Expatica news

Zapatero gives boost to women in new gov

31 March 2004

MADRID – José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain’s new prime minister, fulfilled a pledge Wednesday by naming a government with equal numbers of men and women.

The Socialist government will be made up of eight men and eight women.

Zapatero has claimed he is serious about improving the position of women.

The last ministers to be named in the new cabinet were Elena Salgado, who is to be health minister and Elena Espinosa, who is to take over at agriculture.

José Bono will be defence minister while  the former European Commissioner for Competition, Pedro Solbes, is to head the treasury ministry.

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega is to take over as spokeswoman for the executive.

Angel Moratinos, the former EU minister for the Middle East,  has been named as foreign minister while Jesús Caldera has accepted the post of work and social affairs minister.

The new justice minister is to be Juan Fernando López Aguilar and  Cristina Narbona was made environment minister. Jordi Sevilla is to take over as minister for public administration.

The magistrate José Antonio Alonso, is to be made security minister while the culture  minister is to be Carmen Calvo.

The education portfolio goes to María Jesús Sansegundo while Magdalena Alvarez is to take over as minister for development.

José Montilla is to be industry minister and María Antonia Trujillo has accepted housing.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news