FAES

FAES, formally Fundación para el Análisis y los Estudios Sociales, is a Spanish think tank and political foundation headquartered in Madrid. Its name is commonly rendered in English as Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies. The organisation emerged on 11 November 2002 through the merger of five foundations linked to Spain's People's Party (PP): Fundación Cánovas del Castillo, Fundación Popular Iberoamericana, Fundación Popular Iberoamericana de Análisis y Estudios Sociales, Fundación Popular Iberoamericana de Estudios Europeos, and the Instituto de Formación Política. The merger created a single institution intended to consolidate policy research, political education and the dissemination of ideas associated with the liberal-conservative current in Spanish politics. FAES presents itself as an organisation devoted to political, intellectual and economic freedom. Its stated principles include liberal and representative democracy, a market economy, a conception of Europe as a union of nations sharing common values, and a close relationship between Europe and the United States. The foundation argues that representative democracy provides a workable balance between the exercise of public power and the protection of individual rights. It also associates market-oriented policy with efficient resource allocation, economic reform, the strengthening of the middle class and individual liberty. In international affairs, FAES has emphasised the strategic and political importance of transatlantic cooperation, including cooperation against terrorism and fundamentalism and the possibility of closer free-trade relations. The organisation's work combines research, advocacy, political education and convening. Its activities have included discussion groups, seminars, lectures, summer conferences and training courses. It disseminates proposals through books, electronic publications, reports known as FAES Papers and the journal Cuadernos de pensamiento político. Its departments have covered economy and public policy, constitutional and institutional matters, international affairs, publishing, communications, management and organisation. The foundation has also operated specialised units focused on the history of Spanish liberal-conservative thought, Spain's political development after the democratic transition, relations with Latin America and issues of particular interest in Catalonia. FAES has maintained an international network involving organisations in Latin America, the United States and Europe. It has worked with UPLA, an association of centre-right parties in Latin America, on themes involving freedom and democracy, and established a formal collaborative relationship with the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2009. Its international conferences have addressed transatlantic relations, European and American cooperation and the prospect of a transatlantic free-trade area. The foundation is closely identified with former Spanish prime minister José María Aznar, who has served as its president. Its policy interventions have included proposals for tax reform, energy policy and broader economic and institutional questions. In July 2013, FAES presented a programme advocating an ambitious reduction and restructuring of taxes to encourage growth and employment. In October of the same year, it presented recommendations for a national energy strategy focused on efficiency and market competitiveness. FAES has also published Spanish editions of works by Václav Klaus and Nigel Lawson on climate-change-related debates, and launched a Political Biographies series in 2013 devoted to figures in the contemporary liberal-conservative tradition. The foundation has received recognition in think-tank and transparency assessments. In the 2012 Global Go To Think Tanks Report and Policy Advice, it was identified as the highest-ranked Spanish think tank in the report's global top-150 classification, placed at number 60. A 2012 assessment of transparency among political foundations ranked FAES first among the organisations examined and noted that it published financial information online. At the same time, FAES has been politically controversial. A video presented by the foundation in March 2005 attributed political motives to the handling of the 11 March 2004 Madrid bombings and argued that the attacks had been used to influence the subsequent general election. Critics on the political left characterised the foundation as a source of historical revisionism. FAES therefore occupies a position both as a research and educational institution and as an influential vehicle for the articulation of Spain's liberal-conservative policy agenda.

FAES was created on 11 November 2002 by merging five foundations associated with the People's Party: Fundación Cánovas del Castillo, Fundación Popular Iberoamericana, Fundación Popular Iberoamericana de Análisis y Estudios Sociales, Fundación Popular Iberoamericana de Estudios Europeos and the Instituto de Formación Política. The merger was intended to bring together previously separate activities in political formation, policy analysis, publishing and international engagement within one foundation. From its creation, FAES became strongly associated with José María Aznar, the former Spanish prime minister and a central figure in the Spanish liberal-conservative political tradition. The foundation's intellectual programme is built around liberal and representative democracy, political and economic freedom, a market economy and cooperation among democratic states. It presents Europe as a union of nations linked by common values while also stressing the importance of a strong alliance between Europe and the United States. Its stated objective is not limited to academic research: FAES seeks to develop and disseminate ideas that can become alternatives to socialist policies and can be translated into programmes of political action in Spain. FAES has pursued this objective through seminars, discussion groups, lectures, summer conferences, training courses and publications. Its output has included books, FAES Papers and the journal Cuadernos de pensamiento político. The organisation has structured its work through departments covering economic and public policy, constitutional and institutional affairs, international affairs, publishing, communications, management and organisation. It has also maintained specialised institutes dealing with Spanish liberal-conservative intellectual history, political developments following Spain's democratic transition, relations with Latin America and Catalan political issues. International work has been an important part of FAES's activities. The foundation has cooperated with political and policy organisations in Latin America, Europe and the United States. Its relationship with UPLA has focused on defending freedom and democracy in Latin America, while a formal partnership with the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute was established in 2009. FAES conferences have also examined transatlantic relations and the idea of a free-trade relationship between Europe and the United States. During the 2010s, FAES publicised policy proposals on taxation, energy and international affairs. In 2013 it proposed an extensive tax reform aimed at growth and employment and issued recommendations for a national energy strategy designed to improve efficiency and market competitiveness. That year it also began a Political Biographies series covering prominent figures in the liberal-conservative tradition. The foundation has published Spanish-language editions of works by Václav Klaus and Nigel Lawson that challenge mainstream climate-science positions. FAES has been both influential and controversial. It received a strong position in the 2012 Global Go To Think Tanks Report and Policy Advice and was identified as the highest-ranked Spanish think tank in that report's global top-150 classification. A separate 2012 transparency assessment ranked it first among political foundations reviewed and noted that it placed financial information on its website. Conversely, a video presented by FAES in March 2005 alleged that the political handling of the 11 March 2004 Madrid bombings had been used to influence the Spanish general election. The video provoked criticism from the political left, with some commentators describing FAES as a centre for historical revisionism. Through its research, publications, events and international partnerships, FAES has continued to function as a prominent vehicle for liberal-conservative policy development and political debate in Spain.

