Elena Salgado
Encyclopedia
Elena Salgado Méndez (b. 12 May 1949 in Ourense
, Galicia, Spain
) is a Spanish
politician currently serving as the First Vice President (i.e. the deputy prime minister
) and Minister of Economy and Finance of Spain, in the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
. She succeeded Pedro Solbes
in April 2009 in a surprise move.
A graduate of Industrial Engineering and Economic Science, she had previously been Health Minister (2004-2007) and Minister for Public Administration (2007-2009). Despite her Galician origin
she has been a deputy for Cantabria province
since the 2008 election.
Ourense
Ourense is a city in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of the same name in Galicia. Its population of 108,674 accounts for 30% of the population of the province and makes it the third largest city of Galicia.-Population:...
, Galicia, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
politician currently serving as the First Vice President (i.e. the deputy prime minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
) and Minister of Economy and Finance of Spain, in the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
. She succeeded Pedro Solbes
Pedro Solbes
Pedro Solbes Mira is a Spanish economist. While independent in the sense of not affiliated to any party, his various ministerial roles in Spain have always been within Socialist Workers' Party cabinets...
in April 2009 in a surprise move.
A graduate of Industrial Engineering and Economic Science, she had previously been Health Minister (2004-2007) and Minister for Public Administration (2007-2009). Despite her Galician origin
Galician people
The Galicians are an ethnic group, a nationality whose historical homeland is Galicia in north-western Spain. Most Galicians are bilingual, speaking both their historic language, Galician, and Castilian Spanish.-Political and administrative divisions:...
she has been a deputy for Cantabria province
Cantabria (Spanish Congress Electoral District)
Cantabria is one of the 52 electoral districts used for the Spanish Congress of Deputies - the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. It corresponds to the autonomous community of Cantabria. Santander is the largest municipality with 165,000 voters - 35% of the total...
since the 2008 election.