Miguel Ramón Izquierdo (8 December 1919 – 17 September 2007) was a Spanish politician who served as the last mayor of Valencia in the Franco era and the first in the modern democratic era.

Biography

Early career and mayoral term

Izquierdo was born in

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

. Married with six children, Ramón worked as a lawyer. In the Franco era he served as provincial president of the metal syndicate from 1963 to 1966. He served as procurator for Valencia province in the Francoist

Cortes Españolas The Cortes Españolas (), known informally as the Cortes franquistas (), was the name of the legislative institution promulgated by the ''Caudillo'' of Spain Francisco Franco which was established on 17 July 1942 (the sixth anniversary of th ...

from 1973 until its dissolution in 1977. He was appointed Mayor of Valencia in September 1973 and served until April 1979. In June 1977, when the first democratic government was formed, he resigned the office considering that he was no longer authorised to head it, but was persuaded to resume the role within a month. Nonetheless, he insisted on being ratified by a vote of Valencian councillors. During his time as Mayor he aimed to professionalise the city and run it "like a business." He also acted to halt residential development in the Devesa del Saler natural park and secured the transfer of the gardens in the old course of the River Turia from the Spanish Crown to Valencia City council. He later recalled that he had ensured that when the King came to Valencia "He came with the River under his arm." He also restored the teaching of the

Valencian language Valencian () or the Valencian language () is the official, historical and traditional name used in the Valencian Community to refer to the Romance language also known as Catalan language, Catalan, 'hour'. However (although regarded as non ...

in schools in Valencia city.

Democratic era

Politically and socially Francoist, he resisted the replacement of the ailing Franco by the young King

Juan Carlos Juan Carlos I (; Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until his abdication on 19 June 2014. In Sp ...

but nevertheless welcomed the new monarch on his first visit to Valencia city. He abstained in the vote to legalise political parties in June 1976. After the law was passed, he joined the new Spanish People's Union (Unión del pueblo español), however, one year later, in 1977, he became a founder member of the Valencian Regional Union (Unión Regional Valenciana), the embryo of the Valencian Union (

Unió Valenciana Valencian Union (; ; UV) was a regionalist political party in the Valencian Community, Spain. The party had not been represented in the Valencian autonomous parliament since 1999. It scored 0.95% of the total votes in the 2007 elections, wel ...

) which was formed in August 1982. He became Secretary General of Unió Valenciana (UV) in September 1982 and later served as its regional president.

National politician

He entered national politics in 1982 when he was elected to the

national parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

as a deputy for Valencia province as part of a joint list between UV and the Popular Alliance. In 1986, when UV contested the election in their own right, he was re-elected, serving until 1989. He then resumed his legal career continuing until late in life, although he was plagued by heart problems in later years." His final public appearance was in December 2006 at a public ceremony to commemorate the transfer of the river gardens to the Valencian local council."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Izquierdo, Miguel Ramon 1919 births 2007 deaths Politicians from Valencia Valencian Union politicians Members of the 2nd Congress of Deputies (Spain) Members of the 3rd Congress of Deputies (Spain) Mayors of Valencia