Segismundo Moret

Segismundo Moret y Prendergast ( born June 2, 1833 in Cadiz, † January 28, 1913 in Madrid) was a Spanish politician and Prime Minister of Spain (Presidente del Gobierno ).

Life

Studies, career and deputy

After school he studied law at the Central University of Madrid, to the after graduation in 1858 he received an appointment as Professor of Political Economy and Finance. In 1867 he was the author of the reference book " Estudios Financeros " (Financial Studies ).

His political career began in 1863 ( Congreso de los Deputies ) with the first election for members of Parliament, in which he, however, initially only for a short time represented the interests of the constituency Almaden. After the successful revolution (La Gloriosa ) of 1868, which led to the overthrow of Queen Isabella II, however, he was re-elected as members of the Deputierenkongresses, where he served almost 44 years until his death. At the same time he was one of the authors of the Constitution of 1869 ( Constitución Española de 1869).

Minister

On 3 March 1870 he was appointed Colonial Secretary ( Ministro de Ultramar ) for the first time in a government and as such was among the Cabinet of Juan Prim until 4 January 1871. In this office he brought on 4 July 1870, the Law for the prohibition of slavery, the so-called "freedom of mothers bodies " (Ley de vientres libres ), which was named after him Ley Moret. At the same time during his term of office a constitution for the colony of Puerto Rico was adopted, which allowed, among other things, the implementation of the Ley Moret on Puerto Rico, but also in Cuba. It was also during his tenure from December 2, 1870 until January 4, 1871, he was at the same time for a little more than a month and Treasury Minister ( Ministro de Hacienda ).

Subsequently, he was appointed ambassador was in London, but where he was active only from 1872 to 1873. After his return to Spain after the restoration of the monarchy ( Restauración borbonica ) he was the founder in 1875 of the Democratic- Monarchist Party ( Partido Democrático - monárquico ), which in 1882 with other parties to the Dynastic Left ( Izquierda Dinástica ) merged.

Prime Minister José de Posada Herrera called him on October 13, 1883, for the Minister of the Interior ( Ministro de Gobernación ) into his cabinet, where he remained until January 18, 1884. Immediately after 1885, the Liberal Party ( Partido Liberal ) joined, he was appointed by their party chairman Práxedes Mateo Sagasta in the government as Foreign Minister ( Ministro de Estado ) on December 27, 1885. This office he held until the government reshuffle on 12 June 1888 he was again appointed Minister of the Interior. However sagasta dismissed him already a few months later as part of the reshuffle on 30 November, 1888.

On December 11, 1892 Sagasta him but called again in his fifth cabinet, where he remained until March 12, 1894 as Development Minister ( Ministro de Fomento ). At the same time he was April 5, 1893 until November 5, 1894 some time again acting Foreign Minister.

Sagasta summoned him on January 4, 1897 in his sixth Cabinet. As Colonial Secretary he ordered by a decree of the autonomy of the colonies of Cuba and Puerto Rico, in order to prevent the independence aspirations of the two countries, but ultimately failed because of the emerging Spanish-American War. After the defeat of Spain against the United States, he was then released in 1898 by Sagasta.

On March 6, 1901 appointed him Sagasta Again, however, the interior minister, dismissed him again after some time and finally called him again in this office after the cabinet reshuffle of 19 March 1902. Moret Prendergast noted in its last until December 6, 1902 term of office under other things, the establishment of the Institute for Social reform ( Instituto de Reformas Sociales ) by, which later became the Ministry of Labor ( Ministerio de Trabajo ).

After the death of Sagasta on January 5, 1903, he lost the party 's internal power struggle over his succession as leader of the Liberal Party, but José Méndez canalejas.

Multiple Prime Minister under King Alfonso XIII.

Following the resignation of Prime Minister Eugenio Montero Ríos because of the affair of the satirical weekly magazine " ¡ Cu - Cut! " it was founded by King Alfonso XIII. on December 1, 1905, his successor as Prime Minister of Spain (Presidente del Gobierno ). During his ongoing until July 6, 1906 tenure, the Court Act ( Ley de Jurisdicciones ) was adopted, which expanded the power of the army within the state. Following a vote defeat in the Cortes Generales, he was forced to resign and hand over the office of prime minister José López Domínguez.

After his resignation, he was then for five days from November 30 to December 4, 1906 again Prime Minister of the transitional government.

Was forced to resign as Prime Minister Antonio Maura Montaner because of the bloody suppression of the uprising during the Tragic Week ( Semana trágica ) on 21 October 1909 he became Prime Minister as his successor again. However, he was forced to resign already on February 9, 1910 again, after he did not receive a majority of the dissolution of Parliament to consolidate its power. Was succeeded by his internal party rival canalejas.

After the assassination of canalejas on November 12, 1912, he was finally still self- Chairman of the Liberal Party as his successor. The parliamentary majority of the Partido Liberal Minister to President Álvaro Figueroa Torres led shortly afterwards to his election as President of the Congress of Deputies ( Congreso de los Diputardos ), a post he held until his death two and a half months later.

Honorary Appointments

Like many politicians of his time took Moret Prendergast addition to his political activities also several honorary positions was.

Due to its recognition as a trade and Finanzrechtler he was a member of the Auditing Committee for the revision of the Commercial Code ( Código de Comercio ) and Vice President of the Consultative Council currency ( Junta Consultativa de la Moneda ). In addition, he was also adviser to the Supreme Council for agriculture, industry and trade as well as Honorary President of the Chamber of Commerce of Madrid.

From 1884 to 1886, 1894-1898 and finally from 1899 until his death he was president of the Ateneo de Madrid. In addition, he was on 25 November 1885 a member of the Real Academia de Ciencias Morales y Politicas, where he held until his death in the chair ( Sillón ) 25. Finally, in 1894 his appointment as a member of the Royal Spanish Academy (Real Academia Española ), whose chair he H until his death he finished.

In addition, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III. ( Orden de Carlos III) excellent.