New ministers take oath before King Felipe, first meeting due tomorrow

Spain’s new ministers have taken their oaths before King Felipe VI and will hold their first meeting on July 13.

Spain’s new cohort of ministers have taken their oaths before King Felipe this morning, July 12, in the Palacio de la Zarzuela. They will hold their first meeting in La Moncloa tomorrow. Some 63 per cent of the cabinet is now controlled by women making Spain’s Council of Ministers the most representative in Europe.

Saturday’s dramatic re-shuffle saw Carmen Calvo, Jose Luis Abalos, and Arancha Gonzalez Laya and others leave their posts.

They are now replaced by Felix Bolanos (Minister of the Presidency), Pilar Llop (Justice), Diana Morant (Science and Innovation), Pilar Alegria (Education and Professional Training), Raquel Sanchez (Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda), Jose Manuel Albares (Foreign Affairs) and Isabel Rodriguez (Territorial Policy) and Miquel Iceta (Culture).

The re-shuffle, the third since Sanchez entered government after PSOE formed a left-wing coalition with Podemos, leaves some familiar faces in place such as Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the Minister of the Interior.

Podemos retain their five portfolios, including Alberto Garzon, the current Minister of Consumer Affairs who made headlines this week for suggesting Spaniards eat less meat, but crucially Minister for Labour, Yolanda Diaz, who is advocating an increase in the minimum wage, retains her post.

“As we put the pandemic behind us, the new government will focus on the economic recovery of the country and the creation of jobs, and taking full advantage of the enormous opportunity the European Union recover funds represent,” Sanchez said on July 10.

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