Continuity. This word best describes the decisions made by Sánchez regarding the economic ministries that will form part of his new government. With one important exception – Elma Saiz, former Councilor Maria Civite in Navarre, who is now in charge of social security, the remaining ministers of this wing will repeat their portfolio in this legislature. And Escriva remains on the team with the new department – the department Digital transformationMaybe created to last only one month, until Calviño completes her job leading negotiations on European fiscal rules, which could coincide with her appointment as president of the EIB (European Investment Bank).

Calviño and Escriva have been the main economic policy issues in recent days. The idea was spreading that Sánchez would like to create a renewed image, a new stage, a new structure and with new faces, but the changes in the economic cabinet were not clear. Finally, the President decided to leave all those who brought him good results, taking only a few measures. changes in less important departments such as housing, transport and industry, which will be taken over respectively by Isabel Rodriguez, Oscar Puente and former Barcelona mayor Jordi Jereu.

The most important decision, then, is that Escrivá will leave the Social Security baton immediately after the completion of a huge reform of the pension system, which will be assessed and perhaps inevitably changed over the next few years, which will not be easy for Elma Saiz. . The new minister, completely unknown at the national level, was the representative of the Socialist Party of Navarra in the city council of Pamplona, ​​as well as the minister of economy and finance in that community, as well as a government delegate. According to sources, Saiz could become resolution of Yolanda Diaz’s lawsuit remove the former socialist minister from the portfolio, who was part of the Ministry of Labor until 2020, due to constant clashes between both of them and their teams.

Possible Christmas gift for Escrivá

However, movement can also be understood in terms of award to Jose Luis Escriva, an economist valued by Sánchez too, despite not having a PSOE card, who has faced harsh criticism for being in charge of the most delicate reform in an extremely aging country, and for which the social security system has already been outgrown. Sánchez could thus give him a portfolio of even greater weight, although it is unclear whether Calviño will be elected chairman of the Council. European Investment Bank. The vice president’s main rival is competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager, a strong authority figure, but her path has become somewhat clearer since Scholz guaranteed German support last week.

Regardless of whether she is elected or not, maintaining control over economic issues Calviño will now be able to complete the reform European tax rules. The Vice-President is responsible for coordinating negotiations under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. For her, clinching a pact before the end of the year would be a real achievement, and the possibility that a new minister would have to take office this month complicated the decision. On the other hand, by appointing Escriva as Minister of the place that Carmen Artigas has until now occupied as Secretary of State for Digitalization, the former AIReF President and former Chief Economist of BBVA takes an intermediate step towards achieving the portfolio of his dreams. If this is Sanchez’s intention, because if anything has become clear in recent days, it is that the opacity around these types of decisions is complete and absolute. The President does not tolerate leaks.

Vice Presidents, all economic

Against all odds, and despite promises to reduce the composition of the new executive, Sánchez finally maintains a government with 22 ministries, in which the economic cabinets take on even greater weight, since four of his most important ministers serve as four vice presidents. Nadia Calviño remains first vice president; Yolanda Diaz, continues second; Teresa Ribera continues the third and Maria Jesus Montero Montero comes out fourth. They all keep their portfolios unchanged – Labour, Green Transition and Treasury and Civil Service respectively. The fact that Ribera continues to work has been taken for granted after she played a very important role in reforming the European electricity market, although she is widely seen as a European Commissioner in next May’s elections. In Montero’s case, her weight gain is perceived as a natural step as an important negotiator for Sánchez, who worked on investment and legislative agreements and was also number two in the PSOE and who was already the minister’s representative in 2020 and 2021, a position he will now occupy Director of Education Pilar Alegria.

Isabel Rodriguez Thus, he leaves the position of press secretary and takes over the new Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, while Valladolid Oscar Puente He owns the other half – the Ministry of Transport, which until now was led by Raquel Sánchez. Keeps your portfolio unchanged Luis Planas, as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and former Mayor of Barcelona Jordi Hereu He takes over as head of the Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, replacing Reyes Maroto. On the other hand, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is merging with the Ministry of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda, which will lead Pablo Bustinduy, replacing Alberto Garzón and Ione Belarra.

The list of possible new economy ministers includes a number of names that have not ceased to be heard in recent weeks: former Secretaries of State for Economy José Manuel Campa and David Vegara, as well as the current Gonzalo García Andrés; Sánchez’s current economic guru Manuel de la Rocha; This is former IMF economist Angel Ubide. Even those from other, more unknown profiles – as was the case with Calviño herself in 2018 – with which it is estimated that Sánchez could surprise. The main unknown now is whether the president will choose a new name in a month if Calviño is elected to the EIB, or whether he will again combine digital transformation and economic issues, as is now taken for granted.