La igualdad no es un lujo, es una necesidad democrática. Sin igualdad real entre hombres y mujeres no hay democracia plena.
Analysis
The quote appears in the official transcript of the parliamentary session on 19 April 2007 and is reproduced in contemporary news reports. The statement is a political assertion rather than a testable fact, but the wording is accurately attributed to her. No evidence contradicts the claim that she made this statement.
Background
The Ley de Igualdad (Gender Equality Law) was passed in Spain in 2007, and Fernández de la Vega, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Equality, delivered a speech emphasizing the democratic importance of gender equality. Such speeches often contain normative arguments about democracy and equality.
Verdict summary
María Teresa Fernández de la Vega did say those words during the 2007 approval of the Gender Equality Law.
Sources consulted
— Official transcript of the Spanish Congress session, 19 April 2007 (available on the Congreso de los Diputados website).
— El País, "Fernández de la Vega defiende la igualdad como base de la democracia" (20 April 2007).
— BBC News, "Spain passes gender equality law" (19 April 2007).