The Government of Spain approves a public employment offer that prioritises digitisation and the use of artificial intelligence

Ministers Sira Rego, Félix Bolaños, Elma Saiz and Óscar López during the press conference after the Council of Ministers (Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo)

The Council of Ministers has approved the Public Employment Offer (OEP) for 2026, totalling 27,232 positions in the general state administration, a slightly higher number than the previous year. The Minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, Óscar López, explained that the difference between new posts and retirements will result in a net increase of 6,200 jobs.

OEP 2026: digital transformation of public administration

The minister has identified digitalisation and the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector as key priorities for the 2026 OEP, with a view to improving the services provided to the public. Óscar López pointed out that according to data from the European Commission, 83% of people in Spain interact with the Government digitally, which is 8 percentage points higher than the European average. Spain is also 7 percentage points above the European average in terms of digital public services for citizens.

"The starting point is very good, but with this public recruitment drive we aim to take a significant leap forward," said the minister, who has set a target of digitising at least a further 25% of administrative procedures.

To achieve this goal, the 2026 OEP includes more than 1,700 vacancies related to new technologies, 42% more than last year. The largest increase is in the Senior Information Systems and Technology Corps with 300 posts, 200% more than in 2025. In addition, for the first time, vacancies will be advertised for specialists in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data science. All competitive recruitment processes conducted by the administration will include specific training in digitisation and artificial intelligence.

"The Government is sending a message and is setting a very powerful example, not only to the entire public sector but also to the private sector, of how it is possible to transform and modernise, and that all of this should serve to continue creating jobs rather than destroy them", said the minister.

Strengthening strategic areas

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, Óscar López, at the press conference after the Council of Ministers | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

Another key change is that rather than simply replacing staff who leave, the Government is prioritising the actual needs of the public administration and of the citizens themselves, with the aim of strengthening key areas. Óscar López detailed that in addition to digital transformation, the 2026 OEP is focused on energy transition, prevention of climate emergencies, national cybersecurity, infrastructure and transport, commercial services supporting businesses in their internationalisation, public security, citizen protection, defence, extraordinary migratory regularisation and citizen services.

In this way, efforts are focused on the interests of the country and result in a more efficient public administration with quality employment, according to López, who also highlighted that recruitment drives in recent years have brought the average age of civil servants down by almost three years, to 49.

A more transparent and participatory administration

Also within the remit of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, the Council of Ministers has strengthened the Open Government Forum, a platform for ongoing dialogue between the public administrations and civil society.

The change increases the number of civil society representatives from 8 to 14, bringing it into line with that of the public authorities. Óscar López assured that this measure, which is included in both the Action Plan for Democracy and the V Open Government Plan, aims to make the administration more participatory and transparent. The minister pointed out that Spain ranks among the world's most advanced democracies in all rankings, including in terms of transparency.

Expansion of the Organic Law for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents against Violence

The Council of Ministers has discussed the extension of the Organic Law for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents against Violence (LOPIVI), in force since 2021. The amendment to the legislation will guarantee children's right to be heard, and make it mandatory to take their evidence in judicial and administrative proceedings.

The Minister for Youth and Children, Sira Rego, stressed at the press conference following the meeting of the Executive that the forthcoming law places Spain "at the international forefront in the protection of children's rights and freedoms".

Rego explained that the expansion is based on three premises. First, it is imperative that violence against children and its eradication move from being a private matter to becoming part of the public debate and public policy. Second, it breaks with traditional adult-centred approaches, meaning that the law, as well as aiming to eradicate violence, places the focus on ensuring children are treated well. Third, it sets out clear and specific measures to eradicate violence that children experience or may experience, both within institutions and in their socio-affective environments.

What's new in the future law

The Minister for Youth and Children, Sira Rego, at the press conference after the Council of Ministers | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

Sira Rego has stated that minors will have a say in administrative and legal proceedings that affect them, regardless of their age. The interview will therefore be conducted in a manner appropriate to the child's age, using simple language and avoiding contact with the alleged perpetrator.

The new text prohibits the so-called False Parental Alienation Syndrome (SAP) and all its variations. "No public or private report based on SAP may be used in legal or administrative proceedings. In addition, any decision based on it can be challenged," Rego said. The minister insisted that, with this ban, Spain is once again leading the way in the defence of children's rights, and is the first country to prohibit the use of SAP by law.

