First government of Mariano Rajoy

The first government of Mariano Rajoy was formed on 22 December 2011, following the latter's election as Prime Minister of Spain by the Congress of Deputies on 20 December and his swearing-in on 21 December, as a result of the People's Party (PP) emerging as the largest parliamentary force at the 2011 Spanish general election. It succeeded the second Zapatero government and was the Government of Spain from 22 December 2011 to 4 November 2016, a total of days, or 4 years, 10 months, 19 days.

The cabinet comprised members of the PP and a number of independents. It was automatically dismissed on 21 December 2015 as a consequence of the 2015 general election, but remained in acting capacity until the next government was sworn in.

Cabinet changes
Rajoy's first government saw a number of cabinet changes during its tenure:
 * On 28 April 2014, Miguel Arias Cañete stepped down as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Affairs in order to run as the People's Party (PP)'s leading candidate in the 2014 European Parliament election. He was succeeded by Isabel García Tejerina.
 * On 23 September 2014, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón resigned as Minister of Justice, after the government chose to withdraw his proposed abortion bill. The decision was said to come over the loss of personal prestige resulting from a staunch defense of the bill, with Rajoy's u-turn on the issue being seen as a personal disavowal of Gallardón. Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría was tasked with the ordinary discharge of duties of the Ministry for Justice until Gallardon's successor, Rafael Catalá, could take office on 29 September 2014.
 * On 26 November 2014, Ana Mato resigned as Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality due to her involvement in the Gürtel case, after she was summoned to court as a "participant on a lucrative basis" in the corruption crimes allegedly committed by former husband Jesús Sepúlveda. Her resignation came one day before a plenary in Congress on corruption in which Prime Minister Rajoy was scheduled to intervene, and after Mato herself had announced earlier that day that she had not considered her resignation. Sáenz de Santamaría took on the ordinary discharge of duties of the ministry until Mato's successor, Alfonso Alonso, could take office on 3 December 2014.
 * On 26 June 2015, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo replaced José Ignacio Wert as Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, after the latter had expressed his wish to retire from politics.

From 21 December 2015, Rajoy's cabinet took on acting duties for the duration of the government formation process resulting from the 2015 general election. This lasted for days and saw a new general election being held in the meantime. A number of ministers renounced their posts throughout this period, with the ordinary discharge of duties of their ministries being transferred to other cabinet members as a result of Rajoy being unable to appoint replacements while in acting role.


 * On 15 April 2016, José Manuel Soria was forced to renounce his post as acting Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism over his involvement in the Panama Papers scandal, owing to the leaking of information revealing that he and his family had maintained several offshore societies on tax havens during the previous decades, as well as his confusing and changing explanations on the issue.  Luis de Guindos, acting Minister of Economy and Competitiveness, took on the ordinary discharge of duties of Soria's vacant ministry.
 * On 19 July 2016, Ana Pastor was elected President of the Congress of Deputies of the XII Legislature, a position incompatible with her post as acting Minister of Development. Rafael Catalá, acting Minister of Justice, took on the ordinary discharge of duties of Pastor's vacant ministry.
 * On 16 August 2016, Alfonso Alonso renounced his position as acting Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality in order to run as the PP candidate for Lehendakari in the 2016 Basque regional election. Fátima Báñez, acting Minister of Employment and Social Security, took on the ordinary discharge of duties of Alonso's vacant ministry.

Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers was structured into the offices for the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, 13 ministries and the post of the spokesperson of the Government.

{| class="wikitable" ! Portfolio ! Name ! width="100px" colspan="2"| Party ! width="135px"| Took office ! width="135px"| Left office ! Ref.
 * colspan="7" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" align="center"| ← Rajoy I Government → (21 December 2011 – 4 November 2016)
 * colspan="7" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" align="center"| ← Rajoy I Government → (21 December 2011 – 4 November 2016)
 * Prime Minister
 * Mariano Rajoy
 * width="1" style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 21 December 2011
 * 31 October 2016
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * Deputy Prime Minister Minister of the Presidency Spokesperson of the Government
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
 * José Manuel García-Margallo
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Justice
 * Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 23 September 2014
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Defence
 * Pedro Morenés
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP (Ind.)
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Finance and Public Administrations
 * Cristóbal Montoro
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of the Interior
 * Jorge Fernández Díaz
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Development
 * Ana Pastor
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 18 July 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Education, Culture and Sports
 * José Ignacio Wert
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP (Ind.)
 * 22 December 2011
 * 26 June 2015
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Employment and Social Security
 * Fátima Báñez
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism
 * José Manuel Soria
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 15 April 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment
 * Miguel Arias Cañete
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 28 April 2014
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Economy and Competitiveness
 * Luis de Guindos
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP (Ind.)
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality
 * Ana Mato
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 26 November 2014
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * Luis de Guindos
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP (Ind.)
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality
 * Ana Mato
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 22 December 2011
 * 26 November 2014
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Changes April 2014
! Portfolio ! Name ! colspan="2"| Party ! Took office ! Left office ! Ref.
 * Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment
 * Isabel García Tejerina
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 28 April 2014
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Changes September 2014
! Portfolio ! Name ! colspan="2"| Party ! Took office ! Left office ! Ref.
 * rowspan="2"| Minister of Justice
 * colspan="6"| Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría took on the ordinary discharge of duties from 23 to 29 September 2014.
 * Rafael Catalá
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 29 September 2014
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Changes November 2014
! Portfolio ! Name ! colspan="2"| Party ! Took office ! Left office ! Ref.
 * rowspan="2"| Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality
 * colspan="6"| Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría took on the ordinary discharge of duties from 26 November to 3 December 2014.
 * Alfonso Alonso
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 3 December 2014
 * 10 August 2016
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Changes June 2015
! Portfolio ! Name ! colspan="2"| Party ! Took office ! Left office ! Ref.
 * Minister of Education, Culture and Sports
 * Íñigo Méndez de Vigo
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * PP
 * 26 June 2015
 * 4 November 2016
 * align="center"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Changes 2016
! Portfolio ! Name ! colspan="2"| Party ! Took office ! Left office ! Ref.
 * Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism
 * colspan="6"| Luis de Guindos took on the ordinary discharge of duties from 15 April to 4 November 2016.
 * Minister of Development
 * colspan="6"| Rafael Catalá took on the ordinary discharge of duties from 18 July to 4 November 2016.
 * Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality
 * colspan="6"| Fátima Báñez took on the ordinary discharge of duties from 10 August to 4 November 2016.
 * }
 * Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality
 * colspan="6"| Fátima Báñez took on the ordinary discharge of duties from 10 August to 4 November 2016.
 * }

Departmental structure
Mariano Rajoy's first government was organised into several superior and governing units, whose number, powers and hierarchical structure varied depending on the ministerial department.


 * Unit/body rank
 * Secretary of state
 * Undersecretary
 * Director-general
 * Autonomous agency
 * Military & intelligence agency

{| class="wikitable" style="line-height:18px;" ! scope="col"| Office (Original name) ! scope="col"| Portrait ! scope="col"| Name ! scope="col"| Took office ! scope="col"| Left office ! colspan="3" scope="col"| Alliance/party ! Ref. ! colspan="9"|

Prime Minister's Office

 * align="center" rowspan="2" width="250"| Prime Minister (Presidencia del Gobierno)
 * width="80"| Mariano Rajoy 2012 (cropped).jpg
 * width="200"| Mariano Rajoy
 * width="200"| 21 December 2011
 * width="200"| 31 October 2016
 * width="1" style="background-color:;"|
 * width="1" style="background-color:;"|
 * width="175" align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|
 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Deputy Prime Minister (Vicepresidencia del Gobierno)
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría 2013 (cropped).jpg
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"| See Ministry of the Presidency
 * colspan="7"| See Ministry of the Presidency
 * colspan="7"| See Ministry of the Presidency

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación)
 * José Manuel García-Margallo 2013b (cropped).jpg
 * José Manuel García-Margallo
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Justice

