Miguel Ángel Gallardo Miranda (born 8 June 1974) is a

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) politician. He was the mayor of his hometown of

Villanueva de la Serena Villanueva de la Serena () is a city in the Province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. It has a population of 26,111 (2010) and forms part of a larger urban area with the neighbouring town of Don Benito. History Founded in the thirteenth century ...

from 2003 to 2024, when he was elected secretary general of the PSOE in

Extremadura Extremadura ( ; ; ; ; Fala language, Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is a landlocked autonomous communities in Spain, autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, Spain, Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central- ...

Biography

Born in

, Gallardo is married and has two children as of 2024. He is qualified in electronic maintenance, infant education and social education, the last of those being a degree from the

National University of Distance Education The National Distance Education University (, UNED) is a distance learning and research university founded in 1972 and is the only university run by the government of Spain. The headquarters is located in Madrid, with campuses in all Spanish aut ...

(UNED). He joined the

(PSOE) in 1995, and was secretary general of the

Socialist Youth of Spain Socialist Youth of Spain () is the youth organisation of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in Spain. Headquartered in Madrid, the organization was founded in 1906 and is aligned internationally with the Young European Socialists and the ...

(JSE) in his hometown from 1996 to 2003. Gallardo was elected mayor of his hometown in May 2003, when he was 28, ending eight years of his party being in opposition. He remained in office until March 2024, serving six terms with absolute majorities in each. In 2015, he became president of the provincial deputation of the

Province of Badajoz The province of Badajoz ( ; ) is a province of western Spain located in the autonomous community of Extremadura. It was formed in 1833. It is bordered by the provinces of Cáceres in the north, Toledo, Ciudad Real in the east, Córdoba in ...

. As mayor of Villanueva de la Serena, Gallardo proposed a municipal merger with nearby

Don Benito Don Benito () is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, near the left bank of the river Guadiana. According to the 2014 census, the municipality has a population of 37,011. History Don Benito dates from the 15t ...

, thus forming a city of 65,000 that would be the third-biggest in the region after

Badajoz Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portugal, Portuguese Portugal–Spain border, border, on the left bank of the river ...

and Cáceres. The proposal was backed by 91% of voters in his city and 66% of voters in the other, as well as Don Benito mayor . The plan was scrapped in 2023 when a localist party opposed to the merger won the mayoralty of Don Benito, with support from the People's Party (PP). In March 2024, Gallardo was elected leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party of Extremadura with 56.2% of the vote against Lara Garlito, who had the endorsement of the PSOE's central leadership including

prime minister of Spain The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government (), is the head of government of Spain. The prime minister nominates the Spanish government departments, ministers and chairs the Council of Ministers (Spain), Council of Mini ...

Pedro Sánchez Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón (; born 29 February 1972) is a Spanish politician who has served as Prime Minister of Spain since 2018. He has also been Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) since July 2017, having p ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gallardo, Miguel Angel 1974 births Living people People from Villanueva de la Serena National University of Distance Education alumni Spanish Socialist Workers' Party politicians Mayors of places in Extremadura 21st-century Spanish politicians