María Guardiola

María Guardiola Martín (born 5 December 1978)[1] is a Spanish People's Party (PP) politician. She was elected the leader of the People's Party of Extremadura in 2022, to run as its lead candidate in the 2023 Extremaduran regional election.

For the Portuguese politician, see Maria Guardiola.
María Guardiola Martín.jpg
María Guardiola

Biography

Born in Cáceres, Extremadura, Guardiola graduated in Business Administration and Management, and Business Sciences, both from the University of Extremadura. She then worked for over two decades as a civil servant within the Government of Extremadura.[1]

In 2022, Guardiola was the only candidate who received the necessary signatures to run for the leadership of the People's Party of Extremadura, replacing José Antonio Monago who had held the role since 2008.[2] Her only previous experience in elected office was in her hometown's city council, where the PP was in opposition, and she became the first woman to lead one of the region's two major parties.[3] She was chosen by national party leader Pablo Casado as part of a trend of the party selecting municipal politicians for regional candidacies, and the party endorsement was carried over by Casado's successor Alberto Núñez Feijóo.[4] Fernando Pizarro, the three-term mayor of Plasencia – the fourth largest city in the region – ran a grassroots campaign but withdrew with a week remaining to focus on re-election, leaving Guardiola as the only candidate.[3][4]

Guardiola has been likened to Isabel Díaz Ayuso, another PP member who was relatively unknown when selected by the party as a regional candidate, and who was elected President of the Community of Madrid.[4][5] Guardiola dismissed the comparisons.[6][7]

References
  1. Apolo, Carmen (10 June 2022). "María Guardiola anuncia su candidatura a presidir el PP de Extremadura". El Economista (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  2. "María Guardiola, proclamada candidata única a la presidencia del PP Extremadura" [María Guardiola, proclaimed sole candidate for the presidency of the Extremadura PP]. ElDiario.es (in Spanish). 18 June 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  3. "María Guardiola, nueva presidenta del PP de Extremadura con el apoyo del 97,7% de votos" [María Guardiola, new president of the Extremadura PP with the support of 97.7% of the votes] (in Spanish). The Objective. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  4. Rodríguez, Antonio (4 June 2022). "Feijóo apuesta por una 'nueva Ayuso' para liderar el PP en Extremadura" [Feijóo bets on a 'new Ayuso' to lead the PP in Extremadura] (in Spanish). The Objectie. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  5. "María Guardiola, la 'Ayuso extremeña' que quiere hacer una "revolución fiscal" en Extremadura" [María Guardiola, the 'Extremadura Ayuso' who wants to pull off a "fiscal revolution" in Extremadura] (in Spanish). Libertad Digital. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  6. Calleja, Mariano (22 August 2022). "María Guardiola: «No me parezco a Ayuso, quiero ser la María de Extremadura»" [María Guardiola: "I'm not like Ayuso, I want to be Extremadura's María"]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  7. Vigario, David (16 July 2022). "María Guardiola, de repartir guías telefónicas a ser la baronesa del PP extremeño: "Ni Ayuso ni Juanma Moreno: yo"" [María Guardiola, from giving out telephone guides to being the leader of the Extremaduran PP: "Neither Ayuso nor Juanma Moreno: I'm me"]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2022.
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