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Spanish politician and radiation physicist (born 1945) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca (born 20 May 1945) is a Spanish former politician and radiation physicist. Born in Barcelona, he served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014 and served as First Vice President of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007.
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Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca | |
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| First Vice-President of the European Parliament | |
| In office 30 July 2004 – 16 January 2007 | |
| President | Josep Borrell |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou |
| Member of the European Parliament for Spain | |
| In office 13 June 1999 – 1 July 2014 | |
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office 29 June 1996 – 28 August 1999 | |
| Constituency | Parliament of Catalonia |
| President of the People's Party of Catalonia | |
| In office 9 January 1991 – 28 September 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Jorge Fernández Díaz |
| Succeeded by | Alberto Fernández Díaz |
| Member of the Parliament of Catalonia for Barcelona | |
| In office 29 May 1988 – 25 August 1996 | |
| Member of the Barcelona City Council | |
| In office 10 June 1987 – 26 May 1991 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca 20 May 1945 Barcelona, Spain |
| Political party | Vox (2014–2015) |
| Other political affiliations | People's Alliance (1983–1989) People's Party (1989–2014) |
Vidal-Quadras was elected on the People's Party ticket and sat with the European People's Party group. In 2014, he announced that he was leaving the People's Party for a new party, Vox. He was the frontrunner for Vox in the 2014 European election, but the party failed to win a seat. He is a member of the European Friends of Israel, a lobby group aiming to defend Israel's interests within the European Union.[1]
In 2013 EL Pais reported that 35 Iranian dissidents said to be affiliated to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) gave VOX about one million euros. According to Vidal-Quadras, the donations were not made to VOX but to himself.[2]
After 2014, Vidal-Quadras operated pro bono the International Committee in Search of Justice, a Brussels-based lobby supporting the NCRI against the Iranian government.[3][4]
Vidal-Quadras has aligned with People's Mojahedin of Iran, which led the Iranian Foreign Ministry to impose sanctions on him in 2023. The Iran Foreign Ministry accused Vidal-Quadras of "supporting terrorism and terrorist groups" while Maryam Rajavi said that "Prof. Vidal-Quadras has dedicated an important part of his life to fight against [Iran's ruling religious fascism]".[5]
On 9 November 2023, Vidal-Quadras was shot in the face in Madrid[6] by a person on a motorbike in Calle de Núñez de Balboa at 1:30 p.m. local time.[5][7] He was taken to hospital and was described as recovering after suffering a fracture on his jawbone that required surgery.[5] The assassination attempt is being investigated as a possible terrorist attack.[8][9] On November 21, Spanish police arrested three people in connection to the shooting.[10]
Vidal-Quadras has claimed that Iran was behind the attempted assassination.[11] According to Vidal-Quadras, his connection to the Iranian opposition the National Council of Resistance of Iran could be linked the assassination attempt.[12] Vidal-Quadras is one of the first politicians that Tehran has added to their terrorist list.[13] The Iranian opposition attributes the authorship to Religious Fascism that governs the country.[14][15]
In 2019 Vidal-Quadras stated that he considers the Iranian regime a cruel dictatorship which foments terrorism.[16] He is the first European politician to be targeted within Europe.[17]
In January 2024, a suspect in the assassination attempt was arrested in Colombia. Currently four individuals have been arrested in connection with the shooting, while the alleged shooter, a French citizen of Tunisian descent with multiple prior convictions in France, is still at large.
Also Vidal-Quadras called for a change in the EU policy towards the Islamic Republic to avoid trying to "appease, to negotiate, to dialogue and to make concessions".[18]
Alejo Vidal-Quadras defines himself as liberal-conservative. He is opposed to abortion rights[19] and gay marriage.
He currently lives off his pensions as a former university professor and a former member of the European Parliament.[3] In addition to serving in the European Parliament, he has occupied several elected positions in Spain: he was a member of the Barcelona City Council (1987–1991), member of the Parliament of Catalonia (1988–1996) and Senator in the Spanish Senate (1996–1999).
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