Deputy Prime Minister of Spain

Second-highest position of the Government of Spain

(First) Deputy Prime Minister of Spain

Vicepresidencia (Primera) del Gobierno de España

Coat of arms of Spain

Incumbent
María Jesús Montero

since 29 December 2023

Government of Spain
Council of Ministers
Style| Excelentísimo/a Señor/a
Member of| Council of Ministers
Seat| Madrid, Spain
Nominator| The Prime Minister
Appointer| The Monarch
Countersigned by the Prime Minister
Term length| No fixed term
No term limits are imposed on the office.
Constituting instrument| Constitution of 1978
Formation| 3 October 1840
(184 years ago) (1840-10-03)
First holder| Joaquín María Ferrer
Salary| €77,992 p.a.[1]

The deputy prime minister of Spain, officially vice president of the Government (Spanish: Vicepresidencia del Gobierno), is the second in command to the Prime Minister, assuming the responsibilities of the premiership when the prime minister is absent or incapable of exercising power.

The deputy prime minister is usually handpicked by the Prime Minister from the members of the Council of Ministers and appointed by the Monarch before whom they take an oath. The deputy prime minister may be the head of a government department, but it depends on the will of the prime minister, who may have a deputy premier without a portfolio.

When there are more than one deputy prime minister, this position is called First Deputy Prime Minister (Spanish: Vicepresidente Primero/Vicepresidenta Primera del Gobierno). Since 2023, there are four deputy prime ministers; Nadia Calviño serves as first deputy prime minister since 12 July 2021 and as minister of Economy since 2018.[2]

## History

[edit]

The office of Deputy Prime Minister, like the premiership, dates back to the 19th century. A Royal Decree of 1840 appointed Joaquín María Ferrer as Vice President of the Council of Ministers.[3][4] However the office was not used again until 1925 when Miguel Primo de Rivera transitioned from a military to a civil government, reestablishing the Council of Ministers, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and re-creating the Vice Presidency. The vice president's function was to replace the president in cases of absence or illness. This vice-president, said article 3 of the Royal Decree, was appointed by the president from among the members of the Council of Ministers.[5] The Vice Presidency was vested in the Under Secretary of the Interior, Severiano Martínez Anido, who combined the position with that of Interior Minister.[6]

With the resignation of Primo de Rivera and the fall of the monarchy, the Second Republic was established in Spain, which did not initially consider a deputy prime minister necessary. However, in December 1933,[7] Prime Minister Lerroux appointed Diego Martínez Barrio Vice President of the Council of Ministers, a position from which he resigned only three months later.[8]

The Law of January 30, 1938, changed the title to Vice Presidency of the Government and, with the formation of the first Franco government, this position was granted to general Francisco Gómez-Jordana Sousa. From 1938 to 1981 the position was occupied by military officials, with the exception of the vice presidents Torcuato Fernández Miranda (1973-1973) and José García Hernández (1974-1975). Since 1981, with a democracy markedly established in society, Prime Minister Calvo-Sotelo appointed a civilian as Deputy, definitively separating the military power from the executive power, a situation that remains today.

## Responsibilities

[edit]

As of 2024, the First Deputy Prime Minister responsibilities are:[9][10]

* Advising the Prime Minister.
* To replace the Prime Minister in the cases of vacancy, absence or illness.
* The exercise of the responsibilities entrusted by the Prime Minister.
* To chair the Government Delegated Committee for Economic Affairs.

## List of officeholders

[edit]

See also: List of deputy prime ministers of Spain

## See also

[edit]

* Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain
* Third Deputy Prime Minister of Spain
* Fourth Deputy Prime Minister of Spain

## References

[edit]

1. ^ EFE (14 January 2019). "Pedro Sánchez percibirá un salario de 82.978 euros". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
2. ^ "Crisis de Gobierno: Calviño será vicepresidenta primera y salen Calvo, Ábalos, Laya y Duque". EXPANSION (in Spanish). 10 July 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
3. ^ "Royal Decree, by which the Queen Regent appointed Joaquin Maria Ferrer Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Finance" (PDF). 13 October 1840.
4. ^ "Minutes of the Cortes - March 1841". 19 March 1841.
5. ^ "Royal decree suppressing the positions of President, Members and Secretary of the Military Directorate; restore the positions of President of the Council of Ministers and of the Ministers of the Crown" (PDF). 4 December 1925.
6. ^ "Royal decree appointing Mr. Severiano Martínez Anido, Minister of the Interior, as Vice President of the Council of Ministers" (PDF). 4 December 1925.
7. ^ "Decree appointing Vice President of the Council of Ministers to Mr. Diego Martínez Barrio" (PDF).
8. ^ "Decree admitting the resignation of Diego Martínez Barrio to the position of Vice President of the Council of Ministers" (PDF).
9. ^ "Ley 50/1997, de 27 de noviembre, del Gobierno". www.boe.es. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
10. ^ "Real Decreto 830/2023, de 20 de noviembre, sobre las Vicepresidencias del Gobierno". www.boe.es. Retrieved 17 December 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Departments and agencies of the Government of Spain

Cabinet|

* President of the Government of Spain
* First Vice President of the Government of Spain
* Second Vice President of the Government of Spain
* Third Vice President of the Government of Spain
* Office of the Prime Minister
* Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
* Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes
* Ministry of Defence
* Minister of Finance
* Ministry of the Interior
* Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility
* Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports
* Minister of Labour and Social Economy
* Minister of Industry and Tourism
* Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
* Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory
* Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge
* Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda
* Ministry of Culture
* Minister of Economy, Trade and Business
* Ministry of Health
* Minister of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda
* Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities
* Ministry of Equality
* Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration
* Ministry for the Digital Transformation and of the Civil Service
* Ministry of Youth and Children
* Spokesperson of the Government

Inactive|

* Fourth Vice President of the Government of Spain
* Ministry of Supply
* Ministry of Communications
* Ministry of Overseas
* Ministry of Information and Tourism
* Ministry of Consumer Affairs
* Ministry of Economy and Finance
* Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda
* Ministry of Justice
* Ministry of the Presidency
* Ministry of Trade
* Ministry of Transport
* Ministry of Universities

Agencies|

* Bank of Spain
* National Intelligence Centre
* National Cryptologic Center
* Spanish National Research Council
* National Statistics Institute
* National Securities Market Commission
* National Transplant Organization
* State Meteorological Agency
* State Vehicle Fleet
* Spanish Data Protection Agency
* Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation
* Spanish Tax Agency
* National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation
* Boletín Oficial del Estado
* Railway Safety Agency
* Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency
* Evaluation and Quality Agency
* State Research Agency
* Spanish Anti-Doping Agency
* Department of Homeland Security
* Intelligence Center for Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime
* Maritime Safety and Rescue Society
* National Sports Council
* Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices
* Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition
* Food Information and Control Agency
* Tourism Institute of Spain
* National Institute for Aerospace Technology
* Directorate-General for Traffic
* Labour and Social Security Inspectorate
* National Institute for Safety and Health at Work
* Spanish Patent and Trademark Office
* Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund
* Centre for Political and Constitutional Studies
* Centre for Sociological Research
* Patrimonio Nacional
* Instituto Cervantes
* National Parks Autonomous Agency
* Institute for the Elderly and Social Services
* Institute of Youth
* Carlos III Health Institute
* Centre for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research
* Institute of Women
* Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility
* Nuclear Safety Council
* Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts
* Spanish Space Agency
* National Commission on Markets and Competition
* Spanish Executive Resolution Authority
* Spanish Agency for the Supervision of Artificial Intelligence
* National Institute of Public Administration

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template