María Jesús Montero will be the new spokesperson for the Government, although she continues to lead the Treasury

The Minister of Finance of Maria Jesus Montero It will be the new spokesperson for the Government while maintaining its economic portfolio. It will be in charge of giving voice to the Executive of PSOE and United We can substitute in the position to the also head of Education the last legislature, Isabel Celaá.

According to Moncloa, this decision is based on the fact that “economic management will be a priority for the new Government and will be at the forefront.” His election has been known as the other appointments of the day: through drip through the information channel of the Ministry of Communication.

Sánchez returns to bet on a woman for a position of responsibility within the new Executive after opting for Carmen Calvo, Nadia Calviño and Teresa Ribera for the three vice presidencies that will accompany the one held by the leader of United Podemos, Pablo Iglesias.

The president of the Government has imposed his mark on the next Coalition Executive and has resolved his first friction with Podemos by appointing the three vice presidents. Three women who were already heavyweights of the Sánchez team and whose role in this new Executive acquires a greater relevance that, at the same time, reduces visibility to the leader of Podemos.

For days, even before the investiture, the names of the Ministers of Podemos have been leaked to the media without waiting for him to be the President of the Government – the one who has the power to appoint the members of the Council of Ministers – who made them official.

From the Iglesias party they deny any discomfort after learning of the fourth Vice-Presidency, which they did not know, but the truth is that the first government of the coalition of democracy is already born with all kinds of speculation about the first disagreements between one party and another. And with the first frictions.

Waiting for the decisions you make and the names you choose to complete the rest of the portfolios, what Pedro Sánchez has made clear is the mark that he wants to give to his Executive.

Because the three vice presidents and other names that are expected to continue – like those of José Luis Ábalos, María Jesús Montero or Fernando Grande-Marlaska – will form the hard core of this new Executive in which there are still many names to be confirmed or announced.

The challenges in the Treasury

Among the main challenges that Montero will have to face in the new stage at the helm of the Treasury is reducing the public deficit of 2% of GDP in which the Government hopes to have closed 2019 to 1.1% in 2020, which would mean undertaking an adjustment of about 10,000 million euros. In the Budget Plan, the Government estimated a 1.7% deficit to constant policies this year, according to EP.

In addition, it will have to work to reduce the public debt ratio of around 96% of GDP forecast in 2019 to 94.6% of GDP committed for the current year.

To do this, it provides for several fiscal measures, such as the increase of Companies, of the IRPF to higher incomes, the creation of the 'Google' and 'Tobin' rates and to advance environmental taxation, among others.

Andalusian trajectory

Montero (Seville 1966), has a degree in Medicine and Surgery and a master's degree in Hospital Management from the EADA Business School, held the Treasury and Public Administration portfolio in the Junta de Andalucía since 2013, department that he arrived after spending nine years in front of the Ministry of Health, which was accessed in 2004 by Manuel Chaves.

To this position it acceded after exerting since 2002 like viceconsejera of the same department. Previously, she was the medical assistant director of the Virgen de Valme University Hospital in Seville between 1995 and 1998.

This year she joined the Virgen del Rocío health complex in the same city, first as a medical deputy director and later as a deputy managing director.

Regardless of her career in the health field, María Jesús Montero was president of the Marginalization Commission of the Youth Council of Andalusia between 1986 and 1988, and subsequently its general secretary until 1990. From 2008 until her appointment as minister, she was parliament for Seville in the Autonomous Chamber.

Sánchez dilutes the power of Iglesias: Ribera will also be vice president