María José Catalá
María José Català Verdet (born 3 March 1981 in Valencia, Spain) is a Spanish politician who belongs to the People's Party (PP). Married, Català holds a degree in law, a master's degree in Business Administration and is studying for a doctorate in constitutional law. She entered politics in 2003 when she was elected as a PP councillor for the town of Torrent to the south-west of Valencia city. In 2007 she was chosen as the PP candidate for mayor of Torrent and was elected mayor in May 2007. Consequently, she became the first female  mayor of Torrent and first PP mayor, ending 28 years of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) control, as well as being one of the youngest mayors at the time, aged 26. The following year she was elected to the Spanish Congress of Deputies representing Valencia region after being awarded the fourth place on the PP list, virtually guaranteeing her election as the party had won at least five seats in every election from 1982 onwards. However she only served a half year in Congress, resigning in October 2008 and was replaced by Teresa García Sena.