Pedro Solbes

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Solbes and the second or maternal family name is Mira.

Pedro Solbes Mira (31 August 1942 – 18 March 2023) was a Spanish economist. He was the president of FRIDE, Madrid-based think tank.^[1]

Pedro Solbes Mira
Solbes in 2004
Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain
In office 18 April 2004 – 7 April 2009
Prime Minister	José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Preceded by	Javier Arenas
Succeeded by	Elena Salgado
Minister of Economy and Finance
In office 18 April 2004 – 7 April 2009
Prime Minister	José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Preceded by	Rodrigo Rato
Succeeded by	Elena Salgado
In office 13 July 1993 – 5 May 1996
Prime Minister	Felipe González
Preceded by	Carlos Solchaga
Succeeded by	Rodrigo Rato
European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs
In office 16 September 1999 – 10 April 2004
Preceded by	Leon Brittan
Succeeded by	Joaquín Almunia
Personal details
Born	Pedro Solbes Mira (1942-08-31)31 August 1942 Pinoso (Alicante), Spain
Died	18 March 2023(2023-03-18) (aged 80) Madrid, Spain
Political party	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spouse	Pilar Castro
Alma mater	Complutense University of Madrid
Profession	Economist

Life and career

Solbes was born in Pinoso on 31 August 1942.^[2]

While independent in the sense of not being affiliated to any party, his various ministerial roles in Spain were always within Socialist Workers' Party cabinets.

From 1985 to 1991, he was third 3rd secretary of state for the European Communities. He was agriculture and fisheries minister (1991–1993) and finance minister (1993–1996) in Felipe González's cabinets, also MP representing Alicante for the same party until 1999.

Appointed by Spanish premier José María Aznar (of the main competing party, the People's Party), Solbes was a European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs in the European Commission presided over by Romano Prodi (the Prodi Commission).^[3]

Then Solbes served as second vice president and minister of economy and finance in the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, which he held from 2004 to 2009.^[3][4]

Solbes died from cancer on 18 March 2023, at the age of 80.^[5]

Other activities

• African Development Bank (AfDB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)^[6]
• Asian Development Bank (ADB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)^[7]
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004-2009)^[8]
• European Investment Bank (EIB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)^[9]

Decorations

• Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (24 April 2009)^[10]
• Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (10 May 1996)^[11]
• Commander by Number of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (30 May 1985)^[12]