Francisco Camps
Encyclopedia
Francisco Enrique Camps Ortiz (born 28 August 1962) is a Spanish politician belonging to the Partido Popular
(PP) who served as President of the Generalitat Valenciana
, the Valencian regional administration, in the period 2003-2011.
serving as Secretary of State for Territorial Administrations. However he resigned from the Congress 11 months later in February 1997, after being named as Minister for Culture and Education in the Generalitat Valenciana
, retaining that post until January 1999. At the 2000 General Election
, he returned to the Spanish Congress but again resigned in 2002 in order to run for President of the Generalitat Valenciana
. In July 2003 he was elected president, being re-elected with absolute majorities in 2007 and 2011.
He continued to serve as president until his resignation in 2011.
(Caso Gürtel) relating to an alleged criminal network controlled by businessman Francisco Correa. ("Gürtel" is the German translation for the businessman's surname, Correa/belt).
In March 2009, Camps was one of several PP figures accused by magistrate Baltasar Garzón
of taking bribes.
Garzón alleged that Camps received €12,000 towards a tailor's bill from an associate of Correa. For two years Camps was to claim that he paid for the clothes himself.
The case against Camps was transferred to a local court in Valencia which, in August 2009, ruled that Camps had not committed a crime.
In May 2010 Camps' bribery case reopened as the High Court in Madrid ruled that there was enough evidence to bring a case against him. Camps was reelected as President of Valencia in May 2011, although the case threatened to undermine his political career. On 20 July 2011, Camps resigned as Valencian premier and leader of the Valencian Partido Popular in order to avoid standing trial while in office. He continued to maintain his innocence although he said that he may have received presents.
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
(PP) who served as President of the Generalitat Valenciana
President of the Generalitat Valenciana
The President of the Generalitat Valenciana is the head of government of the Spanish autonomous community of Valencian Community. The President is chosen by the Valencian parliament, the Corts Valencianes.-List of Presidents of the Valencian Community:...
, the Valencian regional administration, in the period 2003-2011.
Biography
A lawyer, Mr Camps is married with three children. He was first elected as a local councillor to Valencia city council, serving from 1991 to 1996, occupying the Presidency of the municipal transport body during that period. In 1996 he was elected to the Spanish Congress, representing Valencia provinceValencia (Spanish Congress Electoral District)
Valencia is one of the 52 electoral districts used for the Spanish Congress of Deputies—the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. It is the third largest district in Congress in terms of the numbers of deputies elected, as it elects sixteen deputies out of the total...
serving as Secretary of State for Territorial Administrations. However he resigned from the Congress 11 months later in February 1997, after being named as Minister for Culture and Education in the Generalitat Valenciana
Generalitat Valenciana
The Generalitat Valenciana is the generic name covering the different self government institutions under which the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia is politically organised....
, retaining that post until January 1999. At the 2000 General Election
Spanish general election, 2000
Legislative elections were held in Spain on 12 March 2000. The incumbent People's Party of Prime Minister José María Aznar was elected to a second term in office, converting its plurality of seats in the Congress of Deputies into a majority, and increasing its lead over the opposition Spanish...
, he returned to the Spanish Congress but again resigned in 2002 in order to run for President of the Generalitat Valenciana
Generalitat Valenciana
The Generalitat Valenciana is the generic name covering the different self government institutions under which the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia is politically organised....
. In July 2003 he was elected president, being re-elected with absolute majorities in 2007 and 2011.
He continued to serve as president until his resignation in 2011.
Gürtel case
In February 2009 Camps was implicated in a scandal known as the Gürtel CaseGürtel case
The Gürtel case is an ongoing political corruption scandal in Spain. The investigative operation was given the name Gürtel in a cryptic reference to one of the principal suspects, Francisco Correa...
(Caso Gürtel) relating to an alleged criminal network controlled by businessman Francisco Correa. ("Gürtel" is the German translation for the businessman's surname, Correa/belt).
In March 2009, Camps was one of several PP figures accused by magistrate Baltasar Garzón
Baltasar Garzón
Baltasar Garzón Real is a Spanish jurist who served on Spain's central criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional. He was the examining magistrate of the Juzgado Central de Instrucción No...
of taking bribes.
Garzón alleged that Camps received €12,000 towards a tailor's bill from an associate of Correa. For two years Camps was to claim that he paid for the clothes himself.
The case against Camps was transferred to a local court in Valencia which, in August 2009, ruled that Camps had not committed a crime.
In May 2010 Camps' bribery case reopened as the High Court in Madrid ruled that there was enough evidence to bring a case against him. Camps was reelected as President of Valencia in May 2011, although the case threatened to undermine his political career. On 20 July 2011, Camps resigned as Valencian premier and leader of the Valencian Partido Popular in order to avoid standing trial while in office. He continued to maintain his innocence although he said that he may have received presents.