Spain: IU Party Calls New Govt. Neoliberal

Madrid, Dec 22. -The Coalition Izquierda Unida (IU) Leader, Cayo Lara, says the new cabinet of the Conservative Partido Popular has a neoliberal leaning, with some of its members linked to the banking business.Lara, as head of the third political force in Spain, the PP, says the cabinet of newly elected President Mariano Rajoy is giving signs of putting itself at the service of adjustments and the dictates of financial markets.

As an example he mentioned Economy Minister Luis de Guindos, a man of the stock markets, and adviser Lehman Brothers at the time of its bankruptcy and director of Instituto de Empresa, a school with a notorious neoliberal slant, he stressed.

In his view Rajoy´s government is made up of people sharing his views regarding austerity, tight adjustments and spending cut plans to meet the EU public deficit demand, while noting that five of the ministers were in the PP's 1996-2004 term with Jose Maria Aznar.

He thinks the message the new government sends out is that banks and markets always play the winning card in Spain, therefore it is not odd that their masters are welcoming these conservative ministers and secretaries, something the working class and small enterprises cannot celebrate at all.

The new 13-member cabinet is made up of:

-Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, Sr. Vice President

– Luis de Guindos, minister of Economy

– Cristobal Montoro, minister of Finances and Public Administration

– José Manuel García, minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

– Jorge Fernández, minister of Interior

– Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, minister of Justice

– Pedro Morenes, minister of Defense.

– Ana Mato, minister of Health

– Jose Soria, minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism

– Fatima Bañez , minister for Employment and Social Security

– Jose Ignacio Wert, minister for Education, Culture and Sports

– Ana Pastor, minister for Development

– Miguel Arias Cañete, minister for Agriculture, Nutrition and Environment. (Prensa Latina)