Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Kingdom of Spain/ Estado Espanol/ Reino de España (Female suffrage 1931/76)  

Also see Spain Heads and Spain Parliament, Ciudad de Ceuta and Melilla

1936-37 Minister of Health and Social Assistance Federica Montserny i Mañé
Government-Delegate in Barcelona in 1939 and exile in France 1939-77. She lived (1905-94).

1980-81 Secretary of State of Information in the Ministry of the Presidency Maria Rosa Posada Chapado
President of Parliament of the Province of Madrid 1987-91 and Councillor of Social Affairs and Health of Madrid 1996-99.

1981-82 Minister of Culture Soledad Becerril Bustamante Atienza
Third Secretary of the Congreso Between 1977-80, 1. Deputy Mayor 1991-95 and Mayor of Sevilla 1995-99, Vice-President of the Congreso de los Dipotados 2000-04 and appointed Public Defender (Ombudsman) in 2012. Married to Rafael de Atienza y Medina, VII Marquess de Salvatierra and has children. (b. 1944-).

1982-87 Secretary of State of Autonomous Regions in the Ministry of Territorial Administration Maria Izquierdo Rojo
(b. 1946-).

1982-85 Secretary of State of Universities and Research in the Ministry of Education and Science Carmina Virgili i Rodon
Professor of geology and senator in 1996. (b. 1927-)

1988-93 Minister of Social Affairs Mathilde Fernández Sanz
In 2000 she was candidate for the leadership of PSOE, she finished third with Rosa Díez in fourth place. (b. 1950-).

1988-93 Minister without Portfolio and Government Spokesperson
1993-96 Secretary of State of the President of the Government Rosa Conde de Espinosa Gutiérez del Alamzo
(b. 1947- ).

1988-90 Subsecretary of Social Affairs Carlota Bustelo y Garcia Real

1991-93 Subsecretary of Health and Consumer's Affairs Dr.iur. María de los Ángeles Amador Millán
1993-96 Minister of Health and Consumer's Affairs
(b. 1949-).

1993-96 Minister of Culture Carmen Alborch Bataller
Defender of the Public (Ombudsman) from 2004. (b. 1947-).

1993-96 Minister of Social Affairs Cristina Alberdi Alonso
(b. 1946-).

1993-96 Secretary of State of Environment and Housing Christina Narbona Ruiz
2004-08 Minister of Environment
Deputy Councillor of Economy in Andalucia 1982-85, Director General in the Ministry of Public Works and Urban Development 1991-93, Secretary for Environment and Planning of the Socialist PSOE in 2001. (b. 1951-).

1993-96 Subsecretary of Justice and Interior Margarita Robles Fernandez

1993-96 Secretary of State for Prison Affairs Maria Paz Antonia Fernandez Felgueroso
Councillor in a number of resorts in the Principado de Asturias 1987-93.

1993-96 Subsecretary of Health and Consumer’s Affairs Ana Craes Pando
(b. 1954- ).

1994-96 Secretary of State of Justice María Teresa Fernández de la Vega Sanz
2004-10 1. Vice-President of the Government, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Government Spokesperson
Secretary General of PSOE in the Congreso de los Deputados until 2004. (b. 1949-).

1996-99 Minister of Education and Culture Esperanza Aguirre y Gil de Biedma
1999-2003 President of the Senate
President of Partido Popular of Madrid 1983-87,  Deputy Mayor of the City of Madrid for Environment 1991-96 and President of the Government osf the Community of Madrid from 2003. 

1996-2000 Minister of Justice Margarita Mariscal de Gante y Mirón
First Vice-President of the Congress of Deputies 2002-04.

1996-99 Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Loyola de Palacio del Valle-Lersundi
1999-2004 Vice-President of the EU-Commission and Commissioner for Relations with the Institutions and Commissioner of Transport
President of the Youth Organistation of Partido Popular in 1977, Vice-President of the Senate Group 1986-89, Deputy Spokesperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Congress 1988-96, Secretary General of the Cortes Popular Coalition Group 1988-93, Senator 1986-89, Member of Cortes 1989-99. Sister of Ana Palacio, who became Foreign Minister in 2002. Died of cancer, and lived (1950-2006).

