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| FUNDACIÓN FAES | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fundación FAES |
| Native name | Fundación para el Análisis y los Estudios Sociales |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Madrid, Spain |
| Type | Think tank |
| Key people | José María Aznar; María San Gil; Luis Herrero |
FUNDACIÓN FAES is a Spanish think tank linked to the Partido Popular (Spain) that promotes public policy proposals and political analysis aligned with center-right positions. It engages with policymakers, opinion leaders, and international institutions through research, events, and publications, operating from Madrid and interacting with European and Latin American networks. The foundation maintains connections with former heads of state, parliamentary leaders, and academic institutions to influence public debates and policy formulation.
Founded in 2002, the institution emerged amid political realignments involving José María Aznar, the Partido Popular (Spain), and debates following Spain's participation in international operations such as the Iraq War and engagements with NATO. Early years featured collaborations with figures from the Congreso de los Diputados, former ministers, and advisors who previously served in cabinets led by Aznar. Over time the organization expanded contacts with think tanks like Heritage Foundation, Brookings Institution, and Cato Institute and developed ties to Spanish conservative leaders including Aznar-era colleagues, regional officials from Madrid community, and European politicians from European People's Party. Its trajectory intersects episodes such as debates on the Constitution of Spain and legislative reforms championed by Partido Popular (Spain) administrations.
The foundation states objectives focused on promoting public policy consistent with liberal-conservative platforms advanced by leaders from Partido Popular (Spain), former cabinet members, and allied policy networks. It aims to influence debates on defense policy involving NATO, relations with the European Union, and transatlantic ties with the United States. Additional objectives include advising regional executives such as those from Community of Madrid and engaging with Latin American administrations including examples like Mexico and Colombia through seminars and bilateral events featuring former presidents and cabinet ministers. The mission foregrounds contributions from academics affiliated with universities such as Complutense University of Madrid, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and policy experts connected to institutions like Real Instituto Elcano.
The governance model combines a board of trustees with advisory councils populated by former ministers, parliamentarians, and academics. Key personalities historically linked to the board include former prime ministers and regional leaders from the Partido Popular (Spain), parliamentary figures from the Congreso de los Diputados, and directors who previously worked in ministerial cabinets. Operational departments cover research, international relations, communications, and events, coordinating with think tanks such as Atlantic Council and academic centers at the University of Navarra and IE University. The staff roster has included policy analysts, legal experts formerly attached to the Tribunal Constitucional (Spain) circuit, and fellows with backgrounds at institutions like Oxford University and Harvard Kennedy School.
Programs span policy seminars, international conferences, training for political leaders, and study visits connecting Spanish politicians with counterparts in the United States, United Kingdom, and Latin America. The foundation convenes panels on topics involving the European Commission, security dialogues referencing NATO Summit discussions, and economic policy briefings tied to debates in the Cortes Generales. It organizes fellowship schemes for young leaders, workshops for municipal authorities, and diplomatic roundtables that have included ambassadors from United States, Mexico, and members of the European Parliament. Collaborative initiatives have been run with organizations like Fondation pour l'Innovation Politique and Latin American think tanks based in Buenos Aires and Bogotá.
The institution issues monographs, policy briefs, and edited volumes addressing institutional reform, defense and security, and international affairs. Publications reference constitutional debates related to the Constitution of Spain, analyses of Spain–United States relations, studies on fiscal policy debated in the Ministerio de Hacienda (Spain), and comparative pieces on public administration drawing on cases from France, Germany, and United Kingdom. Authors include former ministers, members of the Congreso de los Diputados, academics from Universidad de Salamanca and think tank fellows with prior affiliations to Heritage Foundation and Brookings Institution. Its research agenda has been cited in parliamentary committees and by media outlets such as El País, ABC (Spain), and El Mundo.
Funding sources reportedly include donations, endowments, corporate sponsors, and payments for events and advisory services. Support has come from business associations and private companies operating in sectors such as energy, finance, and telecommunications, with occasional partnerships involving chambers of commerce and regional administrations like the Community of Madrid. Governance involves a board that includes former political officeholders, legal advisors, and managers with links to the Partido Popular (Spain), while operational accountability is exercised through internal statutes and annual reports presented to stakeholders including contributors and allied institutions.
Critics point to close ties with the Partido Popular (Spain) and assert that funding and personnel connections create potential biases in policy outputs, a charge echoed in commentary from rival political parties and investigative reporting by outlets like eldiario.es, Público, and El País. Controversies have included debates over transparency in donor disclosure, exchanges of personnel between the foundation and ministerial cabinets, and the influence of private sponsors on agenda-setting—issues raised during parliamentary questioning in the Cortes Generales and covered in commentary by scholars at Real Instituto Elcano and journalists from Cadena SER. Proponents counter with references to collaborations with international think tanks and participation by independent academics from institutions like Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and IESE Business School.
Category:Think tanks based in Spain