José Manuel Barroso
José Manuel Barroso is the President of the European Commission.[1]
Contents
Early life and education
Barroso was born in Lisbon on 23 March 1956. After graduating in law from the University of Lisbon, he moved to Geneva where he completed a Diploma in European Studies at the European University Institute, University of Geneva, and a Master's degree in Political Science from the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Geneva.[1]
Acadamic career
He worked successively as a teaching assistant at the Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon, in the Department of Political Science, University of Geneva, and as a visiting professor at the Department of Government and School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.). In 1995, he became Head of the International Relations Department of Lusíada University, Lisbon. In 1979, he founded the University Association for European Studies.[1]
Political career
His political career began in 1980 when he joined the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He was named President of the party in 1999 and re-elected three times. During the same period, he served as Vice President of the European People's Party. As State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation he was involved in the signing of the peace accords for Angola in Bicesse in 1991, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs he was involved in the self-determination process in East Timor between 1992 and 1995. He became Prime Minister of Portugal in April 2002 after the PSD won the general election. He remained in office until July 2004 when he was nominated by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament to the post of President of the European Commission. In June 2009 the European Council unanimously nominated him for a second term as President of the European Commission, and he was re-elected to the post by an absolute majority in the European Parliament in September 2009.[1]
External resources
- Stephen Castle, Barroso survives confidence debate over free holiday with Greek tycoon, The Independent, 26 May 2005.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 José Manuel Barroso, European Commission, accessed 3 June 2013.
