No one in Moncloa or Ferraz presumes that the Government crisis that Pedro Sánchez will execute today, to resolve the departure of Nadia Calviño – almighty first vice-president and Minister of the Economy, who will now assume the presidency of the European Investment Bank (EIB )–, will have as much weight as the one he carried out in July 2021. But government sources warn that, in these situations, Sánchez always enjoys exercising his exclusive prerogative with some surprise that no one can foresee: “He never disappoints “, they warn.
Internal shenanigans in the Government and the PSOE are blowing smoke, as is customary, despite the fact that Sánchez already has plenty of experience in keeping secrets under wraps. The president, who has already returned from his trip to Iraq, will announce the new appointments at 9 a.m. this Friday, in an appearance in Moncloa. And the whole process will be resolved in an express way, since today they will be published in the digital edition of the BOE, and then they will take possession of their positions.
In that great earthquake of July 2021, with the argument of “recharging the batteries” to face a different phase of his mandate once the coronavirus pandemic is over, Sánchez surprisingly relieved his two political heavyweights and “firewalls” in the Executive, as they were until then the first vice-president Carmen Calvo, backbone and coordinator of the entire Cabinet, replaced at the head of the Presidency by Félix Bolaños, and the head of Transport – and secretary of organization of the PSOE -, José Luis Ábalos, relieved in this portfolio by Raquel Sánchez.
Sánchez’s chief of staff, Iván Redondo, was also dismissed, replaced by Óscar López. And they were terminated Arancha González Laya in Foreign Affairs – relieved by José Manuel Albares -, Juan Carlos Campo in Justice – Pilar Llop assumed this portfolio -, Isabel Celáa – replaced by Isabel Rodríguez as Government Spokesperson and by Pilar Alegría as Minister of Education -, José Manuel Uribes in Culture – who gave the testimony to Miquel Iceta, who in turn handed over the portfolio of Territorial Policy to Isabel Rodríguez -, and Pedro Duque in Science – relieved by Diana Morant -.
In Moncloa, it is not planned that Sánchez will carry out such a profound reshuffle of the Government today. Firstly, because the members of the current Council of Ministers took up their positions just over a month ago, on November 21.
Nevertheless, the simple relief in the Executive of Nadia Calviño (A Coruña, 1968) will be very relevant, since this State economist and senior official in the European institutions – daughter of José María Calviño, whom Felipe González appointed director general of RTVE in 1982 – he has held the reins of Spain’s economic policy since Sánchez arrived in Moncloa in June 2018, after winning the motion of no confidence that brought down Mariano Rajoy.
Since then, already five and a half years ago, Calviño climbed positions in the Government, first as third vice-president, then second and finally first, replacing Carmen Calvo. His figure has always been a guarantee of compliance with European economic orthodoxy, in the face of misgivings that could be caused by the government coalition of the PSOE, with Unides Podemos in the past legislature and with Sumar in the current one.
With this important role, and being at the head of the Central Government’s Delegated Commission for Economic Affairs, Calviño’s differences were public and notorious with the minority partner of the coalition, and especially with the second vice-president and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Diaz The also leader of Sumar, however, dismissed her yesterday with affection: “I will miss her and, moreover, I wish her the best of luck.”
Sánchez promoted a more political profile of Calviño, in the face of his dissimulation to respond to the Popular Party in the control sessions of the Government in Parliament, and even as an electoral asset, despite the fact that he is not a member of the PSOE and always refused to incorporate -se on their electoral lists. “We have Nadia, they have no one”, was one of the slogans that Sánchez repeated in the last electoral campaign, to highlight the absence of an economic program from Núñez Feijóo’s party.
As for the relief that Sánchez will announce today, everyone in Moncloa and Ferraz admits that they have more speculations than certainties. But in the internal sections, the names of Vice Presidents María Jesús Montero and Teresa Ribera and Minister José Luis Escrivá, as well as Manuel de la Rocha, as well as Gonzalo García, Carlos Cuerpo or Xiana Méndez, along with David Vegara, José Manuel Campa or Ángel Ubide. Sánchez has the last word, as always. today itself
