The Italian politician, political scientist, and academic Enrico Letta was awarded the XXI Otto von Habsburg Prize last Thursday, June 11, at the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Auditorium of the Rule of Law Digital Center in Madrid.
The Spanish Committee for Pan-European Union agreed, in the meeting of its Board of Directors, chaired by Carlos Uriarte Sánchez, to grant this award, a recognition that distinguishes his outstanding academic and political career, his firm commitment to the European integration project, and his work in favor of adapting the European Union to current geopolitical challenges.
Enrico Letta is an Italian politician, political scientist, and academic. He currently serves as the dean of the IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs at IE University. Previously, he was the Prime Minister of Italy from 2013 to 2014 and the national secretary of the Democratic Party from 2021 to 2023. Throughout his political career, he has held various ministerial positions, including Minister for European Affairs (1998-1999), Minister of Industry, Trade and Crafts (2000), and Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade (2000-2001).
In the academic field, Letta was dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po Paris from 2015 to 2021. He has also taught at the University of San Diego (California) and the University of Technology Sydney. Since 2016, he has chaired the Jacques Delors Institute.
The Board of Directors of Paneuropa España believes that “the political and academic career of Enrico Letta reflects a firm commitment to the European integration project. Beyond his work as a public representative, Letta has maintained a constant involvement in the advancement and strengthening of the European Union, as demonstrated by his report ‘Much More Than a Market’, in which he proposes concrete measures to complete the Single Market. Through these proposals, he advocates for greater economic integration that allows consolidating the Union as a solid, cohesive block capable of successfully competing on the global stage.”
Letta thus joins the list of distinguished personalities awarded the Otto von Habsburg Prize, among whom are, among others, the former Minister of Education, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo; the former Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinás; the professor Jean Monnet ad personam Teresa Freixes; the former President of the European Parliament, José María Gil-Robles, and the former minister and businessman, Abel Matutes.
The ambassador of Albania, Entela Gjika, played a prominent role in the ceremony symbolizing the desire of the Western Balkan countries to integrate along with Ukraine and Moldova into the great European family.
The event was attended by numerous ambassadors, diplomats, businessmen, and politicians, both from the General Courts and the European Parliament, including the participation of the director of the European Commission Representation in Spain, Daniel Calleja.
The award ceremony took place on Thursday, June 11, at 6:30 PM, in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Auditorium of the Rule of Law Digital Center in Madrid. The speakers at the event included the former presidents of Paneuropa España, Ramón Pérez-Maura, director of Opinion of El Debate, who spoke about the life of Otto von Habsburg, and Iñigo Méndez de Vigo, about the archduke Otto’s role as a member of the European Parliament; Carlos Uriarte Sánchez, current president of Paneuropa España and law professor, and the lawyer, founder, and president of Cremades & Calvo Sotelo, Javier Cremades, and president of the World Law Foundation, who hosted the event.