Meritxell Batet Spanish politician Date of Birth: 19.03.1973 Country: Spain

1. Early Life and Education
2. Political Career
3. Catalan Referendum Controversy
4. Socialist Party Leadership
5. Government Positions
6. Speaker of the Congress of Deputies
7. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Born to a family with military heritage, Meritxell Batet completed her law degree at Pompeu Fabra University in 1995. She pursued further education in real estate and urban planning later. After graduating, Batet taught administrative and constitutional law at her alma mater.

Political Career

While still a student, Batet developed a passion for politics. She assisted Narcís Serra, the First Secretary of the Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC), without formally joining the party. In 2004, Batet was elected to the Spanish Congress of Deputies as a non-party candidate on the PSC's Barcelona list.

In 2008, Batet officially became a PSC member. She led the party's Barcelona list in the 2008 parliamentary elections and ran as its eighth candidate in 2011.

Catalan Referendum Controversy

In 2013, Batet defied her party's discipline and voted in favor of a procedure that would have allowed Catalonia to hold a referendum on its future with Spain. She paid a fine of €600 for this transgression.

Socialist Party Leadership

In 2014, Batet was appointed secretary for education within the Federal Executive Commission of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). In the 2015 parliamentary elections, she ran as the second candidate on the PSOE's Madrid list alongside its leader, Pedro Sánchez. She coordinated the party's electoral program and worked on proposals to revise the Spanish Constitution.

Batet played a key role in Sánchez's efforts to forge alliances with other political parties in 2016. She led the PSC's Barcelona list in the June 2016 elections after Carme Chacón withdrew.

Government Positions

Following a vote of no confidence in Mariano Rajoy's government, Batet served as Minister of Public Administration in Sánchez's cabinet. In the 2019 early parliamentary elections, she was re-elected to the Congress.

Speaker of the Congress of Deputies

On May 21, 2019, Batet was elected Speaker of the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish parliament. She has held this position ever since.

Personal Life

From 2005 to 2016, Batet was married to José María Lassalle, a member of the Congress for the People's Party. They have twin daughters, Adriana and Valeria, born in 2013.