The first government of Alejandro Lerroux, also known as the "Government of Republican Concentration", was formed on 12 September 1933, following the latter's appointment as prime minister of Spain by President Niceto Alcalá-Zamora and his swearing-in the same day. It succeeded the third Azaña government and was the government of Spain from 12 September 1933 to 8 October 1933, a total of days.
The cabinet comprised members of the Radical Republican Party (PRR), the Radical Socialist Republican Party (PRRS), Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), Republican Action (AR), Galician Republican Party (PRG) and Radical Socialist Left (IRS).
The government was plagued by infighting and after Lerroux, when presenting his government to the Cortes on 2 September, suggested he would ask for the dissolution of Congress and the calling of new elections, the coalition broke. The left-wing republicans had made it a condition for participating and supporting the government that the radicals renounce to this demand, their refusal to abide to their conditions led to them supporting a motion of no confidence presented by the socialists which the government lost, leading to its downfall.
Votes of confidence/no confidence Motion of no confidence Ballot → 3 October 1933 Required majority → Simple Not voting Sources
Formation
Overview The Constitution of 1931 enshrined Spain as a semi-presidential republic, awarding the President of the Republic the capability of appointing government ministers at will unless the Cortes refused explicitly, that is to say, through a motion of no confidence. He could also inspect and ultimately control executive acts by granting or denying the signature of presidential decrees and dissolve the Cortes.
Round of consults The President of the Republic, Alcalá-Zamora, held a round of consultations to solve the political crisis arising from Azaña's resignation between 8 June and 9 June 1933:
ConsultationsPresident of the Republic Date Consultee Office/position Party 8 June 1933 Julián Besteiro President of the Cortes Generales PSOERemigio Cabello ToralLeader of the Socialist Parliamentary GroupPSOEMariano Ruiz-FunesLeader of the Republican Action Parliamentary GroupARAlejandro LerrouxLeader of the Radical Republican PartyPRRMiguel MauraLeader of the Conservative Republican PartyPRCLaureano Gómez ParatchaLeader of the Galician Parliamentary GroupPRGJosé Franchy y RocaMinister of Industry and Commerce Leader of the Federal Republican Parliamentary GroupPRDFRodrigo SorianoLeader of the dissident federalistsPRDFVicente IranzoMember of the Service to the Republic Parliamentary GroupInd.Juan CastrilloLeader of the Progressive Republican Parliamentary GroupPRPJuan Botella AsensiLeader of the Radical Socialist LeftIRS 9 June 1933 Ángel Ossorio y GallardoLeader of the Independent Republican Parliamentary GroupAARFelipe Sánchez RománMember of the Independent Republican Parliamentary GroupInd.Amadeu Hurtado MiróMember of the Left Catalan Parliamentary GroupInd.Melquíades ÁlvarezLeader of the Liberal Democrat Republican PartyPRLDMiguel de UnamunoMember of the Independent Republican Parliamentary GroupInd.Santiago AlbaMember of the Independent Republican Parliamentary GroupInd.José Ortega y GassetLeader of the Service to the Republic Parliamentary GroupInd.Gregorio MarañónMember of the Service to the Republic Parliamentary GroupInd.Raimundo de AbadalMember of the Regionalist LeagueLRFrancesc CambóLeader of the Regionalist LeagueLRManuel AzañaPrime MinisterAR Result Outcome → Sources:
After being nominated by Alcalá-Zamora to "restore the fraternal understanding among all republican factions", Lerroux would try to form a "government of notables" which would have included Felipe Sánchez Román, José Ortega y Gasset and Salvador de Madariaga but this was called off by the President of the Republic and the left republicans, who associated this practice with the Reign of Alfonso XIII. After the failure of his initial plan, he decided to form a conventional coalition government with the left republicans.
Council of Ministers
ImagePortfolioNamePolitical PartyPresident of the Council of MinistersAlejandro Lerroux GarcíaRadical Republican Party Minister of State Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz y Menduiña Republican Action Minister of Justice Juan Botella Asensi Radical Socialist Left Minister of War Juan José Rocha García Radical Republican Party Minister of Navy Vicente Iranzo Enguita Independent Minister of Finance Antonio Lara Zárate Radical Republican Party Minister of Governance Diego Martínez Barrio Radical Republican Party Minister of Public Works Rafael Guerra del Río Radical Republican Party Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts Domingo Barnés Salinas Radical Socialist Republican Party Minister of Labour and Foresight Ricardo Samper Ibáñez Autonomist Republican Union Party Minister of Industry and Commerce Laureano Gómez Paratcha Galician Republican Party Minister of Communications Miquel Santaló i Parvorell Republican Left of Catalonia Minister of Agriculture Ramón Feced Gresa Radical Socialist Republican Party Source:
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