Leopoldo Moreau

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Leopoldo Moreau
National Deputy
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 December 2017
ConstituencyBuenos Aires
In office
10 December 2001 – 10 December 2005
ConstituencyBuenos Aires
In office
10 December 1983 – 10 December 1995
ConstituencyBuenos Aires
President of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
3 April 1989 – 6 June 1989
Preceded byJuan Carlos Pugliese
Succeeded byAlberto Pierri
National Senator
In office
10 December 1995 – 10 December 2001
ConstituencyBuenos Aires
Personal details
Born (1946-11-05) 5 November 1946 (age 78)
Rosario, Argentina
Political partyRadical Civic Union (1960–2014)
National Alfonsinist Movement (2014–present)
Other political
affiliations		Alliance (1997–2001)
Front for Victory (2015–2017)
Frente de Todos (2019–present)
Children5
Alma materUniversity of Buenos Aires

Leopoldo Raúl Guido Moreau (born 5 November 1946) is an Argentine journalist and politician. A prominent member of the Radical Civic Union throughout most of his career, Moreau later aligned himself with the administration of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, breaking with his party, founding the National Alfonsinist Movement and becoming one of the most prominent Radicales K.

He served in both houses of the Argentine National Congress uninterruptedly from 1983 to 2005, and has been a National Deputy since 2017. He also briefly served as President of the Chamber of Deputies 1989.

Early life and education

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Leopoldo Raúl Guido Moreau was born on 5 November 1946 in Rosario, in Santa Fe Province, but grew up in San Isidro, in the Greater Buenos Aires conurbation. His father was an engineer who worked in the Argentine Navy, and his grandfather was a jeweller. Both of Moreau's parents died when he was 14.[1]

He studied law at the University of Buenos Aires, though he dropped out in his fourth year and instead began working as a journalist.[2][3]

Political career in the UCR

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Moreau joined the Radical Civic Union (UCR) in 1960, when he was 14. In 1968, he was one of the founding members of the Junta Coordinadora Nacional, an inner youth current within the party, and the Franja Morada, the UCR's student wing.[4] Later, in 1972, he participated in the formation of the Renovation and Change Current, another group within the UCR led by Raúl Alfonsín.[5]

First terms as deputy

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In 1983, upon the fall of the last military dictatorship in Argentina, Moreau ran for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies. Upon his election, he served as president of the parliamentary commission on communication and as vice-president of the UCR bloc.

Toward the end of the 1980s, Moreau became leader of the Radical Committee of Buenos Aires Province. Due to his closeness with then-president Raúl Alfonsín, Moreau was one of the government's spokespeople during the 1987 Carapintadas uprising. From April to June 1989, Moreau was president of the Chamber of Deputies.[6]

He was re-elected to the Chamber in 1987 and 1991. Moreau played a prominent role in the establishment and development of the National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons (CONADEP), the commission created to investigate the fate of the desaparecidos (victims of forced disappearance) and other human rights violations during the dictatorship.[7]

In 1995, Moreau was elected to the National Senate by the Legislature of Buenos Aires Province, where he became part of the parliamentary commissions on budget and treasury affairs, accords, culture and education. From 1995 to 2001, he was the first vice-president of the Senate. During his time as Senator, Moreau was a staunch opponent of the neoliberal economic policies of President Carlos Menem.[8]

Presidential run

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Moreau was the UCR's presidential candidate in the 2003 general election, having won the party's nomination over Rodolfo Terragno.[9] During the campaign, Moreau apologized to the Argentine society at large for the party's inner strife.[10] The economic crisis, the December 2001 riots and the subsequent resignation of President Fernando de la Rúa had all contributed to a considerable loss of support for the party, and on election day, Moreau received merely 2.34% of the popular vote.[11]

Leader of the MNA

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Moreau during the 2018 debate on the legalization of abortion in Argentina.

In 2014, Moreau and the Movement for Social Democracy (MODESO; an inner current within the UCR) founded the National Alfonsinist Movement (MNA), seeking to break away from the main party line and join forces with the Front for Victory.[12] The following year, the UCR ethics committee expelled Moreau for "ethical and moral misconduct".[13] That same year, the MNA officialized its incorporation into the Front for Victory in an event in which President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner took part.[14]

At the 2017 legislative election, Moreau was the 8th candidate in the Unidad Ciudadana list to the Chamber of Deputies in Buenos Aires Province.[15] The list received 36.28% of the votes, and Moreau was comfortably elected. Since 2019, Moreau has been part of the Frente de Todos parliamentary bloc.[16]

As deputy, Moreau voted in favor of the legalization of abortion in Argentina twice: in 2018, when the bill passed the Chamber of Deputies but was struck down by the Senate, and again in 2020, when the bill passed both houses and abortion was effectively legalized.[17] During the 2020 debate, Moreau spoke on how his decision was influenced by the clandestine abortion practiced by his daughter Cecilia, a fellow member of the Chamber of Deputies.[18]

Personal life

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Moreau was married to María del Carmen Banzas,[19] with whom he has five children, two of which are active in politics: Cecilia (born 1976) serves in the Chamber of Deputies alongside Moreau, while Carmela (born 1982) is presently an advisor at the Office of the Cabinet Chief.[1][20][21]

