In 2025, when Elma Saiz assumed responsibility for the care of almost 1,000 migrant children in the Canary Islands seeking international protection, she was faced with judicial decisions from the Supreme Court that required direct intervention and the use of specific resources for this vulnerable group. This leadership achievement during his tenure at the Ministry of Integration, Social Security and Migration represents one of the most notable antecedents that contextualizes his recent appointment as Spokesperson of the Executive Branch. As El País explained, Saiz was officially appointed by Pedro Sánchez, who publicly celebrated the results achieved under his ministerial leadership, in particular the historic record of 22 million social security contributors. The media emphasized that this figure has become one of the main arguments in defense of the continuity of the government until the end of the legislative period.
El País reported that the new speaker has focused much of her term as minister on promoting important immigration reforms. Among these, the amendment to the Immigration Regulations that came into force in May 2024 stands out, the aim of which was to facilitate procedures for migrants, shorten regularization periods and expand assumptions related to origin. Likewise, the reform included specific restrictions for asylum seekers whose applications were rejected, which, according to El País, raised questions among organizations and actors involved. These measures, considered central to the Board’s social agenda, reflect the management line that characterized Saiz’s time in the portfolio and was essential in assessing his career for his new position.
Among the aspects highlighted by President Pedro Sánchez is the growth of social security membership, which has recently increased to 22 million contributors. The president declared that Saiz was “a great minister with whom Spain reaches almost 22 million social security payers,” as El País reported, calling this achievement an important milestone for the executive and an argument for the stability of the government. According to this medium, the appointment of Saiz is a response both to the recognition of his results in terms of employment and to his ability to manage social cohesion policies.
Elma Saiz’s professional and political education begins in Pamplona, where she was born in 1975. She has a law degree and a master’s degree in tax advice from the University of Navarra. According to El País, she developed much of her career in the Navarrese region, within the Socialist Party of Navarre (PSN), where she began her career as a regional parliamentarian in 2003. She then served as government delegate in Navarre between 2008 and 2012 and later took over the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In addition, she served as spokesperson for the Navarrese executive during the presidency of María Chivite in 2019 and 2023.
During his time in the regional executive, according to El País, Saiz also headed the Navarro Institute for Equality and Family, cementing a profile related to the development of social and egalitarian policies. In the May 2023 local elections, the socialist leader ran for mayor of Pamplona and managed to position the PSN as the third political force in the council. He failed to become mayor due to lack of support and refused to give the socialist votes to EH Bildu. After this electoral process, El País reported that an agreement was reached between PSN and EH Bildu, allowing the motion of no confidence in the Pamplona City Council and facilitating the inauguration of Joseba Asiron as mayor, an episode that revealed Saiz’s position regarding the Abertzale formation in the Navarresen political context.
At the national level, his recent works include interventions and performances related to the management of the pandemic. In June 2024, at the request of the People’s Party, she was forced to appear before the Koldo Commission in the Senate to conduct investigations related to the acquisition of masks during the health emergency. During this time she was an advisor in María Chivite’s cabinet. According to El País, Saiz defended before the commission that his tasks focused on the control of contract processes and the appropriate monitoring of health care. He denied knowing personal information of Koldo García Izaguirre, a former adviser to the Ministry of Transport involved in the investigation, pointing out that he did not remember his phone number or the last contact with him.
Another important action during her term as minister was the filing of an appeal against the closure of the Reception, Care and Referral Center (CREADE) of Pozuelo de Alarcón in Madrid. According to El País, this center, which was transferred to social security in 2022 after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, has the task of receiving and supporting refugees. According to the ministry itself, it has cared for more than 100,000 people in need of international protection in recent years.
At the legislative level, the Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP), which seeks to legalize the situation of around 500,000 migrants, still remains without progress in Congress, a situation that, according to El País, maintains immigration reform as an open process with open questions. The possibility of eliminating the limitations identified in the current regulations depends in part on the management of this citizens’ initiative, on which the implementation of one of the commitments established by the central government in its social agenda depends.
The choice of Saiz as speaker was also due to the profile he showed in defending inclusion policies and his proximity to the positions of Navarre socialism, El País reported. The public support of Pedro Sánchez, based on his employment records and his management experience at different levels of the public sector, underlines the relevance of his appointment and the importance that Saiz’s figure acquires in the new political cycle of the executive branch.
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