Spain’s first female defence minister dies aged 46

SPAIN’S first female Minister of Defence Carme Chacón has died aged just 46 in Madrid.

A dedicated socialist, she first became housing minister in the PSOE government of José Luis Zapatero in 2007 before being given the defence portfolio the following year.

She gained international exposure when just five days after this appointment and seven months pregnant, she travelled to Afghanistan to review Spanish troops, saying at the time that she was pregnant not sick and wanted to visit those who were risking their lives for Spain.

After her party was beaten in the following election, she continued in politics in one form or another until quite recently but it was common knowledge that she was battling a congenital heart disease and it would appear that she lost that fight on Sunday April 9.

There have been large numbers of tributes to this socialist and women’s rights activist who leaves behind a husband and eight-year-old son and her party PSOE tweeted “We express the deep sorrow that invades us on the sudden passing of our colleague and friend Carme Chacón.”