In January 2021, while at a coffeehouse near the Congressional Palace, Moreau was insulted and violently threatened by two unidentified men. One of the men allegedly threw a chair at Moreau, while the other filmed the incident on his phone.[22] One of the men was taken into custody by authorities and the incident is currently being investigated.[23]

Electoral history

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Executive

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Electoral history of Leopoldo Moreau
Election Office List Votes Result Ref.
Total % P.
2003 President of Argentina Radical Civic Union 453,373 2.34% 6th Not elected [24]

Legislative

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Electoral history of Leopoldo Moreau
Election Office List # District Votes Result Ref.
Total % P.
1983 National Deputy Radical Civic Union 12 Buenos Aires Province 2,743,064 49.38% 1st[a] Elected [25]
1985 Radical Civic Union 12 Buenos Aires Province 2,381,787 41.46% 1st[a] Elected [26]
1991 Radical Civic Union 4 Buenos Aires Province 1,359,954 23.12% 2nd[a] Elected [27]
2001 Alliance 1 Buenos Aires Province 814,551 15.35% 2nd[a] Elected [28]
2017 Unidad Ciudadana 8 Buenos Aires Province 3,383,114 36.28% 2nd[a] Elected [29]
2021 Frente de Todos 6 Buenos Aires Province 3,444,446 38.59% 2nd[a] Elected [30]
  1. ^ a b c d e f Presented on an electoral list. The data shown represents the share of the vote the entire party/alliance received in that constituency.

References

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  1. ^ a b Mendelevich, Pablo (20 April 2003). "Leopoldo Moreau: "No le tengo miedo a la derrota"". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Biografía - Quien Soy?". leopoldomoreau.com.ar (in Spanish). 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  3. ^ Genoud, Diego (9 September 2017). "Adelante, un radical". Letra P (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. ^ Abrevaya, Sebastián (12 May 2008). "La resurrección de la Coordinadora". Página/12 (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. ^ Galván, Carlos (27 February 2018). "Mauricio Macri chicaneó a los radicales con el ultra K Leopoldo Moreau: "Era el mejor que tenían y se los reclutó el otro equipo"". Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  6. ^ Sued, Gabriel (16 August 2017). "El ascenso de Moreau, la nueva figura del universo kirchnerista". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  7. ^ Poblet, Virginia (25 February 2019). ""El objetivo de Alfonsín era garantizar la estabilidad democrática"". Caras y Caretas (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  8. ^ Iglesias, Hernán (30 July 2001). "La Ley de Déficit Cero impone drásticos recortes en el gasto público en Argentina". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  9. ^ Cibeira, Fernando (17 February 2003). "Moreau será el candidato de la UCR". Página/12 (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Leopoldo Moreau, nuevo candidato presidencial argentino". El Universo (in Spanish). 17 February 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  11. ^ "El radicalismo hizo su peor elección". Parlamentario (in Spanish). 28 April 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Lanzaron el Movimiento Nacional Alfonsinista para "consolidar el sistema democrático"". Minuto Uno (in Spanish). 11 December 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  13. ^ "La UCR expulsó a Leopoldo Moreau". La Tecla (in Spanish). 16 December 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Cristina, con el "Radicalismo Popular": "Esto recién es el comienzo del ciclo"". Perfil (in Spanish). 16 April 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Moreau pidió transparencia y habla de leve ventaja de Cristina". Télam (in Spanish). 22 October 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Fuertes cruces entre JxC y el Frente de Todos en el debate sobre el Ministerio Público". Télam (in Spanish). 18 May 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Uno por uno, cómo votó cada diputado el proyecto de legalización del aborto". El Cronista (in Spanish). 14 June 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Leopoldo Moreau recordó el aborto clandestino de su hija Cecilia". IP (in Spanish). 10 December 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  19. ^ Veneranda, Marcelo (6 December 2019). "Mario Meoni, el operador radical de Massa que deberá lidiar con Moyano y las empresas de transporte". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  20. ^ "El cruce entre la diputada Cecilia Moreau, su padre Leopoldo y legisladores de la oposición durante el debate por la emergencia económica". Infobae (in Spanish). 18 December 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Carmela Moreau: "Hay una oposición obstruccionista, que quiere desgastar"". Télam (in Spanish). 1 November 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  22. ^ Bertoia, Luciana (14 January 2021). "Amenazaron de muerte a Leopoldo Moreau". Página/12 (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  23. ^ "La Justicia investiga las amenazas y el intento de agresión al diputado Leopoldo Moreau". Télam (in Spanish). 13 January 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Elecciones 2003". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Dirección Nacional Electoral. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  25. ^ "Elecciones 1983". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Dirección Nacional Electoral. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  26. ^ "Elecciones 1985". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Dirección Nacional Electoral. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Elecciones 1991". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Dirección Nacional Electoral. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Elecciones 2001". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Dirección Nacional Electoral. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Elecciones 2017". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Dirección Nacional Electoral. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  30. ^ "Elecciones 2021". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Dirección Nacional Electoral. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
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Political offices
Preceded by President of the Chamber of Deputies
April 1989 – June 1989 		Succeeded by
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