The second government of Adolfo Suárez was formed on 5 July 1977, following the latter's confirmation as prime minister of Spain by King Juan Carlos I on 17 June, as a result of the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) emerging as the largest parliamentary force at the 1977 general election. It succeeded the first Suárez government and was the government of Spain from 5 July 1977 to 6 April 1979, a total of days, or .
Suárez's second cabinet was initially made up by independents and members from the political parties that had run within the UCD alliance, most of whom would end up joining it upon its transformation into a full-fledged political party. It was automatically dismissed on 2 March 1979 as a consequence of the 1979 general election, but remained in acting capacity until the next government was sworn in.
Cabinet changes Suárez's second government saw a number of cabinet changes during its tenure:
On 1 September 1977, the Ministry of Culture and Welfare was renamed as Ministry of Culture, with a restructuring of the ministerial department that saw some of its competences transferred to other ministries, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On 27 September 1977, Ignacio Camuñas stepped down as Deputy Minister of Relations with the Cortes, without portfolio, over political discrepancies on the UCD's composition as a unitary political party. After his resignation, Camuñas's office was discontinued. On 11 February 1978, Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo was appointed to the newly created post of Minister of Relations with the European Communities, without portfolio. On 25 February 1978, a major cabinet reshuffle resulting from the resignation of Enrique Fuentes Quintana saw Fernando Abril Martorell being reassigned as new Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy; Manuel Jiménez de Parga was replaced as Minister of Labour by Rafael Calvo Ortega; Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún replaced Alberto Oliart in the Ministry of Industry and Energy; Jaime Lamo de Espinosa became new Minister of Agriculture in place of José Enrique Martínez Genique; and the Ministry of Transport and Communications saw the change from José Lladó to Salvador Sánchez-Terán. On 23 March 1979, Landelino Lavilla was elected President of the Congress of Deputies of the 1st Legislature, a position incompatible with his post as acting Minister of Justice. Rodolfo Martín Villa, acting Minister of the Interior, took on the ordinary duties of the affairs of Lavilla's vacant ministry.
Council of Ministers The Council of Ministers was structured into the offices for the prime minister, the three deputy prime ministers and 18 ministries, including a number of deputy ministers without portfolio. From February 1978, the council would only include two deputy prime ministers.
← Suárez II Government →(5 July 1977 – 6 April 1979) Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez Independent 17 June 1977 2 April 1979 First Deputy Prime MinisterMinister of Defence Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado Military 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Second Deputy Prime MinisterMinister of Economy Enrique Fuentes Quintana Independent 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 Third Deputy Prime Minister Fernando Abril Martorell Independent 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelino Oreja Independent 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of Justice Landelino Lavilla Independent 5 July 1977 22 March 1979 Minister of Finance Francisco Fernández Ordóñez UCD/PSD 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of the Interior Rodolfo Martín Villa Independent 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of Public Works and Urbanism Joaquín Garrigues Walker UCD/FPDL 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of Education and Science Íñigo Cavero UCD/PDC 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of Labour Manuel Jiménez de Parga Independent 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 Minister of Industry and Energy Alberto Oliart Independent 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 Minister of Agriculture José Enrique Martínez Genique Independent 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 Minister of Trade and Tourism Juan Antonio García Díez UCD/PSD 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of the Presidency José Manuel Otero Independent 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of Transport and Communications José Lladó Independent 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 Minister of Health and Social Security Enrique Sánchez de León UCD/AREX 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Minister of Culture and Welfare Pío Cabanillas Gallas UCD/PP 5 July 1977 1 September 1977 Deputy Minister for the Regions, without portfolio Manuel Clavero UCD/PSLA 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 Deputy Minister for Relations with the Cortes, without portfolio Ignacio Camuñas UCD/PDP 5 July 1977 27 September 1977 Changes September 1977 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Culture Pío Cabanillas Gallas UCD/PP 1 September 1977 6 April 1979 Changes February 1978 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Second Deputy Prime MinisterMinister of Economy Fernando Abril Martorell UCD 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 Minister of Labour Rafael Calvo Ortega UCD 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 Minister of Industry and Energy Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún UCD 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 Minister of Agriculture Jaime Lamo de Espinosa UCD 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 Minister of Transport and Communications Salvador Sánchez-Terán UCD 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 Minister for Relations with the European Communities, without portfolio Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo UCD 11 February 1978 6 April 1979 Changes 1979 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Justice
Departmental structure Adolfo Suárez's second government is organised into several superior and governing units, whose number, powers and hierarchical structure may vary depending on the ministerial department.
Unit/body rank () Secretary of state () Undersecretary () Director-general () Autonomous agency () Military & intelligence agency
Office Portrait Name Took office Left office Alliance/party Prime Minister's Office Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez 17 June 1977 2 April 1979 UCD First Deputy Prime Minister Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCD Second Deputy Prime Minister Enrique Fuentes Quintana 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 Independent Fernando Abril Martorell 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 UCD Third Deputy Prime Minister Fernando Abril Martorell 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 UCDMinistry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs Marcelino Oreja 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCD Ministry of Justice Ministry of Justice Landelino Lavilla 5 July 1977 22 March 1979 UCD Rodolfo Martín Villa 22 March 1979 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Defence Ministry of Defence Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCD Ministry of Finance Ministry of Finance Francisco Fernández Ordóñez 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of the Interior Ministry of the Interior Rodolfo Martín Villa 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Public Works and Urbanism Ministry of Public Worksand Urbanism Joaquín Garrigues Walker 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Education and Science Ministry of Education and Science Íñigo Cavero 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Labour Ministry of Labour Manuel Jiménez de Parga 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 UCD Rafael Calvo Ortega 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Industry and Energy Ministry of Industry and Energy Alberto Oliart 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 UCD Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Agriculture Ministry of Agriculture José Enrique Martínez Genique 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 UCD Jaime Lamo de Espinosa 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Trade and Tourism Ministry of Trade and Tourism Juan Antonio García Díez 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of the Presidency Ministry of the Presidency José Manuel Otero 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Economy Ministry of Economy Fernando Abril Martorell 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Transport and Communications Ministry of Transportand Communications José Lladó 5 July 1977 25 February 1978 UCD Salvador Sánchez-Terán 25 February 1978 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Health and Social Security Ministry of Healthand Social Security Enrique Sánchez de León 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinistry of Culture Ministry of Culture and Welfare
Ministry of Culture Pío Cabanillas Gallas 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCDMinisters without portfolio Deputy Minister for the Regions,without portfolio Manuel Clavero 5 July 1977 6 April 1979 UCD Deputy Minister for Relations withthe Cortes, without portfolio Ignacio Camuñas 5 July 1977 27 September 1977 UCD Minister for Relations with theEuropean Communities, withoutportfolio Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo 11 February 1978 6 April 1979 UCD
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links Governments. Juan Carlos I (20.11.1975 ...) . CCHS-CSIC (in Spanish). Governments of Spain 1977–1982. Ministers of Adolfo Suárez and Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo. Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). The governments of the Union of the Democratic Centre (1977–1982). Lluís Belenes i Rodríguez History Page (in Spanish).