New Spanish ministers sworn in after reshuffle

MADRID: New ministers in Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez”s government were sworn in on Monday after a reshuffle brought in a younger cabinet dominated by women aimed at focusing on economic recovery from the pandemic.

Sanchez sacked several heavyweights including Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo on Saturday and brought in seven new faces in his first major reshuffle since his left-wing minority coalition came to power in January 2020.

Sanchez, whose Socialist party has been lagging in opinion polls, said the new government would kick off a “new stage” in economic and social recovery.

Women now head 14 of Spain”s 22 ministries, up from 12 in the previous cabinet. Sanchez has made feminism and gender equality a banner of his government.

The mean age of the ministers is now 50 instead of 55, in what Sanchez called a “generational renewal”.

Economy Minister Nadia Calvino, a former director general of the European Commission”s budget department, was elevated to replace Calvo as deputy prime minister.

Jose Manuel Albares, who up until now was Spain”s ambassador to France, replaced Arancha Gonzalez Laya as foreign minister.

She was widely criticised for allowing Western Sahara independence leader Brahim Ghali to be treated at a hospital in Spain, angering Morocco which lays claim to the former Spanish colony.—AFP