Pedro Sánchez acts as host to first citizens attending Moncloa Open programme

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The President of the Govenrment, Pedro Sánchez, received the first citizens to visit the Moncloa Complex, with whom he walked around some parts of the gardens of the palace, where they had the chance to chat informally with the President of the Govenrment. The origins of these gardens date back to the last third of the 17th Century, although the current design is from the 19th Century.

They also took a group photo on the steps of the Council of Ministers building, one of the most emblematic parts of the complex, built in 1989 under the presidency of Felipe González on the occasion of the first Spanish Rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Once inside, and after visiting some of the rooms, Félix Bolaños, Secretary-General of the Presidency and head of the programme, showed them the Council of Ministers room, where the government meets every Friday and the places where the different ministers sit round the table.

The group also visited the State Secretariat for Communication, where the press briefing following the Council of Ministers is held every Friday and where journalists write their articles.

The Moncloa Open visits will be held periodically. Next week, which coincides with the trip by the President of the Government to the United States, further visits have been organised. The aim of this programme is to attend to the demand from the 1,000 applicants registered before the end of the year, when new places will be allocated.

Non official translation