MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spanish cabinet reshuffle with new Finance minister

Minister Elena Salgado will replace veteran Finance Minister Pedro Solbes

Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced Tuesday several ministerial changes in response to current political circumstances and to strengthen the Government’s hand ahead of assuming the European Union presidency in 2010.

Foreign Secretary Miguel Angel Moratinos will remain in post despite increasing speculation by media commentators that he would be substituted by Secretary of State Bernardino Leon, one of the architects of the Tripartite Forum for dialogue with Gibraltar.

The first ‘casualty’ of the reshuffle has been Finance Minister Pedro Solbes whose period in office has been marked by sweeping economic recession and soaring unemployment figures. Elena Salgado, formerly Minister for Public Administration is the new incumbent and takes on additional responsibility as second vice-president in the cabinet.

And in an unexpected move, PSOE heavyweight Manuel Chaves, the long standing president of the Junta de Andalucia over the past two decades, has resigned his position to take over as Minister for Territorial Cooperation and third vice-president.

Pepe Blanco another party stalwart moves to the Ministry for Development (Fomento) in place of Magdalena Alvarez. The new Minister for Education will be Angel Gonzalez Sinde a well known figure in university and academic circles in Spain while Trinidad Jimenez takes over the Health Minister portfolio.

As part of the changes, the Consejo Superior de Deportes which is the main governing body of sport in Spain will come under the direct political control of President Rodriguez Zapatero.