Maria Badia i Cutchet

Maria Badia i Cutchet was born on May 12th 1947 in Sant Quirze del Vallès (Barcelona). She has two children and lives with her partner, Catalan actor Artur Trias.

Due to family reasons, Maria Badia is closely linked to Art and Culture fields, which are also two hobbies to which she devotes a great part of her free time.

She lives in Maresme region, where she moved thirteen years ago.

Maria Badia studied English Philology at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and worked as English language teacher in two different primary schools from Sabadell.

In 1975 she became member of the political movement Socialist Convergence of Catalonia, which became in 1978 the Socialists Party of Catalonia (PSC).

From 1985 to 1994, she collaborated with the First Secretary of the Socialists Party of Catalonia, Mr. Raimon Obiols. After that, she coordinated the International Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE).

She has been coordinator of PSC First Secretary, coordinator of International Secretary of Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and Chief Secretary of the President of the Parliament of Catalunya, Joan Reventós.

In June 2000 she was elected member of PSC executive bureau, responsible for European and International Policy Secretariat, being re-elected in 2004 and 2008.

In 2004 she was elected Member of European Parliament, where she was attached to Committee on Culture and Education and to the Delegation for Relations with People’s Republic of China. She also has been substitute member to Committee on Foreign Affairs, to the Delegation for relations with South-Africa; to the Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America; to the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and to the Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly.

In Committee on Culture and Education, she has particularly worked in order to improve conditions and widen education programs for students’ mobility in European Union, increase the chances of teachers training, encourage artistic education coordination at European level, reduce gender inequalities in cultural, education and sport sectors and to improve communication between European institutions and citizens. In this sense, she has promoted use of Catalan language in different European institutions and the mailing between citizens and European Parliament in this language.

During last term, at European Parliament, she has been member of Socialist Group and responsible for General Joint Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Delegation.

In June 2009, she has been PSC head of the list for elections to European Parliament, being reelected as MEP.

In current term, she has been elected vice-president of Parliamentary Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, responsible of Communication and Information area. She is also member of the Culture and Education Committee, and of the Delegation for Relations with the USA.

She is also part of Party of European Socialist Women’s organization, where she has actively participated by promoting campaigns on conciliation of personal and work life.