At Zarzuela Palace
President of the Government attends swearing in of Alfonso Alonso as Minister for Health, Social Services and Equality
President's News - 2014.12.3
Zarzuela Palace, Madrid
Alfonso Alonso travelled to Zarzuela Palace where he was sworn in before the King of Spain. The ceremony was also attended by the President of the Government; the Vice-President of the Government, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría; and the Minister for Justice, Rafael Catalá, the latter acting as Lord Privy Seal.
The appointment of Alfonso Alonso was published in the Official State Gazette this morning.
Taking office
After being sworn in, Alfonso Alonso travelled to the headquarters of the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, where he officially took office from his predecessor, Ana Mato.
In his speech, the new minister announced that his priority will be "to consolidate health, try to increase the social options made available to families and all Spanish citizens in general", and to ensure that action by the Government of Spain "is as focused on society as possible".
Pool MoncloaIn this regard, he expressed his commitment to "work, respect and a willingness to enter into dialogue" aimed at ensuring the success of an economic and social recovery project in Spain. He is also committed to implementing a social agenda capable of "giving meaning to all the work carried out by the Government of Spain in recent years".
The minister praised the solidarity shown by the people of Spain and the work undertaken by organisations in the community sector, and expressed his respect for healthcare professionals because they are the reason why the Spanish healthcare system is considered "the best in the world".
Furthermore, he mentioned the disabled, condemned gender-based violence and reaffirmed his commitment to "combating this blight on society and fostering progress towards effective equality between men and women".
The event was also attended by the Vice-President of the Government, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, and the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, Jesús Posadas, among others.
