Wikipedia

Ministry of Social Affairs (Spain)

The Ministry of Social Affairs, since 2023 known as Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda, is a department of the Government of Spain responsible for designing and implementing government policies on social services and welfare, families and disabilities. It is also responsible for animal welfare—except bullfighting[3][4][5]—, consumer protection, gambling regulation and UN Sustainable Development Goals.[6]

Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda
Ministerio de Derechos Sociales, Consumo y Agenda 2030
Map

Headquarters of the Ministry
Agency overview
Formed12 July 1988 (as "Ministry of Social Affairs")
21 November 2023 (as "Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda")
Preceding agencies
Superseding agency
TypeMinistry
JurisdictionGovernment of Spain
HeadquartersCasa Sindical, Madrid
Employees3,568 (2024)[1]
Annual budget€ 1.8 billion, 2023[2]
Minister responsible
Agency executives
  • Rosa Martínez, Secretary of State for Social Rights
  • Andrés Barragán, Secretary-General for Consumer Affairs and Gambling
  • Elisa Darias Valenciano, Under-Secretary
Websitewww.dsca.gob.es

The department was first created in 1988, but was abolished in 1996. Subsequently, in 2020 it was recreated, and it exists today. The current minister is Pablo Bustinduy, who was appointed on 21 November 2023.[7][8]

History

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For centuries, Spain has had a number of social services to help the most disadvantaged, but these have mostly been private and closely linked to the Catholic Church.

The evolution and growing importance of this social aspect meant that, during the 19th century, the State assumed guardianship over those establishments dedicated to charity, with the Ministry of the Interior playing a prominent role in this task, having jurisdiction over "houses of mercy and charity" since its founding.[9][10]

Charity party in San Sebastián (Gipuzkoa) in 1928

From the 1840s onwards, these policies became institutionalized around the Directorate-General for Charity (today known as Directorate-General for Family Diversity and Social Services), created in 1847 within the Ministry of the Interior.[11]

These responsibilities remained in this department until 1977, when they were transferred to the Ministry of Labour.[12] Almost immediately they were transferred to the Ministry of Health and Social Security and, in 1981, they returned to the Ministry of Labour until 1988.

First period (1988–1996)

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Department's logo from 1988 to 1996.

From the 1980s onwards, the concept of "charity" gradually lost ground to others like "social action" and "social services" and, in 1988, during the premiership of Felipe González, this department was created for the first time, under the name "Ministry of Social Affairs".[13][14]

During its first period of life, the department assumed powers relating to social services, equality, minors protection and prevention of youth crime, adoptions and foster care and the promotion of cultural communication and youth association. Likewise, the department was responsible for the management of the social programs derived from funds obtained through the personal income tax and in its later years from the government migration policy.[15][16]

This new ministry assumed the responsibilities of up to three ministerial departments, namely:[15]

In 1990, Social Affairs Offices were established in the Government Delegations.[17] In 1993 they were merged into the Provincial Directorates of Labour, Social Security and Social Affairs.[18]

That same year, 1993, the department's scope of authority was expanded, assuming the immigration functions of the Ministry of Labour and those previously carried out by the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs through the Government Delegation for the National Drugs Plan.[19] Just five months later, the National Drugs Plan was transferred to the Ministry of the Interior to unify the ministry's anti-drug policy, not only in terms of repression, but also to ensure prevention and rehabilitation.[20]

In 1996, the new prime minister José María Aznar abolished the department and transferred its competences to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.[16]

Two decades without an independent ministry (1996–2020)

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The government structure established by Aznar was maintained during his two terms and the first term of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

However, starting with Zapatero's second government, the responsibilities previously held by the Department of Social Affairs underwent numerous changes. Firstly, in 2008, the bulk of these responsibilities, now under the title of "Social Policy", were integrated into the Ministry of Education, while those related to equality were split in a new department, the Ministry of Equality.[21][22] Secondly, a year later, the former were transferred from Education to the Ministry of Health,[23][24] and in 2010, the Department of Equality was abolished, its policies downgraded to the rank of a State Secretariat, and similarly transferred to the Ministry of Health.[25][26] Thus, all Social Affairs responsibilities were grouped under the Ministry of Health until 2020 (except for Equality, which was briefly under the Ministry of the Presidency).[27]

Second period (since 2020)

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The ministers of Social Rights, Finance and Social Security, at the press conference following the extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting that approved the minimum living income in 2020

With the formation of the second government of Pedro Sánchez and the necessary coalition government with Unidas Podemos that supported it, the government agreement led to the creation of new ministries, among which the recovery of two old departments stood out: Social Affairs, now called the "Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030", with powers over social services, childhood, youth, families, disability and policies related to the 2030 Agenda; and Equality, with powers over all types of equality, prevention of discrimination and gender violence.

