Carine Montaner Explained

Carine Montaner Raynaud (born 6 June 1978)[1] is an Andorran politician who has served in the General Council since 2015.

Biography

Born in Toulouse, France, Montaner obtained a master's degree in Economic Sciences and Business Management, and another in Economic and Social Engineering of Territorial Policies, both from the University of Toulouse. She became a professor at the Universitat d'Andorra. She has served in Andorra's delegation as an associate member of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie.[2] She was elected to the General Council in 2015 as a member of the Liberal Party of Andorra (PLA; now Liberals of Andorra) and Lauredian Union (UL).[3] She was second on the party's list in Sant Julià de Lòria; they won in the parish with 47% of the vote.[4]

Montaner was re-elected in 2019 in the same parish, again behind Josep Majoral on the list, but this time for the Third Way (TV) and UL.[5] She left the party in March 2021 due to disagreements with leader Josep Pintat Forné on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic;[6] Montaner opposed vaccine passports, believed vaccines to be "experimental" and opposed vaccination for the young.[3] Days later, she launched the new party Andorra Forward (AE).[7]

Ahead of the 2023 election, Montaner proposed solving Andorra's housing crisis by affordably renting the principality's 6,000 foreign-owned empty properties, limiting immigration, a referendum on the country's abortion law (as of the election, it was one of three European countries with no legal abortion), a referendum on permitting dual nationality, and neutrality on international issues including the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3] With 16% of the vote, the party won three seats including Montaner, all from the national list.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carine Montaner Raynaud . . 27 April 2023 . Catalan.
  2. News: Delegació parlamentària a l’assemblea de la francofonia . 27 April 2023 . . 28 September 2016 . Catalan.
  3. News: Sanjuan . Albert . “No entenc que em diguin populista només per anar a contracorrent”. "I don't understand being called a populist just for going against the grain" . 27 April 2023 . Alta Veu . 27 March 2023 . Catalan.
  4. News: Liberals d'Andorra obté una segona parròquia amb la victòria a Sant Julià. Liberals of Andorra obtain a second parish with victory in Sant Julià . 27 April 2023 . . 1 March 2015 . Catalan.
  5. News: Terceravia-UL torna a guanyar a Sant Julià. Third Way-UL win again in Sant Julià . 27 April 2023 . Ara . 8 April 2019 . Catalan.
  6. News: Solanelles . Toni . Carine Montaner deixa Terceravia, es queda al Consell com a no adscrita i planteja un nou partit. Carine Montaner leaves Third Way, stays in the Council as an independent and proposes a new party. 27 April 2023 . Alta Veu . 9 March 2021 . Catalan.
  7. News: El partit de Carine Montaner es dirà Andorra Endavant. Carine Montaner's party will be called Andorra Forward. 27 April 2023 . Diari d'Andorra . 16 March 2021 . Catalan.
  8. News: Espot reivindica el proyecto de Demòcrates en Andorra después de conseguir mayoría absoluta. Espot renews the Democrats' project in Andorra after achieving absolute majority. 27 April 2023 . . 3 April 2023 . Spanish.