During Spain's cabinet "reshuffle" today, Prime Minister Zapatero's most experienced cabinet member, Finance Minister Pedro Solbes was outsted. Although he does hold a strong background, his, according to an article, "...weariness with dealing with a collapsing economy and with battling within the government against extending Spain’s fast-growing fiscal deficit had become palpable." Solbes has been replaced with trained engineer, and minister for public administration, Elena Salgado. Salgado has served under Zapatero once before as a minister, and is praised by the Prime Minister for her management skills. Zapatero and Solbes have had their differences on several issues including public sector spending; which according to the countrys stimulus plan escalated to €50 billion, $66.3 billion. Although Solbes proved decline in
ability to manage the growing economic crisis, the fact that Zapatero has chosen someone from his "inner circle" makes those around him question Salgado's ability to fill the shoes, and to improve the current standing. The concern is that he, Zapatero, according to an article, is, "putting his immediate political concerns ahead of economic management." Luckily, Solbes left office having said just four months prior, once hearing of a planned shift in cabinet, that, "at a certain age, one thinks that one has to have a life too." Hopefully Salgado will be able to prove the initial judgements wrong, and assist Spain in a push towards a more positive direction. (Photo credit: wordpress.com)
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