Carmen Alborch Bataller (31 October 1947 – 24 October 2018) was a Spanish politician, writer, and

minister of culture A culture minister or a heritage minister is a common cabinet position in governments. The culture minister is typically responsible for cultural policy, which often includes arts policy (direct and indirect support to artists and arts organiza ...

Biography and career

Alborch gained a doctorate in law with particular specialty in mercantile law. She directed the Valencia Institute of Modern Art (IVAM) between 1988 and 1993. She became politically active with the

Spanish Socialist Workers' Party The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( , PSOE ) is a Social democracy, social democratic Updated as required.The PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources: * * * * List of political parties in Spain, political party ...

(PSOE) in 1992 and served as Minister of Culture from 1993 to 1996 in the last government of

Felipe González Felipe González Márquez (; born 5 March 1942) is a retired Spanish politician who was Prime Minister of Spain from 1982 to 1996 and leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party from 1974 to 1997. He is the longest-serving democratically- ...

. She was the recipient of the Gran Cruz de Carlos III and the

Gran Cruz del Mérito Civil Gran may refer to: People *Grandmother, affectionately known as "gran" * Gran (name) Places * Gran, the historical German name for Esztergom, a city and the primatial metropolitan see of Hungary * Gran, Norway, a municipality in Innlandet coun ...

, and the Progressive Women's Award. In 1996, Alborch was elected to the

Congress of Deputies The Congress of Deputies () is the lower house of the , Spain's legislative branch, the upper house being the Senate of Spain, Senate. The Congress meets in the Palacio de las Cortes, Madrid, Palace of the Parliament () in Madrid. Congress has ...

, representing

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

.Spain's Congress of Deputies - official website
/ref> She chaired the Committee of Control of

RTVE The Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española (; ), known as Radiotelevisión Española (''Spanish Radio and Television'', RTVE), is the Spanish national public Broadcasting, television and radio broadcaster. It is a state-owned enterprise f ...

(the state radio and TV corporation) from 1996 until January 2000, and the Commission on Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities from May 2004 to January 2008 in the Congress. She authored books including ''Solas'' (''Women Alone'') and ''Malas'' (''Bad Women''). In addition to numerous television appearances as a politician, Alborch also played minor roles in the Spanish television series El círculo a primera hora, El primer café, and Los desayunos de TVE. In May 2007, she stood as the PSOE candidate for Mayor of

but lost to the incumbent People's Party Mayor

Rita Barberá María Rita Barberá Nolla (16 July 1948 – 23 November 2016) was a Spanish politician who was the mayor of Valencia from 1991 until 2015. Biography and political career Born in Valencia to a prominent industrial and political family, she was ...

. She retired from the lower chamber at the 2008 general election in order to be elected to the

Spanish Senate The Senate () is the upper house of the , which along with the Congress of Deputies – the Lower house, lower chamber – comprises the Parliament of the Kingdom of Spain. The Senate meets in the Palacio del Senado, Palace of the Senate in Madri ...

, once again representing Valencia until 2016. Alborch died on 24 October 2018 from cancer, aged 70.Muere la exministra Carmen Alborch a los 70 años

References

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* * * 1947 births 2018 deaths Culture ministers of Spain Deaths from cancer in Spain Members of the 6th Congress of Deputies (Spain) Members of the 7th Congress of Deputies (Spain) Members of the 8th Congress of Deputies (Spain) Members of the Senate of Spain People from Vall d'Albaida Spanish feminists Spanish Socialist Workers' Party politicians 21st-century Spanish writers University of Valencia alumni Politicians from the Valencian Community Women government ministers of Spain 20th-century Spanish women politicians 21st-century Spanish women politicians {{Valencia-politician-stub