Fernando Giner (politician)

Fernando Giner Grima (born 10 October 1964)[1] is a Spanish businessman, economist and former politician. A member of the Citizens party, he led them to six seats on Valencia City Council in 2015 and 2019, before leaving politics when they lost all their seats in 2023.

Biography

Born as the youngest child in a business-owning family in Valencia, Giner graduated in business sciences from the University of Valencia in 1987 and obtained a Master of Business Administration from the IESE Business School of the University of Navarre three years later.[1]

In 2014, Giner joined Citizens and became its lead candidate in the 2015 Valencia City Council election.[2] He said that his party aimed to win the election and would not form a coalition with any party whose candidates were indicted for criminal charges.[3] His party came third with 15% of the vote and six seats. Outgoing mayor of the People's Party (PP) Rita Barberá proposed a pact in which Giner would be mayor in a coalition including the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), providing that this last party cut ties with Coalició Compromís.[4] This plan came to nothing and Joan Ribó of Compromís became mayor with support from the PSOE and Podemos, while the PP and Cs supported their own candidates.[5]

In October 2015, Citizens' national executive made Giner the party's spokesperson in the Valencian Community,[6] Five years later, he was made coordinator in the Province of Valencia.[7] In 2017, he was made the party's secretary responsible for the self-employed and small and medium-sized enterprises.[8]

In the 2019 Valencia City Council election, Citizens remained on six councillors, falling to fourth place as the PSOE improved and Podemos were wiped out; Ribó remained mayor.[9] Four years later, Giner was profiled by El País as one of the highest-profile office holders remaining in the party, as it had been affected by losses and defections,[10] while La Vanguardia saw it as near impossible for him to keep any seats on the council.[11] Giner rejected an offer from the PP to join their list for the election.[12] His party received under 3% of the vote, under the 5% necessary for a seat, thus being wiped out.[13]

After being voted out of office, Giner returned to the private sector while remaining a grassroots activist for Citizens.[14] In February 2024, he became an advisory board member at Improven, a consultancy firm.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "Estos son los candidatos y candidatas a la alcaldía de València en las elecciones municipales 2023" [These are the candidates for mayor of Valencia in the 2023 municipal elections] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Fernando Giner, proclamado candidato de C's por Valencia" [Fernando Giner, named C's candidate for Valencia]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 28 March 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  3. ^ Giménez, Julián (21 May 2015). "Fernando Giner: "Quiero ser alcalde"" [Fernando Giner: "I want to be the mayor"] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  4. ^ Sanjuan, H.; Terrasa, Rodrigo (9 June 2015). "Ciudadanos se reúne con Rita Barberá para que Giner sea alcalde de Valencia con apoyo del PSPV" [Citizens meet with Rita Barberá for Giner to be mayor of Valencia with support from the PSPV]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Joan Ribó, de Compromís, nuevo alcalde de Valencia" [Joan Ribó, of Compromís, new mayor of Valencia] (in Spanish). LaSexta. EFE. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  6. ^ Borràs, Xavier (8 October 2015). "Albert Rivera opta por Giner como referente regional de Ciudadanos" [Albert Rivera opts for Giner as regional leader of Citizens]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Giner agradece la "confianza" de Arrimadas y "de todo el equipo" de Cs tras nombrarlo coordinador provincial en Valencia" [Giner thanks the "trust" of Arrimadas and "the whole team" of Cs after naming him provincial coordinator in Valencia] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  8. ^ Esteban, Paloma (28 January 2017). "Rivera amplía su guiño a los autónomos creando una secretaría propia en el partido" [Rivera increases his wink to the self-employed by creating a specialised secretary inside the party]. El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  9. ^ Bono, Ferran (27 May 2019). "Ribó vence y logra conservar Valencia con los socialistas" [Ribó wins and maintans Valencia with the Socialists]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  10. ^ Martínez, Virginia (24 April 2023). "Los que se quedan en Ciudadanos: de la alcaldesa de Ciudad Real al vicepresidente de Tenerife" [Those who remain in Citizens: from the mayor of Ciudad Real to the vice president of Tenerife]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  11. ^ Sanjuán, Hèctor (27 March 2023). "El reto (casi imposible) de Fernando Giner de mantener a Ciudadanos en la ciudad de València" [The (nearly impossible) challenge of Fernando Finer to keep Citizens in the city of Valencia]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  12. ^ "El Partido Popular ofreció al líder de Ciudadanos de València integrarse en su lista municipal y este lo rechazó" [The People's Party offered the leader of Citizens in Valencia the chance to join their municipal list and he rejected it] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  13. ^ Parrilla, José (29 May 2023). "Catalá recupera la alcaldía de València para el PP y tendrá que gobernar con Vox" [Catalá recovers the position of mayor of Valencia for the PP and will have to govern with Vox]. El Periódico de España (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  14. ^ Parrilla, José (29 May 2023). "Giner vuelve a su actividad privada y se queda como militante de base de Ciudadanos" [Giner returns to the private sector and remains a grassroots activist for Citizens]. Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  15. ^ "La consultora Improven ficha a Fernando Giner como consejero asesor" [Consultancy firm Improven signs Fernando Giner as advisory board member]. ABC (in Spanish). 8 February 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.