About me
A vocation of Public Service, committed to Europe
Antonio López-Istúriz
Member of the European Parliament (MEP), representing the Spanish centre-right People’s Party (Partido Popular). Secretary Treasurer of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies (WMCES) and the Secretary General of the Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI).
In Brussels since 1997, when I started working as an assistant to thePeople’s Party delegation at the European Parliament. I held this positionuntil 1999, when I was called by then-President of the Spanish GovernmentJosé María Aznar to become his personal advisor for almost four years. In2002, I returned to Brussels upon my election as Secretary General of theEuropean People’s Party (EPP), position I held until 2022. Two years later, in2004, I was elected MEP. In January 2008, I was elected Secretary Treasurerof the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies. I am also SecretaryGeneral of the Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI).
As an MEP, I chair the Delegation for Relations with Israel and sit on theCommittee on Foreign Affairs. I am also a substitute on the Subcommitteeon Security and Defence, a Member of the Delegation to the ParliamentaryAssembly of the Union for the Mediterranean and Delegation for relationswith the Arab Peninsula as well as a substitute for the Delegation forRelations with the United States. In addition, I serve as President of theEuropean Union-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Parliamentary FriendshipGroup.
I am also committed to the protection of those who are disadvantaged andchildren. I am vice president of ANAR Foundation that helps adolescents atrisk and a board member of the Aequitas Foundation, providing free legaladvice for disadvantaged groups or those in need of better socialprotection.
In 2013 I received the Parliamentarian Prize Eurodiputado del Año (MEP ofthe Year), which is awarded by the Asociación de Periodistas Parlamentarios(Spanish Parliamentarian Journalists Association). In 2016 I received the"Bouclier honorifique" award from the European Press Association for theArab World (APEMA-Association De La Presse Européenne Pour Le MondeArabe).
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Law and studies in Economics. BesidesSpanish, I speak English, French, Italian and Mallorquin. I am married andhave two daughters.