1996-2000 Minister of Environment Dr. Isabel Tocino Biscarolasaga
Secretary for Women’s Affairs Between 1986-89 and from 1989 one of 6 vice-Presidents of PP, from 2000 Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Congreso. Mother of 6 children. (1944-).

1996-2000 Subsecretary of Culture and Education Dr. Ana María Pastor Julián
2000-01 Subsecretary of the Presidency (Premier Minister)
2001-02 Subsecretary of State of the Interior
2002-04 Minister of Health and Consumer Protection
2011-16 Minister of Public Works and Transport
Vice-President 2008-11 and President from 2016 of the Congreso de los Diputados. (b. 1957-)

1999-2000 Secretary of State of Trade, Tourism and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Ministry of Economy and Finance María Elena Pisonero Ruiz

2000-04 Minister of Education and Culture Dr. Pilar del Castillo Vera

2000-02 Minister of Health and Consumer Protection Celia Villalobos Talero Efe
From 1995 Mayor of Málaga (b. 1949-).

2000-02 Minister of Innovation and Technology Anna Birulés i Bertran
Councillor of Industry of the Generalitat pf Catalunya 1996-2000 and before that Councillor Director General of Retevíson. (b. 1954-).

2000-04 Secretary of State of Budgets and Expenditures in the Ministry of Finance María Elvira Rodríguez Herrer
Hitherto general director of Budgets in the Ministry of Economy and Finance; now this portfolio has been divided into two. (b. 1949-).

2000-10 Secretary of State of Commerce Sivia Iranzo Guitérrez
Embassador to Belgium from 2010. (b. 1958-)

2000-02 Subsecretary of Public Administrations María Dolores de Cospedal García
2002-04 Subsecretary of Interior
2016- Minister of Defence
Former Technical General Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Secretary General of Partido Popular (Deputy Leader) from 2008 and President of Castilla-La Mancha 2011-15. (b. 1965-).

2000-04 Subsecretary of the Environment María Jesús Fraile Fabra
Until 2000 Councillor of Culture, Education and Sports of the Madrid City Council.

2002-04 Minister of External Relations Ana Palacio Vallelersundi
Held various high administrative and political positions before being elected to the European Parliament in 1994 where she chaired a number of committees and member of the Presidium of the European Convention 2002-03, Vice-President and General Advocate of the World Bank from 2006. Sister of the late Loyola de Palacio del Valle-Lersundi, former Minister and Vice-President of the European Commission. (b. 1948-).

2002-04 Subsecretary of Justice Maria José García Beato

2003-04 Minister of Public Administration Julia García-Valdecasas Salgado
Government-Delegate in Cataluña/Catalunya 1996-2003.

2003-04 Minister of Environment Elvira Rodríguez Herrer
Councillor of Transport in the Automomous Community of Madrid 2006-07 and President of the Assembly of Madrid from 2007. (b. 1949-).

2003-04 Subsecretary of External Relations María Victoria Morera Villuendas
Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs 2002-04, Ambassador to Belgium 2004-07 and later Director General in the European Commission

2003-04 Subsecretary of Public Administration Dolores de la Fuente Vázquez

2004-09 Minister of Infrastructures, Public Works and Transport Magdalena Álvarez Arza
Councillor of Finance and Economy of Andalucía 1994-2000. (b. 1952-).

2004-07 Minister of Culture and Communication Carmen Calvo Poyato
Councillor of Culture of the Junta of Andalucía 1996-2000, 1. Vice-President of the Congreso de Diputados 2007-08. (b. 1957-).

2004-07 Minister of Health Elena Salgado Méndez
2007-09 Minister of Public Administration and Civil Service
2009-11 2. Vice-President of the Government
2009-11 Minister of Finance and Economy
2011 1. Vice-President for Economic Affairs
Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment 1991-96 and President of the WHO Assembly in 2005. (b. 1949-).

2004-08 Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Elena Espinosa Mangana
2008-10 Minister of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs
The Ministries of Agriculture and Environment merged in 2008 under a new name. (b. 1960-).

