Carmen Calvo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Carmen Calvo
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Official portrait, 2020
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| 74th President of the Council of State | |
| Assumed office 28 February 2024 |
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| Monarch | Felipe VI |
| Preceded by | Magdalena Valerio |
| First Deputy Prime Minister of Spain | |
| In office 7 June 2018 – 12 July 2021 |
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| Monarch | Felipe VI |
| Prime Minister | Pedro Sánchez |
| Preceded by | Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría |
| Succeeded by | Nadia Calviño |
| Minister of the Presidency of Spain | |
| In office 7 June 2018 – 12 July 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Pedro Sánchez |
| Preceded by | Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría |
| Succeeded by | Félix Bolaños |
| Minister of Culture of Spain | |
| In office 18 April 2004 – 9 July 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero |
| Preceded by | Pilar del Castillo |
| Succeeded by | César Antonio Molina |
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 21 May 2019 – 13 February 2024 |
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| Constituency | Granada (2023–2024) Madrid (2019–2023) |
| In office 1 April 2004 – 27 September 2011 |
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| Constituency | Córdoba |
| Member of the Parliament of Andalusia | |
| In office 12 March 2000 – 14 March 2004 |
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| Constituency | Córdoba |
| Personal details | |
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María del Carmen Calvo Poyato
9 June 1957 Cabra, Córdoba, Spain |
| Political party | Spanish Socialist Workers Party |
| Spouse | Manuel Pérez Yruela (divorced) |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation |
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María del Carmen Calvo Poyato (born June 9, 1957) is a Spanish politician, author, and expert in law. She has held many important jobs in the Spanish government. From 2018 to 2021, she was the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of the Presidency.
Calvo was born in Cabra, Spain. She studied law at the University of Seville and the University of Córdoba. She earned a doctorate, which is the highest university degree, in constitutional law. This is the area of law that deals with a country's constitution and the rights of its citizens.
Before working in the national government, she was the Minister of Culture for the region of Andalusia from 1996 to 2004. She later became Spain's national Minister of Culture from 2004 to 2007. Calvo is also known for writing books about feminism and gender equality.
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Early Life and Education
Carmen Calvo grew up in the province of Córdoba. She went to a Catholic school for her early education and later attended the Aguilar and Eslava High School. For college, she studied law at the University of Seville. She continued her studies at the University of Córdoba, where she earned her doctorate in constitutional law.
Before she became a full-time politician, Calvo was a professor of constitutional law at the University of Córdoba. She also held leadership roles at the university, such as being the vice-dean of the law school from 1990 to 1994.
Political Career
Calvo began her career in politics in the 1990s. She joined the Socialist Workers' Party in 1999. This party is one of the major political parties in Spain.
Working in Andalusia's Government
In 1996, Calvo was named the Minister of Culture for the regional government of Andalusia. In 2000, she was elected to the Parliament of Andalusia to represent the people of Córdoba.
During her eight years as Minister of Culture in Andalusia, she achieved several important things. She helped open the Museo Picasso Málaga, a famous modern art museum, in 2003. She also worked on a plan to encourage more people to read books. Calvo also made sure money was spent to improve important buildings like churches, libraries, and theaters.
In 2004, Calvo even had a small part in the movie María querida, directed by José Luis García Sánchez.
Minister of Culture for Spain
In 2004, Calvo moved into national politics. She was elected to the Congress of Deputies, which is part of Spain's national parliament. The new Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, appointed her as the national Minister of Culture.
As minister, Calvo worked to protect the rights of artists and creators. She was concerned about people illegally copying music and movies. Her department ran a campaign to teach the public why it is important to respect intellectual property.
One of her ideas was a law that would require movie theaters to show more European films. This caused a debate in the film industry. She left her position as minister in July 2007 before the law was passed.
Return to the Congress of Deputies
After serving as minister, Calvo was elected as the First Vice President of the Congress of Deputies. This is a high-ranking leadership position in the parliament. She held this role until 2008.
In the 2008 election, she was re-elected as a representative for Córdoba. She then became the head of the Committee on Equality in the Congress. She did not run for re-election in 2011 and went back to teaching at the University of Córdoba.
However, she returned to politics in 2017 when Pedro Sánchez, the leader of the Socialist Party, asked her to be the party's Secretary for Equality.
Deputy Prime Minister of Spain
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In June 2018, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez appointed Calvo as his Deputy Prime Minister. She was also made the Minister of the Presidency. This meant she was one of the most powerful people in the government.
During her time as Deputy Prime Minister, Calvo focused on issues of equality and protecting women. A famous court case about a serious crime against a young woman caused a lot of public discussion. Many people felt the punishment wasn't strong enough. In response, Calvo proposed changing the law to make it very clear that consent must be given.
In November 2018, she also suggested changing Spain's Constitution. She wanted to remove words that could be seen as offensive to people with disabilities. In 2020, she was sworn in again as Deputy Prime Minister in the new government. She left the government in July 2021.
Later Career
After leaving her role as Deputy Prime Minister, Calvo continued to be a member of the Congress of Deputies until February 2024. In February 2023, she was one of a few lawmakers who chose not to vote on a new law that gave women paid time off for severe period pain.
In February 2024, she was appointed President of the Council of State. This is an important group that gives advice to the Spanish government on legal matters.
Personal Life
Carmen Calvo's brother, José Calvo Poyato, is also a politician and writer.
She has two children. She and her daughter both enjoy rock music. Calvo was married twice and is now divorced. She has two granddaughters.
In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Calvo tested positive for the virus and was treated in a hospital. She recovered a few months later. She is also a fan of bullfighting, a traditional Spanish event.
Awards and Honors
- 1998: Fiambrera de Plata, an award from the Athenaeum of Córdoba.
- 2007: Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, a high honor given to government ministers.
- 2008: Favorite Daughter of Cabra, an honorary title from her hometown.
- 2017: Progressive Women Award, for her work in fighting for equality.
- 2018: Ramón Rubial Award, for her dedication to socialist values.
- 2022: 'Luisa de Medrano' International Gender Equality Award.
See also
In Spanish: Carmen Calvo para niños
