Pedro's large Cabinet
Four deputy PMs and 18 ministers form largest Cabinet in modern Spanish democracy
PEDRO Sanchez's new Cabinet will be the largest in Spain's modern democracy (since 1978) with four deputy PMs (of whom two are also ministers) and 18 dedicated ministers.
The PSOE-Unidas Podemos coalition government - also a first for Spain - will be led by the PSOE leader as PM and will have Unidas-Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias as one of his four deputy-PMs.
Sr Iglesias will be over the social rights and Agenda 2030 ministries, which includes the ministries for equality, employment, universities and consumer affairs - all four ministries led by member of his own Unidas Podemos party.
The other three deputy PMs are all PSOE party MPs: Nadia Calviño, Teresa Ribera and Carmen Calvo.
Nadia Calviño will be over financial affairs and digital transformation. Teresa Ribera will oversee ecologic transition and demographics while Carmen Calvo will continue as first deputy-PM as well as being minister for the presidency and parliamentary relations.
The government spokesperson will be María Jesus Montero (replacing Isabel Celaá) but will also stay on as tax office minister. Isabel Celaá will remain as education and professional formation minister but no longer as spokesperson.
Fernando Grande-Marlaska will remain at the helm of the ministry for the interior and Torrent-born José Luis Ábalos continues in charge of the transport and public works ministry.
The vacancy as foreign affairs minister left by Josep Borrell's move to Brussels, as head of EU diplomacy will be filled-in by new arrival Arancha González Laya.
Margarita Robles continues as defence minister and Reyes Maroto also stays on as industry minister.
Another newcomer, Salvador Illa, will be in charge of public health and Valencia-born Luis Planas remains at the helm of agriculture and fisheries.
The remaining PSOE ministers are former astronaut Pedro Duque (science), Jose Luis Escrivá (social security and immigration), Carolina Darías (territorial policies and public service), Valencia-born José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes (culture and sport) and Juan Carlos Campo (justice).
The four Unidas-Podemos ministers will be under their leader and now deputy-PM Pablo Iglesias starting with his own partner and right-hand-woman in the party, Irene Montero, who will be in charge of the ministry of equality.
Alberto Garzón, leader of the IU and communist party (now part of Unidas Podemos) will be in charge of the consumer affairs ministry, Yolanda Díaz (also from IU) will be employment minister and Manuel Castells becomes the new universities minister (until now universities had been party of the science ministry under Pedro Duque).
Minister become state prosecutor
The appointment of new ministers was overshadowed on Monday by the PM's decision to appoint until-now justice minister Dolores Delgado as new state prosecutor (Fiscal del Estado).
Practically all opposition parties have cried 'foul' as they insist the judicial system should be completely independent from politics and appointing a person who, until this week, has been PSOE party minister is 'breaking all democratic rules'.
Certain judicial representatives have also expressed their discomfort with this appointment - although it is the PM's prerogative to appoint the state prosecutor.