The first (but not the last) government crisis of Salvador Illa

BarcelonaMònica Martínez Bravo is the first minister to jump from Salvador Illa's executive. For some time she was one of those who were on everyone's lips, because for some time the president has been preparing a government reshuffling to face the decisive last phase of the legislature. Many sources pointed to an imminent government crisis, although it is surprising that it is limited only to the Minister of Social Rights.

Playing with electoral tempos, the spokesperson and Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque, is another one who is assumed to be on the way out – if there is no last-minute change, she will be the PSC candidate for mayor of Girona–. Her replacement could be delayed, however, until the beginning of next year, some sources explain. Paneque is one of the ministers with the most public profile, a fact that is a double-edged sword when there are such significant crises as the one she had to personally assume due to the chaos in Rodalies.

It is also taken for granted that the Minister of Health, Olga Pané, will not complete her term. Beyond the labor disputes with doctors and nurses, which have cost her furious criticism from the unions, Pané herself has asked on several occasions to be replaced. The moment considered most appropriate will therefore be awaited. For now, she remains on medical leave after fracturing her fibula in April in a domestic accident.

From here on, the changes can be of more or less significance, and involve various ministries. The polls are not good enough for the socialists and the internal diagnosis agrees that they must be able to better communicate the government's work to escape the image of a paralyzed executive. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for governments to change ministers or secretaries of state. Pedro Sánchez, for example, has changed five since 2023; Pere Aragonès had to change ten, most of them after Junts left the Government, and Quim Torra replaced seven.

It had been questioned of Martínez Bravo that she was a person familially rooted in Madrid while serving as a minister in Catalonia and, precisely, this will end up being the "personal reason" that will make her abandon the project before its time.