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| Government of Spain (2011–2014) | |
|---|---|
| Cabinet name | Rajoy government (2011–2014) |
| Incumbent | 2011–2014 |
| Date formed | 2011-12-21 |
| Date dissolved | 2014-12-05 |
| Government head | Mariano Rajoy |
| State head | Juan Carlos I |
| Legislature status | Majority government |
| Election | 2011 Spanish general election |
| Previous | Zapatero government (2008–2011) |
| Successor | Rajoy government (2016–2018) |
Government of Spain (2011–2014) The ministry led by Mariano Rajoy from 2011 to 2014 governed after the 2011 Spanish general election, overseeing policy responses to the Spanish financial crisis, interactions with the European Union, and tensions with Catalonia and Basque Country. The administration operated under the constitutional framework of the Monarchy of Spain during the reign of Juan Carlos I and faced domestic political realignment involving parties such as the People's Party (Spain), Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, and emerging formations like Podemos and Ciudadanos (Spanish political party).
Following the defeat of the José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero cabinet in the 2011 Spanish general election, the People's Party (Spain) won a parliamentary plurality, enabling Mariano Rajoy to seek investiture from the Cortes Generales, including the Congress of Deputies and the Senate of Spain. Coalition dynamics involved discussions with regional parties like Convergence and Union and Basque Nationalist Party, while economic conditions tied to the European sovereign debt crisis, the European Central Bank, and credit markets shaped the political debate. The formation process included consultation with the Monarch of Spain, legal instruments under the Spanish Constitution of 1978, and appointments ratified by the Council of Ministers of Spain.
The cabinet featured ministers responsible for portfolios linked to institutions such as the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain), Ministry of Finance (Spain), Ministry of Justice (Spain), and Ministry of Interior (Spain). Key figures included Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría as Deputy Prime Minister, Cristóbal Montoro at Ministry of Finance (Spain), José Manuel Soria at Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism (Spain), Wert, José Ignacio at Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, and Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón at Ministry of Justice (Spain). Regional interlocutors included leaders such as Artur Mas, Íñigo Urkullu, and Carles Puigdemont while opposition leaders such as Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba and later Pedro Sánchez and Pablo Iglesias Turrión influenced parliamentary debates.
The administration enacted reforms touching labor law via the 2012 Spanish labour reform, adjustments to social welfare interacting with the Social Security in Spain, and policy changes in education under Wert, José Ignacio that interacted with stakeholders including the Spanish Confederation of Employers' Organizations and trade unions like the Comisiones Obreras and the General Union of Workers. Judicial and penal reforms engaged institutions such as the Audiencia Nacional (Spain) and the Supreme Court of Spain, while public administration measures involved the Autonomous communities of Spain and municipal entities like the Madrid City Council and Barcelona City Council. Cultural policy intersected with heritage bodies such as the Museo del Prado and the Real Academia Española.
Facing pressures from the European sovereign debt crisis and interactions with the European Central Bank, the government pursued fiscal consolidation led by Cristóbal Montoro, invoking measures under Spanish public finance rules and coordination with the Eurogroup and the International Monetary Fund. Banking interventions involved coordination with the Bank of Spain and restructuring of institutions including Banco Santander and Banco Popular Español, and legislation affected markets overseen by the National Securities Market Commission. Tax reforms, spending cuts, and negotiation with the European Commission over deficit targets shaped responses to unemployment measured by the Spanish labour force survey and GDP performance tracked by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística.
Foreign policy actions connected Madrid with the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and bilateral relations with countries like France, Germany, Portugal, and former colonies such as Argentina and Venezuela. Engagements included representation at summits of the Council of the European Union and dialogues with leaders like Angela Merkel, François Hollande, and Mario Monti over European debt crisis management. The government negotiated matters of migration involving the Ministry of Interior (Spain), worked on agreements with the United States and engaged in multilateral forums including the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The administration was mired in controversies involving allegations connected to party financing, cases investigating figures such as members of the People's Party (Spain), and probes by magistrates at institutions like the Audiencia Nacional (Spain). High-profile resignations involved ministers subject to scrutiny related to offshore holdings exposed by media outlets including El País, El Mundo, and ABC (Spanish newspaper), while corruption cases resonated with investigations by anti-corruption bodies and discussions in the Congress of Deputies. Public protests referencing movements such as the 15-M Movement and tensions in Catalonia amplified political criticism.
In December 2014 Mariano Rajoy lost a confidence motion in December 2015 leading to subsequent political realignments, but within 2014 his government faced ministerial resignations and cabinet reshuffles that anticipated later succession debates involving Pedro Sánchez, Mariano Rajoy's later terms, and the reconfiguration of parties including Podemos and Ciudadanos (Spanish political party). The interplay of parliamentary arithmetic in the Cortes Generales and rulings from the Constitutional Court of Spain framed the transition to subsequent administrations and the ongoing evolution of Spanish politics.