Carmen Calvo Poyato

Carmen Calvo Poyato (born June 9 1957 in Cabra, Córdoba) is a politician of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party who served between 2004 and 2007 as Minister of Culture in the government of José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Biography

She studied at the University of Seville and the University of Cordoba, where she received a doctorate in constitutional law. Between 1995 and 2004 she served in the regional government of Andalucia under Manuel Chaves.

Minister of Culture

In the Spanish general election in March 2004, she was elected to the Spanish Congress of Deputies, representing Córdoba and was subsequently appointed Minister of Culture by the new President of the Government, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

As Minister of Culture, she was an outspoken opponent of copyright piracy, and in 2005 her department spent around one million euros on a campaign to educate the public about the importance of intellectual property. [ [http://www.informativos.telecinco.es/pirateria/cultura/carmen-calvo/dn_17218.htm El Ministerio de Cultura se gasta un millón de euros contra la piratería] , "Telecinco", 15 December 2005 (in Spanish)] However, she was criticised by music industry officials for her statement that intellectual property "is not an absolute right". [ [http://www.lavanguardia.es/lv24h/20060713/51276519804.html Carmen Calvo advierte que la propiedad intelectual "no es un derecho absoluto"] , "La Vanguardia", 7 July 2006 (in Spanish)]

References