McGuinness Mairead

Mairead McGuinness is the European Union Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union, a position she assumed in March 2026.

Born in Drogheda, Ireland, on 13 June 1959, she trained as a journalist and worked for more than twenty years as a broadcaster and commentator on agriculture, economics, and European affairs. Elected to the European Parliament in 2004, she served as Vice-President from 2014 and as First Vice-President from 2017 to 2020. In October 2020 she was appointed European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and the Capital Markets Union, a role she held until 2024.

In her current position, she promotes the protection of freedom of religion or belief as a fundamental human right, working with European institutions, governments, religious communities, and civil society to foster interreligious dialogue, defend minority rights, and uphold human dignity in the European Union’s international relations.