MADRID (AP) - Spain’s new coalition government said Thursday it will include five members from the left-wing, anti-austerity United We Can party and that three of its four deputy prime ministers will be women.
The Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has partnered with United We Can to give Spain its first coalition government since the restoration of democracy in 1978.
United We Can leader Pablo Iglesias will be the deputy prime minister in charge of social rights and sustainable development. His fellow party heavyweight, and wife, Irene Montero will be the minister of equality. Also from United We Can, Yolanda Díaz will be minister of labor; Alberto Garzón, minister of consumption; and Manuel Castells, minister of universities.
The other three deputy prime ministers will be women from Sánchez’s Socialist Party.
Carmen Calvo will keep her position as Sánchez’s No. 2 and in addition to heading the president’s office and the government’s relations with the Parliament she will lead the country’s efforts to recover its Civil War dead.
Nadia Calviño, until now the economy minister, will be the deputy prime minister in charge of economic issues and the country’s digital transformation.
Teresa Ribera will be the deputy prime minister tasked with environmental protection and demographic planning.
The remaining Cabinet spots are expected to be filled from the Socialist ranks and will be announced in coming days
Sánchez named 11 women to a 17-member Cabinet when he first came to power in 2018.
After winning re-election last year, Sánchez passed a tight confidence vote in the Spanish Parliament on Tuesday to earn its endorsement to form a new government.
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