Josep Borrell

Some of the key events about Josep Borrell

• 1975

  Earned a PhD in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid
• 1979

  Elected as a member of the Madrid Assembly
• 1986

  Became Secretary of State for Finance in the Spanish government
• 1991

  Appointed Minister of Public Works and Transport
• 1999

  Elected as a Member of the European Parliament
• 1999

  Resigned as leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) due to a financial scandal involving two of his former co-workers
• 2000

  Stepped down as a candidate for Prime Minister of Spain following allegations of financial impropriety
• 2004

  Became President of the European Parliament
• 2010

  Appointed President of the European University Institute
• 2012

  Resigned as President of the European University Institute amid controversy over his simultaneous roles in public office and private energy companies
• 2018

  Became Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
• 2018

  Fined €30,000 by Spain's National Securities Market Commission for insider trading of Abengoa shares
• 2019

  Appointed High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
• 2019

  Criticized for referring to the Amazon as "the lungs of the planet" during the Amazon rainforest fires, a statement considered scientifically inaccurate
• 2020

  Launched the European Peace Facility to support international security efforts
• 2020

  Faced backlash for suggesting that Greta Thunberg might have "green syndrome"
• 2021

  Criticized for describing Russia's military build-up near Ukraine as a "bluff"
• 2022

  Accused of making a racist comment by comparing Europe to a "garden" and the rest of the world to a "jungle"
• 2023

  Criticized for suggesting that Israel's response to Hamas attacks might be disproportionate
• 2023

  Faced controversy over leaked comments suggesting Europe should cut trees to reduce reliance on Russian energy

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