Manuel Broseta

Manuel Broseta Pont (13 October 1932 – 15 January 1992) was a Spanish academic and politician. He was a member of the Senate of Spain between 1979 and 1982 and he served as State Secretary for Autonomous Communities for the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) between 1980 and 1982. He was also a member of the Spanish Council of State. Broseta was assassinated by ETA members on 15 February 1992.

Early life Manuel Broseta Pont was born in Banyeres de Mariola in the Province of Alicante. He however moved to the city of Valencia at an early age and went to school there. His father, a member of the Republican Left was temporarily arrested when Spanish leader Francisco Franco visited Valencia. The incident had a lasting impact on Broseta, which made him value freedom and respect for others throughout the rest of his life. In 1955 he obtained his licentiate in Law from the Universidad Literaria de Valencia. He furthered his academic studies at the Complutense University of Madrid, starting in 1956 and graduating in 1959. Broseta however did not join the Socialist Party, instead becoming member of the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) in January 1979. He was a member of the Senate of Spain for the Province of Valencia between 1 March 1979 and 31 August 1982.

Within the Valencian UCD he allied himself with Fernando Abril Martorell, who served in the Congress of Deputies and José Luis Manglano de Mas, who served as a member of the municipal council of Valencia. Together the three men supported the Valencian political cause.

As a politician Broseta was a supporter of anti-Catalanism and as a Valencian of Blaverism.

Later life After his time in politics Broseta returned to Valencia and focused on his academic life once more.

Aftermath The municipality of Valencia as well as the Generalitat Valenciana called for a minute of silence at 10:30 on the day after the incident. The Senate of Spain had earlier held a minute of silence. The foundation awards a Coexistence Prize every year.

ETA commander José Luis Urrusolo Sistiaga, who was convicted to 449 years in prison for 16 murders, including that of Broseta, was temporarily released in 2013. The release was criticized by Pablo Broseta, son of Manuel. José Luis Álvarez Santacristina was sentenced to thirty years' imprisonment for the murder of Broseta. A couple of ETA members suspected of the crime were arrested in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in February 2014, after being fugitives for 22 years. The prosecutor sought a prison sentence of 56 years against the couple.

In May 2022, Facultats, the Metrovalencia station closest to the university where he had worked was renamed Facultats-Manuela Broseta in his memory.

Works Manual de derecho mercantil (1983)