At this stage, and as a consequence of the effects derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, the government approved what it called a "social shield", a series of measures to mitigate these effects. Among these measures, a minimum living income stands out, promoted by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration with the participation of this department,[28] as well as measures aimed at guaranteeing basic services and reducing the elements of vulnerability, through measures such as the suspension of electricity cuts[29] or the suspension of evictions,[30] among others.

Following the government reshuffle of November 2023, the Ministry of Social Rights acquired the consumer affairs and gambling policies of the abolished Ministry of Consumer Affairs.[31]

Organization

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Organizational chart of the Spanish Ministry of Social Rights, February 2024

The minister of social rights, consumer affairs and 2030 agenda, a member of the Council of Ministers, is the most senior official of the department. The minister is responsible for establishing the government policy on these areas and appointing the government officials responsible for implementing it.

In this regard, the minister is assisted by a secretary of state for social rights, who manages the government social policy and a secretary-general, with the rank of under-secretary, for consumer and gambling affairs. In addition, the ministry has an under-secretary, the most senior civil servant of the department and the official responsible for assisting the minister in the daily management of the ministry.

As of 2026, this is the organization of the Ministry:[6]

Ministry Organization (2026)
Minister Cabinet
Directorate-General for the 2030 Agenda
Royal Disability Board
Secretary of State for
Social Rights		 Directorate-General for Disability Support Policies
Directorate-General for Family Diversity and Social Services
Directorate-General for Animal Rights
Institute for the Elderly and Social Services
Secretary-General for
Consumer Affairs and Gambling		 Directorate-General for Consumer Affairs
Directorate-General for Gambling Regulation
Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition
Under-Secretary Technical General Secretariat
Deputy Directorate-General for Economic and Budgetary Management
Administrative Office
Deputy Directorate-General for Human Resources and Inspection of Services
ICT Division

Headquarters

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In the two stages in which the Department for Social Affairs has existed (1988–1996 and since 2020), it has been located at numbers 18 and 20 of the Paseo del Prado, a large building called the "Casa Sindical" (Spanish: Trade Unions House), today known for housing the Ministry of Health and which previously housed the National Delegation of Trade Unions.[32][33]

Budget

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In millions of euros (€)
  1. Social services 471.6 (81.5%)
  2. Consumer affairs 49.5 (8.55%)
  3. Central services 33 (5.70%)
  4. 2030 Agenda 24.6 (4.25%)

For fiscal year 2026, the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda has a consolidated budget of €578.8 million.[34] It is important to note that the ministerial budget includes a Programme 000X (“Internal Transfers and Disbursements”), which is part of the budget of the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services.

The budget can be divided in four main areas:[34]

  1. Central services (Program 239N & 498M), which funds the Ministry’s central services and administrative structure.
  2. Social services (231F, 231G & 232F), covering covering social policy, family and childhood programmes, and animal welfare.
  3. Consumer affairs (313C, 492O & 496M), which finance the government policy on consumer protection, food safety and gambling regulation.
  4. 2030 Agenda (921Y), aimed at promoting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in Spain

In addition, Programme 000X (“Internal Transfers and Disbursements”) is excluded from the analysis, as it consists of transfers between public sector entities and would otherwise lead to double counting and distort the overall budget. It includes transfers to the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services to fund its activities; however, these are accounted for within the Social Security budget.

Audit

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The Ministry's accounts, as well as those of its agencies, are internally audited by the Office of the Comptroller General of the State (IGAE), through a Delegated Comptroller's Office within the Department itself. However, everything related to the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services, which is a Social Security management entity, is audited internally by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Social Security, which is functionally dependent on the IGAE. Externally, the Court of Auditors is responsible for auditing expenditures.

Likewise, the Congress of Deputies Committee on Labour, Social Economy, Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and the Senate Committee on Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, exercise political control over the accounts.

List of officeholders

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Office name:

  • Ministry of Social Affairs (1988–1996)
  • Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda (2020–2023)
  • Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda (2023–present)
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office Party Government Prime Minister
(Tenure)		 Ref.
Took office Left office Duration
Matilde Fernández
(born 1950)		 23 July
1988		 7 December
1989		 4 years and 356 days PSOE González II Felipe González

(1982–1996)		 [35]
[36]
[37]
7 December
1989		 14 July
1993		 González III
Cristina Alberdi
(1946–2024)		 14 July
1993		 6 May
1996		 2 years and 297 days PSOE González IV [38]
[39]
Office disestablished during this interval.[a]
Pablo Iglesias
(born 1978)		 13 January
2020		 31 March
2021		 1 year and 77 days Podemos Sánchez II Pedro Sánchez

(2018–present)		 [40]
[41]
Ione Belarra
(born 1987)		 31 March
2021		 21 November
2023		 2 years and 235 days Podemos [42]
[43]
Pablo Bustinduy
(born 1983)		 21 November
2023		 Incumbent 2 years and 202 days Independent Sánchez III [44]

Notes

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  1. ↑ The department's competences were transferred to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs between 1996 and 2008, to the Ministry of Education, Social Policy and Sports between 2008 and 2009, to the Ministry of Health and Social Policy between 2009 and 2010, to the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality between 2010 and 2011, to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality between 2011 and 2018 and to the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare between 2018 and 2020.

