joaquín Almunia Amann [ xo.akin almunja ] ( born June 17, 1948 in Bilbao ) is a Spanish politician. Since 2004 he is member of the European Commission responsible therein since 2010 with responsibility for competition.
After studying law and economics at the University of Deusto in Bilbao ( Basque Country ), he completed postgraduate studies in Paris. He then worked as an Assistant Professor and Professor of Labour Law at the University of Alcalá de Henares, and later at Harvard University.
In 1974, he joined the banned at the time of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party ( PSOE) in underground and worked for the PSOE - UGT nearby. After moving into the Spanish Parliament in 1979 for the PSOE from 1982 to 1986 he was Minister of Labour and 1986-1991 Minister of Public Administration in the government of Felipe González.
1991 different Almunia out of the government and parliament and worked again at the university. In 1994 he returned to Parliament in 1997 and Secretary General of the PSOE (which approximately corresponds to a German party leader ). As such, he was also PSOE top candidate for the Spanish 2000 elections, but when he suffered a severe defeat against the Popular Party under Prime Minister José María Aznar. Almunia therefore resigned on election night, his successor as Secretary General of the PSOE, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
On 26 April 2004 on the proposal of Almunia now elected to the Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs in the Prodi Commission was. He was the successor of Pedro Solbes, which in turn was appointed Spanish Minister of Economic Affairs. In the Barroso I, who was in office on 18 November 2004 to 9 February 2010 Almunia retained his portfolio. On 27 November 2009 Almunia was proposed by President Barroso as Commissioner for the future Barroso II Commission competition and Vice President. A position he took up on February 10, 2010.
Joaquín Almunia, is married and has two children.