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145-478: Mariano Rajoy Brey ( Galician: [maɾiˈanʊ raˈʃoj] , Spanish: [maˈɾjano raˈxoj] ; born 27 March 1955), is a Spanish politician who served as Prime Minister of Spain from 2011 to 2018, when a vote of no confidence ousted his government. On 5 June 2018, he announced his resignation as People's Party leader. He became Leader of the People's Party in 2004 and prime minister in 2011 following
290-578: A coalition agreement before their meeting with the Sovereign. Title IV of the Constitution defines the Government and its responsibilities. The Government consists of the prime minister and the ministers. The government conducts domestic and foreign policy , civil and military administration, and the defense of the nation all in the name of the monarch on behalf of the people. Additionally,
435-482: A descendant of it is still alive in Vigo's city centre. To the northeast, Vigo borders the municipality of Redondela ; to the east, Mos ; to the south, O Porriño and Gondomar ; and to the southwest, Nigrán . On the other side of the bay are the municipalities of Cangas and Moaña . Vigo has a transitional climate between the oceanic climate " Cfb " and the warm-summer Mediterranean climate " Csb " according to
580-524: A failed motion of confidence, a motion of no confidence against the prime minister or the death of the prime minister. In the first three options, there is no succession, because the prime minister remains as caretaker prime minister until a new prime minister is elected by the Congress of Deputies. If the Prime Minister dies, the 1997 Government Act provides that the Prime Minister be succeeded by
725-550: A few days after he [Bárcenas] had been officially "removed" from his duties as treasurer) informing Rajoy of his "re-incorporation" in the party. On 26 November 2014, Ana Mato , Minister of Health , resigned due to the involvement of herself and her husband Jesús Sepúlveda in the Gürtel case . He testified in Audiencia Nacional as a witness in the framework of the investigation into the Gürtel corruption scandal , of
870-933: A few kilometers away from the city center. In many of the municipality's neighborhoods and parishes a large number of Roman ruins remain. Such is the importance of the Roman remains in Vigo that many Spanish authors have come to coin the term Romanesque Vigo ( románico vigués in Spanish). Vigo retains some interesting examples of Romanesque churches in southern Galicia: Throughout the municipality of Vigo there are 47 coves and beaches, including sandy areas with waves for water sports, wild coves, family beaches, nudist beaches and urban beaches. Some of these coves and beaches have various facilities or services for their users, such as sports areas, showers, footbaths, public address system, promenade, Red Cross lifeguard and rescue post, areas adapted for people with disabilities, etc. In June 2020,
1015-583: A finger in the accident. His criticisms of the Zapatero administration were focused on what he perceived as: In foreign policy : Rajoy faced a serious situation within his party when he came under public pressure from the electorally successful Alberto Ruiz Gallardón (Madrid's Mayor) to be included in the PP ;lists for the March 2008 general election . Gallardón represents a more centrist sector within
1160-480: A free trade zone in 1947 to encourage international trade and economic development in southern Galicia. Vigo's urban area is built on both a hill-fort ( Castro ) and a Roman settlement. It is generally accepted that the name Vigo is derived from the Latin word vicus spacorum , meaning "small village". The standard pronunciation of Vigo in both Galician and Spanish is [ˈbiɣo] . Vigo has been given
1305-502: A minority by adopting some aspects of the minor party platforms in an effort to attract them into parliamentary agreements to vote in the major party's favour, or at least abstain. The monarch's order nominating a prime ministerial candidate is countersigned by the Speaker of the Congress, who then presents the nominee before the Congress of Deputies in a process known as a parliamentary investiture ( Investidura parlamentaria ). During
1450-640: A plenary formed by 20 councillors from the Socialists' Party of Galicia–PSOE , 4 from the People's Party , 2 from the Marea de Vigo and 1 from the Galician Nationalist Bloc . The current mayor is Abel Caballero ( Spanish Socialist Workers Party ), who has won four mandates in a row since becoming mayor in 2007. Vigo is administratively divided into 23 parroquias ("parishes"). Vigo
1595-474: A population of 545,892 inhabitants in total, of which 296,692 lived in the municipality of Vigo, which represented 54.34% of the total population of the metropolitan area. In 2019, 15,319 foreigners lived in the city, 5.2% of the total population. The main nationalities are Portuguese (12%), Venezuelans (9.2%), Brazilians (9%), Romanians (7.5%), Colombians (6.5%), Senegalese (4%) and Chinese people (3%). By language, according to 2013 data, 7.68% of
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#17327754666341740-428: A prime minister resigns without advising the monarch to call for new elections, dies or becomes incapacitated while in office, then the government as a whole resigns and the process of royal nomination and appointment takes place. The deputy prime minister , or in the absence of such office, the first minister by precedence, would then take over the day-to-day operations in the meantime as acting-prime minister, even while
1885-574: A wider functional urban area (FUA), with 21 municipalities and a population of 541,000 inhabitants. Vigo is a municipality , the basic level of local government in Spain. The Ayuntamiento ( concello in Galician) is the body charged with the municipal government and administration. The Plenary of the concello is formed by 27 elected municipal councillors, who in turn invest the mayor . The last municipal election took place on 26 May 2019, leading to
2030-509: Is dismissed from office the day after the election, but remains in office as a caretaker until his/her successor is sworn in. Following the general election and other circumstances provided for in the Constitution, the sovereign meets with the leaders of the parties represented in the Congress of Deputies, and then consults with the Speaker of the Congress of Deputies ( Spanish : Presidente de Congreso de los Diputados ) as representative of
2175-652: Is elected by the Congress of Deputies. In practice, the prime minister is almost always the leader of the largest party in the Congress, although not necessarily. The prime minister's official residence and office is Moncloa Palace in Madrid. Pedro Sánchez , of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), has been prime minister since 2 June 2018. He first came to power after a successful motion of no confidence against former prime minister Mariano Rajoy . Since then, Sánchez has led three governments,
2320-569: Is general freight, highlighting container traffic, RO-RO of vehicles (the second in Spain in Ro-Ro traffic for new vehicles), natural stone and granite (the first of Spain in granite traffic), wood and preserved food . The main campus of the University of Vigo is located on top of one of the mountains that surrounds the town, in the parish of Zamáns . The local transportation service Vitrasa enables shuttles in order to communicate
2465-474: Is headquartered in Vigo. In the Early Middle Ages , the small village of Vigo was part of the territory of Galician-speaking neighbouring towns, particularly Tui , and suffered several Viking attacks. However, its number of inhabitants was so small that, historically, it was not considered a real town until around the 15th century, when the earliest records began. In the 16th and 17th centuries,
2610-671: Is home to the Co-Cathedral of Santa María and several museums, most of which were inaugurated between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Among them are the Museum of Contemporary Art (MARCO) and the Museum of the Sea. The oldest museum is the Quiñones de León Municipal Museum. The municipality of Vigo is one of the most important Roman centers of Pontevedra . Although within the city one will not find much Romanesque architecture, it can be seen
