Suárez III Government

The Suárez III Government was formed on 6 April 1979 following Adolfo Suárez's election as Prime Minister of Spain by the Congress of Deputies on 30 March and his swearing-in on 2 April, as a result of the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) emerging as the largest parliamentary force at the 1979 Spanish general election.[1][2] Suárez's third cabinet was composed mainly by members of the UCD and a number of independents.[3][4] It succeeded the second Suárez government and was the Government of Spain from 6 April 1979 to 27 February 1981, a total of 693 days, or 1 year, 10 months and 21 days.[5]

Suárez III Government
Government of Spain
1979–1981
Date formed	6 April 1979
Date dissolved	27 February 1981 (acting from 29 January 1981)
People and organisations
Head of state	Juan Carlos I
Head of government	Adolfo Suárez
Deputy head of government	Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, Fernando Abril Martorell (1979–1980) Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo (1980–1981)
No. of ministers	23[lower-alpha 1] (1979–1980) 22[lower-alpha 1] (1980–1981)
Total no. of members	30[lower-alpha 1]
Member party	UCD
Status in legislature	Minority
Opposition party	PSOE
Opposition leader	Felipe González
History
Election(s)	1979 general election
Legislature term(s)	1st (1979–1982)
Budget(s)	1979, 1980, 1981
Predecessor	Suárez II
Successor	Calvo-Sotelo

The government was automatically dismissed on 29 January 1981 as a consequence of Adolfo Suárez's resignation as Prime Minister, but remained in acting capacity until the next government was sworn in.[6][7][8]

Investiture

Investiture Adolfo Suárez (UCD)
Ballot →		30 March 1979
Required majority →		176 out of 350 Y
	Yes • UCD (168) • CD (8) • PSA–PA (5) • PAR (1) • UPN (1)	183 / 350
	No • PSOE (94) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (16) • PNV (6) • PSE (6) • UN (1) • ERC (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1)	149 / 350
	Abstentions • CiU (8)	8 / 350
	Absentees • PSOE (4) • HB (3) • PSC (1) • CD (1) • PNV (1)	10 / 350
Sources[1][9]

Cabinet changes

Suárez's third government saw a number of cabinet changes during its tenure:

• On 17 January 1980, Manuel Clavero resigned as Minister of Culture over political differences with the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) on the issue of the Andalusian autonomy and his party's stance on the 28 February 1980 autonomy initiative referendum.[10][11][12] He was replaced in the post by Ricardo de la Cierva, who was sworn into office on the following day.[13] Suárez took the opportunity of Clavero's resignation to make another cabinet change, by transferring some of the powers from Rafael Arias-Salgado's department to José Pedro Pérez-Llorca's Ministry of the Presidency.[14][15]
• On 3 May 1980, what had initially been planned as a minor cabinet readjustment intended to create a third deputy prime minister office for regional affairs under José Pedro Pérez-Llorca turned into a major reshuffle as a result of power struggles within the UCD: Antonio Ibáñez Freire (Interior), Carlos Bustelo (Industry and Energy) and Juan Antonio García Díez (Trade and Tourism) were replaced by Juan José Rosón, Ignacio Bayón and Luis Gámir, respectively. Pérez-Llorca's new appointment was limited to the Ministry of Territorial Administration, replacing Antonio Fontán, whereas Pérez-Llorca's former Presidency department was re-assigned to Rafael Arias-Salgado and its competences split into two additional deputy ministries headed by Sebastián Martín-Retortillo (Responsible for Public Administration) and Juan Antonio Ortega Díaz-Ambrona (Responsible for Legislative Coordination). Salvador Sánchez-Terán was moved from Transport and Communications—which was assigned to José Luis Álvarez—to Labour (replacing Rafael Calvo Ortega) and the deputy ministry of Joaquín Garrigues Walker was abolished.[16][17]
• The last cabinet reshuffle under Adolfo Suárez took place on 9 September 1980, on the eve of a motion of confidence called by Suárez upon his own government scheduled for 18 September, aimed at strengthening his stand within the UCD by having the most prominent figures from the party's ideological factions represented in the government. Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo replaced Fernando Abril Martorell as Second Deputy Prime Minister, Marcelino Oreja stepped down in favour of José Pedro Pérez-Llorca as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Íñigo Cavero was moved from Justice—assigned to Francisco Fernández Ordóñez—to Culture. Further changes were seen in Education (from José Manuel Otero Novas to Juan Antonio Ortega Díaz-Ambrona), Labour (Sánchez-Terán was replaced by Félix Manuel Pérez Miyares) and Calvo-Sotelo's vacant ministry, Relations with the European Communities (to Eduard Punset). The reshuffle also saw the recovery of some members from former cabinets, such as Alberto Oliart (in Health and Social Security), Juan Antonio García Díez (in Economy and Trade), Rodolfo Martín Villa (in Territorial Administration) and Pío Cabanillas Gallas (as deputy minister to the Prime Minister). Meanwhile, the deputy ministry for Legislative Coordination was abolished.[18][19][20]

Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers was structured into the offices for the prime minister, the two deputy prime ministers and 21 ministries, including a number of deputy ministries without portfolio.[21] This number would be maintained in the May 1980 reshuffle with some changes within the deputy ministries,[22] one of which would be abolished in the September 1980 reshuffle.

← Suárez III Government → (6 April 1979 – 27 February 1981)
Portfolio	Name	Party		Term of office	Ref.
Prime Minister	Adolfo Suárez		UCD	2 April 1979 – 26 February 1981	[23]
First Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defence Affairs	Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado		Independent	6 April 1979 – 27 February 1981	[24]
Second Deputy Prime Minister for the Coordination of Economic Affairs	Fernando Abril Martorell		UCD	6 April 1979 – 9 September 1980	[25]
Minister of Foreign Affairs	Marcelino Oreja		UCD	6 April 1979 – 9 September 1980	[26]
Minister of Justice	Íñigo Cavero		UCD	6 April 1979 – 9 September 1980	[26]
Minister of Defence	Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún		UCD	6 April 1979 – 27 February 1981	[26]
Minister of Finance	Jaime García Añoveros		UCD	6 April 1979 – 27 February 1981	[26]
Minister of the Interior	Antonio Ibáñez Freire		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of Public Works and Urbanism	Jesús Sancho Rof		UCD	6 April 1979 – 27 February 1981	[26]
Minister of Education	José Manuel Otero Novas		UCD	6 April 1979 – 9 September 1980	[26]
Minister of Labour	Rafael Calvo Ortega		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of Industry and Energy	Carlos Bustelo		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of Agriculture	Jaime Lamo de Espinosa		UCD	6 April 1979 – 27 February 1981	[26]
Minister of Trade and Tourism	Juan Antonio García Díez		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of the Presidency	José Pedro Pérez-Llorca		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of Economy	José Luis Leal		UCD	6 April 1979 – 9 September 1980	[26]
Minister of Transport and Communications	Salvador Sánchez-Terán		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of Health and Social Security	Juan Rovira Tarazona		UCD	6 April 1979 – 9 September 1980	[26]
Minister of Culture	Manuel Clavero Arévalo		UCD	6 April 1979 – 17 January 1980	[26]
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, without portfolio	Joaquín Garrigues Walker		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of Relations with the European Communities, without portfolio	Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo		UCD	6 April 1979 – 9 September 1980	[26]
Deputy Minister of Relations with the Cortes, without portfolio	Rafael Arias-Salgado		UCD	6 April 1979 – 18 January 1980	[26]
Minister of Territorial Administration	Antonio Fontán		UCD	6 April 1979 – 3 May 1980	[26]
Minister of Universities and Research	Luis González Seara		UCD	6 April 1979 – 27 February 1981	[26]
