Spain nominates Yolanda Díaz for ILO director-general, first woman and Spaniard to seek the post

The nomination

On 23 July 2026, the Spanish government formally proposed Yolanda Díaz, the country's second vice president and minister of Labour and Social Economy, as its candidate for director-general of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The announcement was made by Moncloa in a statement and echoed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on the social network X.

For the first time, a woman and our country would be at the head of this fundamental institution for the defence of decent work and social justice.

Sánchez added that Díaz's "experience, track record and vocation for consensus" make her an excellent candidate to lead the ILO.

Díaz's record and the ILO's mission

Díaz has served as labour minister since 2020, overseeing a labour reform agreed with unions and employers, a platform workers' law, and what the government describes as the largest minimum wage increase in Spain's democratic history. In a social media post, she called the ILO "the common house of work in the world" and said the candidacy was "an honour and an enormous responsibility to represent Spain, Europe, the global south and the entire international community."

The ILO, founded in 1919 as the first UN specialised agency, brings together governments, employers and workers from 187 member states in a unique tripartite structure. It is the principal forum for setting labour standards, promoting employment, extending social protection and strengthening social dialogue.

Crisis at the agency

The organisation is currently facing a deep internal crisis after the United States and some other countries stopped paying their dues. Spanish unions have criticised what they call a "Trumpist drift" under the current director-general, Gilbert F. Houngbo of Togo, who has led the agency since 2022. The vice president had been weighing the decision and sounding out support for weeks, as El Confidencial reported. Díaz addressed the situation directly during a speech at ILO headquarters in Geneva on 9 June.

The ILO is in crisis and it is relevant because what is at stake is its mandate. If work is not a commodity, neither can the organisation that represents work be.

The election mechanics

The director-general is chosen by the ILO's Governing Body, composed of 56 voters: 28 government representatives, 14 union representatives and 14 employer representatives.

Díaz will face Houngbo, who is seeking re-election. No other candidates have yet emerged, but the nomination deadline is 14 August. The election is scheduled for 16 November 2026, though the winner will not take office until November 2027. The vote will be held at the ILO's headquarters in Geneva. If Díaz wins, she plans to remain as Spain's vice president and labour minister until then, according to sources familiar with her intentions.

Prospects and reactions

Sources cited by EL PAÍS view Díaz's chances as "complicated" but not impossible. The employer bloc (14 votes) is expected to oppose her given her interventionist labour market policies, while she could attract broad support from the union bloc (another 14 votes). The outcome will likely hinge on the 28 government votes. Spanish union leaders have not formally asked Díaz to run but privately described her as a "very good option" for the post. If elected, Díaz would be the first woman and the first Spaniard to hold the post. The government statement said Spain "aspires to reinforce a key institution to face the challenges of the labour market in a context of profound economic, technological and environmental transformations."