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Irene Montero

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Montero and the second or maternal family name is Gil.
Irene Montero
MEP
Montero in 2024
Member of the European Parliament
for Spain
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 July 2024
Minister of Equality
In office
13 January 2020 – 21 November 2023
Prime MinisterPedro Sánchez
Preceded byCarmen Calvo
(Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Equality)
Succeeded byAna Redondo García
Member of the Congress of Deputies
In office
13 January 2016 – 17 August 2023
ConstituencyMadrid
Personal details
Born
Irene María Montero Gil

(1988-02-13) 13 February 1988 (age 36)
Madrid, Spain
Political partyPodemos (2014–present)
Other political
affiliations		Communist Youth Union of Spain (2004–?)
Domestic partnerPablo Iglesias Turrión (2016–present)
Children3
Alma materAutonomous University of Madrid
Signature

Irene María Montero Gil (Spanish pronunciation: [iˈɾene monˈteɾo]; born 13 February 1988) is a Spanish politician and psychologist, member of the Podemos party. She most recently served as the Minister of Equality of Spain from 13 January 2020 to 20 November 2023. She is the partner of Pablo Iglesias, one of the founders and former leader of her party.

From January 2016 to August 2023, Montero has also been an MP for Madrid in the Congress of Deputies, and from February 2017 to January 2020 she was the Spokesperson for the Parliamentary Group Unidos Podemos-En Comú Podem-Galicia en Común in Congress.

Early life and education

Irene María Montero Gil was born in the Moratalaz neighborhood of Madrid. She joined the Communist Youth Union of Spain (UJCE) in 2004.[1] She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid, and a master's degree in Educational Psychology. She received a scholarship for Harvard University, but chose to commit herself to politics instead of moving to the United States.[2]

Political career

Early beginnings

Montero joined Podemos after the elections to the European Parliament in 2014 together with Rafa Mayoral from the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages (PAH).[3]

In November 2014, after being a candidate for the Citizen Council of Podemos, Montero was appointed head of Social Movements and began to lead the cabinet of the leader of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, at which time she postponed her doctoral thesis project on new methods of educational inclusion to dedicate herself entirely to Podemos.[citation needed]

Member of Parliament (2016–2023)

Montero was a candidate for Madrid to the Congress of Deputies for Podemos in the elections of 20 December 2015, being elected deputy of the XI and the XII Legislature. Since 18 February 2017 she has held the position of Spokesperson[4] of the United Confederal Group We Can-In Comú Podem-En Marea, being the youngest speaker of democracy.[5]

During the election campaign of 20 December 2015 Iglesias announced that Montero would be the vice president and minister of the Presidency of a hypothetical government of Podemos.

In the elections of the Congress of Vistalegre II to the direction of Podemos was elected member of the State Citizen Council.[6] She was the most voted woman, placing herself in fourth place, behind Pablo Iglesias, Pablo Echenique and Íñigo Errejón.[7] She is currently a member of the Coordination Board of Podemos, secretary of Action in Congress.

As a deputy, in June 2017 Montero became the first woman in the history of Spain to intervene in parliament on a motion of no confidence.[8]

In May 2018, Iglesias and Montero put their positions in Podemos up for a vote of no confidence, following backlash for purchasing a €615,000 country house in Galapagar. A total of 68.42% of party members voted to keep them in their roles.[9]

Minister of Equality (2020–2023)

In January 2020, prime minister Pedro Sánchez appointed Montero as Minister of Equality. During her time in office, she oversaw the government's efforts on a bill to allow anyone over the age of 14 to change gender legally without a medical diagnosis or hormone therapy.[10] She debated the ramifications of the bill with Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo, who opposed it.[11][12]

In May 2022, Montero announced the implementation of the 028 Rainbow Service, an emergency service for victims of queerphobic hate crimes or discrimination.[13]

In August 2022, Spain passed legislation proposed by Montero since the La Manada rape case, in which consent for sexual intercourse had to be proven by affirmation.[14] The change in the law allowed for convicted sex offenders to have their sentences reduced on appeal by the retroactivity of the law. Montero declared that the right-wing opposition used the retroactivity as a loophole to attack her, and she blamed the reductions on "machismo" of judges; in response to this, she was and dubbed a "liberator of rapists" by Vox congress member Carla Toscano, who criticised the minister's portrayal of judges.[15]

By 1 December, 43 convicted sex offenders had their sentences reduced by up to seven years as a result of the new law.[16] On 14 December, the Supreme Court of Spain upheld the reductions, as accused in Spain who are not at the end of the appeals process have the right to be re-sentenced under a later, more beneficial law.[17] The law was amended in April 2023 by the PSOE and opposition PP, which Montero considered "a sad day" and the most difficult of her tenure as a minister.[18] In September 2023, the court of Navarra reduced the sentence of one of the members of "la Manada" from 15 years to 14 years by applying the "solo sí es sí" law.[19]

In October 2023, during the Israel–Hamas war, Montero said that Israel's alleged violation of international criminal law and war crimes must face consequences.[20]

Member of the European Parliament (2024–present)

Irene Montero in July 2024

Montero run for Member of the European Parliament in the european elections held in June 2024, as head of list for Podemos. Following her election she was appointed Vice-president of The Left in the European Parliament. In July 2024 the Left group presented her as candidate to the Presidency of the European Parliament.