Changes January 1980
Portfolio	Name	Party		Term of office	Ref.
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, without portfolio[lower-alpha 2]	Rafael Arias-Salgado		UCD	18 January 1980 – 3 May 1980	[27]
Minister of Culture	Ricardo de la Cierva		UCD	18 January 1980 – 9 September 1980	[28]
Changes May 1980
Portfolio	Name	Party		Term of office	Ref.
Minister of the Interior	Juan José Rosón		UCD	3 May 1980 – 27 February 1981	[29]
Minister of Labour	Salvador Sánchez-Terán		UCD	3 May 1980 – 9 September 1980	[29]
Minister of Industry and Energy	Ignacio Bayón		Independent	3 May 1980 – 27 February 1981	[29]
Minister of Trade and Tourism	Luis Gámir		UCD	3 May 1980 – 9 September 1980	[29]
Minister of the Presidency	Rafael Arias-Salgado		UCD	3 May 1980 – 27 February 1981	[29]
Minister of Transport and Communications	José Luis Álvarez		UCD	3 May 1980 – 27 February 1981	[29]
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, without portfolio	Discontinued on 3 May 1980 upon the officeholder's dismissal.[30]
Minister of Territorial Administration	José Pedro Pérez-Llorca		UCD	3 May 1980 – 27 February 1981	[29]
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, without portfolio	Discontinued on 3 May 1980 upon the officeholder's dismissal.[30]
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Responsible for Public Administration[lower-alpha 3]	Sebastián Martín-Retortillo		UCD	3 May 1980 – 27 February 1981	[29]
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Responsible for Legislative Coordination[lower-alpha 3]	Juan Antonio Ortega Díaz-Ambrona		UCD	3 May 1980 – 9 September 1980	[29]
Changes September 1980
Portfolio	Name	Party		Term of office	Ref.
Second Deputy Prime Minister for the Coordination of Economic Affairs	Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[31]
Minister of Foreign Affairs	José Pedro Pérez-Llorca		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Justice	Francisco Fernández Ordóñez		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Education	Juan Antonio Ortega Díaz-Ambrona		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Labour	Félix Manuel Pérez Miyares		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Health and Social Security	Alberto Oliart		Indep. / UCD[lower-alpha 4]	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Economy and Trade[lower-alpha 2]	Juan Antonio García Díez		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Territorial Administration	Rodolfo Martín Villa		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Culture	Íñigo Cavero		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, without portfolio[lower-alpha 3]	Pío Cabanillas Gallas		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Minister of Relations with the European Communities, without portfolio	Eduard Punset		UCD	9 September 1980 – 27 February 1981	[32]
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Responsible for Legislative Coordination	Discontinued on 9 September 1980 upon the officeholder's dismissal.[34]

