María Jesús Wulf
María Jesús Wulf | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Social Development and Family | |
| Assumed office 11 March 2026 | |
| President | José Antonio Kast |
| Preceded by | Javiera Toro Cáceres |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 February 1990 |
| Party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (B.Sc) |
| Occupation | Sociologist • Politician |
María Jesús Wulf Le May (born 13 February 1990) is a Chilean sociologist and politician, and a member of the Republican Party of Chile.[1] Her career has focused on civil society organizations, foundations linked to gremialism, and public policy program design. In January 2026, she was nominated as Minister of Social Development and Family by president-elect José Antonio Kast, a position she is set to assume on 11 March 2026.[2]
Academic background
She studied Sociology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where she became involved with the Guildist Movement (MG) during her university years. Her academic training focused on social analysis, youth, and public policies, areas she later developed in her professional and political activities.[2]
Professional and political career
Civil organizations and foundations
She began her professional career in civil society organizations related to civic education and public policy analysis. She participated in the NGO Influyamos and was a founder of the gremialist network Movamos, from which she promoted initiatives aimed at youth participation and leadership development.[3]
She later joined the Jaime Guzmán Foundation, where she served as Director of the Public Service area. In that role, she edited and co-authored the book La Juventud Extraviada, focused on the sociopolitical analysis of contemporary Chilean youth.[3]
Public sector roles
During the second administration of President Sebastián Piñera, she served as Regional Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, a role focused on territorial coordination with the Regional Ministerial Secretariats (Seremis). This position allowed her to gain experience in public administration and interregional coordination.[4]
Acción Republicana and Republican Party
In 2017, she joined the political project led by José Antonio Kast following his departure from the UDI, becoming part of Acción Republicana, a movement that preceded the Republican Party of Chile. Within the organization, she served as Deputy Director, leading territorial expansion and political training processes for young cadres.[3]
Following the founding of the Republican Party in 2019, she continued in strategic roles, particularly in the design of social policy proposals, with an emphasis on family, youth, and birth rate issues.[4]
Ministerial appointment
On 20 January 2026, president-elect José Antonio Kast announced her appointment as Minister of Social Development and Family, a ministry responsible for designing and implementing public policies aimed at poverty reduction, social protection, and family strengthening. Her appointment was interpreted as a sign of programmatic continuity with the ideological core of the Republican Party.[5]
Publications
- La Juventud Extraviada. Edited and presented by María Jesús Wulf in November 2017, the book analyzes the reality of Generation Z in Chile and includes contributions from academics such as Alfredo Jocelyn-Holt, Alejandro Navas, and Ana Luisa Jouanne, among others.[6]
References
- ^ "Dos tercios son independientes y promedian 54 años: Este es el gabinete que presentó José Antonio Kast para su gobierno". EMOL (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ a b "María Jesús Wulf (Republicana), ministra de Desarrollo Social: la socióloga que busca enfrentar la crisis de natalidad". La Tercera (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ a b c "Exintegrante de la Fundación Jaime Guzmán y una de las primeras compañeras de ruta de Kast en solitario: quién es María Jesús Wulf, la futura ministra de Desarrollo Social". The Clinic (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ a b "De Salud a Educación: los ministros sectoriales de José Antonio Kast". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Un biministro, una atleta olímpica y la hermana del arzobispo Chomali: El gabinete de José Antonio Kast". T13 (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ "Jesús Wulf presentó libro que analiza la nueva Generación Z y su relación con la sociedad". Fundación Jaime Guzmán (in Spanish). 11 December 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2026.