How to Pronounce Felipe González

Meaning and Context

Felipe González Márquez, born on March 5, 1942, in Seville, is a pivotal Spanish politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1982 to 1996, leading the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) to an unprecedented era of governance. His tenure, marking the longest in Spanish democratic history, was a defining period for modern Spain, overseeing the nation's full integration into the European Economic Community (now the European Union) and NATO, while managing a profound economic modernization and industrial reconversion. As a central figure in the Spanish Transition to democracy following the Franco dictatorship, González's leadership is often associated with the consolidation of democratic institutions, significant social reforms, and a foreign policy that elevated Spain's international profile. His legacy remains a frequent subject of analysis within Spanish political history, particularly regarding the PSOE's evolution, economic policies of the 1980s, and later challenges including allegations of corruption that emerged towards the end of his administration.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The standard and correct spelling is Felipe González. The primary point of frequent error involves the accent mark (tilde) on his surname. The name "González" contains an acute accent over the 'a', and it is a common typo to omit it, writing "Gonzalez." In Spanish, this accent is crucial as it denotes the stressed syllable and distinguishes the proper noun. Another occasional mistake is the misspelling of his first name as "Phillipe" or "Filipe," influenced by other language phonetics. When writing in full, his complete name includes his maternal surname: Felipe González Márquez, where "Márquez" also carries an accent. In informal English-language contexts, the accent marks are sometimes dropped, but for formal and encyclopedic accuracy, retaining them is essential.

Example Sentences

Historians often credit Felipe González with steering Spain through a critical period of modernization and European integration during his fourteen-year premiership.

Following the attempted coup in 1981, González's calm leadership was seen as vital for reinforcing the stability of Spain's young democracy.

In his memoirs, the former Prime Minister reflected on the difficult compromises made during the industrial restructuring of the 1980s.

Although he stepped down as PSOE leader in 1997, González remains an influential, albeit sometimes controversial, voice in Iberian and European political discourse.

Many political analysts study the González era to understand the evolution of European social democracy in the late twentieth century.

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