Miriam González Durántez, the wife of former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, is reportedly considering a move to lead a new liberal party in her native Spain. The lawyer and former EU foreign adviser is said to have held talks with the Renew grouping of liberal parties in Europe earlier this summer, with a view to launching a party aimed at revitalising the political centre in Spain and the EU.
The potential move comes after the collapse of the centre-liberal party Ciudadanos and amid ongoing crises in the socialist government of Pedro Sánchez. González Durántez has been laying the groundwork for a political entry through her non-profit organisation España Mejor (Better Spain), founded in 2023, which seeks to encourage Spanish civil society to participate in public policy development.
Better Spain's goals include a new water policy, a 'realistic' housing policy, improved job opportunities, tax proposals for young people, and the elimination of special legal privileges for 250,000 people, including public officials. At a public meeting in Cádiz on Friday, González Durántez stated: 'If civil society proves incapable of cleaning up politics I'll consider establishing a political party,' as reported by local newspaper La Voz de Cádiz.
González Durántez has a lengthy career in international trade and diplomacy, including three stints as a member of cabinet in the EU's external relations commission and two years as a negotiator at the World Trade Organization. Her father, José Antonio González Caviedes, was a senator for the conservative People's party. A spokesperson for Better Spain confirmed that she has held meetings with various organisations across Spain, but for now continues to work within España Mejor.
