Ernest Lluch

Ernest Lluch Martín, OC3, OCS, (21 January 1937 – 21 November 2000) was a Spanish economist and politician, member of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC). He was Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs from 1982 to 1986 in the first Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) government of Felipe González. He was assassinated in 2000 by the Basque separatist organisation, ETA.

Background Lluch was born in Vilassar de Mar, Barcelona province. He earned a PhD in Economic Sciences at the University of Barcelona (UB), and studied further at the Sorbonne in Paris. While he was a lecturer at the UB, he was arrested on several occasions and expelled from the university because of his anti-francoist political activity. From this position, he published seminal works on Spanish political economy. He held the Chair of Economics at the University of Valencia (1974) and the Chair of History of Economic Doctrines at the UB. His last official position was as Director of the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Santander, from 1989 to 1995.

Career In April 1980 he was chosen as spokesman of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) to the Congress of Deputies, and, two years later, in the 1982 general election, he was elected member of the Lower House in representation of Barcelona. Felipe González appointed him as Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs in his first government. He held the post until 1986.

In May 1986 he retired from politics to resume the chair of History of Economic Doctrines of the University of Barcelona. On 2 January 1989 he took up his position as Director of the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Santander.

Death On November 21, 2000, Lluch was assassinated by ETA, who shot him twice in the head at his home in Barcelona. Responsibility for the killing was claimed by ETA's so-called Barcelona Commando, formed by Fernando García Jodrá, alias 'Txomin', Liarni Artmendaritz and José Antonio Krutxaga. In 2002, the three members of the Commando were arrested and convicted and sentenced by the Audiencia Nacional to 33 years in prison for the murder.

After his death, the Government granted him the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Health.