María José Catalá Verdet (born 3 March 1981) is a Spanish politician who belongs to the People's Party (PP). Since June 2023 she has been the Mayor of Valencia. She was the mayor of

Torrent Torrent or torrents may refer to: * A fast flowing stream Animals * Torrent duck, a species of the family Anatidae * Torrent fish * Torrent frog, various unrelated frogs * Torrent robin, a bird species * Torrent salamander, a family of ...

(2007–2012), the first woman and first from her party to hold the office, and briefly served in the

Congress of Deputies The Congress of Deputies () is the lower house of the , Spain's legislative branch, the upper house being the Senate of Spain, Senate. The Congress meets in the Palacio de las Cortes, Madrid, Palace of the Parliament () in Madrid. Congress has ...

in 2008. She was Minister of Education in the

Generalitat Valenciana The Generalitat Valenciana is the generic name covering the different self-government institutions under which the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia is politically organized. It consists of seven institutions including the ''Corts Valen ...

from 2012 to 2015, and was elected to the

Corts Valencianes The Corts Valencianes (), commonly known as ''Les Corts'' (), are the main legislative body of the Generalitat Valenciana and therefore of the Valencian Community. The main location of the Corts is in the Palace of the Borgias in Valencia, Spain ...

in 2015 and

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

City Council in 2019.

Biography

Born in

, Catalá holds a degree in law from the CEU Cardinal Herrera University, and a master's degree in Business Administration. In March 2017, she received a doctorate from CEU Cardinal Herrera University. Her thesis was on the relations between voters and representatives in the early 21st century, a time of corruption scandals, including several involving her party. Catalá entered politics in 2003 when she was elected as a PP councillor for the town of

to the south-west of the city of Valencia. In 2007, she was chosen as the PP candidate for mayor of Torrent and was elected in May, becoming the first female mayor of the city. She was also its first PP mayor, ending 28 years of

Spanish Socialist Workers' Party The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( , PSOE ) is a Social democracy, social democratic Updated as required.The PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources: * * * * List of political parties in Spain, political party ...

(PSOE) control, as well as being one of the youngest mayors at the time, aged 26. In

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

, Catalá was elected to the

representing the Valencia constituency after being awarded the fourth place on the PP list, virtually guaranteeing her election, as the party had won at least five seats in every election from 1982 onwards. However, she only served a half year in Congress, resigning in October 2008 and was replaced by Teresa García Sena. Catalá left her post as mayor in 2012, being named Minister of Education in Alberto Fabra's

and serving as its spokesperson for the final year before the 2015 election, in which she was elected to the

. In January 2019, she was named the PP candidate for mayor of Valencia ahead of the election in May. The PP came second, and incumbent mayor Joan Ribó of

Coalició Compromís Coalició Compromís (, ), also known as Compromís,Ávila López, E. (2016) ''Modern Spain'', p. 85 is a Valencianist electoral coalition in the Valencian Community, Spain. The parties involved include Més-Compromís, the left-wing Valencia ...

was re-elected with the support of the PSOE. In June 2023, she won the local elections, becoming Mayor of València.

References

External links

Biography at Spanish Congress website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catala, Maria Jose 1981 births Living people Politicians from Valencia People from Torrent, Valencia People's Party (Spain) politicians People's Party of the Valencian Community politicians Members of the 9th Congress of Deputies (Spain) Members of the 9th Corts Valencianes Members of the 10th Corts Valencianes Mayors of places in the Valencian Community Mayors of Valencia Women mayors of places in Spain Women politicians from the Valencian Community City councillors in the province of Valencia 21st-century Spanish women politicians Members of the 11th Corts Valencianes