2755-517: Is not granted, a second vote is scheduled forty-eight hours later in which a simple majority of votes cast (i.e., more "yes" than "no" votes) is required. Following the second vote, if confidence by the Congress is still not reached, then the monarch again meets with political leaders and the Speaker, and submits a new nominee for a vote of confidence (exceptionally, in 2016 King Felipe VI opted for not nominating more candidates and call for new elections ). If, within two months, no candidate has won
2900-487: Is not possible to determine when the position actually originated, the office of prime minister has evolved throughout history to what it is today. The role of prime minister (then called Secretary of State) as president of the Council of Ministers, first appears in a royal decree of 1824 by King Ferdinand VII . The current office was established during the reign of Juan Carlos I , in the 1978 Constitution , which describes
3045-518: Is one of the largest employers in the region. In 2007, it produced a total of 545,000 vehicles, of which more than 82% were sold outside Spain. Biotech and other advanced industries play an important role on Vigo's economy. The publishing industry in Galician is prominent in the city, with Editorial Galaxia and Editorial Xerais. The Port of Vigo covers a length of more than 20 km and offers more than 9 km of docks. The largest port traffic
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#17327754666343190-435: Is seen as a royal endorsement of the democratic process—a fundamental concept enshrined in the 1978 Constitution. The largest party can end up not ruling if rival parties form a coalition —as happened in 2018 with the election of PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez . More commonly, if neither of the two major parties ( Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is able to command an absolute majority of the Congress by themselves, one will rule as
3335-599: Is the grandson of Enrique Rajoy Leloup , one of the architects of the Galician Statute of Autonomy (1936) ( Estatuto de autonomía de Galicia ), who was removed from university teaching by the Franco dictatorship in the early 1950s. He is the son of Olga Brey López and Mariano Rajoy Sobredo , a jurist, and president of the Provincial Court of Pontevedra , the city where he grew up. Later on, his father
3480-808: Is the most populous municipality in Galicia. The area of the municipality includes the Cíes Islands , part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park . Vigo is one of the region's primary economic agents, owing to the French Stellantis Vigo Plant and to its port . Close to the Portugal–Spain border , Vigo is part of the Galicia–North Portugal Euroregion . The European Fisheries Control Agency
3625-512: Is the second authority of the Kingdom of Spain, outranking all other State authorities except members of the royal family . In 2023, the Prime Minister received a salary of €90,010 and additional €13,422 as member of parliament. With this salary, the prime minister is not the highest paid official of Spain, being surpassed by other State authorities such as the royal family (the King , €269,296;
3770-627: The Faro de Vigo , the oldest newspaper in Spain still in circulation, and the Atlántico Diario , a little local newspaper. There also exist a local edition of the Galician main headline newspaper " La Voz de Galicia ". Vigo was also the main location of historic newspaper such as the weekly newspaper " A Nosa Terra ", which was published in Galician and is now defunct. Vigo also has a TV local station: "Televigo". Although not very popular, it
3915-562: The Movida madrileña that took place in Vigo during the 1980s triggered by the explosion of liberties after the death of dictator Francisco Franco . The most important artists of this postmodern movement were musicians; particularly punk and new wave bands such as Siniestro Total , Golpes Bajos , Aerolíneas Federales , Semen Up or Os Resentidos . At the moment, the city still has notorious bands like Iván Ferreiro (ex-singer of Los Piratas ) and Mon. Vigo has two daily newspapers;
4060-818: The 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis marked by the Catalan independence referendum of 2017 and the Catalan unilateral declaration of independence on 27 October 2017 that led to the imposition of direct rule in Catalonia. At 14 years and 146 days, Rajoy was the longest-serving Spanish politician in the Government of Spain since the Spanish transition to democracy , having held ministerial offices continuously from 1996 to 2004 and from 2011 to 2018. Born 27 March 1955 in Santiago de Compostela , A Coruña , Galicia, Rajoy
4205-664: The Constitution of 1876 (article 54). With the fall of the First Republic and the restoration of the Bourbon dynasty on King Alfonso XII , the office maintained its original name until the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera , when it was renamed to President of the Military Directory . In 1925, the original name was restored again. The Republican Constitution of 1931 provided for the prime minister and
4350-639: The Council of Ministers Royal Decrees granting the degrees of Collar and Grand Cross, and all titles of the different degrees of the Royal Order must bear his signature and the monarch's. The last people to join the order were King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his consort, Queen Maxima , who were awarded the collar and grand cross of the order, respectively, in March 2024 on the occasion of
4495-669: The Deputy Prime Minister and, if there is more than one, by the Deputy Prime Ministers, depending on their order. If there is no deputy prime minister, the Government Act establishes that the prime minister will be replaced by the ministers, according to the order of precedence of the Departments . This means that the first in the line of succession after the deputy prime ministers would be
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4640-587: The Köppen climate classification . Although Vigo is the rainiest city in Galicia, with its noticeable drying trend in the summer, Vigo's climate is more similar to the variant of the oceanic climate commonly seen in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The all-time record high for the city is 40.8 °C (105 °F) set on August 7, 2016. Vigo is known for its extreme rainfall in winter. December 1978 saw 925.6 millimetres (36.44 in) fall at
4785-544: The Minister of Foreign Affairs , followed by the Minister of Justice , the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Finance . These four ministers are the first and great offices created in 1714 by King Philip V . The Order of Charles III, officially the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, was established in 1771 by King Charles III and is today the country's highest civil honor. The current regulation of
4930-734: The Queen , €148,105; and the Queen Mother , €121,186), the president of the Congress of Deputies (€230,931), the president of the Constitutional Court (€167,169), the president of the Supreme Court (€151,186) and the president of the Court of Auditors (€130,772), among others. The prime minister is constitutionally protected against ordinary prosecution. Although the Prime Minister does not have legal immunity like
5075-545: The Second Spanish Republic ended. Before 1834 the figure was known as " Secretary of State " ( Secretario de Estado ), a denomination used today for junior ministers . Spain was not unique in this regard: it was one of several European parliamentary systems, including France , Italy and the Irish Free State , that styled the head of government as 'presidents' of the government rather than
5220-480: The Supreme Court rejected the lawsuit. The newspaper El País published in its edition of 30 January 2013 a series of documents, under the title of " Bárcenas ' secret papers", referring to the accounts of the conservative party from 1999 to 2009. According to those hand-written documents, Mariano Rajoy and María Dolores de Cospedal had received extra payments in "black" money from the former treasurer of
