| Agency Name: | Ministry of the Interior |
| Nativename: | Ministerio del Interior |
| Picture Width: | 250px |
| Picture Caption: | The main headquarters |
| Formed: | (as Secretariat of the Dispatch of the Governance of the Kingdom) |
| Jurisdiction: | Government of Spain |
| Headquarters: | Paseo de la Castellana, 5 Madrid |
| Region Code: | ES |
| Employees: | 178,376 (2019)[1] [2] [3] |
| Budget: | € 11.4 billion, 2023[4] |
| Minister1 Name: | Fernando Grande-Marlaska |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Minister of the Interior |
| Agency Type: | Ministry |
| Chief1 Name: | Rafael Pérez Ruiz |
| Chief1 Position: | Secretary of State for Security |
| Child1 Agency: | State Security Infrastructure and Equipment Office |
| Chief2 Name: | Ángel Luis Ortiz González |
| Chief2 Position: | Secretary-General for Penitentiary Institutions |
| Child2 Agency: | National Police Corps |
| Chief3 Name: | Isabel Goicoechea |
| Chief3 Position: | Under-Secretary |
| Child3 Agency: | Civil Guard |
| Child4 Agency: | CITCO |
The Ministry of the Interior (MIR) is a department of the Government of Spain responsible for public security, the protection of the constitutional rights, the command of the law enforcement agencies, national security, immigration affairs, prisons, civil defense and road traffic safety. Through the Undersecretariat of the Interior and its superior body, the Directorate-General for Internal Policy, the Ministry is responsible for all actions related to ensuring political pluralism and the proper functioning of electoral processes.[5]
The MIR is headed by the Minister for Home Affairs, who is appointed by the Monarch at request of the Prime Minister. The Minister is assisted by three main officials, the Secretary of State for Security, the Secretary-General for Penitentiary Institutions and the Under-Secretary of the Interior. Among the director generals, the most important are the Director-General of the Police and the Director-General of the Civil Guard.
This department has historically received numerous denominations such as Ministerio de la Gobernación (literally Ministry of the Governance), Ministerio de Orden Público (Ministry of Public Order) and Ministerio del Interior y Justicia (Ministry of the Interior and Justice) when both ministries joint in one.
As of 2022, central, regional and local governments in Spain spend around €26 billion per year (1.9 % of GDP) on security and public order.[6]
The Ministry of the Interior responsibilities during centuries were assumed by the Royal Council of Castile (with the exception of the judicial ones). This body was composed for expert royal servants in charge of advising the Sovereign and with the passage of the time this royal servants gain more power and autonomy and they were the real governors of the Kingdom.
In the 18th century, the extinction of the Habsburg dynasty and the arrival of the Bourbons brought profound institutional reforms. With King Philip V, this Council extended its jurisdiction to the territories of the Crown of Aragon and the whole country was ruled by the same institutions. Also during this time, the Councils started to lose importance and the Secretariats of State and of the Dispatch were created.
Since 1621 existed in Spain the Secretariat of the Universal Dispatch, a unique government department where the sovereign delegated its power. With the new dynasty, it was necessary to divide it into several Secretariats of State that took care of the diverse administrative subjects: by means of the Decree of 11 July 1705, Philip V created a "Secretariat of State for War and Treasury" and another one for "Everything else".
But the accumulation of business and the need for a more agile body led to a system similar to that of France: the Decree of 30 November 1714, established four Secretariats of the Dispatch: of State, of War, of the Navy and of the Indies, and of Ecclesiastical business, justice and jurisdiction -, and questions of a financial nature were made to lie in the General Treasury. With slight variations, the result of various reforms, this situation will continue until the 1754-1755 biennium. With regard to the Secretariat of the Dispatch of Ecclesiastical Affairs, Justice and Jurisdiction, by Decree of 2 April 1717, it was renamed the Secretariat of the Dispatch of Justice, Political Government and Treasury of Spain and the Indies. It was commissioned to José Rodrigo. In the reform of 1720, it was named Secretariat of the Dispatch of Justice and Political Government of Spain and the Indies.
