José Pedro Pérez-Llorca

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pérez-Llorca and the second or maternal family name is Rodrigo.
José Pedro Pérez-Llorca
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
9 September 1980 – 1 December 1982
Prime Minister
Preceded byMarcelino Oreja
Succeeded byFernando Morán López
Minister for Territorial Administrations
In office
3 May 1980 – 9 September 1980
Prime MinisterAdolfo Suárez
Preceded byAntonio Fontán
Succeeded byRodolfo Martín Villa
Minister of the Presidency
In office
6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980
Prime MinisterAdolfo Suárez
Preceded byJosé Manuel Otero
Succeeded byRafael Arias-Salgado
Member of the Congress of Deputies
In office
29 June 1977 – 31 August 1982
Personal details
Born
José Pedro Pérez-Llorca Rodrigo

(1940-11-30)30 November 1940
Cádiz, Spain
Died6 March 2019(2019-03-06) (aged 78)
Madrid, Spain
Political partyUnion of the Democratic Centre
Alma materUniversidad Complutense

José Pedro Pérez-Llorca (30 November 1940 – 6 March 2019) was a Spanish lawyer who served as the minister of foreign affairs from 1980 to 1982. His term witnessed Spain's accession to NATO and significant events in relation to the accession of Spain to the European Union. He was also one of the Fathers of the Constitution and played a key role in the country's transition to democracy.[1]

Early life and education

Pérez-Llorca was born in Cádiz on 30 November 1940.[2][3] He graduated from the Universidad Complutense, Madrid, with a law degree.[2]

Career

Pérez-Llorca in 1982

Pérez-Llorca was a lawyer by profession and worked in the ministry of foreign affairs.[2] He also worked as a professor of constitutional law at his alma mater, Universidad Complutense.[2] He played a significant role in the creation of Spain's 1978 constitution[2] in that he was part of the seven-member commission, la Ponencia, which produced the draft constitution.[4]

Pérez-Llorca became a member of the Union of the Democratic Centre.[2] He served in the Congress of Deputies from 1977 to 1982, representing the province of Madrid.[2] In 1979 he was appointed minister for the presidency and minister of territorial administration in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez.[2]

In September 1980, Pérez-Llorca was appointed minister of foreign affairs, replacing Marcelino Oreja in the post.[5][6] The cabinet was headed by Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez.[7] Pérez-Llorca continued to serve as minister of foreign affairs in the next cabinet led by Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo.[2][7]

Pérez-Llorca's term under Adolfo Suárez was not productive due to the political tensions in the country.[7] In his second term under Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo the foreign policy of Spain became much closer to the Western countries.[8] In line with this turn Pérez-Llorca focused on the Spain's relations with the European countries.[7] On 17 November 1982 the European Parliament approved the accession of Spain to the European Communities.[7] Another significant event during his tenure was Spain's membership to NATO in May 1982.[7] However, Pérez-Llorca, who feared an Arab oil embargo against Spain, would also prevent Spanish President Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo's consideration to recognize Israel from going forward.[9][10] His term as minister ended in December 1982.[7]

Pérez-Llorca had several positions on the boards of different firms. He co-founded the Pérez-Llorca law firm in 1983 serving as its chairman from then until at least 2005.[11][12] He was the chairman of Urquijo Leasing and AEG Ibérica and a member of the Board of Telefónica and of the Madrid Stock Exchange Council.[11]

Other activities

Pérez-Llorca was a board member of directors of the International Airlines Group.[13] He had also membership at the non-profit organizations, including FAES Foundation and Museo Nacional del Prado.[2]

Death and funeral

Pérez-Llorca died on 6 March 2019.[1] His funeral at the church of San Jerónimo el Real in Madrid was attended by King Felipe and Queen Letizia, and other leading figures, including Pío García-Escudero, Ana Pastor, Esperanza Aguirre, and Ana Botella.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b Anabel Diez (6 March 2019). "Muere José Pedro Pérez-Llorca, uno de los padres de la Constitución, a los 78 años". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "José Pedro Pérez-Llorca is appointed new President of the Board of Trustees of the Museo del Prado". Museo del Prado (in Spanish). 26 October 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Board of Directors" (PDF). IBERIA. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  4. ^ James Casey (1990). "The Spanish Constitutional Court". Irish Jurist. 25–27: 27. JSTOR 44026792.
  5. ^ Fernando Rodrigo (1995). "Western alignment: Spain's security policy". In R. Gillespie; Fernando Rodrigo; Jonathan Story (eds.). Democratic Spain: Reshaping External Relations in a Changing World. London; New York: Routledge. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-415-11325-0.
  6. ^ Angel Viñas (1999). "Breaking the shackles from the past: Spain foreign policy from Franco to Felipe González". In Sebastian Balfour; Paul Preston (eds.). Spain and the Great Powers in the Twentieth Century. London; New York: Routledge. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-415-18078-8.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Małgorzata Mizerska-Wrotkowska (2017). "Impact of Spain's democratisation on its multilateral relations". Reality of Politics. Estimates - Comments - Forecast. 8: 50–51. doi:10.15804/rop201703.
  8. ^ Shmuel Hadas (2009). "In the Shadow of Franco's Legacy: The Evolution of Israeli—Spanish Relations". Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs. 3 (2): 81. doi:10.1080/23739770.2009.11446371. S2CID 147323981.
  9. ^ Hadas, Samuel (2007). "Un legado para la transición: Israel". In Enrique Gadea (ed.). La contratación bancaria. Librería-Editorial Dykinson. p. 48. ISBN 978-84-9849-046-6.
  10. ^ Bautista Delgado, Juan (2009). "From Ostracism to a Leading Role – Spain's Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East Since 1939". In Sanford R. Silverburg (ed.). Palestine and International Law: Essays on Politics and Economics. McFarland. p. 311. ISBN 978-0-7864-4248-5.
  11. ^ a b "Board of Directors" (PDF). ICA Group. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  12. ^ "Law firm Pérez-Llorca of Spain named Javier Fernández Cuenca partner". Attorneys. 7 March 2005. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  13. ^ "Appointment of the IAG Board Members". IAG. Retrieved 23 April 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  14. ^ "Los Reyes presiden el funeral en memoria de José Pedro Pérez-Llorca, uno de los padres de la Constitución española". Europa Press (in Spanish). 4 April 2019.