Fátima Báñez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Most Excellent
María Fátima Báñez García
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| Minister of Employment and Social Security of Spain | |
| In office 22 December 2011 – 1 June 2018 |
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| Prime Minister | Mariano Rajoy |
| Preceded by | Valeriano Gómez |
| Succeeded by | Magdalena Valerio |
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 12 March 2000 – 21 May 2019 |
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| Constituency | Huelva |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 January 1967 San Juan del Puerto, Huelva, Spain |
| Alma mater | Comillas Pontifical University Harvard Business School |
María Fátima Báñez García, born on January 6, 1967, is a well-known Spanish politician. She is also an expert in economics and law. People usually call her Fátima Báñez. She served as the Minister of Employment and Social Security in Spain from December 2011 to June 2018. She left this role when the government of Mariano Rajoy was voted out. Since February 2025, she has been an external member of Iberdrola Energía Internacional, which is part of Iberdrola.
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Education and Early Career
Fátima Báñez studied Law, Economics, and Business at the Comillas Pontifical University. Before becoming a national politician, she worked as a councilor for the Andalusia Radio and Television from 1997 to 2000. This role helped her gain experience in public service.
Political Journey in Parliament
Báñez was a member of the Spanish Parliament for many years. She represented the Huelva Province. During her time in Parliament, she held several important positions. For example, she was a member of the Economy and Finance Commission. She also served as a spokeswoman for the Committee on Budgets. These roles helped her understand Spain's financial and economic needs.
Becoming Minister of Employment
On December 22, 2011, Mariano Rajoy chose Fátima Báñez to be the Minister of Employment and Social Security. She took over from Valeriano Gómez. At that time, unemployment was a very big problem in Spain. Many people did not have jobs.
When she became minister, about 5.3 million people in Spain were unemployed. The unemployment rate was around 22.85%. This was twice the average rate in the European Union. Also, nearly half of young people looking for work could not find a job. Many families had no one working.
Labour Reforms and Their Impact
To tackle the high unemployment, Fátima Báñez introduced a major labour reform on February 10, 2012. This reform aimed to make it easier for businesses to hire and fire workers. The idea was that if it was less costly to dismiss workers, companies might be more willing to hire new ones.
The reform changed the rules for how much money workers received if they lost their jobs. For example, the payment for unfair dismissal was reduced. This change was supported by groups like the European Commission and the Bank of Spain. However, trade unions, which represent workers, did not agree with the reform. They organized a big strike on March 29, 2012, to protest.
Despite the protests, Báñez kept the main parts of the reform. After the reform, the unemployment numbers were still high for a while. In April 2013, the unemployment rate reached 27.16%. However, over time, her reforms are often seen as helping to reduce unemployment. By late 2016, the rate had fallen to 18.9%. While still high, it showed improvement.
Images for kids
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Fátima Báñez in 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Fátima Báñez para niños
