Spanish women mayors
Some 40% of Spain’s city mayors are women
Brian Baker and Daniel Gonzáles Herrera
December 2023: Spanish local government is considered the tier closest to citizens. It is most directly concerned with the daily life of people. Spain is divided into Municipalities (Municipios), except for the Royal Bardenas, in Navarre, a territory declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
The governance of the municipalities belongs to the City Council. It is a collegiate organ that leads the municipal administration. The City Council is made up of Councillors, elected by popular vote. The number of councillors may vary according to the number of residents, from five to 25.
The president of the city council is the mayor, who is elected by and from the councillors. Mayors organise, suspend and lead the sessions and debates of the plenary and of other municipal organs. They are also the highest representative authority of the municipality and are responsible for its government and administration. Nevertheless, if the City Council in plenary is of the view that they are not addressing their functions properly, they can be removed through a "constructive vote of censure": this means that with the vote the meeting must also propose a new candidate, to avoid a power vacuum.
Spain has one of the highest proportions of female mayors in Europe. Of the 41 cities with more than 150,000 residents, 16 (39%) have women as mayors. In comparison, only 12.5% (10 in total) of Germany’s 80 Grossstädte (cities with populations of above 100,000) are run by women mayors. In England, five (21%) of the nation's 24 elected mayors are women.
Political parties in Spain
People’s Party (PP) conservative
Socialist Party (SPOE) centre-left
VOX, right-wing
Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC)
Spanish Party of European Socialists (PSE)
Communist Party (PCPE)
Communist Party of the Canaries (PCC)
Navarrese People’s Union (UPN) regional conservative party
Female mayors of Spain's large cities
Valencia
Popl: 790,000
Maria Jose Catala, Mayor since 2023
Party: PP
Zargoza
Popl: 681,000
Natalia Chueca, Mayor since 2023
Party: PP
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Popl: 380,000
Carolina Darias, Mayor since 2023
Party: PSOE
Gijón
Popl: 269,000
Carmen Moriyon, Mayor since 2023
L’Hospitalet de Lobregat
Popl: 265,000
Núria MarÃn MartÃnez, Mayor since 2008
Party: PSC
Vitoria Gasteiz
Popl: 253,000
Maider Etxebarria, Mayor since 2023
Party: PSE
La Coruña
Popl: 246,000
Ines Rey Garcia, Mayor since 2019
Party: PSOE
Granada
Popl: 233,000
Marifran Carazo, Mayor since 2023
Party: PP
Sabadell
Popl: 217,000
Marta Farres, Mayor since 2019
Party: PCC
Cartagena
Popl: 216,000
Noelia Maria Arroyo Hernandez, Mayor since 2021
Party: PSOE
Jerez de la Frontera
Popl: 213,000
Maria Jose Garcia-Pelayo Jurado, Mayor since 2023
Party: PP
Almeria
Popl: 201,000
Maria del Mar Vasquez Aquero, Mayor since 2022
Alcala de Henares
Popl: 196,000
Judit Piquet Flores, Mayor since 2023
Party: PP
Getafe
Popl: 184,000
Sara Hernandez Barroso, Mayor since 2015
Party: PSOE
Castellon de la Plana
Popl: 173,000
Begona Carrasco Garcia, Mayor since 2023
Santander
Popl: 172,000
Gema Igual Ortiz, Mayor since 2016
Party: PP
*The research was carried out in October 2023.
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