Yolanda Díaz

Yolanda Díaz Pérez (Spanish: [ɟʝoˈlanda ˈði.aθ]; born 6 May 1971) is a Spanish politician and labour lawyer, currently serving as Second Deputy Prime Minister since 2021, and Minister of Labour and Social Economy of the Government of Spain since 2020. A longtime member of the Communist Party of Spain, in 2023 she founded the electoral alliance Sumar, as well as its instrumental party Movimiento Sumar, resigning as the leader of the alliance in 2024. She has been a member of the Congress of Deputies since 2016, having previously been a Ferrol municipal councillor (2003–2012) and member of the Parliament of Galicia (2012–2016). She was also the National Coordinator of Esquerda Unida (EU) from 2005 to 2017.

Early life and education

Born in San Valentín, Fene, on 6 May 1971, next to the shipyard of Astilleros y Talleres del Noroeste (ASTANO), Díaz is a member of a family of renowned trade unionists in Galicia who were strongly involved in anti-Francoist activism. Her father was Suso Díaz (1944–2025).

Díaz graduated with a licentiate degree in law from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), and later earned three post-graduate degrees. Upon concluding her studies, she commenced working as a paralegal for a law firm. Later, she registered as an attorney at law and opened her own law firm, which specialised in labour law.

Political career

Career in regional politics

Díaz joined the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) at an early age, before entering institutional politics in 2003, when she became member of the Ferrol municipal council. In 2005, she was elected leader (National Coordinator) of Esquerda Unida (EU), the Galician federation of United Left (IU).