However, the direct antecedent is at the beginning of the 19th century, first created by Bonaparte in 1808 in imitation of the French model and a few years later, in 1812, the Cortes of Cádiz created it the Secretariat of the Dispatch of the Governance of the Kingdom and Islands adjacent and the Secretary of the Dispatch of the Governance of the Kingdom for Overseas. The vast majority of authors do not consider the department created by the Napoleonic Government as the original one, because of its invasor nature.[7]
With the return of Ferdinand VII, both secretaries were suppressed in 1814, restored during the Liberal Triennium and created as Ministry of the Interior in 1823, which lasted only a short time after being suppressed by King Ferdinand. In 1832 the Ministry of Development was created, which assumed security competences, fleeing from the denominations of "Interior" and "Governance" since they were reminiscent of the time of the war against Napoleon. In 1835 it was again called "Ministry of the Interior".
In 1847, all matters related to the services of public, economic and cultural works were disbanded from the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry of the Interior maintained the functions of public order, municipal and provincial organization —being responsible for the Civil Governors—, health, post and telegraph, and the Overseas Office was incorporated. The so-called Sections were changed by Directorates-General, whose number was changing in the following decades.
During the reign of Alfonso XIII (1902-1931) the then created Institute of Social Reforms (1903), the Superior Charity Board (1908), the Internal Health Service (1909) were made dependent on the Ministry of the Interior; the Directorate-General for Security was divided into two sections, Surveillance and Security, and then called Public Order (1921); the Legal Department expanded its functions beyond the branch of charity (1913); the General Department of Charity (1919), the Health Department (1921), the Supply Department (1925) and the National Broadcasting Service (1929) were created.
Already during the Second Republic, by decree of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of 16 August 1932, raised to the rank of Law on 8 September, the Directorate-General of the Civil Guard, which had been attached to the Ministry of War, and all the agencies and services of it dependents were transferred to the Ministry of the Interior, creating the Inspectorate-General of the Civil Guard. In 1933, the Health and Welfare services were transferred to the Ministry of Labor, Health and Welfare.
In 1959 the Central Traffic Office was created by Law 47/1959, of 30 July; the Technical General Secretariat by Decree 1841/1960, of 21 September, in accordance with the provisions of the Law on the Legal System of the State Administration of 26 July 1957; and the Data Processing Center by Order of 16 November 1971.
In 1977 it was renamed "Ministry of the Interior" and from then until now the Ministry has maintained this denomination, except for the period between 1994 and 1996, when it was renamed the Ministry of Justice and the Interior, structured in two main higher bodies, the Secretariat of State for Justice and the Secretariat of State for the Interior.[8] [9]
During the democratic period, the Ministry of the Interior has focused its powers on public security, losing its functions on territorial organization in favor of the Ministry for Territorial Administrations.
The Ministry of the Interior is organised in the following bodies:[10]
The holders of the office of minister of the interior of Spain, from the reign of Ferdinand VII to the present time:
| Period | Took office | Left office | Name | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reign of Ferdinand VII (1814–1833) | ||||||
| 18 March 1820 | 2 March 1821 | Agustín de Argüelles Álvarez (6) | ||||
| 4 March 1821 | 4 May 1821 | Mateo Valdemoros (6) | ||||
| 4 May 1821 | 8 January 1822 | Ramón Feliú (6) | ||||
| 8 January 1822 | 28 February 1822 | Francisco Javier Pinilla (Interim) (6) | ||||
| 28 February 1822 | 7 July 1822 | José María Moscoso y Quiroga (6) | ||||
| 10 July 1822 | 5 August 1822 | José María Calatrava (6) | ||||
| 5 August 1822 | 28 February 1823 | Francisco de Paula Fernández Gascó (6) | ||||
| 28 February 1823 | 12 May 1823 | José María Calatrava (6) | ||||
| 18 May 1823 | 2 June 1823 | Manuel García Herreros (6) | ||||
| 2 June 1823 | 30 September 1823 | Salvador Manzanares (6) | ||||
| 30 September 1823 | 2 December 1823 | José Aznarez Navarro (6)(7) | ||||
| Regency of Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies (1833–1840) | ||||||
| 13 June 1835 | 28 August 1835 | Juan Álvarez Guerra (3) | ||||
| 28 August 1835 | 14 September 1835 | Manuel de la Riva Herrera (3) | ||||
| 14 September 1835 | 27 September 1835 | Ramón Gil de la Cuadra (3) | ||||
| 27 September 1835 | 15 May 1836 | Martín de los Heros (3) | ||||
| 15 May 1836 | 14 August 1836 | Ángel de Saavedra (1) | ||||
| 14 August 1836 | 11 September 1836 | Ramón Gil de la Cuadra (1) | ||||
| 11 September 1836 | 27 March 1837 | Joaquín María López (1) | ||||
| 27 March 1837 | 9 July 1837 | Pío Pita Pizarro (1) | ||||
| 9 July 1837 | 18 August 1837 | Pedro Antonio Acuña y Cuadros (1) | ||||
| 18 August 1837 | 23 August 1837 | José Manuel Vadillo (1) | ||||
| 23 August 1837 | 1 October 1837 | Diego González Alonso (1) | ||||
| 1 October 1837 | 26 November 1837 | Rafael Pérez (1) | ||||
| 26 November 1837 | 16 December 1837 | Francisco Javier Ulloa (Interim) (1) | ||||
| 16 December 1837 | 6 September 1838 | Joaquín José de Muro y Vidaurreta (1) | ||||
| 6 September 1838 | 21 November 1838 | Alberto Felipe Baldrich (1) | ||||
| 6 December 1838 | 9 December 1838 | Francisco Agustín Silvela y Blanco (1) | ||||
| 9 December 1838 | 10 May 1839 | Antonio Hompanera of Cos (1) | ||||
| 10 May 1839 | 18 May 1839 | Lorenzo Arrazola (Interim) (1) | ||||
| 18 May 1839 | 21 October 1839 | Juan Martín Carramolino (1) | ||||
| 21 October 1839 | 16 November 1839 | Lorenzo Arrazola (Interim) (1) | ||||
| 16 November 1839 | 8 April 1840 | Saturnino Calderón Collantes (1) | ||||
| 8 April 1840 | 20 July 1840 | Agustín Armendariz (1) | ||||
| 20 July 1840 | 12 August 1840 | Vicente Sancho (1) | ||||
| 12 August 1840 | 19 July 1840 | Francisco Cabello (1) | ||||
| 19 July 1840 | 29 August 1840 | José María Secades del Rivero (Interim) (1) | ||||
| 29 August 1840 | 11 September 1840 | Fermín Arteta Sesma (1) | ||||
| 11 September 1840 | 16 September 1840 | Francisco Cabello (1) | ||||
| Regency of Baldomero Espartero (1840–1843) | ||||||
| 3 October 1840 | 21 May 1841 | Manuel Cortina (1) | ||||
