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 leader of the Government of Cantabria. Cantabria is one of Spain's regions. The President has many important jobs. They lead the government's work and make sure everything runs smoothly.

The President also represents Cantabria to the rest of Spain and the world. They choose and remove the regional ministers who help run the government. The Parliament of Cantabria chooses the President from its own members. After being chosen, the King of Spain officially appoints them.

How the President is Chosen

The President of Cantabria is chosen after special elections in Cantabria. During these elections, people vote for different political parties. These parties then form the Parliament.

The Parliament's leader talks with all the political groups. Then, they suggest a person to be President. This person presents their plans to the Parliament. To be chosen, they need a "absolute majority" of votes in the first round. This means more than half of all the votes.

If they don't get enough votes, there's another vote two days later. In this second vote, they only need a "simple majority." This means they just need more "yes" votes than "no" votes. If no one is chosen after two months, new elections are called.

What the President Does

The President of Cantabria has several key roles. They are the highest representative of Cantabria. They also represent the Spanish government within Cantabria.

The President chooses the members of the government. They lead and coordinate all the government's activities. The President can also decide to end the Parliament's term early. This means new elections would be held sooner than planned.

However, the President cannot dissolve Parliament in certain situations. For example, they cannot do it during the first year of a new Parliament. They also cannot do it if a "vote of no confidence" is being discussed. A vote of no confidence is when Parliament tries to remove the President.

The President can also ask Parliament for a "vote of confidence." This is when the President asks Parliament to show they still trust their leadership. If Parliament votes "yes," it means they support the President's plans.

The Parliament of Cantabria building.

How a President Can Leave Office

The President and the Government of Cantabria are responsible to the Parliament. If Parliament no longer trusts the President, they can try to remove them. This is done through a "constructive vote of no confidence." If this vote passes, the President must resign.

If the President loses a vote of confidence, they also have to resign. In this case, Parliament will choose a new President. The King of Spain then officially appoints the new President.

List of Presidents

This is a list of the people who have served as President of Cantabria.

Presidents of Cantabria

Portrait	Name	Term Begins	Term Ends	Political Party	Notes
	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)

Timeline of Presidents

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de Cantabria para niños

• Parliament of Cantabria
• Government of Cantabria
• Politics of Spain
• Political divisions of Spain
• Nationalities and regions of Spain