5365-579: The Supreme Court , accusing them of diversion of public funds and misappropriation. Mariano Rajoy was accused of receiving a subsistence allowance despite the fact that he was living in the Moncloa Palace in Madrid. The lawsuit before the Supreme Court was a consequence of the data which had appeared in the media providing information about several deputies who had houses in Madrid but at the same time were receiving extra funds for lodging. According to
5510-455: The Title of Concession creating the dignity must be countersigned by a government minister. When a title is created for a former prime minister, the succeeding prime minister customarily countersigns the royal decree. Although prior to the reign of Alfonso XIII many noble titles were granted —or the rank of those who already possessed it one was raised— to prime ministers and ministers (such as
5655-785: The Xunta de Galicia . On 11 June 1983, Rajoy was elected President of the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra , a position he held until 10 December 1986. In the General Elections of 22 June 1986, he won a seat in the Congress of Deputies as the head of the AP's list for Pontevedra , although he resigned in November to take up the post of vice-president of the Xunta of Galicia following the resignation of Xosé Luis Barreiro and
5800-647: The autonomous community of Galicia , Spain . Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula , it sits on the southern shore of an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, the Ria de Vigo , the southernmost of the Rías Baixas . It is the capital of the comarca of Vigo . The municipality, with an area of 109.06 km (42.11 sq mi) and a population of 292,374 in 2022 including rural parishes,
5945-475: The 17th century as "principal minister or prime minister of Spain" ) although they can not be completely compared. On 19 November 1823, after a brief liberal democratic period called the Liberal Triennium between 1820 and 1823, King Ferdinand VII re-established the absolute monarchy and created the Council of Ministers that continues to exist today. This council, when not chaired by the monarch,
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6090-464: The 402nd Air Force Squadron (helicopters). The Parliament, and thus, the Government, sit for a term no longer than four years. Before that date, the prime minister may offer his resignation to the sovereign. If the Prime Minister does so while advising the monarch to dissolve parliament, the sovereign will call for a snap election , but no sooner than a year after the prior general election. If
6235-629: The Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC) awarded the blue flag distinction to the following 10 beaches in Vigo: Argazada, Canido, Carril, Fontaíña, Muíños de Fortiñón, Punta, Rodas, Samil , Tombo do Gato and Vao. Vigo is served by Vigo-Peinador Airport (VGO/LEVX). Located 12 kilometres to the east of the city of Vigo, straddling halfway the municipalities of Vigo, Redondela and Mos , it offers domestic and international destinations. A ferry service operates between
6380-465: The Congress for a vote of confidence . In constitutional matters, the primacy of the prime minister over the ministers is also evident, since the prime ministers alone is responsible for the government initiative to challenge the constitutionality of a law . The Office of the Prime Minister ( Spanish : Presidencia del Gobierno , lit. ' Presidency of the Government ' ) is the combination of government departments and services that are at
6525-525: The Congress' right to withdraw confidence from the government, the Cortes Generales has two ways of forcing the prime minister's resignation: passing a motion of no confidence or rejecting a motion of confidence. In the first case, and following the German model, a prime minister can only be removed by a constructive vote of no confidence . While the Congress can censure the government at any time,
6670-417: The Constitution vests the monarch as the "arbitrator and moderator of the institutions" of government, [The King] arbitrates and moderates the regular functioning of the institutions ( arbitra y modera el funcionamiento regular de las instituciones ). This provision could be understood as allowing the monarch or his government ministers to exercise emergency authority in times of national crisis, such as when
6815-615: The Dukedom of Prim —granted to the daughter of late prime minister Juan Prim — or the Dukedom of Castillejos —awarded to the other son of the aforementioned prime minister—), it was not until this historical period when it became customary, since King Alfonso XIII granted a total of sixteen of these dignities to former prime ministers or their relatives during his reign. Of these, four were dukedoms (granted to relatives of assassinated prime ministers), three were marquessates and two counties, as well as seven grandships were granted. Likewise,
6960-508: The Executive Power and was also head of state . In 1874, the office name reverted to President of the Council of Ministers . Since its inception, the prime minister has been appointed and dismissed by the will of the monarch. Successive constitutions have confirmed this royal prerogative of the monarch in the Constitution of 1837 (article 47), article 46 of the Constitution of 1845 , the Constitution of 1869 (article 68), and
7105-486: The Government (Spanish: Presidente del Gobierno ), is the head of government of Spain . The prime minister nominates the ministers and chairs the Council of Ministers . In this sense, the prime minister establishes the Government policies and coordinates the actions of the Cabinet members. As chief executive, the prime minister also advises the monarch on the exercise of their royal prerogatives . Although it
7250-420: The Government of the Basque Country, as Interior Minister. In this role, he passed legislation including the Organic Law on the right of association, approved the decree implementing the Organic Law on the rights and duties of foreigners, and presented the draft law on the prevention of alcoholism. In the major cabinet reshuffle of 9 July 2002, he became minister of the presidency, retained his vice presidency and
7395-566: The Government" ( Spanish : Presidente del Gobierno ). Not only is this term confusing for English speakers because Spain is not a republic, but because the parliamentary speakers are also referred to as presidents of their respective chambers. For example, both President George W. Bush and his brother, Florida governor Jeb Bush , referred to José María Aznar as "president" on separate occasions, and Donald Trump referred to Mariano Rajoy both as "President" and "Mr. President" during Rajoy's 2017 White House visit. While this term of address
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#17327754666347540-444: The Ministry of Economy and Finance was split into two new ministries. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment was kept intact, despite statements made by Rajoy speech before Congress that indicated the opposite intention. Among the ministers, Cristóbal Montoro Romero , Minister of Finance, and Miguel Arias Cañete , Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment, had been members of the previous Aznar government and continued to occupy
7685-436: The Ministry of the Presidency. The Cabinet Office, through the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Government, is responsible for the protocol and security affairs. Within the General Secretariat, there is a Department of Security of the Presidency of the Government (DSPG) that coordinates the efforts of the National Police Corps and the Civil Guard in the protection of the Prime Minister and his family, as well as
7830-436: The PSOE, under the leadership of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero , won the elections with a majority of 1,300,000 votes over the PP, and obtained 164 deputies, while the PP obtained 9,763,144 votes but 148 deputies, 35 less than they obtained in 2000. Rajoy was elected for the province of Madrid . On 1 December 2005, Rajoy survived a helicopter accident, along with Madrid Regional Government President Esperanza Aguirre ; he broke
