María Dolores de Cospedal is a Spanish politician known for her role in the People's Party (Partido Popular). She served as the Minister of Defense from 2016 to 2018, making her the first woman to hold this position in Spain. Cospedal has also been the President of the Castile-La Mancha region and a member of the Spanish Parliament. Born on December 13, 1965, in Madrid, Cospedal studied law and began her political career in the late 1990s. She has been influential in Spanish politics, particularly in areas related to defense and regional governance.