Irene Montero
{{short description|Spanish politician and psychologist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{family name hatnote|Montero|Gil|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Irene Montero
| honorific-suffix = MEP
| image = Irene Montero Gil.jpg
| office = Member of the European Parliament
for Spain
| term_start = 16 July 2024
| term_end =
| primeminister =
| predecessor =
| office1 = Minister of Equality
| term_start1 = 13 January 2020
| term_end1 = 21 November 2023
| constituency1 =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|2|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Madrid, Spain
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Podemos (2014–present)
| otherparty = Communist Youth Union of Spain (2004–?)
| birth_name = Irene María Montero Gil
| partner = Pablo Iglesias Turrión (2016–present)
| children = 3
| alma_mater = Autonomous University of Madrid
| signature = Firma de Irene Montero.svg
| successor =
| caption = Montero in 2024
| office2 = Member of the Congress of Deputies
| termstart2 = 13 January 2016
| termend2 = 17 August 2023
| constituency2 = Madrid
| predecessor1 = Carmen Calvo
{{small|(Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Equality)}}
| successor1 = Ana Redondo García
| primeminister1 = Pedro Sánchez
}}
Irene María Montero Gil ({{IPA|es|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.{{cite news |last1=Velasco |first1=Lourdes |title=Irene Montero: una 'portavoza' para pilotar la Igualdad desde el feminismo |url=https://www.efe.com/efe/espana/portada/irene-montero-una-portavoza-para-pilotar-la-igualdad-desde-el-feminismo/10010-4146396 |access-date=2 December 2021 |publisher=EFE |date=9 January 2020 |language=Spanish}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Casanova |first1=J. |title=Irene Montero, la activista que cambió Harvard por Podemos |url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/espana/2020/01/11/activista-cambio-harvard-podemos/0003_202001G11P7993.htm |access-date=2 December 2021 |work=La Voz de Galicia |date=10 January 2020 |language=Spanish}}
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).{{cite news |title=Podemos nombra a Irene Montero nueva portavoz en el Congreso, en sustitución de Errejón |url=http://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-irene-montero-sera-nombrada-nueva-portavoz-podemos-congreso-sustitucion-inigo-errejon-20170218092559.html |date=18 February 2017 |access-date=16 June 2017 |newspaper=Europa Press |language=es |location=Madrid}}
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|date=September 2022}}
= 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{{cite news |last=Fallarás |first=Cristina |title=Anatomía de foto con mujer que no aplaude |url=http://ctxt.es/es/20170307/Politica/11547/Nueva-politica-irene-montero-foto-visita-macri.htm |access-date=8 May 2017 |magazine=Revista Contexto |language=es |date=11 March 2017}} of the United Confederal Group We Can-In Comú Podem-En Marea, being the youngest speaker of democracy.{{cite news |title=Irene Montero, en la cresta de la ola política |url=http://www.elmundo.es/loc/2017/02/18/58a719c6e2704e581c8b458a.html |access-date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=El Mundo |language=es |first=Cote |last=Villar |date=14 May 2018 |publisher=Unidad Editorial Información General, S.L.U.}}
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.{{cite news |title=Pablo Iglesias derrota a Íñigo Errejón por una mayoría aplastante en Vistalegre II |url=http://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2017-02-12/asamblea-podemos-vistalegre-resultados-votacion-secretario-general-iglesias-errejon_1330231/ |access-date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=El Confidencial |language=es |first=Iván |last=Gil |date=12 February 2017 |publisher=Titania Compañía Editorial, S.L.}} She was the most voted woman, placing herself in fourth place, behind Pablo Iglesias, Pablo Echenique and Íñigo Errejón.{{cite news |title=Estos son los resultados de Vistalegre II |url=http://www.elmundo.es/espana/2017/02/12/58a0540aca4741464d8b463c.html |access-date=8 May 2017 |newspaper=El Mundo |language=es |date=12 February 2017 |publisher=Unidad Editorial}} 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.{{cite news |title=Irene Montero, la primera mujer en la historia de España que parlamenta en una moción de censura |url=http://www.publico.es/politica/mocion-censura-mariano-rajoy-irene.html |access-date=16 June 2017 |language=es |date=13 June 2017 |newspaper=Público |publisher=Display Connectors, S.L.}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Marcos |first1=José |title=Podemos leaders win confidence vote over country house scandal |url=https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2018/05/28/inenglish/1527492924_821506.html |access-date=2 December 2021 |work=El País |date=28 May 2018 |language=Spanish}}
= 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.Belén Carreño and Nathan Allen (29 June 2021), [https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spains-government-approves-first-draft-gender-self-identification-bill-2021-06-29/ Spain moves step closer to gender self-identification] Reuters. She debated the ramifications of the bill with Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo, who opposed it.{{cite news |title=Montero responde a Calvo: "La identidad de género no es un capricho" |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/sociedad/20210206/montero-responde-calvo-identidad-genero-ley-trans-11501695 |access-date=2 December 2021 |work=El Periódico de Catalunya |date=6 February 2021 |language=Spanish}}{{cite news |title=Irene Montero admite diferencias con Carmen Calvo por la Ley Trans |url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/sociedad/2021/01/28/irene-montero-admite-diferencias-carmen-calvo-ley-trans/00031611827873773598640.htm |access-date=2 December 2021 |work=La Voz de Galicia |date=8 March 2021 |language=Spanish}}
