Wikipedia

Carmela Silva

María del Carmen "Carmela" Silva Rego (born 26 November 1960) is a Spanish politician, lawyer, and teacher affiliated with the PSdeG-PSOE, the Galician branch of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. She served as senator for Pontevedra (2008–2011), becoming the first woman to serve as PSOE spokesperson in the Senate.[1] She was president of the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra from 2015 to 2023, the first woman to hold the position.[2] She currently serves as senator for Pontevedra, president of the Senate's Budget Committee, First Deputy Mayor of Vigo, and president of the PSdeG-PSOE.[3]

Carmela Silva
Personal details
BornMaría del Carmen Silva Rego
(1960-11-26) November 26, 1960 (age 65)
Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
PartyPSOE (PSdeG-PSOE)
ChildrenIago Falque
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer
  • teacher

Early life and education

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Silva was born in the O Calvario neighbourhood of Vigo, Pontevedra, into a working-class family.[4] She trained as a special education teacher and later obtained a degree in Economic Law from the University of Vigo.[5]

Political career

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Congress and early career (2000–2008)

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Silva served as a member of the Congress of Deputies for Pontevedra during the VII Legislature (2000–2004). She subsequently served as advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, Elena Espinosa, before being appointed non-elected councillor in charge of urban planning in the Ayuntamiento de Vigo under Mayor Abel Caballero in 2007.[6]

Senate spokesperson (2008–2011)

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In the 2008 Spanish general election, Silva was elected senator for the Province of Pontevedra. She was subsequently appointed PSOE spokesperson in the Senate, replacing Joan Lerma, becoming the first woman to hold this position within the Socialist parliamentary group.[7] The appointment was proposed by PSOE Secretary of Organisation José Blanco, who announced the spokesperson position would go to a woman for the first time in the party's history.[8]

Return to Congress (2011–2015)

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In 2011, Silva led the PSOE list for Pontevedra in the general elections and was elected to Congress, where she served as Second Secretary of the Bureau of Congress.[9] In February 2012, she joined the PSOE federal executive under Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba as Secretary of Emigration.[10] In mid-2012, she temporarily left political activity after being diagnosed with bladder cancer; she returned to her duties in early 2013.[11]

President of the Diputación de Pontevedra (2015–2023)

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On 17 July 2015, Silva was invested as president of the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra with the support of 10 PSOE deputies and 4 from the BNG, ending 32 years of PP control of the institution. She replaced Rafael Louzán, who had served for twelve years.[12] In her investiture speech, she quoted Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'" to mark the historic change.[13] She subsequently resigned her Congress seat to focus on provincial governance.[14] She began a second term on 3 July 2019, continuing the PSOE-BNG coalition.

Under her leadership, the Diputación created its first Equality Department, which implemented programmes such as the Escuela de Igualdad María Vinyals and the Violencia Zero campaign against gender-based violence through artistic actions in public spaces.[15] She also promoted women's participation in STEM fields through partnerships with the University of Vigo, including the Cátedra Feminismos 4.0, a pioneering academic chair on feminism in the digital society.[16]

Return to the Senate (2023–present)

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In June 2023, Silva was confirmed as the PSOE's lead Senate candidate for Pontevedra in the July 2023 general elections.[17] She was elected and in October 2024 was named president of the Senate's Budget Committee.[18]

PSdeG-PSOE presidency

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Silva has served as president of the PSdeG-PSOE since December 2021 and was reconfirmed in the position at the party's XV Congress in March 2025.[19]

Personal life

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Silva's son, Iago Falque (born 1990), is a professional footballer who played for clubs including Torino, Roma, and Genoa in Serie A.[20]

References

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  1. ↑ "La viguesa Carmela Silva será la portavoz del PSOE en el Senado" [Vigo's Carmela Silva will be PSOE spokesperson in the Senate]. Diario de Pontevedra (in Spanish). 24 March 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Carmela Silva se convierte en la primera presidenta de la Diputación de Pontevedra" [Carmela Silva becomes the first female president of the Diputación de Pontevedra]. Diario de Pontevedra (in Spanish). 17 July 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "La viguesa Carmela Silva, nueva presidenta de la Comisión de Presupuestos del Senado" [Vigo's Carmela Silva, new president of the Senate Budget Committee]. El Español (in Spanish). 8 October 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Carmela Silva y Pilar Cancela: las dos cariátides del socialismo gallego" [Carmela Silva and Pilar Cancela: the two caryatids of Galician socialism]. El Progreso de Lugo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Entrevista a Carmela Silva Rego Presidenta de la Diputación de Pontevedra" [Interview with Carmela Silva Rego, President of the Diputación de Pontevedra]. Inout Viajes (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "María del Carmen Silva Rego". Executivas de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Ficha del Senador: Silva Rego, María del Carmen" [Senator profile: Silva Rego, María del Carmen]. Senado de España (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Carmela Silva". Nueva Economía Fórum (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "Ficha del Senador: Silva Rego, María del Carmen" [Senator profile: Silva Rego, María del Carmen]. Senado de España (in Galician). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  10. ↑ "Pachi Vázquez y Carmela Silva entran en la Ejecutiva Federal del PSOE" [Pachi Vázquez and Carmela Silva join the PSOE Federal Executive]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 5 February 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "Carmela Silva aparca la política por una enfermedad" [Carmela Silva puts politics aside due to illness]. Público (in Spanish). 9 July 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "Carmela Silva, investida presidenta de la Diputación de Pontevedra" [Carmela Silva invested as president of the Diputación de Pontevedra]. La Región (in Spanish). 17 July 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Cambio histórico en la Deputación: Carmela Silva, presidenta" [Historic change at the Deputación: Carmela Silva, president]. Pontevedra Viva (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Carmela Silva dejará la Mesa del Congreso si es elegida presidenta de la Diputación de Pontevedra" [Carmela Silva will leave the Bureau of Congress if elected president of the Diputación de Pontevedra]. elDiario.es (in Spanish). 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "La Deputación de Pontevedra se aleja de las mujeres: cuando el PP vacía de contenido un referente en igualdad" [The Deputación de Pontevedra moves away from women: when the PP empties an equality reference of content]. elDiario.es (in Spanish). 6 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "A Cátedra Feminismos 4.0 crea un Comité de Sabias para loitar por un futuro dixital en igualdade" [The Feminisms 4.0 Chair creates a Committee of Wise Women for an equal digital future]. Universidade de Vigo (in Galician). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "David Regades y Carmela Silva, cabezas de lista del PSOE pontevedrés para el 23-J" [David Regades and Carmela Silva head the Pontevedra PSOE lists for 23-J]. Diario de Pontevedra (in Spanish). 8 June 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  18. ↑ "La gallega Carmela Silva, nueva presidenta de la Comisión de Presupuestos del Senado" [Galician Carmela Silva, new president of the Senate Budget Committee]. GaliciaPress (in Spanish). 8 October 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "La nueva ejecutiva del PSdeG con Besteiro al frente reúne el 93% de apoyos en el XV Congreso del partido" [The new PSdeG executive under Besteiro receives 93% support at the XV Party Congress]. GaliciaPress (in Spanish). 9 March 2025. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "Datos biográficos" [Biographical data]. Concello de Vigo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
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