Who are Sánchez's ministers? What we know so far

 

AS YET, Spain's new president Pedro Sánchez, of the PSOE (socialists), has not officially revealed which of his MPs will form his cabinet, but some names have already been released, just three days after the left-wing coalition government between the PSOE and Podemos was voted in.

Isabel Celaá has been re-elected as minister for education, although she will not be PSOE spokeswoman this time around – that rôle has been given to María Jesús Montero, who also retains her position as minister for the treasury.

Former Supreme Court judge Fernando Grande-Marlaska (in the above picture) keeps his interior ministry job, and Reyes Maroto remains at the head of the ministry of industry.

Astronaut Pedro Duque – Spain's first man on the moon, every child's hero in 2003 when he first went up into space, and the minister given the best ranking in a public opinion poll 100 days into the PSOE's government once it took power in June 2018 – will also keep his rôle, as minister for science and universities.

A brand-new ministry for the Social Security, or national insurance, will be created in light of concerns about the future of State pensions, especially since the National Institute for Statistics (INE) revealed that the country currently only has one worker per pensioner.

This area has, until now, been part of the ministry of work.

Agriculture minister Luis Planas retains his job, and although José Luis Ábalos – minister for public works – will remain in his position, his department will be renamed as the ministry of transport, mobility and urban agenda, which reflects more closely what its purpose is: civil engineering and infrastructure, mostly focusing on roads and rail.

Health minister María Luisa Carcedo – who took over from former Valencia regional minister Carmen Montón when the latter's master's degree dissertation was revealed to have been partly plagiarised – will not continue as head of her department, although it is not clear as yet who will fill her shoes and what her subsequent position will be within the newly-formed government.

Arts and culture minister Màxim Huerta – a well-known journalist – was only in his job a week after the PSOE came into power in June 2018, since details came to light of a tax avoidance issue, leading him to resign.

His rôle was taken over by José Guirão, who will not continue in the position, although again, it is not known what his new job will be or who will take over his culture ministry leadership.

It has already been confirmed that three PSOE women will join Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias as deputy presidents – Carmen Calvo, minister for presidency, Parliamentary relations and equality, and who already was deputy president, will carry on with the job, along with economy minister Nadia Calviño, and energy transition and environment minister Teresa Ribera.

Podemos has been promised ministerial rôles, although these have not been confirmed.

They may include defence, currently headed up by Margarita Robles.

 

Photograph of Fernando Grande-Marlaska (centre): Interior ministry