Personal life

On 3 July 2018, Montero gave birth to twins, Leo and Manuel, in her relationship with Pablo Iglesias, the leader of her party. Due to their premature birth, the newborn children were kept in the intensive care at a public hospital of Madrid.[21] On 4 August 2019, she gave birth to their third child, Aitana.[22]

Civil case

On June 6, 2023, in a civil case, the Supreme Court ruled that Montero had falsely accused María Sevilla's[who?] ex-husband of abuse without evidence. The court ordered Montero to pay €18,000 in compensation to the plaintiff, delete a tweet in which she shared a video of the opening ceremony of the Women's Institute where she made the statements for which she was convicted, and post the judgment on Twitter.[23][24] She was given 3 months to fulfil the judgment. The court imposed her an additional €5,400 fine since Montero had not complied with the order within the 3 months.[25] In September, Montero appealed to a higher court, on the grounds that the judgment would erode her credibility and violate her free speech. The Constitutional Court of Spain rejected her appeal, ruling that her free speech did not protect her, and that the appeal was out of time.[26] In November of 2023, Montero complied with the ruling.[27][better source needed]

References

  1. ^ Velasco, Lourdes (9 January 2020). "Irene Montero: una 'portavoza' para pilotar la Igualdad desde el feminismo" (in Spanish). EFE. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  2. ^ Casanova, J. (10 January 2020). "Irene Montero, la activista que cambió Harvard por Podemos". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Podemos nombra a Irene Montero nueva portavoz en el Congreso, en sustitución de Errejón". Europa Press (in Spanish). Madrid. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  4. ^ Fallarás, Cristina (11 March 2017). "Anatomía de foto con mujer que no aplaude". Revista Contexto (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  5. ^ Villar, Cote (14 May 2018). "Irene Montero, en la cresta de la ola política". El Mundo (in Spanish). Unidad Editorial Información General, S.L.U. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  6. ^ Gil, Iván (12 February 2017). "Pablo Iglesias derrota a Íñigo Errejón por una mayoría aplastante en Vistalegre II". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Titania Compañía Editorial, S.L. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Estos son los resultados de Vistalegre II". El Mundo (in Spanish). Unidad Editorial. 12 February 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Irene Montero, la primera mujer en la historia de España que parlamenta en una moción de censura". Público (in Spanish). Display Connectors, S.L. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  9. ^ Marcos, José (28 May 2018). "Podemos leaders win confidence vote over country house scandal". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  10. ^ Belén Carreño and Nathan Allen (29 June 2021), Spain moves step closer to gender self-identification Reuters.
  11. ^ "Montero responde a Calvo: "La identidad de género no es un capricho"". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 6 February 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Irene Montero admite diferencias con Carmen Calvo por la Ley Trans". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 8 March 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  13. ^ "El 028, el teléfono para las víctimas de LGTBIfobia, empezará a operar en verano". ElHuffPost (in Spanish). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  14. ^ Burgen, Stephen (25 August 2022). "Spain passes 'only yes means yes' sexual consent law". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  15. ^ Jones, Sam (24 November 2022). "Spanish right launch sexist attacks on equality minister over consent law". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  16. ^ Marraco, Manuel (1 December 2022). "43 violadores se han beneficiado ya de la ley del 'sólo sí es sí'". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  17. ^ Pérez Medina, Alfonso (14 December 2022). "El Supremo considera "obligatorio" aplicar la ley del 'solo sí es sí' en el 'caso Arandina' por ser "más favorable" al reo" (in Spanish). La Sexta. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Los socialistas españoles corrigen una ley estrella contra delitos sexuales que salió mal". Swissinfo (in Spanish). 20 April 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  19. ^ "El TSJN rebaja en un año la pena a uno de los condenados de 'La Manada' en aplicación de la ley del 'solo sí es sí'". 12 September 2023.
  20. ^ Keeley, Graham. "Spanish politicians who expressed sympathy for Palestine enrage Israel". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  21. ^ Europa Press (3 July 2018). "Irene Montero da a luz a sus mellizos de manera prematura, con seis meses de gestación". El Mundo (in Spanish). Unidad Editorial. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  22. ^ "Irene Montero da a luz a su tercer hijo, una niña que se llama Aitana". El País (in Spanish). 4 August 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  23. ^ "El Supremo condena a Irene Montero a pagar 18.000 euros al ex marido de María Sevilla por presentarle sin pruebas como un maltratador". 9 June 2023.
  24. ^ "El Supremo condena a Irene Montero a indemnizar con 18.000 euros a un hombre al que acusó en falso de ser un maltratador". 9 June 2023.
  25. ^ https://confilegal.com/20231004-el-supremo-obliga-a-irene-montero-a-pagar-5-400-e-en-costas-e-intereses-a-sumar-a-los-18-000-e-de-la-multa-del-exmarido-de-maria-sevilla/ [bare URL]
  26. ^ https://confilegal.com/20231004-el-supremo-obliga-a-irene-montero-a-pagar-5-400-e-en-costas-e-intereses-a-sumar-a-los-18-000-e-de-la-multa-del-exmarido-de-maria-sevilla/ [bare URL]
  27. ^ https://twitter.com/IreneMontero/status/1723107763713196135 [bare URL]
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Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Equality
2020–2023 		Succeeded by
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