7975-498: The People's Party landslide victory in that year's general election , becoming the sixth president of the Spanish Government. The party lost its majority in the 2015 general election , but after that election ended in deadlock, a second election in 2016 enabled Rajoy to be reelected prime minister as head of a minority government. Rajoy was a minister under the José María Aznar administration, occupying different leading roles in different ministries between 1996 and 2003, and he also
8120-399: The People's Party had been illegally financed for 20 years. The following day, the same newspaper published the originals of Barcenas' papers which reflected overpayments to Mariano Rajoy in 1997, 1998 and 1999, when he was a minister in the Aznar cabinet. These payments violated the Incompatibilities Act of 1995. On 14 July, El Mundo published several text messages between Rajoy and Bárcenas,
8265-402: The People's Party in the polls, which was aggravated by the revelations of a series of corruption cases that seriously damaged the party's reputation. This, among other factors, led to a profound shift in the Spanish party system, with the rise of new political parties from the left and the right: Podemos and Citizens . The 2015 general election led to a parliamentary configuration that made
8410-403: The People's Party, Luis Bárcenas. These documents state that both Bárcenas and his predecessor, Álvaro Lapuerta , managed cash donations from businessmen and private builders (three of whom are additionally accused in the Gürtel case), cited as sources of undeclared income of the PP. Expenditure included, apart from allocations for the effective functioning of the party, payments made to members of
8555-420: The Port of Vigo and the towns of Cangas and Moaña as well as the Cíes Islands , 15 kilometres away from the city, part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park , the only National Park in Galicia, which includes Ons Island in the Pontevedra Bay . It additionally provides temporary docking for passing cruise ships. The Urzáiz and Guixar railway stations serve Vigo, allowing direct connections to
8700-399: The Spanish people are paying the price for that". He promised he would shepherd Spain out of its crisis and recover the shaky confidence of international investors and reduce the government's ominously high borrowing costs. The debt crisis in Greece had raised concerns over the solvency of other weak economies like Spain. The PP campaign slogan called on voters to "Join the change!" and
8845-400: The State visit of the Spanish monarchs to the Netherlands. Upon retirement, it is customary for the monarch to grant a prime minister some honour or dignity. The honour bestowed is commonly the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic , the second highest civil honor, while the ministers receive the Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (the highest civil distinction). This is because
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#17327754666348990-400: The Westminster term of 'prime minister' (see President of the Council for the full list of corresponding terms). However the term ' president ' is far older. Since the 15th century, the Spanish monarchs has delegated its executive powers in relevant personalities. Two are the most important: the validos and the secretaries of state . The validos , which existed since early 15th century to
9135-402: The World Tuna Conference (biannually), Conxemar (annually), or the World Fishing Exhibition (which was held periodically from 1973 to 2009). Vigo is home of the European Fisheries Control Agency . Vigo is one of the leading industrial areas in Galicia, with a car factory, shipyards, and auxiliary industry in both automotive and marine sectors. Situated in Vigo since 1958, the Stellantis Plant
9280-412: The act in question. In these sense, the Constitution grants the prime minister the initiative to request the monarch for calling a referendum , for calling for new elections or for dissolving any of the legislative chambers. In Spain, the government ministers cannot force the prime minister resignation and this idea is reinforced when the Constitution grants the prime minister the sole initiative to request
9425-432: The association DRY, these representatives, who could be lodged at no cost to the public purse, were paid a monthly subsistence allowance valued at €1,823.36. Furthermore, if they had been elected by the constituency of Madrid and had a house in this city, they were allowed €870 a month to cover accommodation and food expenses resulting from the exercise of their functions that, with respect to Rajoy, were already covered – from
9570-463: The attacks, Vigo developed its earliest commerce and was given several privileges by the kings of Spain. In 1702, the Battle of Vigo Bay occurred, and in 1719, because a Spanish fleet which departed from Vigo attempted to invade Scotland in support of the Jacobites , the city was occupied for ten days by a British force . In 1808, the French Army annexed Spain to the Napoleonic Empire , although Vigo remained unconquered until January, 1809. Vigo
9715-414: The attacks, and on 13 March, Rajoy claimed to believe this because he was convinced of their will and capability for committing such crimes. The government was accused of attempting to blame ETA for the attacks in order to stay on track to win the elections (as they were favored to do), but then the Prisa center-left media company broke news that Al‑Qaida, rather than ETA, was responsible. On 14 March 2004
9860-424: The campaign trail in 2011, Rajoy published his autobiography, En Confianza ( In Confidence ). Earlier member of the Spanish National Union (UNE), Rajoy joined the right-wing party People's Alliance (AP), becoming a deputy in the inaugural legislature of the Galician Parliament in 1981. In 1982, he was appointed by Galician regional president, Xerardo Fernández Albor , as Minister of Institutional Relations of
10005-527: The campus with the town. The majority of the students of the university come from Vigo itself and from other towns and villages in Galicia and can choose from a wide range of studies, with a focus on ocean studies and engineering. The University of Vigo was founded in 1990 as split from the University of Santiago de Compostela and has two additional campuses located in Pontevedra and Ourense . The Zamáns Campus features several buildings that constitute excellent examples of modern architecture that blends in with
10150-454: The censure motion must also include the name of a prospective replacement for the incumbent prime minister. If the censure motion is successful, the replacement candidate is automatically deemed to have the confidence of the Congress, and the monarch is required to appoint them as the new prime minister. As of 2023, only Pedro Sánchez managed to remove a sitting prime minister with a vote of no confidence in 2018 , making him prime minister. In
10295-423: The city was attacked several times. In 1585 and 1589, during an unsuccessful attack by the English counter-Armada, Francis Drake raided the city and temporarily occupied it, burning many buildings. Several decades later a Turkish fleet tried to attack the city. As a result, the city's walls were built in 1656 in the reign of Philip IV of Spain . They are still partially preserved. At this time, and in spite of
10440-494: The civil service, becoming the youngest-ever property registrar . He was assigned to Padrón (A Coruña), Villafranca del Bierzo ( León ) and Santa Pola ( Alicante ), a position he still holds. In that year, Rajoy sustained facial injuries in a traffic accident. Since then, he has always worn a beard to cover the scars from these injuries. Rajoy married Elvira "Viri" Fernández Balboa on 28 December 1996, on La Toja Island (Pontevedra). The couple have two children. While on
10585-449: The coastline in the Ria de Vigo estuary, which is likely warmer year-round. The municipality of Vigo had 293,642 inhabitants in 2018 (198,537 in the city) with an extended metropolitan population of 545,892 in the southern part of the province of Pontevedra making it Spain's 14th-largest metropolitan area. In 2021 - according to the data provided by the INE on 1 January 2021 - it had
