Leire Pajín Iraola was born in San Sebastián in 1976.

Degree in Sociology. She was member of the teaching staff and of the Board of the Faculty of Economics and Sociology at the University of Alicante from 1995 to 1999.

She has been Secretary for Youth Participation of the Valencian Socialist Workers’ Party (PSPV-PSOE), member of the Federal Committee of Young Socialists of Spain and Secretary for Institutional Policy of the Young Socialists of Benidorm.

In 2000 she was elected a PSOE member of the Spanish Parliament (Cortes Generales) for Alicante, and was later re-elected in 2004 and 2008.

She has been Secretary for Social Movements of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE).

She has been Chairwoman of the NGO Solidaridad Internacional and member of the Association of Friends of the Saharawi People (Asociación de Amigos del Pueblo Saharaui) in Alicante.

In 2004 she was appointed as Secretary of State for International Cooperation, a position that she held until 2008.

She has been Secretary for the PSOE Federal Organisation from 2008 to 2010.

In 2009 she was elected Senator for the Valencian Community.

She took office as Minister for Health, Social Policy and Equality on 21 October 2010.