Spain PM Sanchez's new cabinet to keep senior ministers, including Calvino (updated)
20/11/2023 08:21
(Adds new appointments, details)
MADRID, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Spain's re-elected Socialist
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is likely to retain Nadia Calvino
as his economy minister in a largely unchanged cabinet he is
scheduled to unveil later on Monday, sources told Reuters.
Calvino, who is leading the race to get the top job at the
European Investment Bank at the end of the year, will also keep
her position as first deputy prime minister, a government source
said.
Energy Minister Teresa Ribera, Budget Minister Maria Jesus
Montero, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and Labour
Minister Yolanda Diaz, the head of far-left junior coalition
partner Sumar, are also likely to keep their jobs, the source
said.
Sanchez is likely to appoint Jordi Hereu, from the
Catalan Socialist Party, as industry minister, state broadcaster
TVE reported on Monday.
Sanchez, who won a vote in parliament to clinch another
term, starts his new legislature with a cabinet in which most of
the senior minister retain their position, an unusual move for a
premier known for his surprising reshuffles.
According to local media, Cabinet Minister Felix Bolanos
will take over the justice portfolio to implement the
controversial amnesty law that allowed the Socialists to secure
another term.
Ana Redondo will replace Irene Montero of the far left
Podemos party as Equality Minister while Podemos leader Ione
Belarra has also been demoted, local media reported.
Given the anticipated difficulty of passing laws with a
minority government, especially the budget, Finance Minister
Maria Jesus Montero will be promoted to be one of four deputy
prime ministers.
The coalition government with the hard left platform
Sumar has just 152 seats in the 350-seat parliament, so it will
need to make agreements with regional parties to pass key
legislation.
Despite an earlier pledge to slim down his cabinet, Sanchez
will maintain the number of ministries at 22, and offer five
posts to junior coalition partners Sumar.
(Reporting by Belen Carreno and Inti Landauro, editing by
Aislinn Laing, Toby Chopra, Charlie Devereux and Ed Osmond)
((Inti.Landauro@thomsonreuters.com;))