13 Facts About Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was the president of Renfe between 1967 and 1968.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was elected solicitor of Franco's Cortes, representing industrialists in the Union of Chemical Industries, in 1971.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was designated Minister of Commerce by Carlos Arias Navarro to be in the first government of the Monarchy.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo advocated a true transition to democracy instead of mere superficial changes that politicians like Navarro planned.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was kept in the cabinet of Adolfo Suarez upon his succession to premiership in 1976 and directed several centre-right and centre-left political associations into one party, the Union of the Democratic Centre.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was part of the Tacito group in the cabinet along with Eduardo Carriles, Andres Reguera, Landelino Lavilla, Enrique de la Mata, Marcelino Oreja and Alfonso Osorio.

The UCD won in both the June 1977 and the March 1979 elections and Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was elected MP for Madrid.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo served as Prime Minister until 1 December 1982 and was succeeded by the socialist Felipe Gonzalez.

In 2002, Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was raised into the Spanish nobility by King Juan Carlos of Spain and given the hereditary title of Marques de la Ria de Ribadeo, together with the dignity Grande de Espana, this in honour for his service.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was a member of the Club of Madrid and of the Spanish Royal Academy of Engineering.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo wrote several political autobiographical books: Memoria viva de la transicion, Papeles de un cesante, and Platicas de familia.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo died of natural causes at his home in Pozuelo de Alarcon, on 3 May 2008 aged 82.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was married to Maria del Pilar Ibanez-Martin y Mellado and had eight children:.