• 2013

  Launch of Political Biographies series

  [1]FAESen.wikipedia.org

  FAES begins publishing Biografías Políticas, a series on important figures in the contemporary liberal-conservative tradition.

• 2013

  Tax and energy policy proposals

  [1]FAESen.wikipedia.org

  FAES presents proposals for tax reform supporting growth and employment and for a national energy strategy focused on efficiency and competition.

• 2012

  Recognition in think-tank and transparency rankings

  [1]FAESen.wikipedia.org

  FAES is ranked number 60 in a global top-150 think-tank classification and receives the highest position in a political-foundation transparency assessment cited by the reference.

• 2009

  Formal cooperation with CHLI

  [1]FAESen.wikipedia.org

  FAES establishes a formal collaborative relationship with the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute in the United States.

• 2005

  Controversial Madrid-bombings video

  [1]FAESen.wikipedia.org

  FAES presents a video alleging that the political treatment of the 11 March 2004 attacks was used to influence the subsequent general election.

• 2002

  FAES is founded through the merger of five foundations

  [1]FAESen.wikipedia.org

  Five foundations linked to the People's Party merge to create the Fundación para el Análisis y los Estudios Sociales.

A liberal-conservative policy institute focused on democratic institutions, market-oriented economics, transatlantic relations, European affairs and political education.

• Policy reports

  FAES Papers

  A series of policy papers used by FAES to analyse public-policy questions and communicate recommendations on economic, institutional, domestic and international affairs.

• Political journal

  Cuadernos de pensamiento político

  FAES's political-thought journal, carrying essays and analysis related to liberal-conservative ideas, Spanish politics, democratic institutions, economics and international affairs.

• Book series · 2013

  Biografías Políticas

  A book series launched in 2013 that publishes biographies of figures considered important to the contemporary liberal-conservative tradition in Spain.

• Conference and training programme

  Campus FAES

  FAES's summer-campus format brings together politicians, scholars and other experts for discussions, lectures and policy-focused courses. Topics have included economic reform, energy and transatlantic relations.

• 2005

  Controversy over video on the 11 March 2004 attacks

  A video presented by FAES argued that the political handling of the Madrid bombings was intended to influence the general election held three days afterward. Critics, particularly on the political left, condemned the interpretation and associated FAES with historical revisionism.

  Source

Read more

• 2013

  Proposal for tax reform supporting growth and employmentStrategy

  Background

  FAES argued that an ambitious tax reform could encourage economic growth and job creation, citing earlier Spanish reforms as relevant precedents.

  Action taken

  It presented Una reforma fiscal para el crecimiento y el empleo at the 2013 FAES campus.

  Aftermath

  The proposal became part of FAES's public policy agenda on market-oriented economic reform.

  Source

• 2013

  Proposal for a national energy strategyStrategy

  Background

  FAES identified energy efficiency and market competitiveness as central concerns for Spain's energy policy.

  Action taken

  It presented recommendations for a new national energy strategy in October 2013.

  Aftermath

  The recommendations extended FAES's policy work into energy-market and national strategy questions.

  Source

• 2009

  International partnership with CHLIStrategy

  Background

  FAES sought to expand cooperation with organisations in the United States and strengthen its international work on democratic and political issues.

  Action taken

  It established a formal collaborative relationship with the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute.

  Aftermath

  The relationship became part of FAES's wider network of cooperation with institutions in the Americas and Europe.

  Source

• 2002

  Merger of five People's Party-linked foundationsM&A

  Background

  Before FAES was established, five separate foundations associated with the People's Party conducted related political, educational and analytical activities.

  Action taken

  The five organisations merged on 11 November 2002 to form FAES.

  Aftermath

  The merger created a consolidated foundation for policy research, political education, publishing and international engagement.

  Source

1. 1FAESen.wikipedia.org
2. 2FAES official websitefundacionfaes.org