| 21 May 1841 | 17 June 1842 | Facundo Infante (1) | ||||
| 17 June 1842 | 9 May 1843 | Mariano Torres Solanot (1) | ||||
| 9 May 1843 | 19 May 1843 | Fermín Caballero (1) | ||||
| 19 May 1843 | 30 July 1843 | Pedro Gómez de la Serna (1) | ||||
| Reign of Isabella II (1843–1868) | ||||||
| 30 July 1843 | 24 November 1843 | Fermín Caballero (1) | ||||
| 24 November 1843 | 1 December 1843 | Jacinto Félix Domenech (1) | ||||
| 1 December 1843 | 3 May 1844 | José Justiniani (1) | ||||
| 3 May 1844 | 12 February 1846 | Pedro José Pidal (1) | ||||
| 12 February 1846 | 16 March 1846 | Francisco Javier de Istúriz (1) | ||||
| 16 March 1846 | 5 April 1846 | Javier de Burgos (1) | ||||
| 5 April 1846 | 28 January 1847 | Pedro José Pidal (1) | ||||
| 28 January 1847 | 28 March 1847 | Manuel Seijas Lozano (1) | ||||
| 28 March 1847 | 31 August 1847 | Antonio de Benavides (1) | ||||
| 31 August 1847 | 4 October 1847 | Patricio de la Escosura (1) | ||||
| 4 October 1847 | 19 October 1849 | Luis José Sartorius (1) | ||||
| 19 October 1849 | 20 October 1849 | Trinidad Balboa (1) | ||||
| 20 October 1849 | 14 January 1851 | Luis José Sartorius (1) | ||||
| 14 January 1851 | 5 April 1851 | Fermín Arteta Sesma (1) | ||||
| 5 April 1851 | 7 August 1851 | Manuel Bertrán de Lis y Ribes (1) | ||||
| 7 August 1851 | 15 November 1851 | Melchor Ordóñez (1) | ||||
| 15 November 1851 | 14 December 1852 | Cristobal Bordiú (1) | ||||
| 14 December 1852 | 10 January 1853 | Alejandro Llorente (1) | ||||
| 10 January 1853 | 14 April 1853 | Antonio de Benavides (1) | ||||
| 14 April 1853 | 19 September 1853 | Pablo Egaña (1) | ||||
| 19 September 1853 | 18 July 1854 | Luis José Sartorius (1) | ||||
| 18 July 1854 | 30 July 1854 | Antonio de los Ríos Rosas (1) | ||||
| 30 July 1854 | 6 June 1855 | Francisco Santa Cruz (1) | ||||
| 6 June 1855 | 15 January 1856 | Julián Huelves (1) | ||||
| 15 January 1856 | 14 July 1856 | Patricio de la Escosura (1) | ||||
| 14 July 1856 | 12 October 1856 | Antonio de los Ríos Rosas (1) | ||||
| 12 October 1856 | 15 October 1857 | Cándido Nocedal (1) | ||||
| 15 October 1857 | 25 October 1857 | Francisco Armero Peñaranda (Interim) (1) | ||||
| 25 October 1857 | 14 January 1858 | Manuel Bermúdez de Castro y Díez (1) | ||||
| 14 January 1858 | 5 May 1858 | Ventura Díaz (1) | ||||
| 5 May 1858 | 17 January 1863 | José de Posada Herrera (1) | ||||
| 17 January 1863 | 2 March 1863 | Antonio Aguilar y Correa (1) | ||||
| 2 March 1863 | 17 January 1864 | Florencio Rodríguez Vaamonde (1) | ||||
| 17 January 1864 | 1 March 1864 | Antonio de Benavides (1) | ||||
| 1 March 1864 | 16 September 1864 | Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (1) | ||||
| 16 September 1864 | 21 June 1865 | Luis González Bravo (1) | ||||
| 21 June 1865 | 10 July 1866 | José de Posada Herrera (1) | ||||
| 10 July 1866 | 20 September 1868 | Luis González Bravo (1) | ||||
| Junta Revolucionaria Interina (1868) | ||||||
| 8 October 1868 | 9 January 1870 | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1) | ||||
| 9 January 1870 | 25 December 1870 | Nicolás María Rivero (1) | ||||
| 25 December 1870 | 4 January 1871 | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1) | ||||
| Reign of Amadeo I (1871–1873) | ||||||
| 4 January 1871 | 24 July 1871 | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1) | ||||
| 24 July 1871 | 5 October 1871 | Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla (1) | ||||