References

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  1. ↑ Office of the Comptroller General of the State (2024). "Personal al servicio del Sector Público Estatal". www.igae.pap.hacienda.gob.es. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "2023 State Budget" (PDF). www.boe.es. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  3. ↑ Telemadrid (2011-09-01). "Los toros pasan desde hoy a depender del ministerio de Cultura". Telemadrid (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  4. ↑ "Iglesias controlará bienestar animal, pero la tauromaquia seguirá dependiendo de Cultura y otras 4 noticias que debes leer para estar informado hoy, viernes 17 de enero de 2020". www.publico.es (in Spanish). 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  5. ↑ Gómez, Pablo (2020-02-13). "Iglesias limitará el uso de animales en los circos, pero no podrá actuar contra los toros". La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  6. 1 2 Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service (28 February 2024). "Real Decreto 209/2024, de 27 de febrero, por el que se desarrolla la estructura orgánica básica del Ministerio de Derechos Sociales, Consumo y Agenda 2030". Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  7. ↑ RTVE es (2023-11-20). "Pablo Bustinduy, nuevo ministro de Derechos Sociales: el filósofo con raíces en Podemos que vuelve a la primera línea". RTVE.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  8. ↑ "Pablo Bustinduy será ministro de Derechos Sociales, Consumo y Agenda 2030". elDiario.es (in Spanish). 2023-11-20. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  9. ↑ Ministry of Culture. "La Guerra de la Independencia a través de los fondos del Archivo Histórico Nacional: Las secretarías del Despacho". Portal de Archivos Españoles (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "Colección de los decretos y órdenes que han expedido las Cortes Generales y Extraordinarias desde 24 de septiembre de 1811 hasta 24 de mayo de 1812. Tomo 2". Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library (in Spanish). p. 186. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  11. ↑ Ministry of the Governance of the Kingdom (13 March 1847). "Real decreto de 1847 que aprueba y contiene la nueva planta dada al ministerio de la Gobernación del Reino" [Royal Decree of 1847 approving and containing the new structure given to the Ministry of the Governance of the Kingdom] (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  12. ↑ Office of the Prime Minister (23 April 1977). "Real Decreto 736/1977, de 15 de abril, por el que se unifica la acción de los Ministerios de la Gobernación y de Trabajo en materia de asistencia social y servicios sociales" [Royal Decree 736/1977, of April 15, which unifies the actions of the Ministries of the Interior and Labour in matters of social assistance and social services.]. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-03.
  13. ↑ Rodríguez Teruel, Juan. Los ministros de la España democrática. Reclutamiento político y carrera ministerial de Suárez a Zapatero (1976-2010) [The ministers of democratic Spain. Political recruitment and ministerial career from Suárez to Zapatero (1976–2010)] (in Spanish). Centre for Political and Constitutional Studies. p. 159. ISBN 978-84-259-1514-7.
  14. ↑ Maravall, Hector (2006). Workers' Commissions (ed.). "Construyendo el Estado de Bienestar Social" (PDF). Gaceta Sindical: 161. ISBN 84-87851-84-3.
  15. 1 2 Office of the Prime Minister (12 July 1988). "Royal Decree 727/1988, of July 11, on the restructuring of Ministerial Departments". Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  16. 1 2 Office of the Prime Minister (6 May 1996). "Royal Decree 758/1996, of May 5, on the restructuring of Ministerial Departments". Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  17. ↑ Ministerio para las Administraciones Públicas (1990-08-07), Real Decreto 1019/1990, de 27 de julio, por el que se crean Oficinas de Asuntos Sociales en las Delegaciones del Gobierno en las Comunidades Autónomas (in Spanish), pp. 23081–23081, retrieved 2026-04-04
  18. ↑ Ministerio para las Administraciones Públicas (1993-12-04), Real Decreto 2124/1993, de 3 de diciembre, por el que se modifica la estructura orgánica del Ministerio de Asuntos Sociales (in Spanish), pp. 34664–34666, retrieved 2026-04-04
  19. ↑ Presidencia del Gobierno (1993-07-14), Real Decreto 1173/1993, de 13 de julio, de Reestructuración de Departamentos ministeriales (in Spanish), pp. 21205–21206, retrieved 2026-04-04
  20. ↑ Presidencia del Gobierno (1993-12-31), Real Decreto 2314/1993, de 29 de diciembre, por el que se modifica la adscripción ministerial de la Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (in Spanish), pp. 37767–37768, retrieved 2026-04-04
  21. ↑ "Zapatero ultima la estructura definitiva del nuevo Gobierno para ajustar las competencias | elmundo.es". www.elmundo.es. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  22. ↑ "Zapatero tira por la igualdad y la juventud". La Nueva España (in Spanish). 2008-04-13. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  23. ↑ "Zapatero cambia el Gobierno un año después de estrenar su segunda legislatura | España | elmundo.es". www.elmundo.es. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  24. ↑ Press, Europa (2009-04-07). "Gobierno.-Zapatero suprime la Secretaría de Estado de Universidades, la de Educación y Formación y la de Política Social". www.europapress.es. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  25. ↑ Martín Plaza, Ana (2010-10-20). "Zapatero suprime Igualdad y Vivienda, sus ministerios estrella que cuestionaba la oposición". RTVE.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  26. ↑ "Suprimir Igualdad supone un ahorro de unos 10 millones". El Periódico (in Spanish). 2010-10-23. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  27. ↑ "El Ministerio de la Presidencia asume el Instituto de la Mujer y cambia su estructura". www.publico.es (in Spanish). 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  28. ↑ "Aprobada la última pieza del escudo social". El Periódico (in Spanish). 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  29. ↑ Page, David (2020-03-31). "El Gobierno suspende todos los cortes de luz y agua y prohíbe a las telecos subir sus tarifas". El Independiente (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  30. ↑ Expansión.com/Agencias (2020-12-22). "El Gobierno aprueba la suspensión de los desahucios y 4.400 millones en ayudas a la hostelería". EXPANSION (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  31. ↑ Smith, Alexandra (2023-11-20). "Adiós al Ministerio de Consumo: las asociaciones lamentan la pérdida de visibilidad de los derechos de los usuarios". www.20minutos.es - Últimas Noticia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  32. ↑ Arce, Jacobo de (2025-07-30). "La polémica Casa Sindical franquista, sede actual de los ministerios de Sanidad y Derechos Sociales, declarada Bien de Interés Cultural". El Periódico de España (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  33. ↑ "El camarote de los hermanos Marx: tres ministerios en uno y lío de despachos". elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  34. 1 2 Secretariat of State for Budget and Expenditure (1 January 2026). "2023 Ministry Budget, extended to 2026" (PDF). www.sepg.pap.hacienda.gob.es. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  35. ↑ "Real Decreto 731/1988, de 11 de julio, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (166). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 21538. 12 July 1988. ISSN 0212-033X.
  36. ↑ "Real Decreto 1455/1989, de 6 de diciembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (293). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 38143. 7 December 1989. ISSN 0212-033X.
  37. ↑ "Real Decreto 896/1993, de 7 de junio, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (167). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 17167. 8 June 1993. ISSN 0212-033X.
  38. ↑ "Real Decreto 1175/1993, de 13 de julio, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (167). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 21211. 14 July 1993. ISSN 0212-033X.
  39. ↑ "Real Decreto 440/1996, de 4 de marzo, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (56). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 8712. 5 March 1996. ISSN 0212-033X.
  40. ↑ "Real Decreto 8/2020, de 12 de enero, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (11). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 2882. 13 January 2020. ISSN 0212-033X.
  41. ↑ "Real Decreto 232/2021, de 30 de marzo, por el que se dispone el cese de don Pablo Iglesias Turrión como Ministro de Derechos Sociales y Agenda 2030" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (77). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 36571. 31 March 2021. ISSN 0212-033X.
  42. ↑ "Real Decreto 235/2021, de 30 de marzo, por el que se nombra Ministra de Derechos Sociales y Agenda 2030 a doña Ione Belarra Urteaga" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (77). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 36577. 31 March 2021. ISSN 0212-033X.
  43. ↑ "Real Decreto 695/2023, de 24 de julio, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (176). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 108070–108071. 25 July 2023. ISSN 0212-033X.
  44. ↑ "Real Decreto 835/2023, de 20 de noviembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (278). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 154695. 21 November 2023. ISSN 0212-033X.
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