2004-06 Minister of Education and Science María Jesús San Segundo Gómez de Cadiñanos
(b. 1958-).

2004-07 Minister of Housing María Antonia Trujillo Rincón
Councillor of the Presidency 1999-20003 and Councillor of Public Works and Transport of the Junta of Extremadura 2003-04. (b. 1960-).

2004-08 Secretary of State of External Relations for International Cooperation Leire Pajín Iraola
2010-11 Minister of Health, Social Policies and Equality
MP from 2000. Elelected Organisatorial Secretary of PSOE in 2008. (b. 1976-).

2004-09 Secretary of State of Social Services, Family and Handicapped Amparo Valcarce García
Government Delegate of Madrid 2009-11 (b. 1956-).

2004-10 Secretary of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for Immigration and Emigration Consuelo Rumí Ibáñez
2010-11 Secretary of State of the Civil Service in the Ministry of Territorial Policies and Public Administration

2004-07 Subsecretary of Economy and Finance Juana María Lázaro Ruiz

2004-07 Subsecretary of Justice Ana María de Miguel Langa

2004-06 Subsecretary of Interior Soledad López Fernández
2006-07 Subsecretary of Defence
2007-08 Secretary of State of Defence
20101-11 Subsecretary of the Presidency

2004-08 Subsecretary of Public Works and Transport María Encarnación Vivancos Bustos
Director-General and President of Aena, Spanish Airports and Air Navigation.

2004-08 Subsecretary of Industry, Tourism and Commerce María Teresa Gómez Condado
2008-11 Secretary of State of Labour and Immigration

2004- Subsecretary of Labour and Social Affairs Aurora Domíguez González

2004-07 Subsecretary of Public Administration Maria Dolores Carrión Martín
2007 Subsecretary of Culture
Government Delegate of Madrid 2011-12.

2004-08 Subsecretary of Environment Concepción Toquero Plaza

2004-07 Secretary of State of Housing Mercedes Elvira del Palacio Tascón
2008-09 Secretary of State of Public Administration
2009-11 Secretary of State of Culture

2005-07 Secretary of State of Territorial Cooperation in the Ministry of Public Administration Ana Isabel Leiva Díaz

2006-09 Minister of Education Mercedes Cabrera Calvo-Sotelo
2006-08 Minister of Science
2008-09 Minister of Social Affairs and Sports
Socialist MP from 2004. (b.1951-).

2006-09 Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs for Ibero-American Affairs Trinidad Jiménez García-Herrera
2009-10 Minister of Health and Social Policies
2010-11 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
Former Party Official and Government Advisor, Socialist Candidate for Mayor of Madrid in 2003. (b. 1962-)

2007-08 Minister of Housing Carme Chacón i Piqueras
2008-11 Minister of Defence
First Vice-President of the Congess 2004-07. At the time of her appointment as Defence-Minister in April 2008 she was 5 months pregnant. After José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced he was not going to run in 2012 elections, she was widely assumed to run for her party primaries to happen during Autumn 2011. However, after the failure of the PSOE in 2011 Local Elections she announced that she withdrew from the race. Candidate for the post of party leader as PSOE's General Secretary in 2012 but lost with 20 votes to an elderly man.  (b. 1971-).

2007-10 Subsecretary of External Affairs María Jesús Figa Löpez-Palop
Ambassador to the Dominican Republic 2002-2005, Ambassador to the Vatican from 2011.
 
2008-10 Minister of Housing Beatriz Corredor Sierra
2010-11 Secretary of State of Housing in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport
Municipal Councillor in Madrid from 2007.(b. 1968-)
 
2008-11 Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Cristina Garmendia Méndizabal
Scientist. (b. 1962-).
 
2008-10 Minister of Equality Bibiana Aído Almagro Almagro
2010-11 Secretary of State of Equality in the Ministry of Health and Social Policies
Civil Servant. (b. 1977-).

2008-11 Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs for International Co-operation Soraya Rodriguez Ramos
PSOE Spokesperson in the Congress 2012-14.
 
2008-11 Secretary of State of Infrastructures Josefina Cruz Villalón.
 