| 5 October 1871 | 21 December 1871 | Francisco de Paula Candau (1) | ||||
| 21 December 1871 | 26 May 1872 | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1) | ||||
| 26 May 1872 | 13 June 1872 | Francisco de Paula Candau (1) | ||||
| 13 June 1872 | 12 February 1873 | Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla (1) | ||||
| First Spanish Republic. Presidency of Estanislao Figueras (1873) | ||||||
| 12 February 1873 | 11 June 1873 | Francisco Pi y Margall (1) | ||||
| First Spanish Republic. Presidency of Francisco Pi y Margall (1873) | ||||||
| 11 June 1873 | 18 July 1871 | Francisco Pi y Margall (1) | ||||
| First Spanish Republic. Presidency of Nicolás Salmerón (1873) | ||||||
| 19 July 1873 | 4 September 1873 | Eleuterio Maisonnave (1) | ||||
| First Spanish Republic. Presidency of Emilio Castelar (1873–1874) | ||||||
| 4 September 1873 | 3 January 1874 | Eleuterio Maisonnave (1) | ||||
| First Spanish Republic. Presidency of Francisco Serrano y Domínguez (1874) | ||||||
| 3 January 1874 | 13 May 1874 | Eugenio García Ruiz (1) | ||||
| 13 May 1874 | 31 December 1874 | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1) | ||||
| Reign of Alfonso XII (1874–1885) | 31 December 1874 | 7 March 1879 | Francisco Romero Robledo (1) | |||
| 7 March 1879 | 9 December 1879 | Francisco Silvela y Le Vielleuze (1) | ||||
| 9 December 1879 | 8 February 1881 | Francisco Romero Robledo (1) | ||||
| 8 February 1881 | 9 January 1883 | Venancio González y Fernández (1) | ||||
| 9 January 1883 | 13 October 1883 | Pío Gullón Iglesias (1) | ||||
| 13 October 1883 | 18 January 1884 | Segismundo Moret y Prendergast (1) | ||||
| 18 January 1884 | 13 July 1885 | Francisco Romero Robledo (1) | ||||
| 13 July 1885 | 27 November 1885 | Raimundo Fernández Villaverde (1) | ||||
| Regency of María Cristina for Alfonso XIII (1885–1902) | 27 November 1885 | 10 October 1886 | Venancio González y Fernández (1) | |||
| 10 October 1886 | 12 November 1887 | Fernando León y Castillo (1) | ||||
| 12 November 1887 | 14 June 1888 | José Luis Albareda y Sezde (1) | ||||
| 14 June 1888 | 11 December 1888 | Segismundo Moret y Prendergast (1) | ||||
| 11 December 1888 | 5 July 1890 | Trinitario Ruiz Capdepón (1) | ||||
| 5 July 1890 | 23 November 1891 | Francisco Silvela Le Vielleuze (1) | ||||
| 23 November 1891 | 25 June 1892 | José Elduayen Gorriti (1) | ||||
| 25 June 1892 | 30 November 1892 | Raimundo Fernández Villaverde (1) | ||||
| 30 November 1892 | 11 December 1892 | Manuel Danvila Collado (1) | ||||
| 11 December 1892 | 14 October 1893 | Venancio González y Fernández (1) | ||||
| 14 October 1893 | 12 March 1894 | Joaquín López Puigcerver (1) | ||||
| 12 March 1894 | 4 November 1894 | Alberto Aguilera Velasco (1) | ||||
| 4 November 1894 | 23 March 1895 | Trinitario Ruiz Capdepón (1) | ||||
| 23 March 1895 | 4 October 1897 | Fernando Cos-Gayón y Pons (1) | ||||
| 4 October 1897 | 4 March 1899 | Trinitario Ruiz Capdepón (1) | ||||
| 4 March 1899 | 23 October 1900 | Eduardo Dato Iradier (1) | ||||
| 23 October 1900 | 6 March 1901 | Francisco Javier Ugarte Pagés (1) | ||||
| 6 March 1901 | 15 July 1901 | Segismundo Moret y Prendergast (1) | ||||
| 15 July 1901 | 23 July 1901 | Miguel Villanueva y Gómez (1) | ||||
| 23 July 1901 | 19 March 1902 | Alfonso González Lozano (1) | ||||
| 19 March 1902 | 17 May 1902 | Segismundo Moret y Prendergast (1) | ||||
| Reign of Alfonso XIII (1902–1931) | 17 May 1902 | 6 December 1902 | Segismundo Moret y Prendergast (1) | |||
| 6 December 1902 | 20 July 1903 | Antonio Maura y Montaner (1) | ||||
| 20 July 1903 | 5 December 1903 | Antonio García Alix (1) | ||||
| 5 December 1903 | 5 December 1904 | José Sánchez Guerra (1) | ||||
| 5 December 1904 | 16 December 1904 | Manuel Allendesalazar Muñoz (1) | ||||
| 16 December 1904 | 27 January 1905 | Francisco Javier González de Castejón y Elío (1) | ||||
| 27 January 1905 | 23 June 1905 | Augusto González Besada (1) | ||||
| 23 June 1905 | 1 December 1905 | Manuel García Prieto (1) | ||||
| 1 December 1905 | 10 June 1906 | Álvaro de Figueroa y Torres (1) | ||||
| 10 June 1906 | 6 July 1906 | Benigno Quiroga y López Ballesteros (1) | ||||
| 6 July 1906 | 30 November 1906 | Bernabé Dávila y Bertololi (1) | ||||
| 30 November 1906 | 4 December 1906 | Benigno Quiroga y López Ballesteros (1) | ||||
| 4 December 1906 | 25 January 1907 | Álvaro de Figueroa y Torres (1) | ||||
| 25 January 1907 | 21 October 1909 | Juan de la Cierva y Peñafiel (1) | ||||
| 21 October 1909 | 9 February 1910 | Segismundo Moret y Prendergast (1) | ||||
| 9 February 1910 | 2 January 1911 | Fernando Merino Villarino (1) | ||||
| 2 January 1911 | 3 April 1911 | Demetrio Alonso Castrillo (1) | ||||
| 3 April 1911 | 29 June 1911 | Trinitario Ruiz Valarino (1) | ||||
| 29 June 1911 | 31 December 1912 | Antonio Barroso Castillo (1) | ||||
| 31 December 1912 | 27 October 1913 | Santiago Alba Bonifaz (1) | ||||
| 27 October 1913 | 9 December 1915 | José Sánchez Guerra (1) | ||||
| 9 December 1915 | 30 April 1916 | Santiago Alba Bonifaz (1) | ||||
| 30 April 1916 | 19 April 1917 | Joaquín Ruiz Jiménez (1) | ||||
| 19 April 1917 | 11 June 1917 | Julio Burell y Cuéllar (1) | ||||
| 11 June 1917 | 3 November 1917 | José Sánchez Guerra (1) | ||||
| 3 November 1917 | 22 March 1918 | José Bahamonde y de Lanz (1) | ||||
| 23 March 1918 | 9 November 1918 | Manuel García Prieto (1) | ||||
| 9 November 1918 | 5 December 1918 | Luis Silvela Casado (1) | ||||
| 5 December 1918 | 15 April 1919 | Amalio Gimeno y Cabañas (1) | ||||
| 15 April 1919 | 20 July 1919 | Antonio Goicoechea Cosculluela (1) | ||||
| 20 July 1919 | 12 December 1919 | Manuel de Burgos y Mazo (1) | ||||
| 12 December 1919 | 5 May 1920 | Joaquín Fernández Prida (1) | ||||
| 5 May 1920 | 1 September 1920 | Francisco Bergamín García (1) | ||||
| 1 September 1920 | 14 August 1921 | Gabino Bugallal Araújo (1) | ||||
| 14 August 1921 | 8 March 1922 | Rafael Coello y Oliván (1) | ||||
| 8 March 1922 | 7 December 1922 | Vicente Piniés Bayona (1) | ||||
| 7 December 1922 | 15 September 1923 | Martín Rosales Martel (1) | ||||
| 17 September 1923 | 22 September 1923 | Millán Millán de Pedro (1) | ||||
| 22 September 1923 | 30 January 1930 | Severiano Martínez Anido (1) | ||||
| 30 January 1930 | 25 November 1930 | Enrique March Balaguer (1) | ||||
| 25 November 1930 | 18 February 1931 | Leopoldo Matos y Massieu (1) | ||||
| 18 February 1931 | 14 April 1931 | José María de Hoyos y Vinent (1) | ||||
| II Republic (1931–1939) | 14 April 1931 | 14 October 1931 | Miguel Maura Gamazo (1) | PRC | ||
| 14 October 1931 | 12 September 1933 | Santiago Casares Quiroga (1) | FRG | |||
