The first government of Pedro Sánchez was formed on 7 June 2018, following the latter's election as prime minister of Spain by the Congress of Deputies on 1 June and his swearing-in on 2 June, as a result of the success of a motion of no confidence against Mariano Rajoy. It succeeded the second Rajoy government and was the government of Spain from 7 June 2018 to 13 January 2020, a total of days, or .
The cabinet comprised members of the PSOE (including its sister party, the Socialists' Party of Catalonia, PSC) and a number of independents. It was nicknamed the "Beautiful Government" () by the media, because its composition was purposely leaked in a slow cascade of surprise, well-received announcements in the days prior to its formation in order to heighten the positive media coverage on the new appointments. It also became the government with the most female ministers in the country's history and in the world at the time, with 11 out of 17 ministries held by women or 64.7% of the total.
The government was defeated in the parliamentary vote of the 2019 General State Budget bill, prompting Sánchez to dissolve the Cortes and call a snap election; as a result, this was the shortest government since the Spanish transition to democracy—not counting acting periods—lasting for 10 months before an election was held. It was automatically dismissed on 29 April 2019 as a consequence of the April 2019 general election, but remained in acting capacity until the next government was sworn in.
Investiture
Motion of no confidenceCongress of Deputies Ballot → 1 June 2018 Required majority → 176 out of 350 Absentees Sources
Cabinet changes Sánchez's first government saw a number of cabinet changes during its tenure:
On 13 June 2018, Màxim Huerta stepped down as Minister of Culture and Sports after it was revealed that he had been sanctioned for using a shell corporation as a means for tax avoidance between 2006 and 2008. He was succeeded by José Guirao. On 11 September 2018, Carmen Montón announced her resignation as Minister of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare after evidence was uncovered that she had obtained a master's degree from the King Juan Carlos University without attending most classes, amid other irregularities. She was succeeded by María Luisa Carcedo.
From 29 April 2019, Sánchez's cabinet took on acting duties for the duration of the government formation process resulting from the April 2019 general election. This lasted for an estimated days and saw a new general election being held in the meantime. A number of ministers renounced their posts throughout this period, with the ordinary duties of their ministries being transferred to other cabinet members as a result of Sánchez being unable to appoint replacements while in acting role.
On 21 May 2019, Meritxell Batet was elected President of the Congress of Deputies of the 13th Legislature, a position incompatible with her post as acting Minister of Territorial Policy and Civil Service. Luis Planas, acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, took on the ordinary discharge of duties of Batet's vacant ministry. On 30 November 2019, Josep Borrell renounced his position as acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation in order to become High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the Von der Leyen Commission. Margarita Robles, acting Minister of Defence, took on the ordinary discharge of duties of Borrell's vacant ministry.
Council of Ministers The Council of Ministers was structured into the offices for the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, 17 ministries and the post of the spokesperson of the Government.
← Sánchez I Government →(7 June 2018 – 13 January 2020) Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez PSOE 2 June 2018 8 January 2020 Deputy Prime MinisterMinister of the Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Equality Carmen Calvo PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Josep Borrell PSOE 7 June 2018 30 November 2019 Minister of Justice Dolores Delgado Independent 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Defence Margarita Robles Independent 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Finance María Jesús Montero PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska Independent 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Development José Luis Ábalos PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Education and Vocational TrainingSpokesperson of the Government Isabel Celaá PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Labour, Migration and Social Security Magdalena Valerio PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Reyes Maroto PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Luis Planas PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Territorial Policy and Civil Service Meritxell Batet PSOE/PSC 7 June 2018 20 May 2019 Minister for the Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera PSOE 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Culture and Sports Màxim Huerta Independent 7 June 2018 13 June 2018 Minister of Economy and Enterprise Nadia Calviño Independent 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Minister of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare Carmen Montón PSOE 7 June 2018 11 September 2018 Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities Pedro Duque Independent 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 Changes June 2018 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Culture and Sports José Guirao Independent 14 June 2018 13 January 2020 Changes September 2018 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare María Luisa Carcedo PSOE 12 September 2018 13 January 2020 Changes 2019 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Territorial Policy and Civil Service Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
Departmental structure Pedro Sánchez's first government was organised into several superior and governing units, whose number, powers and hierarchical structure varied depending on the ministerial department.
Unit/body rank () Secretary of state () Undersecretary () Director-general () Autonomous agency () Military & intelligence agency
Office Portrait Name Took office Left office Alliance/party Prime Minister's Office Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez 2 June 2018 8 January 2020 PSOE Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE See Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and EqualityMinistry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Ministry of Foreign Affairs,European Union and Cooperation Josep Borrell 7 June 2018 30 November 2019 PSOE Margarita Robles 30 November 2019 13 January 2020 PSOEMinistry of Justice Ministry of Justice Dolores Delgado 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Defence Ministry of Defence Margarita Robles 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Finance Ministry of Finance María Jesús Montero 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of the Interior Ministry of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Development Ministry of Development José Luis Ábalos 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Ministry of Educationand Vocational Training Isabel Celaá 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Labour, Migration and Social Security Ministry of Labour,Migration and Social Security Magdalena Valerio 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism Ministry of Industry,Trade and Tourism Reyes Maroto 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Ministry of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food Luis Planas 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Equality Ministry of the Presidency,Relations with the Cortesand Equality Carmen Calvo 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Territorial Policy and Civil Service Ministry of Territorial Policyand Civil Service Meritxell Batet 7 June 2018 20 May 2019 PSOE Luis Planas 20 May 2019 13 January 2020 PSOEMinistry for the Ecological Transition Ministry for the EcologicalTransition Teresa Ribera 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Culture and Sports Ministry of Culture and Sports Màxim Huerta 7 June 2018 13 June 2018 PSOE José Guirao 14 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOEMinistry of Economy and Enterprise Ministry of Economy and Enterprise Nadia Calviño 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare Ministry of Health, ConsumerAffairs and Social Welfare Carmen Montón 7 June 2018 11 September 2018 PSOE María Luisa Carcedo 12 September 2018 13 January 2020 PSOEMinistry of Science, Innovation and Universities Ministry of Science,Innovation and Universities Pedro Duque 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Spokesperson of the Government Spokesperson of the Government Isabel Celaá 7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE
Notes
References
External links Governments of Spain 2011–present. Ministers of Mariano Rajoy and Pedro Sánchez. Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish).