The Spokesperson of the Government of Spain is a high ranking of the

Government of Spain gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua , image = , caption = Logo of the Government of Spain , headerstyle = background-color: #efefef , label1 = Role , data1 = Executive power , label2 = Established , d ...

whose purpose is to inform and communicate to society the political and institutional action of the central government. Its headquarters is located in the denominated Complex of La Moncloa. Currently the holder of the position enjoys the rank of Minister.

History

The need to inform public opinion about government actions began in 1918 with the creation of the Ministry of Public Instruction and Fine Arts which had an Information Office. With the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera two successive organisms are created; First, the Bureau of Information and Press Censorship, during the Military Directory (1923), and the next in the Civil Directory (1925) with the Office of Information and Press Censorship. During the Second Republic was born the Press Section affected the General Secretary of the President of the Republic (1932) and during the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

Largo Caballero Francisco Largo Caballero (15 October 1869 – 23 March 1946) was a Spanish politician and trade unionist. He was one of the historic leaders of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and of the Workers' General Union (UGT). In 1936 and 19 ...

, the prime minister, created the Ministry of Propaganda that had an ephemeral life. In

Francoist Spain Francoist Spain ( es, España franquista), or the Francoist dictatorship (), was the period of Spanish history between 1939 and 1975, when Francisco Franco ruled Spain after the Spanish Civil War with the title . After his death in 1975, Spani ...

the Ministry of Information and Tourism (1951) was created, a ministerial department that was in charge of controlling

information Information is an abstract concept that refers to that which has the power to inform. At the most fundamental level information pertains to the interpretation of that which may be sensed. Any natural process that is not completely random, ...

, press and

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a tr ...

. To this, was added the administration of

Tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

, an industry that had a significant flourishing during those years. The return to democracy demanded the communication to the citizens about the government's actions, reason why it became necessary the appearance of the figure of the spokesperson. Following the Ministry of Information and Tourism, the next link in the chain of the Spanish Communicative Administration, is the Office of Information Services, created in October 1977 within the Presidency of the Government. In 1982, with the arrival of

PSOE The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( es, Partido Socialista Obrero Español ; PSOE ) is a social-democraticThe PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources: * * * * political party in Spain. The PSOE has been in gov ...

to the power, the Office of the Spokesperson of the Government directed by

Eduardo Sotillos Eduardo Sotillos Palet (born March 27, 1940) is a Spanish journalist and politician. He served as Spokesperson of the Government of Spain between 1982 and 1985. Biography Born on 27 March 1940 in Madrid. He was the director of Radio Nacional d ...

is created. In 1985, he is replaced by

Javier Solana Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga (; born 14 July 1942) is a Spanish physicist and PSOE politician. After serving in the Spanish government as Foreign Affairs Minister under Felipe González (1992–1995) and as the Secretary General of NA ...

, Minister of Culture, who will alternate both responsibilities. Nevertheless, in 1988, the prime minister,

Felipe González Felipe González Márquez (; born 5 March 1942) is a Spanish lawyer, professor, and politician, who was the Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) from 1974 to 1997, and the 3rd Prime Minister of Spain since th ...

, decides to elevate the Office to rank of Ministry.

Rosa Conde Rosa Conde Gutiérrez del Álamo (born 7 September 1947) is Spanish sociologist and politician. She served as Spokesperson of the Government from 1988 and 1993 and as Member of the Congress of Deputies from 1989 to 2004 representing Madrid. Bio ...

was appointed Minister-Spokesperson. With her resignation in 1993, the position was assumed by the Minister of the Presidency,

Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (; 28 July 1951 – 10 May 2019) was a Spanish statesman, politician and chemist who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Spain from 2010 to 2011, and previously as Minister of Education from 1992 to 1993, as Minister of ...

. With the arrival to power of the People's Party, the position returns to have the same category that in 1985, assuming the position other Cabinet members, with the exception of the period from 2000 to 2003 in which it was again and independent position. It was later linked to the Ministry of the Presidency. Since 2004, the Government Spokesperson has been assumed by the Vicepresident, except between 2009 and 2011 that was directed by the

Minister of Public Works This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...

. In 2016, this position was conferred on the Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo. In 2018, after the

Motion of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...

, Isabel Celaá became the new Spokesperson of the Government of Spain. She was also named Minister of Education and Vocational Training.Isabel Celaá, Spokesperson, Education and Vocational Training Minister
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List of Spokesperson of the Government of Spain

Second Spanish Republic

Francoist Spain

Juan Carlos I

Felipe VI

*(1) Minister of Propaganda *(2) Secretary of State for Information (1977-1981), Secretary of State of Communication (1981-1982). *(3) He combined it with the position of Minister of Culture (December 3, 1982 - 7 de July 7, 1988). *(4) Spokesperson Minister of the Government *(5) Minister of the Presidency. *(6) Secretary of State of Communication, acted as Spokesperson ''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...

'' of the Government. *(7) He combined it with the position of Minister of Industry and Energy (May 6, 1996 - April 27, 2000). *(8) He combined it with the position of Employment and Social Affairs (July 10, 2002 - April 17, 2004). *(9) She combined it with the position of Vicepresident, Minister of the Presidency and Spokesperson of the Government. *(10) She combined it with the position of Vicepresident and Spokesperson of the Government. *(11) He combined it with the position of Minister of Public Works (April 7, 2009 - December 21, 2011). *(12) He combined it with the position of Minister of Education, Culture and Sport. *(13) She combined it with the position of Minister of Education and Vocational training. *(14) She combined it with the position of Minister of Finance. *(15) She combined it with the position of Minister of Territorial Policy.

References

{{authority control Government of Spain Politics of Spain Government ministries of Spain Spanish Prime Minister's Office