Early years Barcina's parents settled in Navarre when she was 17 and she studied
pharmacy at the
University of Navarre. Barcina worked as a professor at various Spanish universities including the
Public University of Navarre, where she served as the vice-rector from 1995 to 1996.
Political career Barcina was elected the mayor (
alcaldesa) of Pamplona in 1999 and the vice-president of the UPN in 2003. In 2009, she took the position of
Miguel Sanz in the party, before winning the elections for President of Navarre. In 2001, Barcina had a debate with actress
Penélope Cruz about the
San Fermín running of the bulls. She has distinguished herself for her hard-line approach on
Basque nationalism, and a rigid stance on environmental issues, favouring controversial engineering projects like the construction of the Itoiz Reservoir, the high speed train (in the offing) and the trans-Pyrenean motorway (in the offing). On this account, Barcina was subjected to a
pie smash on the face at a meeting in Toulouse. Barcina held office in Navarre on a Regionalist ticket (UPN) from 2011 to 2015, initially with
Socialist support. After regional elections, a multiparty coalition spearheaded by Uxue Barkos (
Geroa Bai) removed Barcina from regional office in July 2015.
Later activities Barcina in turn announced a return to her former lecturer position at the
Public University of Navarre, UPNA, refusing to benefit from any privileged position that may be related to her time in office ("no revolving doors", August 2015). In October 2015, it was disclosed that she would sign up for a section of Spanish telecommunications corporate
Movistar, as a member of its board of directors, and an initial annual salary of 200,000 euros on top of a reduced shift at the UPNA. ==References==