Spain's Díaz courts ILO top job with 27 meetings and a €200,000 salary
According to Vozpópuli, Spain's labour minister Yolanda Díaz has held 27 international meetings in six weeks to seek the ILO directorship, a post worth over €200,000. The vote is on 16 November.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Yolanda Díaz focuses her agenda on her ILO candidacy
How many international meetings has Yolanda Díaz held over the past six weeks? The answer, according to reporting by Vozpópuli, is 27. Spain's second deputy prime minister and labour minister has used her official schedule to meet with senior officials from the 56 countries that will vote on 16 November for the next director-general of the International Labour Organization (ILO). A post that, between base salary and allowances, would exceed €200,000 a year. Vozpópuli broke the story, and it has drawn criticism from those who suspect the Ministry of Labour runs on autopilot.
The official version speaks of intense diplomatic activity. The less charitable reading, voiced by some participants in the debate, is that Díaz, since announcing she will not run in further elections, has devoted all her efforts to securing a prize for the next five years. Her agenda shows contacts with foreign ministers, ambassadors and representatives of international organisations. A race against the clock that, her critics say, uses ministerial influence as a personal springboard.
What are the requirements to lead the ILO?
The ILO is an international organisation based in Geneva. Its director-general is chosen by vote among the representatives of member states. It is no minor technical post: it demands negotiating skill, command of languages and experience in international labour relations. This is where the doubts come in. Some claim, without offering evidence, that Díaz does not fit the profile, especially because of her level of English. "She can't string a sentence together," sums up one of the harshest voices. Another adds: "The fact that she can't even speak English should already be grounds to rule her out."
The accusation is not a trivial one. If the job requires representing the ILO before governments and institutions, language is a basic tool. It is not a curricular flourish. In the corridors of Geneva, the ability to improvise in English is the difference between a speech and an embarrassment. Of course, others point out that interpreters exist in these international bodies, and that politics is another matter.
The method: influence, promises and votes
The campaign is not limited to meetings. According to critics, Díaz would be using her position to promise posts and perks to some, threaten others and lie to everyone. "For them, that's what politics is all about," one comment concludes. It is the old school of favour-trading applied to a multilateral body. The question is whether the 56 voting countries will be impressed by an official agenda or whether, on the contrary, they value other kinds of merit.
The clock is ticking. The vote is on 16 November. The 27 meetings have been crammed into the past six weeks, after the summer holidays. The deputy prime minister formally retains her responsibilities at the head of the Ministry of Labour, but her official schedule shows a string of contacts with little to do with the day-to-day running of the ministry. So who is handling labour affairs? The question hangs in the air.
The salary nobody disputes
The post of ILO director-general is no symbolic role. Between base salary and allowances, it exceeds €200,000 a year. A figure that, in times of austerity, does not go unnoticed. For some, it is a well-deserved prize if she gets it. For others, it is proof that politics has become a job-hunting race. "A prize for the next five years," they quip.
The comparison with a Spanish minister's salary is inevitable. A minister earns around €80,000 a year. The difference is substantial. It is not just about money: it is about power. The ILO directorship can influence labour policies around the world. A perfect showcase for someone who wants to stay in the spotlight without facing the ballot box.
What if she is not elected?
If the vote on 16 November goes against her, Díaz will have to return to her seat in parliament and her ministerial duties. There is no known plan B. The gamble is risky. She has thrown everything into a candidacy that, her critics say, does not meet the requirements. If it goes wrong, the political damage will be considerable. If it goes well, she will leave the government and settle in Geneva with a salary more than double that of a minister.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour keeps functioning. Or so they say. The irony is unavoidable: the minister responsible for safeguarding Spaniards' employment is looking for her own. And she is doing it with public money, according to some voices in the debate. "Campaigning for herself with everyone's money," one voice sums up. Nice work if you can get it, as they say.
The vote on 16 November will decide whether Díaz's résumé outweighs her shortcomings. Or whether, as many suspect, the international organisation already has its next chief before the ballots are even peine.
How many international meetings has Yolanda Díaz held over the past six weeks? The answer, according to reporting by Vozpópuli, is 27. Spain's second deputy prime minister and labour minister has used her official schedule to meet with senior officials from the 56 countries that will vote on 16 November for the next director-general of the International Labour Organization (ILO). A post that, between base salary and allowances, would exceed €200,000 a year. Vozpópuli broke the story, and it has drawn criticism from those who suspect the Ministry of Labour runs on autopilot.
The official version speaks of intense diplomatic activity. The less charitable reading, voiced by some participants in the debate, is that Díaz, since announcing she will not run in further elections, has devoted all her efforts to securing a prize for the next five years. Her agenda shows contacts with foreign ministers, ambassadors and representatives of international organisations. A race against the clock that, her critics say, uses ministerial influence as a personal springboard.
What are the requirements to lead the ILO?
The ILO is an international organisation based in Geneva. Its director-general is chosen by vote among the representatives of member states. It is no minor technical post: it demands negotiating skill, command of languages and experience in international labour relations. This is where the doubts come in. Some claim, without offering evidence, that Díaz does not fit the profile, especially because of her level of English. "She can't string a sentence together," sums up one of the harshest voices. Another adds: "The fact that she can't even speak English should already be grounds to rule her out."
The accusation is not a trivial one. If the job requires representing the ILO before governments and institutions, language is a basic tool. It is not a curricular flourish. In the corridors of Geneva, the ability to improvise in English is the difference between a speech and an embarrassment. Of course, others point out that interpreters exist in these international bodies, and that politics is another matter.
The method: influence, promises and votes
The campaign is not limited to meetings. According to critics, Díaz would be using her position to promise posts and perks to some, threaten others and lie to everyone. "For them, that's what politics is all about," one comment concludes. It is the old school of favour-trading applied to a multilateral body. The question is whether the 56 voting countries will be impressed by an official agenda or whether, on the contrary, they value other kinds of merit.
The clock is ticking. The vote is on 16 November. The 27 meetings have been crammed into the past six weeks, after the summer holidays. The deputy prime minister formally retains her responsibilities at the head of the Ministry of Labour, but her official schedule shows a string of contacts with little to do with the day-to-day running of the ministry. So who is handling labour affairs? The question hangs in the air.
The salary nobody disputes
The post of ILO director-general is no symbolic role. Between base salary and allowances, it exceeds €200,000 a year. A figure that, in times of austerity, does not go unnoticed. For some, it is a well-deserved prize if she gets it. For others, it is proof that politics has become a job-hunting race. "A prize for the next five years," they quip.
The comparison with a Spanish minister's salary is inevitable. A minister earns around €80,000 a year. The difference is substantial. It is not just about money: it is about power. The ILO directorship can influence labour policies around the world. A perfect showcase for someone who wants to stay in the spotlight without facing the ballot box.
What if she is not elected?
If the vote on 16 November goes against her, Díaz will have to return to her seat in parliament and her ministerial duties. There is no known plan B. The gamble is risky. She has thrown everything into a candidacy that, her critics say, does not meet the requirements. If it goes wrong, the political damage will be considerable. If it goes well, she will leave the government and settle in Geneva with a salary more than double that of a minister.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour keeps functioning. Or so they say. The irony is unavoidable: the minister responsible for safeguarding Spaniards' employment is looking for her own. And she is doing it with public money, according to some voices in the debate. "Campaigning for herself with everyone's money," one voice sums up. Nice work if you can get it, as they say.
The vote on 16 November will decide whether Díaz's résumé outweighs her shortcomings. Or whether, as many suspect, the international organisation already has its next chief before the ballots are even peine.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (16 replies).
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