María Cristina Peláez Izquierdo (born 1972)[1] is a Spanish politician of the party Vox. An early member of the party, she led it in elections to the City Council of Seville since 2015, entering the council in 2019.

Early and personal life

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Born in Seville, Peláez was educated at a Christian school in the southern neighbourhood of Heliopolis. She spent her Spanish Baccalaureate years in Córdoba, where her father had moved the family due to his position as a professor of international law. She returned to her hometown for a University of Seville degree in psychology and a master's degree in human resources, graduating in 1997. She worked in the private sector for over two decades, including in Belgium and Luxembourg. As of 2023, she is married and has three children, of whom the eldest are twins.[1][2]

Political career

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Peláez was one of the first five members of Vox in Seville, having seen an early television debate featuring founder Santiago Abascal. She joined in January 2014, as its 663rd member overall. She was on their lists in the 2014 European Parliament election in Spain, the 2015 Seville City Council election, the 2016 Spanish general election (Senate), and elections to the Parliament of Andalusia in 2015 and 2018.[1][2]

Peláez was once again the Vox candidate for mayor in the 2019 Seville City Council election.[3] The party's votes grew from 1,500 to 25,000, entering the city council with two seats.[4]

In the 2023 Seville City Council election, Vox grew from two to three seats on the council, becoming the third-largest party.[5] The result ended eight years of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) rule, with José Luis Sanz of the People's Party (PP) becoming mayor in a minority government of 14 of 31 seats.[6] Peláez did not give support to Sanz's proposed budgets.[7]

In May 2024, Peláez held talks with Sanz, which the PP denied were negotiations on a coalition.[8] The following month, a motion of confidence in Sanz failed when it was rejected by all other parties in the city council, mainly Vox and the PSOE of Antonio Muñoz.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Ybarra Bores, Pedro (22 May 2019). "Perfil de la candidata de Vox al Ayuntamiento de Sevilla: Cristina Peláez, al fondo a la derecha" [Profile of the Vox candidate for Seville City Council: Cristina Peláez, at the back of the right]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b "¿Quién es Cristina Peláez, candidata de Vox a la alcaldía de Sevilla?" [Who is Cristina Peláez, Vox candidate for mayor of Seville?] (in Spanish). Onda Cero. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Cristina Peláez será la candidata de VOX a la Alcaldía de Sevilla" [Cristina Peláez will be Vox candidate for Mayor of Seville]. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish). 22 April 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  4. ^ Ybarra Bores, Pedro (27 May 2019). "Cristina Peláez: «Hemos llegado al Ayuntamiento para quedarnos»" [Cristina Peláez: "We have arrived at the City Council to stay here"]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Cristina Peláez (Vox): "Hemos conseguido echar a los socialistas del gobierno de Sevilla"" [Cristina Peláez (Vox): "We have managed to kick the Socialists out of the government of Seville"]. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish). 29 May 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  6. ^ "José Luis Sanz se proclama como nuevo alcalde de Sevilla con los votos en solitario del PP" [José Luis Sanz proclaimed new mayor of Seville with only the PP votes] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 17 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Cristina Peláez: "No vamos a aprobar unos presupuestos que despilfarren el dinero de los sevillanos"" [Cristina Peláez: "We are not going to approve budgets that waste Sevillians' money] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  8. ^ Laraña, Carmen (13 May 2024). "Vox señala "conversaciones" para entrar en el Ayuntamiento de Sevilla y el PP niega cualquier "pacto o reunión"" [Vox indicate "conversations" to enter Seville City Council and the PP deny any "pact or meeting"]. La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  9. ^ Díaz, Jesús (8 June 2024). "Las seis frases de la cuestión de confianza que vinculan el argumentario del PSOE y Vox en Sevilla" [The six phrases of the motion of confidence that link the arguments of the PSOE and Vox in Seville]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2024.