Sanchez’s “New Generation” Reshuffled Cabinet Takes Over

Folowing the weekend cabinet reshuffle of Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, the new ministers took their oaths of office today, Monday 12th July, before King Felipe VI at a ceremony at his official residence in the Zarzuela Palace, in El Pardo.

The move is seen as political response to the recent surge of support for the main opposition conservative, Partido Popular party, who won a landslide victory in the Madrid regional elections in May.

Recent opinion polls have shown the PP would win a majority of seats if a general election were called today.

Sanchez, who has led the Socialist PSOE / Podermos coalition government since 2019, said it represented ‘a generational renewal with an average age of 50.”

More significantly for the first time the majority of the cabinet will be women, occupying 14 of the 22 ministerial posts.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the changes the Prime Minister said that “will make our country once again the reference for women-men equality’ – with a new team ‘to face a just, digital, green and feminist recovery’.  The new appointments, builds on Spain´s high level of female participation in national politics.

‘Only with the full incorporation of women on an equal footing can we build the better Spain to which we all aspire,’ said Sánchez.

The PSOE / Podemos ratio remains unchanged at 17 to 5 from each party represented in cabinet.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the changes the Prime Minister said: ” As we put the pandemic behind us, this new government will focus on the economic recovery of the country and the creation of jobs, taking full advantage of the enormous opportunity the European Union recovery funds represent.”

The new cabinet will be focused on the “economic and social recovery of the country”.

The big changes include the departure of socialist Carmen Calvo, who was the first deputy prime minister and is replaced by the Economy Minister Nadia Calviño.

Foreign Affairs Minister Arancha González Laya, is José Manuel Albares, previously Spain’s ambassador to France.

Juan Carlos Campo is replaced as Minister for Justice by the President of the Senate, Pilar Llop who vacates her post.

The Official State Gazette has today published the full list of ministerial and vice-presidential posts.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPANISH NEWS

Share The Madrid Metropolitan: The only Madrid English language newspaper