Spain: Newly Sworn In PM Announces Cabinet
By KUNA
The newly-sworn in Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy named on Wednesday Luis de Guindos as the new Economy Minister whose main task will be to steer the country through its toughest economic crisis in decades.
In a press conference, Rajoy announced Soraya Saenz de Santamaria as his Deputy also giving her the posts of Minister of the Prime Minister’s office and government spokeswoman.
Among other top cabinet positions, Cristobal Montoro was appointed Treasury Minister, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo Foreign Minister and Fatima Banez, Labor Minister.
The foreign policy interior and defense portfolios were given to less-known politicians.
The Foreign Minister is European Parliament member Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo and Interior Minister is former Secretary of State Jorge Fernandez Diaz.
The defense portfolio was given to Pedro Morenes who has also held several posts – including Defense – as Secretary of State.
Justice Minister will be Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon who has been Madrid mayor since 2003.
Ruiz-Gallardon was long viewed with suspicion by PP hawks regarding him as an outsider with left-leaning views.
The new government will face the massive challenge of lifting Spain from its worst economic crisis in decades.
Rajoy, a 56-year-old leader of the centre-right People’s Party (PP) had earlier been sworn in by King Juan Carlos after taking a landslide victory and ousting then Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s Socialists in the November 20 elections.