| 12 September 1933 | 8 October 1933 | Diego Martínez Barrio (1) | PRR | |||
| 8 October 1933 | 23 January 1934 | Manuel Rico Avello (1) | Inofp. | |||
| 23 January 1934 | 3 March 1934 | Diego Martínez Barrio (1) | PRR | |||
| 3 March 1934 | 4 October 1934 | Rafael Salazar Alonso (1) | PRR | |||
| 4 October 1934 | 3 April 1935 | Eloy Vaquero Cantillo (1) | ||||
| 3 April 1935 | 25 September 1935 | Manuel Portela Valladares (1) | Inofp. | |||
| 25 September 1935 | 14 December 1935 | Joaquín de Pablo-Blanco Torres (1) | ||||
| 14 December 1935 | 19 February 1936 | Manuel Portela Valladares (1) | Inofp. | |||
| 19 February 1936 | 17 April 1936 | Amós Salvador Carreras (1) | IR | |||
| 17 April 1936 | 19 July 1936 | Santiago Casares Quiroga (1) | IR | |||
| 19 July 1936 | 19 July 1936 | Augusto Barcia Trelles (1) | IR | |||
| 19 July 1936 | 4 September 1936 | Sebastián Pozas Perea (1) | Military | |||
| 4 September 1936 | 17 May 1937 | Ángel Galarza Gago (1) | ||||
| 17 May 1937 | 5 April 1938 | Julián Zugazagoitia Mendiesta (1) | PSOE | |||
| 5 April 1938 | 1 April 1939 | Paulino Gómez Sáiz (1) | PSOE | |||
| Dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1936–1975) | 30 January 1938 | 24 December 1938 | Severiano Martínez Anido (2) and Ramón Serrano Súñer (3) | |||
| 24 December 1938 | 16 October 1940 | Ramón Serrano Súñer (1) | ||||
| 16 October 1940 | 3 September 1942 | Valentín Galarza Morante (1) | ||||
| 3 September 1942 | 25 February 1957 | Blas Pérez González (1) | ||||
| 25 February 1957 | 29 October 1969 | Camilo Alonso Vega (1) and Vicente Fernández Bascarán (1) (Interim) | ||||
| 29 October 1969 | 9 June 1973 | Tomás Garicano Goñi (1) | ||||
| 9 June 1973 | 3 January 1974 | Carlos Arias Navarro (1) | ||||
| 3 January 1974 | 12 December 1975 | José García Hernández (1) | ||||
| Reign of Juan Carlos I (1975–2014) Felipe VI (2014–present) | 12 December 1975 | 5 July 1976 | Manuel Fraga Iribarne (4) | |||
| 5 July 1976 | 5 April 1979 | Rodolfo Martín Villa (1) | UCD | Cst. (Suárez) | ||
| 5 April 1979 | 2 May 1980 | Antonio Ibáñez Freire (3) | Military | I (Suárez/Calvo-Sotelo) | ||
| 2 May 1980 | 2 December 1982 | Juan José Rosón Pérez (3) | UCD | 80px | ||
| 2 December 1982 | 11 July 1988 | José Barrionuevo Peña (3) | PSOE | II • III • IV • V (González) | ||
| 11 July 1988 | 24 November 1993 | José Luis Corcuera Cuesta (3) | PSOE | |||
| 24 November 1993 | 5 May 1994 | Antoni Asunción Hernández (3) | PSOE | V (González) | ||
| 5 May 1994 | 4 May 1996 | Juan Alberto Belloch Julbe (5) | PSOE | |||
| 4 May 1996 | 27 February 2001 | Jaime Mayor Oreja (3) | PP | VI • VII (Aznar) | ||
| 27 February 2001 | 9 July 2002 | Mariano Rajoy Brey (3) | PP | VII (Aznar) | ||
| 9 July 2002 | 17 April 2004 | Ángel Acebes Paniagua (3) | PP | |||
| 17 April 2004 | 11 April 2006 | José Antonio Alonso Suárez (3) | PSOE | VIII (Zapatero) | ||
| 11 April 2006 | 11 July 2011 | Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (3) | PSOE | VIII • IX (Zapatero) | ||
| 11 July 2011 | 22 December 2011 | Antonio Camacho Vizcaíno (3) | PSOE | IX (Zapatero) | ||
| 22 December 2011 | 4 November 2016 | Jorge Fernández Díaz (3) | PP | X (Rajoy)Acting XI (Rajoy) | ||
| 4 November 2016 | 1 June 2018 | Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez (3) | PP | XII (Rajoy) | ||
| 7 June 2018 | Incumbent | Fernando Grande-Marlaska | Independent | XIII (Pedro Sánchez) |