José Ballesta

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For the actor, see Juan José Ballesta.

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; 2023–) and a minister in the Government of the Region of Murcia (2007–2014).

Academic career[edit]

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[edit]

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 José Antonio Serrano Martínez. He then returned to his university department.[9]

In December 2022, having never resigned his seat on the council, Ballesta was named by President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, as the PP candidate for mayor of Murcia in the May 2023 elections.[10] He achieved an absolute majority of 15 out of 29 seats.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ 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. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Gómez, David (14 December 2022). "El Partido Popular confirma a Ballesta como candidato a la alcaldía de Murcia" [People's Party confirms Ballesta as candidate for mayor of Murcia]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  11. ^ Sánchez, Fernando (28 May 2023). "Ballesta (PP) reconquista el bastión de Murcia con la mayoría absoluta tras lograr 15 concejales" [Ballesta (PP) reconquers the bastion of Murcia with an absolute majority after achieving 15 councillors] (in Spanish). Murcia Plaza. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
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