José Ballesta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the actor, see Juan José Ballesta.
José Ballesta Germán (cropped).jpg

José Francisco Ballesta Germán (born 19 July 1958) is a Spanish medical professor and politician. A full professor at the University of Murcia since 1992, he served as the university's president from 1998 to 2006. As a People's Party politician, he was the mayor of Murcia (2015–2021) and a minister in the Government of the Region of Murcia (2007–2014).

Academic career[]

Born in Murcia, Ballesta earned bachelor's (1981) and master's (1983) degrees in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Murcia. He then did a post-doctorate with the Royal Postgraduate Medical School at Hammersmith Hospital in London. In 1986 and 1992 respectively, he became an Associate and Full Professor at his alma mater.[1]

He was the Director of the Department of Molecular Biology from 1987 to 1989, and served other internal posts before two terms as President of the University from 1998 to 2006.[1]

In June 2002, King Juan Carlos I awarded Ballesta the Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit.[2]

Political career[]

Ballesta was elected to the Regional Assembly of Murcia in the May 2007 elections, but resigned his seat on 6 July.[3] He remained in the regional government as minister in charge of public works, housing and transport.[4]

After the 2011 elections, Ballesta stayed in Ramón Luis Valcárcel's government as Minister of Universities, Business and Research.[5] His role ended when the regional president resigned in April 2014.[6]

With Valcárcel's endorsement as regional PP leader, Ballesta was named as the party's candidate for mayor of Murcia in March 2015.[6] He was invested as mayor in June, by simple majority with 12 of 27 councillors voting in favour of him, after the five from Citizens (Cs) abstained.[7] He gained a second term in 2019, when his ten councillors formed a coalition with the four from Cs.[8]

In March 2021, Cs withdrew their support of Ballesta, and joined the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in a vote of no confidence, which passed with 15 votes in favour and 14 against replacing him with the PSOE's . He then returned to his university department.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "José Ballesta Germán" (in Spanish). University of Murcia. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Real Decreto 581/2002, de 14 de junio, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz del Mérito Aeronáutico, con distintivo blanco, al Rector Magnífico de la Universidad de Murcia don José Ballesta Germán" [Royal Decree 581/2002, of 14 June, by which the Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit, with white decoration, is bestowed upon the Magnificent President of the University of Murcia, Don José Ballesta Germán] (in Spanish). Boletín Oficial del Estado. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Boletín Oficial" [Official Bulletin] (PDF) (in Spanish). Regional Assembly of Murcia. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  4. ^ "La Comunidad quiere negociar con Fomento que llegue un AVE y no un 'gorrión'" [The Community wants to negotiate with Fomento so that a high-speed train arrives, and not a 'sparrow']. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 15 October 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Ballesta garantiza "el capital humano de las universidades" por encima de las infraestructuras" [Ballesta guarantees the "human capital of the universities" above infrastructure]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 17 October 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "José Ballesta, candidato del PP a la alcaldía de Murcia" [José Ballesta, PP candidate for mayor of Murcia] (in Spanish). Murcia Economía. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Ballesta (PP) elegido alcalde de Murcia por mayoría simple tras los votos en blanco de Ciudadanos" [Ballesta (PP) elected mayor of Murcia by simple majority after Citizens abstain] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  8. ^ "José Ballesta, del PP, elegido alcalde de Murcia" [José Ballesta, of the PP, elected mayor of Murcia]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 15 June 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  9. ^ Perals, Fernando (25 March 2021). "José Ballesta volverá en los próximos días a su plaza en la Universidad de Murcia" [José Ballesta will return in the following days to his position at the University of Murcia]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2021.
Retrieved from ""