Isabel Celaá

María Isabel Celaá Diéguez (born 23 May 1949) is a Spanish politician and high school teacher. In June 2018, she was appointed Minister of Education and Vocational Training and Spokesperson of the Government of Spain.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Celaá and the second or maternal family name is Diéguez.

The Most Excellent Isabel Celaá MP
In February 2019
Minister of Education and Vocational Training
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 June 2018
Monarch	Felipe VI
Prime Minister	Pedro Sánchez
Preceded by	Íñigo Méndez de Vigo
Spokesperson of the Government
In office 7 June 2018 – 13 January 2020
Preceded by	Íñigo Méndez de Vigo
Succeeded by	María Jesús Montero
Personal details
Born	(1949-05-23) 23 May 1949 Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Political party	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left
Alma mater	University of Deusto University of Valladolid

Biography

Politics in Euskadi

She started in politics in 1987 as head of the cabinet of the Regional minister of Education, Universities and Research José Ramón Recalde. After the brief interregnum of the coalition government PNV-EA-EE of 1991, she was vice-minister of Education, Universities and Research with Fernando Buesa as Basque counselor until the end of the legislature (1995).[1] In the following legislature she abandoned the educational responsibilities, being director of the cabinet of the Counselor of Justice, Economy, Labor and Social Security, Ramón Jáuregui. Between 1998 and 2009 and 2012 and 2016, she has been a member of the Basque Parliament for Province of Vizcaya.[2] As a parliamentarian, she was responsible for the educational issues of her group. Between 2008 and 2009 she was the first vice president of the Basque Parliament. From 2009 to 2012 she held the position of Counselor of Education, Universities and Research in the government of Patxi López,[3][2][n. 1] She is particularly interested in the improvement of the Basque educational system and technology, and advocates scientific research.[4][5]

She was head of list of the PSE-EE to the Senate by the circumscription of Vizcaya in the general elections of 2015[6] and 2016[7] but she was not elected.

She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSOE) party.

National Minister of Education and Vocational Training

On 7 June 2018, Pedro Sánchez after being sworn new Spanish Prime Minister, following the motion of censure that the PSOE presented against the previous government of Mariano Rajoy (PP) and that was approved by the Congress of Deputies on 1 June 2018, appointed her as Minister in new Spanish government.[8] Felipe VI sanctioned by royal decree of June her appointment as holder of the portfolio of Minister of Education and Vocational Training and Spokesperson of the Government[9][10] On 7 June she took office as Minister and Spokeswoman before the King at Palace of Zarzuela.[11][12]

Notes

1. Celaá, who does not have Basque surnames, was abused in May 2010 at the Bermeo School Festival, being met with cries of "dirty foreigner go home" (Maketa gogoan zaitez etxera) (Castells, 2014; cfr. Molina & Quiroga 2019, p. 107)

References

1. "Isabel Celaá será la ministra de Educación del Gobierno de Pedro Sánchez". El Diario (in Spanish). 6 June 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
2. "Equipos de gobierno IX Legislatura (mayo 2009 - diciembre 2012)". Eusko Jaurlaritza (in Spanish). 30 January 2014. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
3. "Isabel Celaá / Consejera de Educación, Universidades e investigación del Gobierno Vasco". Eusko News (in Spanish). ISSN 1139-3629. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
4. "Isabel Celaá". Eusko Jaurlaritza (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
5. OECD (16 November 2012). "Annex B. OECD Seminar "Collaboration between Vocational and University Education: Building Partnerships for Regional Development". Higher Education in Regional and City Development Post-Secondary Vocational Education and Training Pathways and Partnerships: Pathways and Partnerships. OECD Publishing. p. 180. ISBN 978-92-64-09755-1.
6. "Candidaturas proclamadas". Eusko Jaurlaritza (in Spanish). 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
7. "Elecciones Senado 2016. Candidaturas proclamadas Bizkaia". Gobierno Vasco (in Spanish). 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
8. Mateos, Adrián (8 June 2018). "Isabel Celaá, nueva ministra de Educación del Gobierno de Pedro Sánchez". ABC (in Spanish). Vocento. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
9. "Celáa será la Portavoz del Gobierno además de ministra de Educación y Formación Profesional". Europa Press (in Spanish). 6 June 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
10. R., Felipe (7 June 2018). Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Pedro (ed.). "Real Decreto 357/2018, de 6 de junio, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Presidencia del Gobierno (138): 58729 a 58729. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
11. "Los 17 del "Consejo de Ministras y Ministros" de Sánchez prometen ante el Rey". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 7 June 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
12. González Egaña, A. (6 June 2018). "La exconsejera vasca Isabel Celaá compaginará el Ministerio de Educación con la portavocía del Gobierno". Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Vocento. Retrieved 8 June 2018.

Bibliography

• Molina, Fernando; Quiroga, Alejandro (2019). "Mixed feelings: Identities and nationalisations in Catalonia and the Basque country (1980–2015)". National Identities. Taylor & Francis. 21: 93–111. doi:10.1080/14608944.2017.1369020. ISSN 1460-8944.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Political offices
Preceded by José Antonio Campos Granados	Regional Minister of Education, Universities and Research of the Basque Government 2009-2012	Succeeded by Cristina Uriarte
Preceded by Íñigo Méndez de Vigo Education, Culture and Sports	Minister of Education and Vocational Training 2018-present	Incumbent
Preceded by Íñigo Méndez de Vigo	Spokesperson of the Spanish Government 2018-present	Incumbent