Fernando Morán (politician)

Fernando Morán (25 March 1926 – 19 February 2020) was a Spanish diplomat and politician who served as minister of foreign affairs from 1982 to 1985 in the first government of Felipe González. After completing his studies in Madrid, Paris and London, Morán pursued a career as a diplomat. A member of the Group of Salamanca around Enrique Tierno Galván, in 1967 he was a co-founder of the Socialist Party of the Interior,[1] that would become the People's Socialist Party in 1974.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Morán and the second or maternal family name is López.
Fernando Morán
Morán in 1983
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
2 December 1982 – 4 July 1985
Prime MinisterFelipe González
Preceded byJosé Pedro Pérez-Llorca
Succeeded byFrancisco Fernández Ordóñez
Personal details
Born
Fernando Morán López

(1926-03-25)25 March 1926
Avilés, Spain
Died19 February 2020(2020-02-19) (aged 93)
Madrid, Spain
Political party
Children3
Alma materLondon School of Economics

Early life and education

Morán was born in Avilés, Asturias, on 25 March 1926.[2][3] He received a degree in law and economy.[3] He attended the Institute of International Studies in Paris and London School of Economics.[3]

Career

Morán was a career diplomat.[4] He held several diplomatic and consular posts in Buenos Aires, Pretoria and Lisbon.[3] He was also consul general in London under the ambassadorship of Manuel Fraga.[5] Morán served as general director of Foreign Policy for Africa and Continental Asia.[5]

Morán turned to politics in 1974, joining Enrique Tierno Galván's opposition group, the Popular Socialist Party,[5][6] and established "Grupo Tierno" in Salamanca during the Franco era.[7] Then he became a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) and its main foreign policy analyst.[8] In 1978 he was elected senator representing the Asturian constituency.[7]

Morán served as the minister of foreign affairs in the first cabinet of Prime Minister Felipe González.[9] On 4 July 1985, Morán was fired and was succeeded by Francisco Fernández Ordóñez in the post in a cabinet reshuffle.[10][11][12] Morán's anti-NATO position led to his dismissal.[12][13]

From 1985 to 1987 Morán served as the Spanish representative at the United Nations.[7] In 1987, he became the head of the Socialist Party group at the European Parliament.[6] He continued to serve at the parliament for two further terms, and his tenure ended in 1999.[2] During his term he chaired the committee on institutional affairs from 22 July 1994 to 15 January 1997.[2]

Views and activities
Manuel Marín and Fernando Morán watch Prime Minister Felipe González signing the Treaty of Accession of Spain to the EU in the Royal Palace on 12 June 1982

Morán had never a close relationship with the Prime Minister Felipe González.[14] During his term as foreign minister Morán was among those who successfully lobbied for entrance of Spain to the European Union.[15][16] In addition, Minister for European Community Relations Manuel Marín and Morán led the negotiation team which was tasked to realize Spain's accession to the Union.[17][14]

In 1984, Morán also successfully negotiated the Brussels Agreement for Spain.[18] On the other hand, he strongly objected to the continuation of Spain's membership of NATO.[12] As minister, he was one of the most representative members of the line of thought within the Spanish foreign office espousing pro-Arab stances.[19]

Work

Morán was the author of several novels, poetry and books on literary criticism.[6] In 1980 he published a book on the foreign policy of Spain: Una Política Exterior Para España (Spanish: A Foreign Policy for Spain).[14] In the book he advocated his opposition against NATO supporting a third-worldist foreign policy for Spain.[14] One of his books, Luz al fondo del túnel, was published in 1999.[20] He also published his biography in 2002 with the title of Palimpsesto: a modo de memorias.[21]

Death

Morán was married and had three children.[3] He died on 19 February 2020 in Madrid.[22]

References
  1. "Fernando Morán, diplomático de oposición". El País. 4 July 1985.
  2. "Fernando Morán López". European Parliament. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  3. Gustavo Álvarez Rico. "Fernando Morán López". Real Academia de la Historia (in Spanish).
  4. "Spanish socialists to limit Nato link". The Age. 1 November 1982. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  5. Miguel González (19 February 2020). "Muere a los 93 años Fernando Morán, primer ministro de Exteriores de los Gobiernos de Felipe González". El Pais (in Spanish).
  6. Eamonn J. Rodgers, ed. (1999). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture. London; New York: Routledge. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-415-13187-2.
  7. "Biographical notes of panelists". Batory. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  8. José I. Torreblanca (2001). "Ideas, preferences and institutions: Explaining the Europeanization of Spanish Foreign Policy" (PDF). Arena Working Papers. 26.
  9. José María Magone (2004). Contemporary Spanish Politics. London: Routledge. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-415-30336-1.
  10. Jean Grugel (1995). "Spain and Latin America". In Richard Gillespie; Fernando Rodrigo; Jonathan Story (eds.). Democratic Spain: Reshaping External Relations in a Changing World. London; New York: Routledge. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-415-11326-7.
  11. "Francisco Fernandez-Ordonez, Former Spanish Official, 62, Dies". The New York Times. 8 August 1992. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  12. "Spanish minister sacked". The Glasgow Herald. Madrid. 4 July 1985. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  13. "Spanish cabinet reshuffled". Ottawa Citizen. 5 July 1985. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  14. Paul Kennedy (2013). The Spanish Socialist Party and the modernisation of Spain. Manchester; New York: Manchester University Press. p. 77. ISBN 9781526102898.
  15. John Gibbons (1999). Spanish Politics Today. Manchester; New York: Manchester University Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7190-4946-0.
  16. Edward Schumacher (5 July 1985). "Spain's leader drops top aides in a big shuffle". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  17. "Spain's Finance Minister Quits Amid Major Cabinet Reshuffle". Los Angeles Times. 5 July 1985. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  18. Robert Peliza (27 November 1998). "The case for decolonization". Gibnet.
  19. Jordi Vaquer i Fanés (2014). "Spain in the Mediterranean and the Middle East: the quest for security and status". In David García; Ramón Pacheco Pardo (eds.). Contemporary Spanish Foreign Policy. Abingdon; New York: Routledge. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-317-63124-8.
  20. "Luz al fondo del túnel". Open Library. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  21. "Palimpsesto: a modo de memorias / Fernando Morán". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  22. "Muere Fernando Morán, primer ministro de Exteriores de Felipe González" [Fernando Morán dies, first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Felipe González]. ABC (in Spanish). 19 February 2020.
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