Fernando Grande-Marlaska

• Minister of Interior
• Ministry of Interior for Spain

Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gomez was born in Bilbao on 26 July 1962. He has a degree in Economic Law from the University of Deusto and entered the judiciary in February 1988. He has been married to Gorka Arotz since 2005.

After several years serving in Courts of Santoña (Cantabria) and the Provincial Court of Bilbao (Basque Country), in which he was the President of the Criminal Deparment, he moved to Madrid in 2003 to work in the Examining Magistrate’s Court No. 36. In 2004 he entered the Audiencia Nacional (Spanish National Criminal Court) where he served at various Central Magistrates’ Courts presiding Court No. 3 from 2007 until 2012. In February 2013 he was appointed President of the Criminal Division of the Audiencia Nacional, where he is currently a senior judge on leave of absence for special duties. In November 2013 he was elected member of the General Council of the Judiciary and joined its Standing Committee. On 7 June 2018 he was appointed Minister of the Interior by Royal Decree.

He has also been a Biscay Bar Association teacher, has taught at the School of Legal Practice of the University of Deusto and has lectured seminars at various universities. He is the author of a number of legal publications and of the book Ni pena ni miedo. He has been awarded several decorations including the Cross with White Distinction, and the Cross with Red Distinction of the Spanish National Police, the Silver Cross of the Guardia Civil and the Dignity Cross of the Association of Victims of Terrorism. He has also been conferred the Legion of Honour in the rank Knight of the French Republic.