Íñigo de la Serna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Íñigo de la Serna
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Íñigo de la Serna in 2017
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| Minister of Public Works | |
| In office 4 November 2016 – 1 June 2018 |
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| Monarch | Felipe VI |
| Prime Minister | Mariano Rajoy |
| Preceded by | Ana Pastor Julián |
| Succeeded by | José Luis Ábalos |
| Mayor of Santander | |
| In office 16 June 2007 – 4 November 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Gonzalo Piñeiro |
| Succeeded by | Gema Igual |
| President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions | |
| In office 26 June 2015 – 12 December 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Annemarie Jorritsma |
| Succeeded by | Stefano Bonaccini |
| President of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces | |
| In office 23 July 2012 – 19 September 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Juan Ignacio Zoido |
| Succeeded by | Abel Caballero |
| Member of the Parliament of Cantabria | |
| In office 18 June 2015 – 4 November 2016 |
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| Councillor of the City Council of Santander | |
| In office 14 June 2003 – 4 November 2016 |
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| Personal details | |
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Íñigo Joaquín de la Serna Hernáiz
10 January 1971 Bilbao, Spain |
| Political party | People's Party |
| Alma mater | University of Cantabria |
Íñigo Joaquín de la Serna Hernáiz is a Spanish politician and a civil engineer. He was born on January 10, 1971, in Bilbao, Spain. He is well-known for serving as the Mayor of Santander from 2007 to 2016. Later, he became the Minister of Public Works for Spain, holding that position from November 2016 to June 2018.
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About Íñigo de la Serna
Íñigo de la Serna grew up and lived most of his life in Santander, even though he was born in Bilbao. He went to San Agustín College in Cantabria. For one year, he studied in Ohio, United States, as an exchange student. After that, he went to the University of Cantabria School of Civil Engineering. He graduated as a civil engineer and worked at an engineering company called Apia XXI.
Starting a Political Career
Íñigo de la Serna began his journey in politics in 1999. He first worked as the chief assistant for the Environment Councilor in the Government of Cantabria. In 2003, he took on a role in the City Council of Santander. There, he was in charge of the Department of Environment, Water, and Beaches.
In 2004, he was chosen as the Deputy Secretary for the People's Party in Cantabria. This was an important step in his political career.
Becoming Mayor of Santander
In 2007, Íñigo de la Serna ran for mayor of Santander. He won the election and became the Mayor of Santander. He was 36 years old at the time, making him one of the youngest mayors of a major Spanish city. His party won 15 out of 27 seats on the city council, which meant they had an "absolute majority." This was the first time his party achieved such a strong win in Santander.
He was re-elected as mayor in 2011. This time, his party won even more seats, getting 18 out of 27. This showed he had strong support from the people of Santander. He received 56% of the votes, which was a record for his party in the city.
Leading Smart Cities Initiatives
As mayor, Íñigo de la Serna was very interested in making Santander a "smart city." A smart city uses technology to improve life for its citizens. He helped start a European project called SmartSantander.
He also became the President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). In this role, he encouraged cities across the European Union to share technology and ideas. This helped different cities work together on smart city projects. In June 2012, he was also chosen to lead the Spanish Network of Smart Cities. He held this position until May 2016.
Later Years as Mayor
In the 2015 local elections, his party did not win an absolute majority. They got 13 council members and 40% of the votes. However, he was still re-elected as mayor. This happened because of an agreement with another political party. He then led the city government as a minority, meaning he needed support from other parties to pass new laws.
From 2012 to 2015, he also served as the President of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP). This organization represents local governments across Spain. He was chosen for this role by all political parties involved.
During his time as mayor, he supported the building of the Botín Center of Art and Culture. This is an important cultural building in the center of Santander.
Becoming a National Minister
On November 4, 2016, Íñigo de la Serna was appointed as the Minister of Public Works for the Government of Spain. In this role, he was responsible for things like roads, railways, and airports across the country.
As Minister, he oversaw important projects and decisions related to Spain's infrastructure. For example, in August 2017, he announced that the Civil Guard would help with security control at the Barcelona Airport during a labor dispute. He served as Minister until June 1, 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Íñigo de la Serna para niños
- Politics of Cantabria
- Santander, Spain
- Government of Spain
- Council of European Municipalities and Regions
- Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces
