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4th government of Felipe González
Flag of Spain.svg
Government of Spain
1993–1996
Cuarto Gobierno de Felipe Gonzalez (1993).jpg
The government in July 1993.
Date formed 14 July 1993
Date dissolved 6 May 1996
People and organisations
Monarch Juan Carlos I
Prime Minister Felipe González
Deputy Prime Minister Narcís Serra (1993–1995)
No. of ministers 17 (1993–1994)
16 (1994–1995)
15 (1995–1996)
Total no. of members 21
Member party   PSOE
Status in legislature Minority government
Opposition party   PP
Opposition leader José María Aznar
History
Election(s) 1993 general election
Outgoing election 1996 general election
Legislature term(s) 5th Cortes Generales
Budget(s) 1994, 1995
Predecessor González III
Successor Aznar I

The fourth government of Felipe González was formed on 14 July 1993, following the latter's election as Prime Minister of Spain by the Congress of Deputies on 9 July and his swearing-in on 13 July, as a result of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) emerging as the largest parliamentary force at the 1993 Spanish general election. It succeeded the third González government and was the Government of Spain from 14 July 1993 to 6 May 1996, a total of 1,027 days, or 2 years, 9 months and 22 days.

González's fourth cabinet was an important change compared to the previous one: only five members remained in their previous ministries, four changed of portfolio and eight were new. It was described as the least political cabinet out of the four González governments, with up to six independent figures, as well as the one with the most female ministers (Carmen Alborch, Ángeles Amador and Cristina Alberdi). The sole deputy prime minister's office under Narcís Serra from the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) was maintained with increased competences on economic affairs.

The parliamentary defeat of the 1996 General State Budget bill on 25 October 1995 led to the virtual downfall of González's government, which was forced to prorogue the 1995 budget and ultimately decided to dissolve parliament and call a snap election. It was automatically dismissed on 4 March 1996 as a consequence of the 1996 general election, but remained in acting capacity until the next government was sworn in.

Investiture

Investiture
Felipe González (PSOE)
Ballot → 9 July 1993
Required majority → 176 out of 350 YesY
181 / 350
165 / 350
1 / 350
3 / 350
Sources

Cabinet changes

González's fourth government saw a number of cabinet changes during its tenure:

  • On 18 November 1993, Minister of the Interior José Luis Corcuera announced his intention to submit his resignation after the Constitutional Court of Spain declared the unconstitutionality of a number of provisions within the 1992 Organic Law on Protection of Citizen Security, colloquially known as the "Corcuera Law" or the "Law of kick down the door", that allowed police forces, without previous judicial authorization, to enter private properties based on the mere suspicion that a crime was being committed within. Corcuera's resignation was accepted on 24 November, and the following day Antoni Asunción was appointed to replace him at the helm of the interior ministry.
  • On 6 May 1994, Juan Alberto Belloch and Luis María Atienza were assigned the responsibilities of the Interior and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ministries after the resignations of Antoni Asunción and Vicente Albero. Asunción announced on 30 April his intention to step down from his post after it transpired that former Director-General of the Civil Guard Luis Roldán, suspected of amassing a fortune through fraudulent means during his years of service and whose monitoring was responsibility of the Interior ministry, had fled Spain to escape legal prosecution. Concurrently, Albero resigned as agriculture minister on 4 May after he became involved in a tax fraud scandal. Prime Minister González accepted both ministers' resignations on 4 May 1994. As a result of the reshuffle, the Justice and Interior departments were merged into a single ministry.
  • On 12 June 1995, a major scandal unveiled after it transpired that the Superior Center of Defense Information (CESID), the main Spanish intelligence agency at the time, had been recording and keeping the taped telephone conversations of dozens of prominent public figures for years, including politicians, businessmen, journalists or the King himself, apparently without the cabinet's knowledge. The scandal brought about the resignations of Julián García Vargas, Minister of Defence since 1991 and under whose authority the CESID was responsible to, but also of Deputy Prime Minister Narcís Serra, who had been the defence minister in the 1982 to 1991 period. Prime Minister González accepted the resignations on 28 June 1995, but despite earlier speculation on a larger reshuffle, the government changes were limited to replacing García Vargas by Minister of Education Gustavo Suárez Pertierra and the incorporation of former President of the Valencian Government Joan Lerma into the cabinet in the Public Administrations portfolio, replacing Jerónimo Saavedra who, in turn, filled Suárez Pertierra's vacancy in Education; no replacement for Narcís Serra as deputy prime minister was appointed.
  • On 19 December 1995, Javier Solana was replaced by Carlos Westendorp in the Foreign Affairs portfolio after the former was elected as new Secretary General of NATO.

Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers was structured into the offices for the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, 16 ministries and the post of the spokesperson of the Government. The number of ministries was reduced to 15 after the ministries of Justice and Interior were merged in 1994. The office of the deputy prime minister was left vacant from 1995.

González IV Government
(14 July 1993 – 6 May 1996)
Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Ref.
Prime Minister Felipe González PSOE 13 July 1993 5 May 1996
Deputy Prime Minister Narcís Serra PSC–PSOE 14 July 1993 2 July 1995
Minister of Foreign Affairs Javier Solana PSOE 14 July 1993 19 December 1995
Minister of Justice Juan Alberto Belloch Independent 14 July 1993 6 May 1994
Minister of Defence Julián García Vargas PSOE 14 July 1993 2 July 1995
Minister of Economy and Finance Pedro Solbes Independent 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister of the Interior José Luis Corcuera PSOE 14 July 1993 24 November 1993
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Environment Josep Borrell PSOE 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister of Education and Science Gustavo Suárez Pertierra PSOE 14 July 1993 3 July 1995
Minister of Labour and Social Security José Antonio Griñán PSOE 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister of Industry and Energy Juan Manuel Eguiagaray PSOE 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Vicente Albero PSOE 14 July 1993 4 May 1994
Minister of the Presidency
Spokesperson of the Government
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba PSOE 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister for Public Administrations Jerónimo Saavedra PSOE 14 July 1993 3 July 1995
Minister of Culture Carmen Alborch Independent 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs Ángeles Amador Independent 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister of Social Affairs Cristina Alberdi Indep./PSOE 14 July 1993 6 May 1996
Minister of Trade and Tourism Javier Gómez-Navarro Independent 14 July 1993 6 May 1996

Changes November 1993

Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Ref.
Minister of the Interior Antoni Asunción PSOE 25 November 1993 4 May 1994

Changes May 1994

Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Ref.
Minister of Justice and Interior Juan Alberto Belloch Independent 6 May 1994 6 May 1996
Minister of the Interior Disestablished on 6 May 1994.
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Luis María Atienza PSOE 6 May 1994 6 May 1996

Changes July 1995

Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Ref.
Deputy Prime Minister Vacant from 2 July 1995.
Minister of Defence Gustavo Suárez Pertierra PSOE 3 July 1995 6 May 1996
Minister of Education and Science Jerónimo Saavedra PSOE 3 July 1995 6 May 1996
Minister for Public Administrations Joan Lerma PSOE 3 July 1995 6 May 1996

Changes December 1995

Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Ref.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Westendorp PSOE 19 December 1995 6 May 1996

Departmental structure

Felipe González's fourth government was organised into several superior and governing units, whose number, powers and hierarchical structure varied depending on the ministerial department.

Unit/body rank
Office
(Original name)
Portrait Name Took office Left office Alliance/party Ref.

Prime Minister's Office

Prime Minister
(Presidencia del Gobierno)
Felipe González 1995 (cropped).jpg Felipe González 13 July 1993 5 May 1996 PSOE


Deputy Prime Minister
(Vicepresidencia del Gobierno)
Narcís Serra 1989 (cropped).jpg Narcís Serra 14 July 1993 2 July 1995
(resigned)
PSOE
(PSC–PSOE)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores)
Javier Solana 1999 (cropped).jpg Javier Solana 14 July 1993 19 December 1995 PSOE


Carlos Westendorp 1996b (cropped).jpg Carlos Westendorp 19 December 1995 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice
(Ministerio de Justicia)
(until 6 May 1994)

