José Manuel Barroso

José Manuel Durão Barroso is a Portuguese politician who served as President of the European Commission from 2004 to 2014. He was an important actor in efforts to advance European integration and foster cooperation among member states, culminating in the Lisbon Treaty which became effective in 2009. During his tenure, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 for its efforts to promote peace and reconciliation. Before this, he was Prime Minister of Portugal from 2002 to 2004 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1992 to 1995. In 2024, he joined the Martens Centre’s Honorary Board.