A liberal launch? Miriam González Durántez weighs up plan for Spanish party

For almost 30 years, she let her husband, Nick Clegg, soak up the political limelight, but 10 years after he quit politics, Miriam González Durántez is weighing up a move to enter the political fray herself.

- Lisa O'Carroll Stephen Burgen Barcelona

The lawyer and former EU foreign adviser is considering heading a new liberal party in her native Spain after the collapse of the centre-liberal party Ciudadanos (Citizens) and amid crises in the Socialist government headed by Pedro Sánchez.

It is understood she has had talks with the Renew grouping of liberal parties in Europe with a view to launching a party that aims to reenergise the political centre not just in Spain but also in the EU.

In 2023, she founded España Mejor (Better Spain), a non-profit which aims to encourage civil society to participate in the development of public policy.

Among its goals, which might read as the bones of a manifesto, are "a new water policy", "a realistic housing policy", "more and better jobs", "tax proposals for young people", a "tax policy for everyone to grow", and elimination of special legal privilege for 250,000 people in Spain including public officials.