Deputy Prime Minister of Spain

The deputy prime minister of Spain, officially vice president of the Government (Vicepresidencia del Gobierno), is the second in command to the Prime Minister, assuming the responsibilities of the premiership when the prime minister is absent or incapable of exercising power.

The deputy prime minister is usually handpicked by the Prime Minister from the members of the Council of Ministers and appointed by the Monarch before whom they take an oath. The deputy prime minister may be the head of a government department, but it depends on the will of the prime minister, who may have a deputy premier without a portfolio.

When there are more than one deputy prime minister, this position is called First Deputy Prime Minister (Vicepresidente Primero/Vicepresidenta Primera del Gobierno). Since 2023, there are four deputy prime ministers; Nadia Calviño serves as first deputy prime minister since 12 July 2021 and as minister of Economy since 2018.

History
The office of Deputy Prime Minister, like the premiership, dates back to the 19th century. A Royal Decree of 1840 appointed Joaquín María Ferrer as Vice President of the Council of Ministers. However the office was not used again until 1925 when Miguel Primo de Rivera transitioned from a military to a civil government, reestablishing the Council of Ministers, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and re-creating the Vice Presidency. The vice president's function was to  replace the president in cases of absence or illness. This vice-president, said article 3 of the Royal Decree, was appointed by the president from among the members of the Council of Ministers. The Vice Presidency was vested in the Under Secretary of the Interior, Severiano Martínez Anido, who combined the position with that of Interior Minister.

With the resignation of Primo de Rivera and the fall of the monarchy, the Second Republic was established in Spain, which did not initially consider a deputy prime minister necessary. However, in December 1933, Prime Minister Lerroux appointed Diego Martínez Barrio Vice President of the Council of Ministers, a position from which he resigned only three months later.

The Law of January 30, 1938, changed the title to Vice Presidency of the Government and, with the formation of the first Franco government, this position was granted to general Francisco Gómez-Jordana Sousa. From 1938 to 1981 the position was occupied by military officials, with the exception of the vice presidents Torcuato Fernández Miranda (1973-1973) and José García Hernández (1974-1975). Since 1981, with a democracy markedly established in society, Prime Minister Calvo-Sotelo appointed a civilian as Deputy, definitively separating the military power from the executive power, a situation that remains today.

Responsibilities
As of 2024, the First Deputy Prime Minister responsibilities are:
 * Advising the Prime Minister.
 * To replace the Prime Minister in the cases of vacancy, absence or illness.
 * The exercise of the responsibilities entrusted by the Prime Minister.
 * To chair the Government Delegated Committee for Economic Affairs.