Government of the 10th Legislature of Spain
The 10th Spanish General Courts were elected at the 2011 general election on 20 November 2011 and first met on 13 December. Mariano Rajoy was invested as Prime Minister on 20 December and was sworn in the following day. On the nomination of the Prime Minister, the Government of the 10th Legislature, or the 12th Government of Spain since the Spanish transition to democracy was appointed.
12th Government of Spain (Rajoy Cabinet)
 12th Government of Spain | |
 | |
| Date formed | 21 December 2011 |
|---|---|
| People and organizations | |
| Head of government | Mariano Rajoy |
| Deputy head of government | Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría |
| Head of state |
Juan Carlos I (2011–14) Felipe VI (2014–) |
| Number of ministers | 14 |
| Member party | People's Party |
| Status in legislature | Majority |
| Opposition leader |
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (PSOE) (2011–14) Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) (2014–) |
| History | |
| Outgoing election | 2011 general election |
| Legislature term(s) | 10th Legislature (2011–) |
| Budget(s) | 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| Previous | 11th Government of Spain |
As a result of the Spanish economic and financial crisis, PM Zapatero announced that a snap election would be held in 2011's autumn so that a new government can take charge of the economy in 2012, fresh from the balloting. Mariano Rajoy's People's Party (PP), in opposition since 2004, went on to win the largest electoral victory of the centre-right in Spain in history, due in great part to a collapse in the vote of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) as a result of Zapatero's government poor management of the economic crisis.
Rajoy was sworn in as Prime Minister on 21 December 2011 after he obtained the confidence vote in the Congress of Deputies, his party having an absolute majority of seats (185 out of 350).
Investiture voting
| Mariano Rajoy Brey (PP) Absolute majority: 176/350 | ||
| Vote | Votes | |
 Yes | 187 / 350 | |
| No | 149 / 350 | |
| Abstentions | 14 / 350 | |
| Source: Historia Electoral | ||
Composition
Since its formation, only three replacements have been made in the Cabinet, and all three as a result of the incumbents resigning of their own rather than part of cabinet reshuffles:
- On 28 April 2014, Miguel Arias Cañete resigned as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment, in order to stand as his party's candidate to the 2014 European Parliament election. He was succeeded by Isabel García Tejerina.
- On 23 September 2014, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón resigned as Minister of Justice, after being discredited as a result of the Cabinet's withdrawal of a bill to reform the abortion law.[1] As both PM Mariano Rajoy and King Felipe VI were abroad on official trips to China and the United States, respectively, when Ruiz-Gallardón resigned, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría replaced him as interim Justice Minister until his successor, Rafael Catalá Polo, could take office. Rafael Catalá took office on 29 September 2014.[2]
- On 26 November 2014, Ana Mato resigned as Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality due to her involvement in the Gürtel case, after she was summoned to court as a "participant on a lucrative basis" in the corruption crimes allegedly committed by her ex-husband Jesús Sepúlveda.[3] As both PM Mariano Rajoy and King Felipe VI had scheduled official trips abroad to France and Germany, respectively, in the days following Mato's resignation, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría replaced her as interim Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality until her successor, Alfonso Alonso, could take office on 3 December 2014.[4][5]
This is the first time in the recent history of Spain that a sitting government has endured so much time without virtually any change; it is usually common for a Prime Minister in Spain to reshuffle his cabinet at least a few times throughout his term. With 16 portfolios being held by 14 ministers, it is also one of the smallest government cabinets in Spain to date.
References
- ↑ "Gallardón resigns and leaves politics" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2014-09-23.
- ↑ "Rafael Catalá sworns his office as Minister of Justice" (in Spanish). 20 Minutos. 2014-09-29.
- ↑ "Ana Mato resigns after her implication in the 'Gürtel case' by judge Ruz" (in Spanish). El País. 2014-11-26.
- ↑ "Ignacio Echániz, Pilar Farjas or Susana Camamero, possible successors to Ana Mato" (in Spanish). ABC. 2014-11-26.
- ↑ "Alfonso Alonso, new Minister of Health" (in Spanish). El País. 2014-12-02.
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