Ministry of Justice and Interior
(Ministerio de Justicia e Interior)
(from 6 May 1994)

Juan Alberto Belloch 1996b (cropped).jpg Juan Alberto Belloch 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE
(Independent)




Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence
(Ministerio de Defensa)
Julián García Vargas 1986 (cropped).jpg Julián García Vargas 14 July 1993 2 July 1995
(resigned)
PSOE
Gustavo Suárez Pertierra 2018 (cropped).jpg Gustavo Suárez Pertierra 3 July 1995 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry of Economy and Finance

Ministry of Economy and Finance
(Ministerio de Economía y Hacienda)
Pedro Solbes 1996 (cropped).jpg Pedro Solbes 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE
(Independent)





Ministry of the Interior

Ministry of the Interior
(Ministerio del Interior)
(until 6 May 1994)
José Luis Corcuera 1993 (cropped).jpg José Luis Corcuera 14 July 1993 24 November 1993
(resigned)
PSOE
Antoni Asunción en la presentación de Movimiento Ciudadano (cropped).jpg Antoni Asunción 25 November 1993 4 May 1994
(resigned)
PSOE

Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Environment

Ministry of Public Works,
Transport and Environment
(Ministerio de Obras Públicas,
Transportes y Medio Ambiente)
Josep Borrell 1996 (cropped).jpg Josep Borrell 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry of Education and Science

Ministry of Education and Science
(Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia)
Gustavo Suárez Pertierra 2018 (cropped).jpg Gustavo Suárez Pertierra 14 July 1993 3 July 1995 PSOE
Jerónimo Saavedra 1983 (cropped).jpg Jerónimo Saavedra 3 July 1995 6 May 1996 PSOE
  • () High Council for Sports
    • () President's Office of the High Council for Sports
      • () Directorate-General for Sports
      • () Directorate-General for Sports Infrastructure and Services

Ministry of Labour and Social Security

Ministry of Labour
and Social Security
(Ministerio de Trabajo
y Seguridad Social)
José Antonio Griñán 2012 (cropped)-2.jpg José Antonio Griñán 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry of Industry and Energy

Ministry of Industry and Energy
(Ministerio de Industria y Energía)
Juan Manuel Eguiagaray 1992 (cropped).jpg Juan Manuel Eguiagaray 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food
(Ministerio de Agricultura,
Pesca y Alimentación)
Portrait placeholder.svg Vicente Albero 14 July 1993 4 May 1994
(resigned)
PSOE
Luis María Atienza 2010 (cropped).jpg Luis María Atienza 6 May 1994 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry of the Presidency

Ministry of the Presidency
(Ministerio de la Presidencia)
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba 1996b (cropped).jpg Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry for Public Administrations

Ministry for Public Administrations
(Ministerio para las Administraciones
Públicas)
Jerónimo Saavedra 1983 (cropped).jpg Jerónimo Saavedra 14 July 1993 3 July 1995 PSOE
Felipe González recibe a Joan Lerma, presidente de la Generalitat valenciana.jpg Joan Lerma 3 July 1995 6 May 1996 PSOE

Ministry of Culture

Ministry of Culture
(Ministerio de Cultura)
Carmen Alborch 2015 (cropped).jpg Carmen Alborch 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE
(Independent)


Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs

Ministry of Health
and Consumer Affairs
(Ministerio de Sanidad
y Consumo)
Portrait placeholder.svg Ángeles Amador 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE
(Independent)

Ministry of Social Affairs

Ministry of Social Affairs
(Ministerio de Asuntos Sociales)
Cristina Alberdi 2016 (cropped).jpg Cristina Alberdi 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE
(PSOE from Oct 1995;
Indep. until Oct 1995)



Ministry of Trade and Tourism

Ministry of Trade and Tourism
(Ministerio de Comercio y Turismo)
Javier Gómez-Navarro 1990 (cropped).jpg Javier Gómez-Navarro 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE
(Independent)

Spokesperson of the Government

Spokesperson of the Government
(Portavoz del Gobierno)
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba 1996b (cropped).jpg Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba 14 July 1993 6 May 1996 PSOE

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cuarto Gobierno González para niños

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