Club de Madrid (CdM), the largest forum of democratically elected former Heads of State and Government, added 3 new Members to an extensive list of leaders working to promote democratic values, good governance and the well-being of citizens. Thanks to these new additions, Club de Madrid currently stands at 110 Members from 70 different countries. New Members must reflect a balance in terms of political, gender and geographical and cultural diversity.
The 3 Members that joined the organization are the following:
-James Michel, President of Seychelles (2004 – 2016)
-Mario Monti, President of the Council of Ministers of Italy (2011 – 2013)
-Mariano Rajoy, President of the Government of Spain (2011 – 2018)
The 3 Members were ratified in the last extraordinary General Assembly held on 27th March in London, coinciding with a Roundtable on ‘Trust and Democracy’ that convened in the offices of Edelman and a meeting of the CdM’s Board of Directors. The General Assembly is the main decision-making forum of Club de Madrid and is tasked, among many other decisions related to the overall direction and strategy of the organization, with accepting new Members.
The ‘Trust and Democracy’ Roundtable analyzed the drivers that induce large segments of the population to express mistrust towards democratic institutions, media, private companies and non-governmental organizations.
Member Mariano Rajoy took power in Spain at the height of the eurozone crisis, which hit the country hard. During his tenure, the country moved on from a recession and the economy grew. He was ousted from the Spanish government last year following a parliamentary motion of no confidence. Before his term in office, Rajoy held several ministerial posts in 2000s governments during the late 90s and early 2000s., including Public Administration, Education and Interior.
Similarly, Member Mario Monti came to power in Italy in the midst of the European sovereign debt crisis. Despite his short term in office, he led a handful of important reforms in the pension system and the labour market. Monti also served as European Commissioner in two different terms. He now actively participates in numerous think tanks and organizations, including Friends of Europe, Bruegel and the Atlantic Council.
Member James Michel is the former President of Seychelles. Having had a role in the democratisation process of 1993, he went to serve several posts in successive government and came to power in 2004. After his resignation in 2016, he leads the James Michel Foundation, which promotes the Blue Economy concept and sensitivity to climate change.
