7 Aug 2023, 18:10

JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER BECOMES SPANISH PRESIDENT AFTER GATHERING SUPPORT FROM THE CONGRESO


Jean-Claude Juncker, waving the media after being elected as President

The Kingdom of Spain has a new President of the Government. And Jesús Aguilar finally has a successor, which marks the end of an era on Spanish politics. Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxemburgo, 68 years old) becomes the eighth Spanish President, and sets a record as he becomes the eldest of them all to assume the Presidency. Juncker, who was appointed as the leader of the Partido Popular last week, takes over Government duties and has announced "revolucionary changes" while keeping the "good job of Jesús Aguilar in front of the executive". In the parliamentary session, Juncker had some nice words for the now ex-President: "Jesús, you have been a great President, and overall you accomplished everything that you promised. Thank you for your great leadership Spain will always remember". The Parliament then erupted in a huge applause to the former leader.

During his speech, Juncker has outlined the main compromises he is assuming with his Presidency, announcing a "reduction of the number of cabinet members" and "a legislative overhaul that puts Spain closer to the 22nd Century and makes the country one of the most advanced nations on Europe". Concerning the territorial structure of the nation, Juncker has said he will meet independence movements with "a firm hand" and that he will advance towards a fully autonomical state: «we cannot allow those who want to breakway from the nation to tell the nation what it should do, or to pose a challenge to law and order that we all advocated for». Juncker himself was the Chancellor of Germanium, a region with no Regional Constitution yet. This, however, was met with exceptism from the Catalan, Basque and other nationalists, who accused Juncker of being a fan of "centralism and authoritarism".

The former Premier Commissioner only received support from his own party, the Partido Popular, Navarra Suma and Foro Asturias, while the rest of the chamber voted against, except for Coalición Canaria, Soria Ya!, Teruel Existe, Por Puerto Rico and the Partido Regionalista de Cantabria, that abstained. Juncker is expected to announce the new cabinet composition shortly.