In May 2022, Montero announced the implementation of the 028 Rainbow Service, an emergency service for victims of queerphobic hate crimes or discrimination.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-17 |title=El 028, el teléfono para las víctimas de LGTBIfobia, empezará a operar en verano |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.es/entry/el-028-el-telefono-para-las-victimas-de-lgtbifobia-empezara-a-operar-en-verano_es_6283aab0e4b0c7c107787f61.html |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=ElHuffPost |language=es}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Burgen |first1=Stephen |title=Spain passes 'only yes means yes' sexual consent law |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/25/spain-only-yes-means-yes-sexual-consent-bill-expected-to-become-law |access-date=15 December 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=25 August 2022}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Sam |date=24 November 2022 |title=Spanish right launch sexist attacks on equality minister over consent law |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/24/irene-montero-spanish-right-sexist-attacks-consent-law |access-date=15 December 2022}}
By 1 December, 43 convicted sex offenders had their sentences reduced by up to seven years as a result of the new law.{{cite news |last1=Marraco |first1=Manuel |title=43 violadores se han beneficiado ya de la ley del 'sólo sí es sí' |url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2022/12/01/6387ad03fc6c83927f8b4572.html |access-date=15 December 2022 |work=El Mundo |date=1 December 2022 |language=Spanish}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Pérez Medina |first1=Alfonso |title=El Supremo considera "obligatorio" aplicar la ley del 'solo sí es sí' en el 'caso Arandina' por ser "más favorable" al reo |url=https://www.lasexta.com/noticias/nacional/supremo-considera-obligatorio-aplicar-ley-solo-caso-arandina-ser-mas-favorable-reo_202212146399ada2681c520001b8f808.html |access-date=15 December 2022 |publisher=La Sexta |date=14 December 2022 |language=Spanish}} 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.{{cite news |title=Los socialistas españoles corrigen una ley estrella contra delitos sexuales que salió mal |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/afp/los-socialistas-espa%C3%B1oles-corrigen-una-ley-estrella-contra-delitos-sexuales-que-sali%C3%B3-mal/48450434 |access-date=23 July 2023 |work=Swissinfo |date=20 April 2023 |language=Spanish}} 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.{{cite web | url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20230912/rebaja-ano-pena-manada-violacion-sanfermines-ley-solo-si-si/2455738.shtml | title=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' | date=12 September 2023 }}
In October 2023, during the Gaza war, Montero said that Israel's alleged violation of international criminal law and war crimes must face consequences.{{Cite web |last=Keeley |first=Graham |title=Spanish politicians who expressed sympathy for Palestine enrage Israel |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/17/israel-accuses-spain-of-siding-with-hamas-after-genocide-accusation |access-date=2023-12-02 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en |archive-date=2023-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128093549/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/17/israel-accuses-spain-of-siding-with-hamas-after-genocide-accusation |url-status=live }} In May 2024, she accused the European Union of "complicity" in the "genocide" in Gaza.{{cite news |title=Spain's Podemos warns about 'hypocrisy' of 'European Commission of war' |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/spains-podemos-warns-about-hypocrisy-of-european-commission-of-war/ |work=Euractiv |date=27 May 2024}}
= Member of the European Parliament (2024–present) =
File:Election of the new EP president - Irene Montero - 53866880234.jpg
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. In May 2025 she referred on Twitter to Israel as 'a terrorist state ruled by the Hitler of our century, doing to the Palestinians the same things that the Nazis did to the Jews'. |url= https://x.com/IreneMontero/status/1923364554592960884
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.{{Cite news |url=https://www.elmundo.es/loc/famosos/2018/07/03/5b3b4429e5fdea9f2f8b45d0.html |title=Irene Montero da a luz a sus mellizos de manera prematura, con seis meses de gestación |access-date=13 March 2019 |date=3 July 2018 |newspaper=El Mundo |language=es |author=Europa Press |author-link=Europa Press (news agency) |publisher=Unidad Editorial}} On 4 August 2019, she gave birth to their third child, Aitana.{{cite news |url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/08/02/gente/1564777713_879385.html |title=Irene Montero da a luz a su tercer hijo, una niña que se llama Aitana |date=4 August 2019 |access-date=10 January 2020 |newspaper=El País |language=es}}
Civil case
On June 6, 2023, in a civil case, the Supreme Court ruled that Montero had falsely accused María Sevilla's{{who|date=July 2024}} 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.{{cite web | url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2023/06/09/64830203fc6c838b0c8b45ad.html | title=El Supremo condena a Irene Montero a pagar 18.000 euros al ex marido de María Sevilla por presentarle sin pruebas como un maltratador | date=9 June 2023 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/supremo-condena-irene-montero-indemnizar-18-000-euros-hombre-acuso-falso-maltratador_1_10280880.html | title=El Supremo condena a Irene Montero a indemnizar con 18.000 euros a un hombre al que acusó en falso de ser un maltratador | date=9 June 2023 }}
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.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 inline|date=August 2024}}
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.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 inline|date=August 2024}}
In November of 2023, Montero complied with the ruling.https://twitter.com/IreneMontero/status/1723107763713196135 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{better source|date=July 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{CC-notice|cc=bysa3|url=https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_Montero }}
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{{s-start}}
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{{s-bef|before=Carmen Calvo}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Equality|years=2020–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Ana Redondo García}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Montero, Irene}}
Category:Autonomous University of Madrid alumni
Category:Members of the 12th Congress of Deputies (Spain)
Category:Members of the 11th Congress of Deputies (Spain)
Category:Members of the 13th Congress of Deputies (Spain)
Category:Women members of the Congress of Deputies (Spain)
Category:Members of the 14th Congress of Deputies (Spain)
Category:Transgender rights activists
Category:Spanish LGBTQ rights activists
Category:Spanish women activists
Category:MEPs for Spain 2024–2029