Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has unveiled his new cabinet and for the first time it includes more women than men.
Former housing minister Carme Chacon, a rising star in Spain’s Socialist party, becomes its first ever female defence minister and the newly created equality ministry has 31 year old Bibiana Aido at the helm. Although the cabinet has nine women and eight men, the inclusion of the Prime Minister balances things out.
Several of the old guard remain in the cabinet to maintain a bit of continuity, but there are a few new faces.
- Bibiana Aido – Equality
- Cristina Garmendia – Innovation
- Beatriz Corredor – Housing
- Miguel Sebastián – Industry
- Celestino Corbacho – Labour and Immigration
There are still two deputy prime ministers, Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega and Pedro Solbes, so no changes there.
There are a few mergers. Agriculture and Environment have merged to become Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Marine, Education now incorporates Social Affairs and Immigration is now included under Labour.