President of Cantabria Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids President of Cantabria
Coat of arms of Cantabria
Incumbent María José Sáenz de Buruaga since July 5, 2023
Seat	Santander, Cantabria, Spain
Nominator	Parliament of Cantabria
Appointer	The Monarch countersigned by the Prime Minister
Term length	4 years. No limits.
Constituting instrument	Constitution of 1978
Inaugural holder	José Antonio Rodríguez Martínez
Formation	1982
Website	cantabria.es

The President of Cantabria is the main leader of the Cantabria region in Spain. They are like the head of the regional government, called the Government of Cantabria. The President makes important decisions for Cantabria and represents the region. They also represent the Spanish government within Cantabria.

The President is chosen by the Parliament of Cantabria from its members. After being elected by the Parliament, the King of Spain officially appoints them to the role.

The Parliament votes for the President. To win, a candidate needs more than half of the votes in the first round. If no one gets enough votes, there's a second vote after two days. In this second vote, the candidate with the most votes wins. If no one is chosen after two months, new elections are held.

How the President is Chosen
What the President Does
When a President Leaves Office
Past Presidents of Cantabria
Related Topics
See also

How the President is Chosen

The President of Cantabria is chosen after special elections for the Parliament of Cantabria. In these elections, people vote for different political parties to decide who will be in the Parliament.

Here's how the process works:

The leader of the Parliament talks to all the political groups.
They suggest a candidate for President.
This candidate then presents their plans to the Parliament.
The Parliament votes. The candidate needs an absolute majority (more than half of all votes) to win in the first vote.
If they don't get an absolute majority, there's another vote 48 hours later. In this second vote, a simple majority (just more votes than anyone else) is enough to win.
If no one wins after these votes, the process continues with new proposals.

What the President Does

The President of Cantabria has several important jobs:

They are the highest representative of Cantabria. This means they speak for the region.
They also represent the Spanish government in Cantabria.
The President chooses and removes the members of the regional government (ministers).
They lead and coordinate the work of the government.

The President can also decide to end the Parliament's term early and call for new elections. This is done through a special order called a Decree. However, there are rules about when they can do this:

They cannot dissolve Parliament during its first year.
They cannot dissolve it if there's less than a year left in its term.
They cannot dissolve it if a "vote of no confidence" is happening.
They also cannot dissolve it if it's been less than a year since the last time they dissolved Parliament.
Finally, they cannot dissolve Parliament if national elections are being called.

The President can also ask the Parliament for a "matter of confidence." This means they ask if the Parliament still trusts their plans. If most members vote yes, the President continues their work.

When a President Leaves Office

The President and the Government of Cantabria are responsible to the Parliament. This means the Parliament can hold them accountable for their actions.

Here's how a President might leave office:

Matter of Confidence: If the President asks for a "matter of confidence" and the Parliament votes no, the President must resign. Then, the Parliament chooses a new President within 15 days.
Vote of No Confidence: The Parliament can also force the President to resign through a "constructive vote of no confidence." This is a special vote where the Parliament not only says they don't trust the current President but also suggests a new candidate. If this vote passes with an absolute majority, the current President resigns, and the suggested candidate becomes the new President.
The President cannot ask for a "matter of confidence" if a "vote of no confidence" is already being discussed.

The Parliament of Cantabria building

Past Presidents of Cantabria

Cantabria has had several leaders over the years. Before the current system, there was a different council.

Leaders of the Interprovincial Council (1937)

Portrait	Name	Term Begins	Term Ends	Political Party	Notes
	Juan Ruiz Olazarán	February 8, 1937	August 26, 1937	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)

Presidents of Cantabria (Since 1982)

Name	Term Begins	Term Ends	Political Party
José Antonio Rodríguez	March 15, 1982	March 2, 1984	Independent
Ángel Díaz de Entresotos	March 2, 1984	June 24, 1987	People's Alliance (AP)
Juan Hormaechea	June 24, 1987	December 5, 1990	Independent
Jaime Blanco	December 5, 1990	July 2, 1991	Socialist Party of Cantabria (PSC-PSOE)
Juan Hormaechea	July 2, 1991	July 13, 1995	Union for the Progress of Cantabria (UPCA) People's Party (PP)
José Joaquín Martínez Sieso	July 13, 1995	June 27, 2003	People's Party (PP)
Miguel Ángel Revilla	June 27, 2003	June 23, 2011	Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)
Ignacio Diego	June 23, 2011	July 7, 2015	People's Party (PP)
Miguel Ángel Revilla	July 7, 2015	July 5, 2023	Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)
María José Sáenz de Buruaga	July 5, 2023	Incumbent	People's Party (PP)