2008-10 Secretary of State of Education Eva Almunia Badía
Councillor of Education in Aragon 2001-08, Councillor of the Presidency 2010-11 and Candidate for the post of President of Diputación General de Aragón in 2011. (b. 1960-)
 
2008-11 Secretary of State of Communication in the Ministry of the Presidency Nieves Goicoechea González
 

2008-11 Secretary of State of Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs Teresa Ribera Rodríguez
 
2008-11 Subsecretary of Education, Social Politics and Sport Mercedes López Revilla

2008-11 Subsecretary of Industry, Tourism and Commerce Amparo Fernández González
  
2009-11 Minister of Culture Ángeles González-Sinde
Film director. (b. 1965-)

2009-10 Secretary of State of Transport Concepción Guitérrez del Castillo
Councillor of the Presidency in Andalucia 1990-94 and Councillor of Public Works and Transport 2000-08. (b. 1954-)

2009-10 Secretary of State of the Civil Service in the Ministry of the Presidency Carmen Gomis Bernal

2009-11 Subsecretary of Justice Purificación Morandeira Carreira

2010-11 Minister of Environment, Rural Affairs and Marine Affairs Rosa Aguilar Bendale
Spokesperson of Izquerda Unida (United Left) from 1993, Mayor of Córdoba 1999-2009 and Councillor of Public Works and Housing in Andalucia 2009-10. Later joined PSOE.

2010-11 Secretary of State of Employment and Integration in charge of Immigration and Emmigration Anna Terrón i Cusí

2010-11 Secretary of State of Employment María Luz Rodríguez Fernández
Councillor of Labour and Employment of the Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha.(b. 1964-)

2010-11 Subsecretary of Environment, Rural- and Marine Affairs...
 

2011 Secretary of State of Equality in the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality Laura Seara Sobrando

2011 Subsecretary of Interior Pilar Gallego Berruezo
Former Deputy Government Delegate in Madrid and Director General in the Ministry

2011- 1. Vice-President of the Government and Minister of the Presidency Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría
2011-16 Government Spokesperson
2014 Acting Minister of Justice
2014 Acting Minister of of Health, Social Services and Equality
2016- Minister of Territorial Administrations
Former Spokesperson of Partido Popular in the Congress

2011- Minister of Employment and Social Security María Fátima Báñez García
2016 Acting Minister of of Health, Social Services and Equality
(1967-)

2011-14 Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality Ana Mato Adrover
Organisatorial Secretary of PP. (b. 1959-)

2011- Secretary of State of  Finance and Public Administration for Budget and Spending Marta Fernández Currás
Councillor of Finance of Galicia 2009-11

 
2011- Secretary of State of Communication in the Ministry of the Presidency Carmen Martínez Castro

2011-15 Secretary of State of Employment and Social Security Engracia Hidalgo Tena
Councillor of Finance of the Community of Madrid 2003-08 and Counckllor of Family and Social Affairs 2008-11. (b. 1957-)

2011-16 Secretary of State of Tourism Isabel María Borrego Cortés

2011- Secretary of State of Economy and Competitiveness Carmen Vela Olmo

2011- Subsecretary of Health, Social Services and Equality María Jesús Fraile Fabra

2011- Subsecretary of Finance and Public Administrations Pilar Platero Sanz

2012-15 Secretary of State of Education, Culture and Sports Montserrat Gomendio Kindelan

2012- Subsecretary of Defence Irene Domínguez-Alcahud Martín-Peña

2014- Minister of Agriculture, Fish, Foods and Environmental Affairs Isabel García Tejerina
Former Secretary General of the Ministry

2014- Secretary of State of Justice Carmen Sánchez-Cortés Martín

2014- Secretary of State of Health, Social Services and Equality Susana Camarero Benítez

2014- Subsecretary of Justice Áurea Roldán Martín

2016- Minister of of Health, Social Services and Equality Dolors Montserrat Montserrat
Vice-President of the Cortes 2011-15.

2016- Secretary of State of Finance and the Civil Service Elena Collado Martínez

2016- Secretary of State of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness Irene Garrido Valenzuela

2016- Secretary of State of Tourism Matilde Asian González

Last update 21.11.16