She started in politics in 1987 as head of the cabinet of the Regional minister of Education, Universities and Research José Ramón Recalde.

After the brief interregnum of the coalition government PNV-EA-EE of 1991, she was vice-minister of Education, Universities and Research with Fernando Buesa as Basque counselor until the end of the legislature (1995).

[1] In the following legislature she abandoned the educational responsibilities, being director of the cabinet of the Counselor of Justice, Economy, Labor and Social Security, Ramón Jáuregui.

On 7 June 2018, Pedro Sánchez after being sworn new Spanish Prime Minister, following the motion of censure that the PSOE presented against the previous government of Mariano Rajoy (PP) and that was approved by the Congress of Deputies on 1 June 2018, appointed her as Minister in new Spanish government.

[11][12] Appointed as Spanish Ambassador to the Holy See, she presented her diplomatic credentials to Pontiff Francis on 18 March 2022.