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Spokesperson of the Government of Spain

The Spokesperson of the Government of Spain is a high ranking of the Government of Spain whose purpose is to inform and communicate to society the political and institutional action of the central government. Its headquarters is located in the denominated Complex of La Moncloa. Currently the holder of the position enjoys the rank of Minister.

Spokesperson of the
Government of Spain
Logo of the Palace of La Moncloa
since November 21, 2023
Office of the Prime Minister
StyleExcelentísima Señora
TypeMinister without portfolio
Member ofCabinet
AppointerPresident of the Government
FormationNovember 11, 1918; 105 years ago (1918-11-11)
First holderCarlos Esplá
DeputySecretary of State of Press
Moncloa Palace's Press Room

History

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The need to inform public opinion about government actions began in 1918 with the creation of the Ministry of Public Instruction and Fine Arts which had an Information Office. With the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera two successive organisms are created; First, the Bureau of Information and Press Censorship, during the Military Directory (1923), and the next in the Civil Directory (1925) with the Office of Information and Press Censorship.

During the Second Republic was born the Press Section affected the General Secretary of the President of the Republic (1932) and during the civil war, Largo Caballero, the prime minister, created the Ministry of Propaganda that had an ephemeral life.

In Francoist Spain the Ministry of Information and Tourism (1951) was created, a ministerial department that was in charge of controlling information, press and radio. To this, was added the administration of Tourism, an industry that had a significant flourishing during those years.

The return to democracy demanded the communication to the citizens about the government's actions, reason why it became necessary the appearance of the figure of the spokesperson. Following the Ministry of Information and Tourism, the next link in the chain of the Spanish Communicative Administration, is the Office of Information Services, created in October 1977 within the Presidency of the Government.[1]

In 1982, with the arrival of PSOE to the power, the Office of the Spokesperson of the Government directed by Eduardo Sotillos was created. In 1985, he was replaced by Javier Solana, Minister of Culture, who assumed both responsibilities simultaneously.[citation needed] In 1988, Prime Minister Felipe González decided to elevate the Office to rank of Minister, appointing Rosa Conde as the first Minister-Spokesperson.[2]

With her resignation in 1993, the position was assumed by the Minister of the Presidency, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba. With the arrival to power of the People's Party, the position returned to have the same category as in 1985, assuming the position other Cabinet members, with the exception of the period from 2000 to 2003 in which it was again an independent position. It was later linked to the Ministry of the Presidency.

From 2004, the Government Spokesperson role was assumed by the Deputy Prime Minister, up until 2009, when it was delegated to by the Minister of Public Works.

In 2016, this position was conferred on the Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo.

In 2018, after the Motion of no confidence, Isabel Celaá became the new Spokesperson of the Government of Spain. She was also named Minister of Education and Vocational Training.[3]

List of Spokesperson of the Government of Spain

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Second Spanish Republic

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Political Party
  PSOE
  IR
Name Picture Term Political Party Government
Carlos Esplá Rizo (1) 4 November 1936 17 May 1937 IR Francisco Largo Caballero

Francoist Spain

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Political Party
  Falange
Name Picture Term Political Party Government
Gabriel Arias-Salgado   18 July 1951 10 July 1962 Falange Francoist Government
Manuel Fraga Iribarne   10 July 1962 29 October 1969 Falange Francoist Government
Alfredo Sánchez Bella   29 October 1969 11 June 1973 Falange Francoist Government
Fernando de Liñán y Zofio   11 June 1973 3 January 1974 Falange Francoist Government
Pío Cabanillas Gallas   3 January 1974 11 March 1975 Falange Francoist Government
León Herrera Esteban   11 March 1975 12 December 1975 Falange Francoist Government

Juan Carlos I

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Political party
  UCD
  PSOE
  PP
  Falange
Name Picture Term Political Party Prime Minister
Adolfo Martín-Gamero   12 December 1975 5 July 1976 Falange Third Arias Navarro Cabinet
Andrés Reguera   5 July 1976 4 July 1977 UCD Adolfo Suárez
Manuel Ortíz Sánchez (2)   4 July 1977 1979 UCD
Josep Meliá Pencas (2)   1979 October 1980 UCD
Rosa Posada (2)   October 1980 26 February 1981 UCD
Ignacio Aguirre Borrell (2)   26 February 1981 2 December 1981 UCD Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo
Eduardo Sotillos (2)   7 December 1982 5 July 1985 PSOE Felipe González
Javier Solana (3)   5 July 1985 7 July 1988 PSOE
Rosa Conde (4)   7 July 1988 13 July 1993 PSOE
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (5)   13 July 1993 5 May 1996 PSOE
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Bajón (6)   5 May 1996 16 July 1998 PP José María Aznar
Josep Piqué (7)   16 July 1998 27 April 2000 PP
Pío Cabanillas Alonso (4)   27 April 2000 9 July 2002 PP
Mariano Rajoy (5)   9 July 2002 3 September 2003 PP
Eduardo Zaplana (8)   3 September 2003 17 April 2004 PP
María Teresa Fernández de la Vega (9)   17 April 2004 21 October 2010 PSOE José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (10)   21 October 2010 12 July 2011 PSOE
José Blanco López (11)   12 July 2011 21 December 2011 PSOE
Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría (9)   21 December 2011 4 November 2016 PP Mariano Rajoy

Felipe VI

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Name Picture Term Political Party Prime Minister
Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría (9)   21 December 2011 4 November 2016 PP Mariano Rajoy
Íñigo Méndez de Vigo (12)   4 November 2016 1 June 2018 PP
Isabel Celaá (13)   7 June 2018 13 January 2020 PSOE Pedro Sánchez
María Jesús Montero (14)   13 January 2020 12 July 2021 PSOE
Isabel Rodríguez García (15)   12 July 2021 21 November 2023 PSOE
Pilar Alegría (16)   21 November 2023 Incumbent PSOE
  • (1) Minister of Propaganda
  • (2) Secretary of State for Information (1977-1981), Secretary of State of Communication (1981-1982).
  • (3) He combined it with the position of Minister of Culture (December 3, 1982 - 7 de July 7, 1988).
  • (4) Spokesperson Minister of the Government
  • (5) Minister of the Presidency.
  • (6) Secretary of State of Communication, acted as Spokesperson de facto of the Government.
  • (7) He combined it with the position of Minister of Industry and Energy (May 6, 1996 - April 27, 2000).
  • (8) He combined it with the position of Employment and Social Affairs (July 10, 2002 - April 17, 2004).
  • (9) She combined it with the position of Vicepresident, Minister of the Presidency and Spokesperson of the Government.
  • (10) She combined it with the position of Vicepresident and Spokesperson of the Government.
  • (11) He combined it with the position of Minister of Public Works (April 7, 2009 - December 21, 2011).
  • (12) He combined it with the position of Minister of Education, Culture and Sport.
  • (13) She combined it with the position of Minister of Education and Vocational training.
  • (14) She combined it with the position of Minister of Finance.
  • (15) She combined it with the position of Minister of Territorial Policy.
  • (16) She combined it with the position of Minister of Education, Vocational training and Sports.


References

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  1. ^ The Government's Spokesperson: Origins, evolution, functions and consolidation. The Development of communicable administration in Spain
  2. ^ Royal Decree 731/1988, of July 11, by which are appointed Ministers of the Government.
  3. ^ Isabel Celaá, Spokesperson, Education and Vocational Training Minister
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