10730-465: The confidence of the Congress then the monarch dissolves the Cortes and calls for a new general election. The monarch's royal decree is countersigned by the Speaker of the Congress. After the nominee is confirmed, the Speaker of the Congress formally reports the fact to the sovereign. The monarch then appoints the candidate as the new prime minister and this too is countersigned by the Speaker. During
10875-454: The country's return to representative democracy in the 1970s, securing 186 out of the 350 seats in the lower house of Parliament. Voters turned to him in hopes of alleviating the pain of Europe's debt crisis . Following the general election held in 2011, Rajoy was elected prime minister by the Congress of Deputies on 20 December 2011. Rajoy, designated candidate for Prime Minister of
11020-466: The deputy prime minister themselves may be nominated by the monarch and stand for a vote of confidence. Also, if at the conclusion of the four years, the prime minister has not asked for its dissolution, according to Title II Section 56, the monarch must dissolve the Parliament and call for a new general election. Although the prime minister's position is strengthened by constitutional limits on
11165-486: The documents, one million people had signed a petition launched by the organization Change.org asking for the immediate resignation of Mariano Rajoy. On 8 July, the center-right newspaper El Mundo , usually a support of the Popular Party, published a four-hour interview with Luis Bárcenas, which had taken place a few days before he was put behind bars on 27 June, in which the former party treasurer revealed that
11310-531: The duties of the office of Prime Minister with loyalty to the King, obey and enforce the Constitution as the main law of the State, and preserve in secret the deliberations of the Council of Ministers . Once appointed, the prime minister forms his government whose ministers are appointed and removed by the monarch on the prime minister's advice. In the political life of Spain, the monarch would already be familiar with
11455-544: The formation of a government very difficult; as a result, Spain was without a government for over six months and new elections were held in June 2016 . Rajoy was finally appointed prime minister with the support of the Citizens party and the abstention of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . Rajoy's second term was marked by economic recovery and a drop in unemployment and the challenge of stagnating salaries. Rajoy also oversaw
11600-474: The government exercises executive authority and statutory regulations. The main collective decision-making body of the Government is the Council of Ministers , chaired by the prime minister and, after a formal request by the Prime Minister, by the monarch . There is no provision in the Spanish Constitution for explicitly granting any emergency powers to the government. However, Section 56 of
11745-474: The government in the 2004 general elections, he was chosen as future PP leader on 1 September 2003 and left the government two days later. On 30 August 2003, Aznar announced that he would retire from politics in the 2004 elections and proposed Rajoy as his successor. Rajoy was elected Secretary General of the party the following day, and led the party into the 2004 elections . However, the PP's large lead evaporated in
11890-655: The government ministers since, at least, the 18th century, and in the case of the prime minister, this treatment is reinforced as member of the Order of Charles III , whose article 13 states that "the Knights and the Dames of the Collar, as well as the Knights and Dames Grand Cross, will receive the treatment of Most Excellent Lord and Most Excellent Lady". The Spanish Constitution foresee the office of deputy prime minister and also
12035-472: The government of King Juan Carlos I , appeared before the Congress of Deputies on 19 December 2011. He stated that to achieve the objective of a deficit of 4.4% of GDP in 2012, an investment of €16,500,000,000 would be needed. He added that his only increased public spending would be the revaluation of pensions, beginning 1 January 2012, and that he would not create any new jobs in the public sector, except for security forces. He stated an intention "to reduce
12180-607: The illegal financing of his party. He is the first PM in Spain in service to attend a trial. Although he benefited from this corruption scheme, he denied any knowledge. This situation prompted a no-confidence motion against Rajoy's government , which was debated on 13 June and defeated as expected on 14 June. Pío García-Escudero , the President of the Senate also testified as a witness in the same investigation. On 26 April 2018, his former Minister of Justice , Alberto Ruiz Gallardón ,
12325-637: The infraestructure and personnel of the Moncloa Government Complex . The vehicles used by the Prime Minister are provided by the State Vehicle Fleet (PME), an autonomous agency of the Ministry of Finance that provides the government with all type of vehicles and well-trained drivers. The air transportation of the Prime Minister and other government officials is mainly provided by the 45th Air Force Group (planes) and
12470-406: The investiture proceedings, the candidate describes their political agenda in an Investiture Speech to be debated and submitted for a vote of confidence ( Cuestión de confianza ) by the Congress, effecting an indirect election of the head of government. Confidence is awarded if the candidate receives a majority of votes in the first poll (currently 176 out of 350 MPs), but if the confidence
12615-508: The late 17th century were people of the highest confidence of the monarchs and they exercised the Crown's power in the monarch's name. Since the 18th century, the validos disappeared and the secretaries of state were introduced. Both positions were de facto prime ministers (as demonstrated by the fact that since the tenure of the count-duke of Olivares , valido of Felipe IV , the validos were often called by courtiers and authors already in
12760-471: The latest dating from early 2013, after the discovery of Bárcenas' bank accounts in Switzerland and after some media had pointed to illegal payments within the PP. In those messages, Rajoy expressed his support to Bárcenas and asked him to keep quiet. In light of these new revelations, High Court judge Pablo Ruz summoned Bárcenas to appear before him on 15 July. In this new appearance, Bárcenas admitted
12905-626: The leadership of the party during those years with no explicitly stated purpose. Barcenas' accounts show yearly payments of 25,200 euros for 11 years to the President, in addition to smaller amounts for a total estimated at 33,207 with purposes such as "Mariano's suits", "Mariano's ties", or "M.R.'s suits". PP Secretary-General María Dolores de Cospedal appears in the papers of these payments, as well as other leaders, such as former ministers Javier Arenas , Jaime Mayor Oreja and Francisco Álvarez-Cascos . By 7 February, just one week after publication of
13050-410: The left-wing opposition could form a coalition government . During the electoral campaign, on 16 December, he was punched in the face by a teenager, breaking his glasses. All the political parties, unanimously, condemned the attack. In the general election of 26 June 2016, the PP increased its number of seats in parliament, while still falling short of an overall majority. Eventually on 29 October Rajoy
13195-515: The monarch also rewarded with numerous golden fleeces . King Juan Carlos I wanted to restore this tradition and, therefore, as a reward for their service, the last noble titles granted (both with grandship) were those of Adolfo Suárez (to whom the golden fleece was also awarded in 2007 ), who was created Duke of Suárez in 1981 and Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo , created Marquess of the Ría de Ribadeo [ es ] in 2002, twenty years after holding
