Spain's CNMC board nominations face PP criticism

On Tuesday, 14 July, the Congress Economy Committee will review the government’s proposals to renew the leadership of the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC). The government has put forward Juan José Ganuza Fernández, a veteran economics professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, as the new president, along with three counsellors: Joan Capdevila, a former ERC deputy and veterinarian; Carmen Balsa, former chief of staff to ex‑vice‑president Nadia Calviño; and Marina Echebarría, the first openly trans‑woman professor in Spain, nominated by Sumar. If approved, the new members will join the existing CNMC council, which includes vice‑president Ángel García Castillejo and four counsellors appointed in February 2025.

The opposition People’s Party has protested the process, accusing the government of announcing the candidates “without any dialogue” and questioning the regulator’s independence. PP deputy secretary for Economy and Sustainable Development Alberto Nadal wrote on X that the lack of prior consultation “makes one wonder about the CNMC’s independence.”