It was assumed that Salvador Illa would leave his position at the helm of Spain's health ministry this Thursday, on the eve of the Catalan election campaign in which he is the Socialist candidate. But today the Pedro Sánchez government decided to speed things up, and it set this Tuesday, after the weekly cabinet meeting, as the minister's last day. This change means that the Spanish politician in charge, up till now, of the country's battle against the pandemic will avoid having to give any explanations before Congress. Illa was scheduled to appear in the lower house in committee this Thursday, in the monthly appearance agreed on as part of the parliamentary oversight under Spain's state of alarm. Criticism has rained down on the Catalan Socialist (PSC) politician from all parts of the political spectrum.
To begin with, the reproaches came from the Socialists' own partners in the Spanish government. It was Jaume Asens, president of the Unidas Podemos group in Congress, who had harsh words to say about the hasty departure of the minister, taking advantage of this Monday's session of the lower house's permanent council. Asens called it a "mistake" by the current minister. "The resignation should take place after the committee hearing. It is unbelievable for the minister to go out the back door without first giving explanations", the Comuns politician asserted. He warned that "many people" will end up thinking that Illa's actions are "determined by partisan and electoral criteria."
The brickbats also arrived from the Catalan pro-independence parties. Carolina Telechea, MP for ERC, defined Illa as the "only health minister in the world to step down to be an election candidate" and said he had turned into a "slave" to the opinion polls. "He cares more about votes than lives," she added. On behalf of JxCat, Míriam Nogueras asserted that they are calling the elections "at the time that suits them", but she warned that if Laura Borràs wins, the "servility" which the pro-independence parties have shown up till now will end. From the CUP, Mireia Vehí said it was "immoral" and affirmed that Illa was "putting his personal and party interests" above the interest of the public.
The entire bloc of the Spanish right also joined in with the arguments against the soon-to-be ex-health minister. The PP's spokesperson in Congress, Cuca Gamarra, considered that his action made a "mockery" of the lower house and recalled that "this is not just any January", with the third wave of Covid raging. From far-right Vox, Iván Espinosa de los Monteros also considered it "a swindle and a leg-pull." And from Ciudadanos, deputy spokesperson Edmundo Bal accused Illa of avoiding the parliamentary control session "in order to chip off a few more seats" in the election, while drawing into question "all the health decisions that have been taken in recent months", since they may have been motivated by "electoral thinking".
On top of these criticisms came more, from the vast majority of parties represented in the Congress of Deputies. Íñigo Errejón (Més País) considered it “bad news” that Illa would not appear appear in the house's public health committee while Joan Baldoví (Compromís) reminded Illa that at the moment he still has “the most important task in the country”.
Final hours as a minister
Thus, Salvador Illa will leave the Spanish health ministry on Tuesday to focus on the campaign for the Catalan elections, reinstated provisionally by a court for the original February 14th date after the Catalan government had agreed with most of the opposition to delay them due to the pandemic. In one of his last acts, today he visited the Spanish Medicines Agency alongside prime minister Pedro Sánchez, who thanked him for his work and encouraged him to work to make the "reencounter" possible in Catalonia. Tomorrow, after the cabinet meeting, his replacement will become made official, with the portfolio most likely to be transferred to current territorial minister Carolina Darias.