13340-452: The monarch used his authority to back the government of the day and call for the military to abandon the 23-F coup attempt in 1981. The prime minister also assumes political responsibility for most acts of the sovereign. While the monarch is vested with executive power, his acts are not valid unless countersigned by a minister. Under Article 64 of the Constitution, that minister—usually the prime minister—assumes political responsibility for
13485-628: The monarch, the prime minister, as well as the members of the Royal Family, the Government, the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, can only be criminally responsible before the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court ( Spanish Constitution, Part IV § 102 ). Although it is not formally regulated, Spanish custom establishes that the prime minister receives the treatment of The Most Excellent ( Spanish : Excelentísimo Señor, f. Excelentísima Señora ). This treatment has been customary for
13630-508: The most important centre of the Galician canned and processed fish industries. The fishing sector in Vigo generates more than 32,000 direct and indirect jobs and a turnover of more than 1 billion euros per year. More than 660 fishing vessels are registered in the port of Vigo, making it one of the main ports for the marketing of fresh fish for human consumption in the world, with around 800,000 tonnes per year. Vigo regularly hosts congresses and trade fairs related to industrial fishing, such as
13775-437: The most—along with Adolfo Suárez —just behind fellow socialist Felipe González , prime minister from 1982 to 1996. King Felipe VI re-appointed Sánchez for the third time on 17 November 2023 after he reached a coalition agreement with Sumar and gathered the support of other minor parties. His third government took office on 21 November 2023. The Spanish head of government has been known, since 1939, as "President of
13920-613: The move into national politics in Aznar's first government when he was appointed Minister of Public Administration on 6 May. His term was marked by the adoption, in 1997, of the Law on organization and operation of the general administration of the State (LOFAGE), which regulates the organization and functions of central government, and the Law on Government. He changed his portfolio on 20 January 1999 and replaced Esperanza Aguirre as Minister of Education and Culture . Just after his appointment, he
14065-782: The next day at the Zarzuela Palace , before the King and Queen, Zapatero, the outgoing prime minister, and the Presidents of the Cortes Generales, and others. Rajoy's government was formed on 21 December 2011 with thirteen ministers—the lowest number in Spanish democratic history. Soraya Saenz de Santamaria , Vice President of the Government, Minister of the Presidency, and government spokesperson, and Ana Pastor Julián , Minister of Equipment, were appointed. The Ministries of Culture, Science, and Territorial Policy were ended, and
14210-412: The nickname cidade olívica (city of olives). It is said that, after the conflict between Isabel de Castilla and Juana la Beltraneja - where Galician nobility fought for the latter - the victor ordered all of Galicia's olive trees to be cut down, as they symbolized peace. The tree in Vigo however, could not be uprooted as it was planted in sacred ground . The tree is represented in the city seal, and
14355-404: The north. Urban transport is provided by buses by Vitrasa Transportation. Vigo is characterized by a diversified economy linked to the fishing sector, industry, trade, tourism and services. It is often considered with A Coruña one of the economic and industrial engines of Galicia. Vigo is the home port of many of the world's largest fishing companies, such as Pescanova and Iberconsa and
14500-459: The oath of office next to religious symbols: Pedro Sánchez , along with most of his Cabinet members. His predecessor, Mariano Rajoy , a Catholic, put his right hand on the Constitution and, at the same time, his left hand on the Bible. As per tradition, if the members of the government choose not to take the oath along with any religious symbols, they use the word "prometo" ("I promise"), whereas if
14645-491: The office acquired the current name, President of the Government, but between that date and 1973 the office was held by Francisco Franco as dictator of Spain. In 1973, Francisco Franco separated the head of state from the head of government, and that division still exists today, with the prime minister democratically elected by the Parliament which is itself elected by universal suffrage, free and equal. Adolfo Suárez
14790-421: The office. The last prime minister to be offered a noble title was Felipe González , who rejected the offer. Since then, neither King Juan Carlos I nor King Felipe VI have offered prime ministers such an honor. Vigo Vigo ( Galician: [ˈbiɣʊ] , locally [ˈbiħʊ] ; Spanish: [ˈbiɣo] ) is a city and municipality in the province of Pontevedra , within
14935-569: The opposition for trying to "criminalize" him by believing the word of an "offender", stating that he wasn't resigning nor calling new elections. Rajoy also stated that Bárcenas was no longer a member of the PP when he, Rajoy, was appointed prime minister (in December 2011). However, on 11 August, El Mundo published a paysheet, dated May 2012, issued by the PP for the ex-treasurer, as well as a letter sent by Bárcenas himself to Rajoy in April 2010 (just
15080-703: The order, established in October 2002, states that the prime minister is the Grand Chancellor of the Order (second to the Grand Master, the Monarch ). Upon taking office, the new prime minister shall be invested with the degree of Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order and with this rank he will act as Grand Chancellor of the same. It is responsibility of the Grand Chancellor to submit to the approval of
15225-575: The party manifesto stressed its commitment to cutting the country's budget deficit in line with EU requirements. It proposed tax breaks for savers and small firms who hired staff; benefits for those who took on young employees; more flexible labour contracts and wage negotiations and major cuts in red tape , to encourage entrepreneurs to set up businesses. At the same time, it pledged to protect public healthcare and education, saving money through efficiency and better management. In November 2011, Rajoy's right-wing People's Party won its biggest majority since
15370-408: The party, whereas Rajoy, Angel Acebes and Eduardo Zaplana are widely accepted as representing a more conservative wing of the party, closer to Aznar. Rajoy's final decision was to leave Gallardón out of the list for those elections, an action which provoked concern about the alienation of potential PP voters. Some experts and newspapers even argued that it could cost Rajoy the elections. In any case,
15515-490: The payment of 50,000 euros in 2010 to Rajoy and Dolores de Cospedal. As a result of the scandal, all the opposition parties urged Rajoy to give an explanation to parliament, with the opposition Spanish Socialist Workers' Party threatening him with a censure motion should he refuse to come out and explain himself, and demanding his immediate resignation. In his appearance before Congress, on 1 August, Rajoy admitted that he had made "a mistake" in trusting Bárcenas and criticised
15660-707: The population spoke exclusively in Galician , and 51.39% in Spanish; 11.38% spoke in Galician more often than Spanish, and 29.55% more often in Spanish than Galician. This made Vigo the least Galician-speaking city in Galicia. The creation of Vigo metropolitan area was approved in 2016 and, in addition to Vigo, it originally accounted for the following 13 municipalities: Baiona , Cangas , Fornelos de Montes , Gondomar , Moaña , Mos , Nigrán , Pazos de Borbén , O Porriño , Redondela , Salceda de Caselas , Salvaterra de Miño and Soutomaior . It has been however suspended since its creation. The European Union 's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy assigns Vigo
15805-702: The position changed names frequently. After the Glorious Revolution of 1868 , it was renamed President of the Provisional Revolutionary Joint and later President of the Provisional Government . In 1869, the office resumed the name of President of the Council of Ministers . Following the abdication of King Amadeus I , during the First Republic (1873–1874) the office was known as the President of
