Cabinet reshuffle in Spain: Sánchez replaces seven ministers

It is the largest government reshuffle in his term in office: Spain’s Prime Minister Sánchez has replaced seven ministers. The government should become younger and more feminine.

It is the third cabinet reshuffle that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has undertaken during his term of office, and by far the largest: seven ministers are leaving the Spanish government at once, all politicians of the Socialist Party, which occupies a total of 17 departments. The five ministers of the left-wing Unidas Podemos party, however, remain in their posts.

Sánchez spoke of a rejuvenation of the cabinet. The average age of ministers is falling from 55 to 50, and the government is becoming more female. This is an important step to rebuild the country economically after the pandemic – with strong feminism and more digitization.

Vice Prime Minister Calvo has to go

One of the most prominent ministers to go now is Carmen Calvo. As Vice Prime Minister, she was Sánchez’s right-hand man. Calvo had repeatedly clashed with his coalition partner, the left-wing party Unidas Podemos. Observers assume that this is the reason for their departure. Calvo will be replaced by the previous Minister of Economic Affairs, Nadia Calviño.

Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzáles Laya will also lose her post. The background is likely to be their role in the conflict between Spain and Morocco. The crisis culminated in mid-May when Morocco opened its border to Ceuta, bringing thousands of migrants to the Spanish exclave. The new foreign minister will be José Manuel Albaren, previously the Spanish ambassador to France.

The government is also left by the Minister of Science Pedro Duque, Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos, Minister of Culture José Manuel Uribes, Minister of Justice Juan Carlos Campo and Minister of Education Isabel Celaá. For them, mostly regional politicians from the Socialist Party move up.