Prohens changes the government, seeking a boost for 2027

PalmPresident Marga Prohens celebrated the mid-term mark last Thursday surrounded by her advisors. The following day, she announced a reshuffle of the executive branch. The cut was made exactly mid-term to send the message that a new era is beginning and to build momentum ahead of the 2027 elections. There is one significant detail: Vox knew nothing about it. The president did not inform her partner of the changes before making them public.

Creates second vice presidency

Antonia Estarellas gains weight by taking on this new portfolio

A second vice-presidency has been created to serve several objectives. First, the Government spokesperson, First Vice-President and Minister of Economy, Finance, and Innovation, Antoni Costa, will focus on coordinating the Executive's economic areas. "We must boost the Innovation area," the president argued. The vice-president had become Prohens's "right and left-hand man," in the words of the head of the Executive herself. The Government's communication also focused on both of them. With the creation of a new vice-presidency, Prohens frees Costa and renews the Executive's image.

The current Minister of the Presidency, Antònia Estarellas, is now leading the second vice-presidency, gaining influence. In the first two years of her term, the minister has championed several controversial measures arising from demands from the far right, such as the repeal of the Democratic Memory Law—which has not yet been implemented—and the elimination of the Catalan language requirement in several areas of the administration. With this promotion, she assumes the mandate of coordinating the government's social departments. She must also strengthen the executive branch's connection with local councils. "I want a more municipal government, closer to the citizens and local councils, at street level," the president argued. For this reason, the Ministry of the Presidency and Public Administration is changing its name: it will now be the Ministry of the Presidency, Coordination of Government Action, and Local Cooperation. In this regard, a new Directorate General for Local Cooperation will be created.

Cerezo says goodbye

The councilor who caused the most tension with Vox steps aside

Estarellas will also assume the General Directorate of Immigration under the umbrella of the Presidency, which until now was the responsibility of the Ministry of Families and Social Affairs. The Ministry is a sexist entity of the far right, because Cirer managed the Balearic Institute for Women (IB Mujer). With a moderate profile on social issues, the minister did not hesitate to contradict Vox in Parliament. Sandra Fernández will maintain a steadfast stance. The Popular Party (PP), who is the party's general secretary in the Islands and was elected to the PP's state executive committee on July 5, is also considered part of the party's progressive wing. The knock-on effect means that the current Director General of Coastal Affairs will be Fernández's seat in Madrid.

New Ministry of Labor

Catalina Cabrer will promote the Pact for Sustainability

"The Pact for Sustainability is not only more alive than ever, but will also play a significant role in the next two years," Prohens claimed. The government has failed to implement some of the measures recommended by the Platform after nine months of study, such as the increase in the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS) or the tax on rental vehicles. To strengthen these initiatives, the Regional Ministry for this area was created as the regional secretary for Labor, Employment, and Social Dialogue. Cabrero.

Focus on the Self-Employed

Sáenz de San Pedro focuses on self-employed workers

Due to the creation of the Ministry of Labor, the department led by Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro will become the Ministry of Business, Self-Employed Workers, and Energy. With this restructuring, the president gives prominence to the self-employed. In a press conference, Prohens defended the need to separate the management of workers from that of the self-employed into two distinct departments because Business, Employment, and Energy was a "macro-ministry" overwhelmed by the needs of each area.

The left sees a shift to the right

PSIB and MÁS believe the changes are a commitment to "radicalism."

Vox avoided commenting on the changes in the executive branch, despite the fact that the latter depends on its votes to pass new laws in Parliament, and Prohens has already announced that he will once again attempt to negotiate a 2026 budget with the far right. In contrast, the left denounced the government reshuffle as a shift to the right. The PSIB spokesperson in Parliament, Iago Negueruela, called it a "bet on radicalism." "Vox is taking revenge on Cirer because he is the person who has most challenged the far right in Parliament and who has most maintained dignity in the Chamber," he said. For his part, the MÉS spokesperson for Mallorca, Lluís Apesteguia, considered that the changes respond to "the PP's tactics and its need to reach an understanding with Vox."

The reshuffle comes after a legislative sprint in Parliament

The government wanted to put an end to the situation starting in the second half of the term. The changes to the ministries were announced after a legislative sprint in Parliament, in which the People's Party (PP) sought to approve the pending legislation before the summer. In three days, the budget, the Land Acquisition Law, and the Industrial Estate Law were ratified.