17 Facts About Julio Anguita

Julio Anguita was Mayor of Cordoba from 1979 to 1986, coordinator of United Left between 1989 and 1999, and Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Spain from 1988 to 1998.

Julio Anguita took teaching studies and later earned a degree in history at the University of Barcelona.

Julio Anguita, who had been a militant in Christian grassroots movements, joined the clandestine Communist Party of Spain in 1972, when he already had obtained a post as teacher.

Julio Anguita's administration overcame the misgivings felt by many, contributing to the establishment of democratic normality and earning him appreciation as a leader in his party, as well as the tensions with the councilors of the PSOE and UCD.

Julio Anguita was reelected in 1983 with an overwhelming absolute majority, earning the nickname the Red Caliph.

Julio Anguita was candidate in the 1993 and 1996 elections, the years when IU had better than average electoral results.

Julio Anguita was famously accused multiple times of making a "pincer" against the PSOE teaming up with the People's Party.

Julio Anguita later declared that "the pincer" had been a fabrication of the media and disgruntled IU members such as Diego Lopez Garrido and Cristina Almeida who ultimately formed the Democratic Party of the New Left.

Julio Anguita left the general secretariat on 5 December 1998 during the XV Congress of the PCE, asking communist militants to demand the principles of anti-capitalism, anti-system and the fight for an egalitarian society.

Julio Anguita politically equated the PSOE and the PP and called on the militancy to regain the fight on the street.

Julio Anguita pointed out the negative impact brought by the fall of the Soviet Union and the uncriticalness and submission of the unions and the Left to the established capitalist order.

Julio Anguita defended radical democracy, the fight for the Third Republic and federalism, both for the coalition's organizational model and for the defended state model.

Julio Anguita's death shocked Spanish politics; Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez deeply regretted his death, leader of the conservative People's Party Pablo Casado remembered his passionate defense of his ideals, while president of Andalusia Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla recognized the respect and recognition that he had for his "ability to reach necessary agreements despite the discrepancies".

Julio Anguita advocated a political program for United Left based on the two shores theory, consisting of the establishment of differences between, on the one hand, the People's Party and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, and, on the other, the United Left.

Julio Anguita said that pacts with PSOE should be established under programmatic single agreements, not systematically.

Julio Anguita rejected a unilateral declaration of independence, as well as the application of article 155 of the Constitution, considering that a consultation with the population was the solution.

Julio Anguita senior was attending a meeting promoting a Spanish Third Republic at the time.