María Eugenia Vidal
Encyclopedia
María Eugenia Vidal is an Argentine politician. Affiliated with the Republican Proposal
party, she was appointed Minister of Social Development of the City of Buenos Aires
, and in 2011 was elected Deputy Mayor.
. She was raised in the Flores
ward and enrolled in the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina
, earning a degree in Political Science
. She met Ramiro Tagliaferro, a classmate at the university, and they were married in 1998; the couple had a son and two daughters.
She began her career in Grupo Sophia, a think tank
founded by Horacio Rodríguez Larreta. She was named director of the group's social policy desk in 2000, as well as of Fundación Creer y Crecer, a think tank organized by Commitment to Change
, a conservative political party led by mayoral candidate Mauricio Macri
. Vidal was elected to the Buenos Aires City Legislature
in 2003, and was appointed Chair of the Committee on Women and Youth. She served in the Human Resources Department at PAMI
(the national health insurance service for the elderly and disabled), and as adviser to ANSES
(the social security administration), as well as the nation's Ministries of Social Development and Foreign Relations.
Vidal was fielded in the Republican Proposal
(PRO) party list as a candidate for a seat in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
for Buenos Aires Province
in 2005, though unsuccessfully. The election of PRO leader Mauricio Macri as Mayor of Buenos Aires in 2007 led to Vidal's nomination as the city's Minister of Social Development. She requested maternity leave from the post ahead of her scheduled December 10 swearing-in for the birth of her third child, and took office on May 27, 2008.
Vidal's profile rose following the 2009 election of Deputy Mayor Gabriela Michetti
to a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, and she became Mayor Macri's most visible female adviser. Consistent with the Mayor's policy, she took a hard-line stance against the growing number of squatters
and led the city government's opposition to the national government's policy of tolerating the illegal practice and negotiating with occupants. She faced numerous incidents related to this problem, notably the attempted takeover on December 2010 of an undeveloped section of the Parque Indoamericano
and of nearby public housing units slated for slum clearance; she refused squatters' demands in each incident, prompting federal authorities to evict them and thereby limit their policy of permissiveness in this regard.
Following Macri's decision to forfeit a PRO candidacy for the 2011 presidential election
, and instead seek a second term as Mayor, he nominated Vidal as his running mate. The duo were reelected in a landslide on July 31, 2011, receiving over 64% of the vote.
Republican Proposal
Republican Proposal is a right-wing political party in Argentina. It is usually referred to as PRO. PRO was formed as an electoral alliance in 2005, but was transformed into a unitary party on 3 June 2010....
party, she was appointed Minister of Social Development of the City of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, and in 2011 was elected Deputy Mayor.
Life and times
Vidal was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. She was raised in the Flores
Flores, Buenos Aires
Flores is a middle class barrio or district in the centre part of Buenos Aires city, Argentina. Flores was considered a rural area of the Province of Buenos Aires until 1888 when it was integrated to the City....
ward and enrolled in the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina
Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina
The Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina is a university in Argentina with campus in the cities of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Rosario, Paraná, Mendoza and Pergamino. The main campus is located in Puerto Madero, one of the most modern neighborhood of Buenos Aires...
, earning a degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. She met Ramiro Tagliaferro, a classmate at the university, and they were married in 1998; the couple had a son and two daughters.
She began her career in Grupo Sophia, a think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
founded by Horacio Rodríguez Larreta. She was named director of the group's social policy desk in 2000, as well as of Fundación Creer y Crecer, a think tank organized by Commitment to Change
Commitment to Change
Commitment to Change is a centre-right political party in Argentina, principally active in the city of Buenos Aires.The party is led by Mauricio Macri, businessman and chairman of Boca Juniors football club. It has been active since he stood to be Mayor of Buenos Aires in 2003. He won the first...
, a conservative political party led by mayoral candidate Mauricio Macri
Mauricio Macri
Mauricio Macri is an Argentine businessman turned politician, and Head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Son of Francisco Macri, a businessman of Italian origin prominent in the industrial and construction sectors, he represented the City of Buenos Aires in the Lower House of...
. Vidal was elected to the Buenos Aires City Legislature
Buenos Aires City Legislature
The Buenos Aires City Legislature is a central part of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, as well as an architectural landmark in the city's Montserrat section.-History:...
in 2003, and was appointed Chair of the Committee on Women and Youth. She served in the Human Resources Department at PAMI
PAMI
PAMI is a public health insurance agency in Argentina managed by the Ministry of Health.-Overview:Administered under the aegis of the Instituto Nacional de Servicios Sociales para Jubilados y Pensionados , PAMI serves senior citizens, the indigent, and veterans of the 1982 Falklands War.PAMI...
(the national health insurance service for the elderly and disabled), and as adviser to ANSES
ANSES
ANSES is a decentralized Argentine Government social insurance agency managed under the aegis of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. The agency is the principal administrator of social security and other social benefits in Argentina, including family and childhood subsidies, and...
(the social security administration), as well as the nation's Ministries of Social Development and Foreign Relations.
Vidal was fielded in the Republican Proposal
Republican Proposal
Republican Proposal is a right-wing political party in Argentina. It is usually referred to as PRO. PRO was formed as an electoral alliance in 2005, but was transformed into a unitary party on 3 June 2010....
(PRO) party list as a candidate for a seat in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
for Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
in 2005, though unsuccessfully. The election of PRO leader Mauricio Macri as Mayor of Buenos Aires in 2007 led to Vidal's nomination as the city's Minister of Social Development. She requested maternity leave from the post ahead of her scheduled December 10 swearing-in for the birth of her third child, and took office on May 27, 2008.
Vidal's profile rose following the 2009 election of Deputy Mayor Gabriela Michetti
Gabriela Michetti
Marta Gabriela Michetti is an Argentine politician. She is a member of the Commitment to Change party, part of the Republican Proposal coalition. Michetti was Deputy Head of Government in Buenos Aires during the tenure of Mayor Mauricio Macri.-Biography:Marta Michetti was born in 1965 in the...
to a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, and she became Mayor Macri's most visible female adviser. Consistent with the Mayor's policy, she took a hard-line stance against the growing number of squatters
Villa miseria
A villa miseria is a form of shanty town or slum found in Argentina, mostly around the largest urban settlements. The term is a compound noun made of the Spanish words villa "village, small town" and miseria "misery, dejection"...
and led the city government's opposition to the national government's policy of tolerating the illegal practice and negotiating with occupants. She faced numerous incidents related to this problem, notably the attempted takeover on December 2010 of an undeveloped section of the Parque Indoamericano
Parque Indoamericano
Parque Indoamericano is a park in the Villa Soldati and Villa Lugano neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It covers approximately 130 hectares , and is thus the second-biggest park in the city.-Overview:...
and of nearby public housing units slated for slum clearance; she refused squatters' demands in each incident, prompting federal authorities to evict them and thereby limit their policy of permissiveness in this regard.
Following Macri's decision to forfeit a PRO candidacy for the 2011 presidential election
Argentine general election, 2011
Argentina held national presidential and legislative elections on 23 October 2011. Incumbent president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner secured a second term in office after the Front for Victory won just over half of the seats in the National Congress....
, and instead seek a second term as Mayor, he nominated Vidal as his running mate. The duo were reelected in a landslide on July 31, 2011, receiving over 64% of the vote.