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People like me have the right to be born, to learn and to work. In short, to lead as autonomous and independent a life as possible.” This is how the Spanish Mar Galcerán’s first speech to the regional assembly in the city of Valencia began. The 46-year-old is Europe’s first MP with Down syndrome.
Galcerán has been a member of the conservative Partido Popular (PP) party since she was 18. She is a pro-life advocate. «There are many cases of abortions among people with disabilities. What we want is to be born and grow up in society, to be useful. The woman who terminates her pregnancy hinders our right to be born,” said the Commissioner for Inclusion and Equality.
The Spaniard worked her way into politics with a lot of effort. Her commitment paid off last May when she was included in the list of candidates for the regional elections in Valencia in 20th place. She finally took office in September.
More abilities than disabilities
Despite her short experience as a deputy, Mar Galcerán has developed the ability to avoid uncomfortable questions from the media. «What I want to convey is that families believe in their children and rely on them. We have more abilities than disabilities,” she explains, with difficulty expressing herself, to the Spanish newspaper El Español when asked about her right-wing views.
Galcerán worked as a civil servant in Valencia for more than 20 years, most recently helping to draft inclusive policies. In addition, the trained domestic technician was head of the Asindown organization, which supports families with children with Down syndrome, for four years.
While she is being hailed as the new darling in politics, reactions on social media are mixed. «You can find all sorts of things. There are people who support me. But there are also others who think I’m not capable. But these are people who don’t know me or my background.”