15950-768: The possibility of having more than one deputy prime minister. Although the position of deputy prime minister has existed intermittently since 1840, the Constitution endorses what was established in the Organic Act of the State of 1967, which provided for the first time the possibility of appointing more than one deputy and, in 1974, this provision became effective when Prime Minister Carlos Arias Navarro appointed three deputies ( José García Hernández , Antonio Barrera de Irimo and Licinio de la Fuente ). Since then, three more prime ministers ( Adolfo Suárez , José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Pedro Sánchez ) have had more than one deputy. The second government of Pedro Sánchez holds
16095-405: The power struggle for succession created a tense situation for him and for the party. On 30 January 2008, Rajoy received the support of Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Nicolas Sarkozy for the March 2008 general election. The PP was defeated in the general election, however, it gained votes and seats, and Rajoy continued to lead his party in opposition. The 2011 general election campaign
16240-401: The prime minister is, since he is appointed as such by the sovereign, a Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, for which he is awarded the next highest distinction. In addition to these honors, the monarch might offer the former prime minister a peerage , being the highest marks of distinction that he may bestow in his capacity as the fons honorum in Spain. Conventionally,
16385-475: The prime minister's constitutional role and powers, how the prime minister accedes to, and is removed from office, and the relationship between the prime minister and Parliament. Upon a vacancy, the monarch nominates a candidate for a vote of confidence by the Congress of Deputies , the lower house of the Cortes Generales . The process is a parliamentary investiture by which the head of government
16530-438: The public employment service for at least twelve months out of the previous eighteen and whose income amounts were less than three quarters of the net minimum wage. A 4% value-added tax was expanded to include new home purchases. On 4 January 2013 the association Democracia Real Ya (DRY), created after the 15 May 2011 protest movement, brought charges against Mariano Rajoy and another 62 deputies (including four ministers) before
16675-408: The record for most deputies, appointing four. This large number of deputy prime ministerships was interpreted as a maneuver to reduce the political weight of his second deputy prime minister and leader of the minority party in the coalition, Pablo Iglesias Turrión . According to article 101 of the Spanish Constitution, the prime minister and its government only ceases in the cases of resignation,
16820-535: The rest of Galicia as well as to Porto across the border in Portugal. European route E01 goes through the town. This highway goes south through Lisbon and north to the A Coruña area. The A-52 road goes inland, east to Ourense and Madrid from O Porriño . A branch of the AP-9 Motorway connects Vigo to Portugal in the south and with Pontevedra , Santiago de Compostela , A Coruña and Ferrol in
16965-583: The rest of the government to be appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic but they were responsible before the Parliament and the Parliament could vote to dismiss the prime minister or a minister even against the will of the president of the republic. In the Civil War , the head of government among the Nationalists was called Chief of the Government of the State and since January 1938
17110-428: The rest of the ministers. He occupied this latter position until the end of September 1987. In May 1988 he was elected General Secretary of the AP in Galicia during an extraordinary congress of the regional party. When in 1989 the AP merged with other parties to form the People's Party (PP), with Manuel Fraga as its president, Rajoy was named a member of its National Executive Committee and delegate for Pontevedra. He
17255-460: The same posts. On 30 December 2011, the Council of Ministers approved a cuts plan (called an austerity plan) amounting to €8,900,000,000 in savings and €6,200,000,000 in new revenues. Salaries of public workers were frozen, the workweek in public administration was reduced to 37.5 hours, and recruitment of new public employees was halted, except in the areas of security, health and education. A programme which provided rent assistance for young people
17400-419: The second case, the prime minister, after deliberation by the Council of Ministers , can propose a vote of confidence regarding the government's policies in Congress. If Congress does not give the prime minister its confidence, the prime minister must resign. As of 2023, only prime minister Adolfo Suárez in 1980 and Felipe González in 1990 proposed a vote of confidence, both successfully. The Prime Minister
17545-500: The service of the Prime Minister to fulfill its constitutional duties. It was established around 1834 when officials and budget began to be assigned to the personal Secretariat of the Prime Minister. Today, it acts as a ministerial department , although it is not formally one of them, and approximately 2,000 people work there. The Prime Minister's Office principal departments are: The autonomous agency Patrimonio Nacional , which manages Crown properties, depends on this Office through
17690-404: The shape of the mountain in which it is located. These buildings were projected by the likes of Enric Miralles , Alfonso Penelas, Pilar Díez y Alberto Noguerol César Portela, Gabriel Santos Zas and César Padrón. Vigo, as a Galician city, has two official languages: Galician and Spanish , the latter being the most used nowadays. A movida viguesa was a hedonistic cultural movement akin to
17835-424: The size of the public sector" and also wanted to reform public holidays so as to avoid encouragement of popular four-day weekends. This would be accomplished by incorporating the use of the nearest Monday for most public holidays. He also announced his desire to end the practice of early retirement. Rajoy was chosen by Parliament two days later with 187 votes in favor, 149 votes against and 14 abstentions, receiving
17980-498: The state budget – in the Moncloa Palace. DRY therefore accused them of diversion of public funds and misappropriation. Additionally, DRY demanded that they return all the money that didn't belong to them, particularly bearing in mind that "the cuts are making most Spaniards' life a misery". On 24 April 2013, having found no irregularity in the existing regulation and discarding the existence of constituents elements of offense,
18125-682: The support of the People's Party, the Forum of Asturias (FAC) and the Navarrese People's Union (UPN), with Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Convergence and Union (CiU), the United Left (IU) and Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) dissenting. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), the coalition Amaiur and the Canary Coalition (CC) abstained. He was appointed a few hours later as prime minister by Juan Carlos I and sworn in
18270-542: The swearing-in ceremony presided over by the monarch, customarily at the Audience Hall of the Royal Palace of Zarzuela , the prime minister–designate takes an oath of office over an open Constitution and—at choice since 2014 —next to a Bible and a crucifix . The prime minister must take the oath or affirmation placing the right hand on the Constitution. Currently, only one prime minister has refused to take
18415-528: The take the oath with the Bible, they use the word "juro" ("I swear"). The oath as taken by Prime Minister Zapatero on his first term in office on 17 April 2004 was: Juro/Prometo, por mi conciencia y honor, cumplir fielmente las obligaciones del cargo de Presidente del Gobierno con lealtad al Rey, guardar y hacer guardar la Constitución como norma fundamental del Estado, así como mantener el secreto de las deliberaciones del Consejo de Ministros. I swear/promise, under my conscience and honor, to faithfully execute