 * align="center" rowspan="4"| Ministry of Justice (Ministerio de Justicia)
 * Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón 2013b (cropped).jpg
 * Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón
 * 22 December 2011
 * 23 September 2014 (resigned)
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="4"|
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría 2013 (cropped).jpg
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría (ordinary discharge of duties)
 * 23 September 2014
 * 29 September 2014
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * Rafael Catalá 2018 (cropped).jpg
 * Rafael Catalá
 * 29 September 2014
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Defence

 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Ministry of Defence (Ministerio de Defensa)
 * Pedro Morenés 2012 (cropped).jpg
 * Pedro Morenés
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP (Independent)
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Finance and Public Administrations

 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Ministry of Finance and Public Administrations (Ministerio de Hacienda y Administraciones Públicas)
 * Cristóbal Montoro 2012b (cropped).jpg
 * Cristóbal Montoro
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of the Interior

 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Ministry of the Interior (Ministerio del Interior)
 * Jorge Fernández Díaz 2013 (cropped).jpg
 * Jorge Fernández Díaz
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Development

 * align="center" rowspan="3"| Ministry of Development (Ministerio de Fomento)
 * Ana Pastor Julián 2016 (cropped).jpg
 * Ana Pastor
 * 22 December 2011
 * 18 July 2016 (renounced)
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="3"|
 * Rafael Catalá 2018 (cropped).jpg
 * Rafael Catalá (ordinary discharge of duties)
 * 18 July 2016
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports

 * align="center" rowspan="3"| Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte)
 * José Ignacio Wert 2012b (cropped).jpg
 * José Ignacio Wert
 * 22 December 2011
 * 26 June 2015
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP (Independent)
 * align="center" rowspan="3"|
 * Iñigo Mendez de Vigob (cropped).jpg
 * Íñigo Méndez de Vigo
 * 26 June 2015
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Employment and Social Security

 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Ministry of Employment and Social Security (Ministerio de Empleo y Seguridad Social)
 * Fátima Báñez 2012b (cropped).jpg
 * Fátima Báñez
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism

 * align="center" rowspan="3"| Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism (Ministerio de Industria, Energía y Turismo)
 * José Manuel Soria 2014 (cropped).jpg
 * José Manuel Soria
 * 22 December 2011
 * 15 April 2016 (renounced)
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="3"|
 * Luis de Guindos 2012c (cropped).jpg
 * Luis de Guindos (ordinary discharge of duties)
 * 15 April 2016
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP (Independent)
 * colspan="7"|
 * align="center"| PP (Independent)
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment

 * align="center" rowspan="3"| Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente)
 * Miguel Arias Cañete 2014 (cropped).jpg
 * Miguel Arias Cañete
 * 22 December 2011
 * 28 April 2014
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="3"|
 * Isabel García Tejerina 2014b (cropped).jpg
 * Isabel García Tejerina
 * 28 April 2014
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of the Presidency

 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Ministry of the Presidency (Ministerio de la Presidencia)
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría 2013 (cropped).jpg
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness

 * align="center" rowspan="2"| Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad)
 * Luis de Guindos 2012c (cropped).jpg
 * Luis de Guindos
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP (Independent)
 * align="center" rowspan="2"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality

 * align="center" rowspan="5"| Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality (Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad)
 * Ana Mato 2012 (cropped).jpg
 * Ana Mato
 * 22 December 2011
 * 26 November 2014 (resigned)
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center" rowspan="5"|
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría 2013 (cropped).jpg
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría (ordinary discharge of duties)
 * 26 November 2014
 * 3 December 2014
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * Alfonso Alonso 2015b (cropped).jpg
 * Alfonso Alonso
 * 3 December 2014
 * 10 August 2016 (renounced)
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * Fátima Báñez 2012b (cropped).jpg
 * Fátima Báñez (ordinary discharge of duties)
 * 10 August 2016
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

! colspan="9"|

Spokesperson of the Government

 * align="center"| Spokesperson of the Government (Portavoz del Gobierno)
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría 2013 (cropped).jpg
 * Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría
 * 22 December 2011
 * 4 November 2016
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * style="background-color:;"|
 * align="center"| PP
 * align="center"|
 * }
 * }