Notes

1. Does not include the Prime Minister.
2. Department restructured.
3. Department of new creation.
4. Joined the UCD in December 1980.[33]

References

1. "Suárez obtuvo la investidura y la Oposición". El País (in Spanish). 31 March 1979. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
2. "Suárez juró "guardar y hacer guardar la Constitución"". El País (in Spanish). 3 April 1979. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
3. "Pío Cabanillas, Martín Villa y Fernández Ordóñez, excluidos". El País (in Spanish). 6 April 1979. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
4. "La composición del nuevo Gobierno refuerza el poder personal de Suárez y Fernando Abril". El País (in Spanish). 7 April 1979. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
5. "Los Gobiernos de Suárez". El País (in Spanish). 30 January 1981. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
6. "Suárez: "No quiero que el sistema democrático sea un paréntesis en la historia de España"". El País (in Spanish). 30 January 1981. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
7. "Fuertes presiones influyeron en la decisión del presidente Suárez de presentar su dimisión irrevocable". El País (in Spanish). 30 January 1981. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
8. "Real Decreto 249/1981, de 25 de febrero, por el que se formaliza el fin de las funciones como Presidente del Gobierno de don Adolfo Suárez González González" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (49): 4329. 26 February 1981. ISSN 0212-033X.
9. "Congress of Deputies: Most important votes". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Electoral History. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
10. "La autonomía andaluza enfrenta a Clavero con el resto del partido centrista". El País (in Spanish). 16 January 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
11. "Manuel Clavero, ministro de las autonomías". El País (in Spanish). 17 January 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
12. "Real Decreto 64/1980, de 16 de enero, por el que se dispone el cese del Ministro de Cultura don Manuel Clavero Arévalo" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (15): 1224. 17 January 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
13. "No habrá más cambios en el gobierno". El País (in Spanish). 18 January 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
14. De la Cuadra, Bonifacio (18 January 1980). "La remodelación refuerza el control directo de Adolfo Suárez sobre su Gabinete". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 January 2020.
15. "Real Decreto 66/1980, de 17 de enero, por el que se dispone el cese de don Rafael Arias-Salgado y Montalvo como Ministro Adjunto para las Relaciones con las Cortes, sin Cartera" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (16): 1343. 18 January 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
16. "El enfrentamiento de Pérez-Llorca y Arias-Salgado desgaja Presidencia entre tres ministros". El País (in Spanish). 3 May 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
17. "Ni Suárez ni la "oposición" de UCD lograron sus objetivos sobre el cambio de Gobierno". El País (in Spanish). 4 May 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
18. "El martes habrá nuevo Gobierno, según fuentes próximas a Suárez". El País (in Spanish). 5 September 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
19. "Suárez ha utilizado 58 ministros diferentes". El País (in Spanish). 9 September 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
20. "Todas las tendencias de UCD, representadas en el quinto Gobierno de Suárez". El País (in Spanish). 9 September 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
21. "Gobiernos por legislaturas. I Legislatura". lamoncloa.gob.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 November 2019.
22. "Lista del nuevo Gabinete". El País (in Spanish). 3 May 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
23. "Real Decreto 681/1979, de 31 de marzo, por el que se nombra Presidente del Gobierno a don Adolfo Suárez González" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (79): 7838. 2 April 1979. ISSN 0212-033X.
24. "Real Decreto 709/1979, de 5 de abril, por el que se nombra Vicepresidente del Gobierno a don Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (83): 8191. 6 April 1979. ISSN 0212-033X.
25. "Real Decreto 710/1979, de 5 de abril, por el que se nombra Vicepresidente del Gobierno a don Fernando Abril Martorell" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (83): 8192. 6 April 1979. ISSN 0212-033X.
26. "Real Decreto 711/1979, de 5 de abril, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (83): 8192. 6 April 1979. ISSN 0212-033X.
27. "Real Decreto 68/1980, de 17 de enero, por el que se nombra Ministro Adjunto al Presidente, sin Cartera, a don Rafael Arias-Salgado y Montalvo" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (16): 1343. 18 January 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
28. "Real Decreto 67/1980, de 17 de enero, por el que se nombra Ministro de Cultura a don Ricardo de la Cierva y Hoces" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (16): 1343. 18 January 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
29. "Real Decreto 792/1980, de 2 de mayo, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (107): 9564. 3 May 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
30. "Real Decreto 791/1980, de 2 de mayo, por el que se dispone el cese de diversos miembros del Gobierno" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (107): 9564. 3 May 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
31. "Real Decreto 1796/1980, de 8 de septiembre por el que se nombra Vicepresidente del Gobierno a don Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo y Bustelo" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (217): 20294. 9 September 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
32. "Real Decreto 1797/1980, de 8 de septiembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (217): 20294. 9 September 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.
33. "Alberto Oliart, nuevo presidente de RTVE". El País (in Spanish). 11 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
34. "Real Decreto 1795/1980, de 8 de septiembre, por el que se dispone el cese de diversos miembros del Gobierno" (pdf). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (217): 20294. 9 September 1980. ISSN 0212-033X.

External links

• www.historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Governments of Spain 1977–1982. Ministers of Adolfo Suárez and Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo
• www.lluisbelenes.es (in Spanish). The governments of the Union of the Democratic Centre (1977–1992)

Preceded by Suárez II

Government of Spain 1979–1981

Succeeded by Calvo-Sotelo