Pedro Solbes

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

Life and career
Solbes was born in Pinoso on 31 August 1942.

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).

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.

Solbes died from cancer on 18 March 2023, at the age of 80.

Other activities

 * African Development Bank (AfDB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)
 * Asian Development Bank (ADB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)
 * European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004-2009)
 * European Investment Bank (EIB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)

Decorations

 * ESP Order of Civil Merit - Collar.svg Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (24 April 2009)
 * ESP Charles III Order GC.svg Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (10 May 1996)
 * ESP Isabella Catholic Order COM NUM.svg Commander by Number of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (30 May 1985)