18560-446: The various political leaders in a professional capacity, and perhaps less formally in a more social capacity, facilitating their meeting following a general election. Conversely, nominating the party leader whose party maintains a plurality and who are already familiar with their party manifesto facilitates a smoother nomination process. In the event of coalitions , the political leaders would customarily have met beforehand to hammer out
18705-537: The wake of the 11-M bombings , and the PP was heavily defeated by the PSOE. However, Rajoy was not held responsible for the defeat, and was elected party president at the PP's 14th congress in October 2004. On 11 March 2004, three days before the 2004 general elections , Madrid was struck by terrorist attacks , which the government initially blamed on the armed Basque separatist organisation, ETA . Aznar's government and government party leaders insisted on accusing ETA of
18850-416: The weather station in a single month. During that month on 7 th December, 175 millimetres (6.9 in) fell on a single day. Normal values for 1981-2010 was 1,791 millimetres (70.5 in) falling on just 129.2 days indicating heavy rain to be common. The airport where values are taken is located further inland at a considerably higher elevation (261 metres (856 ft)) than the city itself located on
18995-488: The whole of parliament), before nominating a candidate for the prime ministership. This process is spelled out in Section 99 of the Constitution. By political custom established by Juan Carlos I since the ratification of the 1978 Constitution, the sovereign's nominees have usually been from parties who have a plurality of seats in the Congress (i.e. the largest party). Although there is no legal requirement for this, it
19140-434: Was abolished, and the minimum wage was frozen—something that had not happened since 1966. The income tax and tax on real estate was also increased for 2012 and 2013. Pensions were adjusted up 1%, however, and the tax deduction for the purchase of homes was reinstated. The premium of €400 for the long-term unemployed (due to a lack of industry) at the end of law was maintained but only for those registered as jobseekers with
19285-605: Was also the first city of Europe to be freed from French rule, in what is annually celebrated on March 28 as the Reconquista (reconquest from the French in the context of the Peninsular War ). In 1833, the city of Pontevedra was designated the provincial capital of the province of Pontevedra , within which lies Vigo. Vigo grew very rapidly in the 20th century, thanks to the fact that the Spanish government granted it
19430-620: Was appointed deputy secretary general of the party. He was re-elected in Pontevedra in the election on 6 June 1993. On 3 March 1996, the PP won the early parliamentary elections and formed a government with the support of the Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV), Convergence and Union (CiU) and the Canarian Coalition (CC). Rajoy, a long-time associate of newly elected prime minister José María Aznar, made
19575-521: Was appointed spokesman of the government. In his new role, he faced two very difficult times of Aznar's second term: the Prestige oil tanker disaster off the coast of Galicia , and the participation of Spain in the Iraq War , at the request of George W. Bush . Approached, with Rodrigo Rato and Jaime Mayor Oreja, to succeed José Maria Aznar at the direction of the PP and as presidential candidate of
19720-463: Was chaired by the secretary of state for foreign affairs ( Spanish : Secretario de Estado y del Despacho de Estado ), who acted as prime minister. This role was ratified by the Royal Statute of 1834 , which constitutionalized for the first time the figure of the prime minister under the name of "President of the Council of Ministers", invested with executive powers. During the 19th century,
19865-713: Was dominated by economic issues. "Election campaign begins, crushed by the economic situation", was the headline in El País on 2 September 2011; the same day, El Mundo claimed that "the unemployment election campaign [had begun]". The high rate of unemployment was a major issue in the campaign. Close to 5 million people were out of work at the time of the election, and 1.5 million households had no wage earners. Rajoy slammed Spain's unemployment rate as "unbearable and unacceptable" as data showed 4,350 people per day losing their jobs in October 2011. The Socialists, he said, "did not know how to manage Spain's economy , and now
20010-601: Was imputed by the judge for his involvement in the corruption scandal Case Lezo, which involves leaders of the PP in the Community of Madrid . The 2015 general election was held on 20 December, the latest possible day. The result was that the People's Party remained the most voted-for party, but it lost 64 of its 187 seats and thus its majority. The election produced a fragmented parliament and an uncertain political situation that led to another election in 2016, as neither Rajoy nor
20155-530: Was not incorrect, it could be misleading to English speakers so prime minister is commonly used as a culturally equivalent term to ensure clarity. Use of the term "president" dates back to 1834 and the regency of Maria Christina when, styled after the head of government of the French July Monarchy (1830), the official title was the "President of the Council of Ministers" ( Presidente del Consejo de Ministros ). This remained until 1939, when
20300-531: Was re-appointed as prime minister, after the majority of the PSOE members abstained in the parliamentary vote rather than oppose him. In February 2016, Rajoy was declared 'persona non grata' of Pontevedra , his adopted city, because of his cabinet's decision to extend the operating license of a controversial cellulose factory by 60 years (see List of people declared persona non grata). Prime Minister of Spain The prime minister of Spain , officially president of
20445-578: Was reelected to parliament in 1993. Before the PP's triumph in the 1996 elections, he was a PP-designated member of the Commission of Parliamentary Control of the RTVE . In April, the former president of Castile and León and presidential candidate of the government general elections in 1989, José María Aznar , was elected president of the PP. Confirmed in the National Executive, Mariano Rajoy
20590-424: Was reelected vice-secretary general of the PP during its thirteenth national conference. In 2000 he led the People's Party election campaign for the elections on 12 March, in which they won absolute majority. On 28 April 2000, Rajoy was appointed Senior Vice President of Government and Minister of the Presidency. Less than a year later, on 28 February 2001, he replaced Jaime Mayor Oreja , candidate for President of
20735-666: Was the deputy prime minister between 2000 and 2003. He was the Leader of the Opposition between 2004 and 2011 under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero 's government. Rajoy's first term was heavily marked by the Spanish financial crisis and oversaw a major restructuring of the Spanish financial system as well as a major labour reform. The financial crisis peaked with a bailout of the Spanish banking system in June 2012. Unemployment in Spain peaked at 27% in 2012, which led to an initial drop of
20880-423: Was the first democratically elected prime minister of the post-Franco government. He was originally appointed by King Juan Carlos I on 3 July 1976, and he was confirmed in the office by popular vote after the 1977 Spanish general election . Once a general election has been called by the monarch , political parties designate their candidates to stand for prime minister—usually the party leader. A prime minister
21025-666: Was transferred to León and the whole family moved there. He was duly enrolled, together with his brothers Luis and Enrique, and spent ten years there before moving to the Jesuit school in Vigo . After finishing secondary school he started university, enrolling in the Law Faculty in Santiago de Compostela. Rajoy graduated from the University of Santiago de Compostela and passed the competitive examination required in Spain to enter into
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