Isabel Celaá

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Celaá and the second or maternal family name is Diéguez.

María Isabel Celaá Diéguez (born 23 May 1949) is a Spanish politician. In June 2018, she was appointed Minister of Education and Vocational Training and Spokesperson of the Government of Spain. Since 2022, she serves as Ambassador to the Holy See.

The Most Excellent Isabel Celaá
In February 2019
Ambassador of Spain to the Holy See and the Order of Malta
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 January 2022[a]
Preceded by	María del Carmen de la Peña
Minister of Education and Vocational Training
In office 7 June 2018 – 11 July 2021
Monarch	Felipe VI
Prime Minister	Pedro Sánchez
Preceded by	Íñigo Méndez de Vigo
Succeeded by	Pilar Alegría
Spokesperson of the Government
In office 7 June 2018 – 13 January 2020
Preceded by	Íñigo Méndez de Vigo
Succeeded by	María Jesús Montero
Minister of Education, Universities and Research of the Basque Government
In office 9 May 2009 – 14 December 2012
President	Patxi López
Preceded by	José Antonio Campos Granados
Succeeded by	Cristina Uriarte
Member of the Basque Parliament
In office 20 November 2012 – 2 August 2016
In office 25 November 1998 – 12 May 2009
Constituency	Biscay
Personal details
Born	(1949-05-23) 23 May 1949 (age 76) Bilbao, Biscay, Spain
Political party	Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left
Alma mater	University of Deusto University of Valladolid

Biography

Politics in the Basque Country

She started in politics in 1987 as head of the cabinet of the Regional minister of Education, Universities and Research José Ramón Recalde. After the brief interregnum of the coalition government PNV-EA-EE of 1991, she was vice-minister of Education, Universities and Research with Fernando Buesa as Basque counselor until the end of the legislature (1995).^[1] In the following legislature she abandoned the educational responsibilities, being director of the cabinet of the Counselor of Justice, Economy, Labor and Social Security, Ramón Jáuregui. Between 1998 and 2009 and 2012 and 2016, she has been a member of the Basque Parliament for Province of Vizcaya.^[2] As a parliamentarian, she was responsible for the educational issues of her group. Between 2008 and 2009 she was the first vice president of the Basque Parliament. From 2009 to 2012 she held the position of Counselor of Education, Universities and Research in the government of Patxi López,^{[3][2][n. 1]} She is particularly interested in the improvement of the Basque educational system and technology, and advocates scientific research.^[4][5]

She was head of list of the PSE-EE to the Senate by the circumscription of Vizcaya in the general elections of 2015^[6] and 2016^[7] but she was not elected.

She is a member of the executive committee of the Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSOE) party.

Minister of Education and Vocational Training

On 7 June 2018, Pedro Sánchez after being sworn new Spanish Prime Minister, following the motion of censure that the PSOE presented against the previous government of Mariano Rajoy (PP) and that was approved by the Congress of Deputies on 1 June 2018, appointed her as Minister in new Spanish government.^[8] Felipe VI sanctioned by royal decree of June her appointment as holder of the portfolio of Minister of Education and Vocational Training and Spokesperson of the Government^[9][10] On 7 June she took office as Minister and Spokeswoman before the King at Palace of Zarzuela.^[11][12]

Appointed as Spanish Ambassador to the Holy See, she presented her diplomatic credentials to Pontiff Francis on 18 March 2022.^[13]

In her role as Ambassador to the Holy See, was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX in March 2025 along with the ambassadors of Japan, Austria, France, and other countries on this occasion. The order was presented by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra.^[14]

Notes

1. Celaá, who does not have Basque surnames, was abused in May 2010 at the Bermeo School Festival, being met with cries of "dirty foreigner go home" (Maketa gogoan zaitez etxera) (Castells, 2014; cfr. Molina & Quiroga 2019, p. 107)

1. Order of Malta since 2 March 2022