Clara Ponsatí facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clara Ponsatí i Obiols
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Ponsatí in 2017
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| Counselor of Education of Catalonia | |
| In office 14 July 2017 – 28 October 2017 |
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| President | Carles Puigdemont |
| Preceded by | Meritxell Ruiz |
| Succeeded by | Josep Bargalló (Direct rule until 2 June 2018) |
| Member of the Catalan Parliament | |
| In office 17 January 2018 – 29 January 2018 |
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| Member of the European Parliament | |
| Assumed office 1 February 2020 |
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| Constituency | Spain |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 March 1957 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Citizenship | Spain |
| Political party | Alhora (2024–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
JxCat (2017–2020) Junts (2020–2024) |
| Education | University of Barcelona University of Minnesota |
| Occupation | Economist, Politician |
| Website | https://www.claraponsati.cat/ |
Clara Ponsatí i Obiols (born 19 March 1957) is a smart Catalan economist and politician. She was the Minister of Education for Catalonia in 2017. She was removed from her role by the Spanish Government because of her part in organizing the 2017 Catalan independence referendum. After this, she moved to Brussels with other government members. Later, she became a professor at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Since February 2020, she has been a Member of the European Parliament, representing Spain in the European Union.
Contents
A Smart Start: Clara's Early Life and Studies
Clara Ponsatí was born in Barcelona, Catalonia, in 1957. Her family included famous people like her grandfather, artist Josep Obiols i Palau, and her uncle, politician Raimon Obiols i Germà.
Becoming an Economist
Clara studied economics at the University of Barcelona, graduating in 1980. She then earned a master's degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In 1988, she received her Ph.D. in economics from the University of Minnesota in the United States, where she also taught for several years.
What She Studied
Clara is an expert in game theory and political economy. This means she studies how people make decisions when they interact with each other, especially in situations of bargaining or conflict.
Teaching Around the World
From 2006 to 2012, Clara led the Institute of Economic Analysis at the CSIC. She also taught as a visiting professor at many universities, including the University of Toronto, University of California, San Diego, and Georgetown University.
A Challenge at Georgetown
In 2013, Clara said that her teaching position at Georgetown University was not renewed. She believed this was because she supported Catalan independence. The Spanish Minister of Education at the time said that a teaching role abroad should not be used to support movements against the Spanish Constitution.
Back to Scotland
In 2015, Clara became the director of the School of Economics and Finance at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She held this position until she became a minister in the Catalan government in 2017.
A Leader for Catalonia: Her Political Journey
In 2016, Clara joined the National Secretariat of l'Assemblea Nacional Catalana, a group that supports Catalan independence. Soon after, in July 2017, she was chosen by President Carles Puigdemont to be the Minister of Education for Catalonia.
The Referendum and Exile
As Minister of Education, Clara helped organize the 2017 Catalan independence referendum. This vote involved using schools as polling places. After the referendum, the Spanish Government removed her and other ministers from their roles. On 30 October 2017, she moved to Brussels with President Puigdemont and other members of the Catalan Government. This was a form of exile.
Member of Parliament
In the 2017 elections, Clara was elected to the Parliament of Catalonia. However, she later gave up her seat to help ensure that politicians who supported independence kept their majority in the parliament. In March 2018, she moved to the United Kingdom to return to her teaching job at the University of St Andrews.
Joining the European Parliament
In 2019, Clara ran for the European Parliament. She was elected after Brexit happened, which changed how seats were given out. Since February 2020, she has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
Her Work in Europe
As an MEP, Clara works on important committees like the Committee on Industry, Technology, Research, and Energy. She also deals with economic and money matters. She often speaks about the importance of Rule of Law and human rights in the European Union. She and her team created a website called 'ruleoflaw.cat'. This website collects information about issues related to rights in Catalonia and allows people to report problems to the European Commission.
Returning Home: Clara's Return to Catalonia
Even though there was a national arrest warrant for her in Spain, Clara Ponsatí returned to Barcelona from France on 28 March 2023. She held a press conference to talk about the 'ruleoflaw.cat' website.
Arrest and Release
Later that day, she was arrested by the police in Barcelona. Supporters gathered to protest her arrest. After appearing before a judge, she was released that same night. A Spanish court asked her to appear again on 24 April. Clara's legal team argued that her arrest was not right because she had temporary protection as an MEP.
Further Developments
Clara did not appear in court on 24 April, stating that she had special protection as an MEP. She asked the European Parliament to defend her rights. In July 2023, Clara announced on social media that she was in Barcelona again and was arrested a second time. She was released after a short time.
See also
In Spanish: Clara Ponsatí para niños
