The first government of Adolfo Suárez was formed on 8 July 1976, following the latter's appointment as prime minister of Spain by King Juan Carlos I on 3 July and his swearing-in on 5 July, as a result of Carlos Arias Navarro's resignation from the post on 1 July 1976. It succeeded the second Arias Navarro government and was the government of Spain from 8 July 1976 to 5 July 1977, a total of days, or .

Suárez's first cabinet comprised members from the National Movement (with the notable absences of FET y de las JONS and the Opus Dei), but also by members of the reformist 'Tácito' group, a number of political associations that could not yet be legalized as parties—such as the Spanish People's Union (UDPE) and the Spanish Democratic Union (UDE)—and the Federation of Independent Studies (FEDISA) political society. Following the death of dictator Francisco Franco, the regulations of the Cortes Españolas had been amended to allow legislators to group into parliamentary factions, one of whom—the Independent Parliamentary Group (GPI), which would later become the Independent Social Federation (FSI) party—being represented in the Council of Ministers through Rodolfo Martín Villa.

On 7 April 1977, the National Movement and the FET y de las JONS party were officially disbanded, and many cabinet members—who had gone their own separate ways to a number of political parties ahead of the 1977 general election—joined into the nascent Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) electoral alliance under Suárez's leadership upon its formation in May 1977.

Cabinet changes Suárez's first government saw a number of cabinet changes during its tenure: On 23 September 1976, Fernando de Santiago was replaced as First Deputy Prime Minister by Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado. Minister of the Navy Gabriel Pita da Veiga announced his resignation on 12 April 1977 over personal disagreements with the government's decision to legalize the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) on 9 April; he was replaced by Admiral Pascual Pery on 15 April. On 23 April 1977, Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo resigned as Minister of Public Works in order to organize the newly-formed Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) ahead of the 1977 Spanish general election. Carlos Pérez de Bricio took on the ordinary duties of the affairs of the ministry until Calvo-Sotelo's successor, Luis Ortiz González, could take office on 11 May 1977.

Council of Ministers The Council of Ministers was structured into the offices for the prime minister, the two deputy prime ministers and 19 ministries, including one minister without portfolio.

← Suárez I Government →(8 July 1976 – 5 July 1977) Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez FET–JONS/UDPE 5 July 1976 17 June 1977 First Deputy Prime MinisterMinister without portfolio Fernando de Santiago Military 8 July 1976 23 September 1976 Second Deputy Prime MinisterMinister of the Presidency Alfonso Osorio FET–JONS/UDE 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelino Oreja FET–JONS/Tácito 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Justice Landelino Lavilla FET–JONS/Tácito 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of the Army Félix Álvarez-Arenas Military 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of the Navy Gabriel Pita da Veiga Military 8 July 1976 15 April 1977 Minister of Finance Eduardo Carriles FET–JONS/UDE 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Governance Rodolfo Martín Villa FET–JONS/GPI 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Public Works Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo FET–JONS/FEDISA 8 July 1976 23 April 1977 Minister of Education and Science Aurelio Menéndez FET–JONS/NP 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Labour Álvaro Rengifo FET–JONS/NP 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Industry Carlos Pérez de Bricio FET–JONS/FEDISA 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of the Air Carlos Franco Iribarnegaray Military 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Agriculture Fernando Abril Martorell FET–JONS/UDPE 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister Secretary-General of the Movement Ignacio García López FET–JONS/UDPE 8 July 1976 7 April 1977 Minister of Trade José Lladó FET–JONS/UDPE 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Information and Tourism Andrés Reguera FET–JONS/UDE 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister of Housing Francisco Lozano Vicente FET–JONS/NP 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Minister for Trade Union Relations Enrique de la Mata FET–JONS/UDE 8 July 1976 5 July 1977 Changes September 1976 Portfolio Name Faction Took office Left office First Deputy Prime Minister for Defence AffairsMinister without portfolio Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado Military 23 September 1976 5 July 1977 Changes April 1977 Portfolio Name Faction Took office Left office Minister of the Navy Pascual Pery Military 15 April 1977 5 July 1977 Minister of Public Works Luis Ortiz González Independent 11 May 1977 5 July 1977 Minister Secretary of the Government Ignacio García López Independent 7 April 1977 5 July 1977

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links Governments. Juan Carlos I (20.11.1975 ...) . CCHS-CSIC (in Spanish). Governments of Spain 1975–1977. Ministers of Carlos Arias Navarro and Adolfo Suárez. Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). The governments of the Transition (1975–1977). Lluís Belenes i Rodríguez History Page (in Spanish). Biographies. Royal Academy of History (in Spanish).