Joan Lerma Blasco
Joan Lerma Blasco was born on 15th July 1951, in Valencia, Spain. He is a Spanish politician, a member of the Spanish Senate and a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).
Political Career
Joan Lerma Blasco joined the Young Socialist (Juventudes Socialistas) in 1973. One year later he joined the General Union of Workers (UGT), becoming a PSOE member in 1975.
He served as Minister of Employment in the administration of the Valencian Community from April 1978 to June 1979. In July 1978, Lerma was elected Secretary for Political Relations and later became Secretary General of the combined PSPV-PSOE, the regional branch of the PSOE in the Valencian Community. He headed the regional PSPV-PSOE list at the 1979 general election and was elected to the Spanish Congress of Deputies representing Valencia Province and was re-elected in the subsequent elections in 1982. On 26th November 1982, Lerma was appointed President of the Valencian Community after the resignation of Enrique Monsonís.
In 1983, the PSOE won the first elections for the Corts Valencianes and Lerma became President of the regional government of the Valencian Community. In 1987 and 1991 Lerma was re-elected President of the Valencian Community, however he lost the elections in 1995. Lerma returned to the Spanish Congress in 1996 when he was elected to the Spanish Senate serving until 2008. He served as PSOE spokesman in the Senate from 2004 to 2008.
Education
Joan Lerma Blasco holds a degree in Economics and Business Science from the University of Valencia.
