THE wife of former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has launched a new political party in Spain in the hope of ramping up the pressure on Pedro Sanchez.
Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, an international trade lawyer who married the ex-Liberal Democrats leader in 2000, has set up ‘Democracia 21’, according to Spain’s interior ministry.
Gonzalez has been outspoken in her criticism of both the ruling socialist PSOE and conservative opposition Partido Popular (PP), and has previously vowed to ‘clean up’ the Spanish political system.
A spokesperson for the 58-year-old said the registration of the party was ‘an administrative step, necessary in the process of building a new political option’, with Gonzalez reportedly set to wait until after the summer before deciding whether to throw herself into a new political movement.
If she does, her party will likely attempt to reclaim the centre ground recently inhabited by the likes of Ciudadanos ahead of the next general election, set to be held in 2017.
It will not be her first foray into the world of Spanish politics.
In 2024, she set up a campaign group called España Mejor to press for policy reforms in several areas, including ethics in government, housing, taxation and tourism.
Born in Olmedo in 1968, Gonzalez is the daughter of Jose Antonio Gonzalez Caviedes, the town’s former mayor and later a PP senator for Valladolid.
She worked for the European Commission from 1996 to 2004 and later built a business career with roles at Acciona, Toyota and healthcare company Atrys.
She divides her time between Spain and London, where her husband Nick is currently based.
Clegg, 59, has embarked on a lucrative business career since stepping away from politics.
Last year, the former MP for Sheffield Hallam announced his resignation as head of global affairs at Meta, the American tech company behind Facebook and Instagram.
He is estimated to have amassed a personal fortune of £100 million in the process.
Clegg served as the deputy prime minister of the UK between 2010 and 2015 after striking a coalition agreement with David Cameron, the leader of the Conservatives, following an indecisive general election.
He stood down as party leader in 2015 and left UK politics at the 2017 general election.
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