The Minister for Youth and Children also pointed out that "protection can never mean living with the abuser", which is why the extension of the LOPIVI will ensure that protection of the child takes precedence over any automatic arrangements regarding custody and visiting rights. The law therefore stipulates that the best interests of the child require that they be removed from the person perpetrating the violence: "If a child refuses contact with a parent, this cannot be ignored".

Sira Rego also announced that the consent of just one parent will be sufficient for a minor who is a victim of violence to have access to psychological, social and legal support. Under no circumstances may the perpetrator have the power to veto the child's rehabilitation process. Another change introduced by the reform is that abusers will not be allowed to work with children and adolescents.

The extension of the LOPIVI, as outlined by the minister, also includes other measures, such as streamlining the process for recognising children as victims of gender-based violence: "Following the passing of this law, the children of women who are victims of gender-based violence will also be considered victims of gender-based violence".

Likewise, the forthcoming legislation strengthens training for professionals working with children and adolescents through a training master plan, and improves access to justice by establishing specialist legal aid services focusing on violence against children and adolescents.

The minister stressed that Spain owes a debt to its children because "for years their word has been doubted and protective mothers have been criminalised", which is why the extension of this law aims to address the areas where the system has failed.

Annual Regulatory Plan of the General State Administration 2026, and evaluation of the previous one

The Minister for the Presidency, Justice and Parliamentary Relations, Félix Bolaños, at the press conference after the Council of Ministers

The Minister for the Presidency, Justice and Parliamentary Relations, Félix Bolaños, has reported on the approval of the Annual Regulatory Plan of the General State Administration for the year 2026, and on the evaluation of the previous year's plan.

Bolaños stressed that with the approval of these agreements, this Executive is the first to comply strictly with the Government Law. The adoption of regulatory plans is an essential tool for both transparency and legal certainty, ensuring that all citizens and businesses in the country are aware of the Government's priorities and the legislation and regulations it intends to adopt. "This is our commitment to an open government, a transparent government, a government that communicates the actions it takes," the minister stressed.

2025 Annual Regulatory Plan Assessment Report

Félix Bolaños underlined that the degree of implementation of the Annual Regulatory Plan for the year 2025 is 82%, a very high figure which breaks down into 36% of regulations already approved and 46% of regulations at an advanced stage of processing.

The minister specified that the Government has approved 6 draft organic laws, 12 draft laws and 54 royal decrees over the course of 2025. These figures exceed those set out in the 2024 plan and those foreseen for 2025. Bolaños argued that unexpected events such as the electricity blackout that hit Spain in April 2025, tariff threats and the genocide in Gaza led to the adoption of new measures to deal with these situations.

Annual Policy Plan 2026

The Minister for the Presidency said that the aim of the Annual Regulatory Plan for 2026 is to continue strengthening the welfare state, ensure economic growth, make progress on social issues, and adopt a position in international politics that is "utterly indistinguishable from any other that upholds international law, peace and democratic values".

In the minister's opinion, the plan means that "this legislature is constructing and advancing", highlighting as an example, the record employment figures published today.

The document for 2026 includes 179 regulatory proposals, of which 10 are organic laws, 38 are ordinary laws, and 131 are royal decrees. Félix Bolaños outlined some of the measures included in the plan, such as the regional financing bill, and the bills on anti-corruption bill, domestic violence, human trafficking, sustainable consumption, the right to honour, medicines and medical devices, and artificial intelligence.

Progress in the rights of people with disabilities

The government spokesperson announced that the Council of Ministers has approved an official statement to mark the 20th anniversary of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The minister pointed out that the Government has sought to highlight the progress made in Spain in terms of the inclusion and rights of this group and their families, such as the Amendment of article 49 of the Spanish Constitution, which "replaced terms considered obsolete and, moreover, offensive, and which settled a moral debt owed to people with disabilities".

She also highlighted the impact of measures such as the Minimum Basic Income, which has extended coverage to people with disabilities, and the increase in child benefit, which has been extended to cover children up to the age of 26 in these cases. The minister pointed out that these initiatives are part of a set of public policies that reaffirm "the Government of Spain's firm commitment to inclusion, equal opportunities and the protection of rights".

More than 22 million contributors to the Social Security system

The Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and Government Spokesperson, Elma Saiz, during her speech at the press conference after the Council of Ministers | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

The Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, and Government Spokesperson, Elma Saiz, has welcomed the latest milestone achieved in Spain's labour market: 22,105,831 Social Security contributors in the average series. Saiz pointed out that this increase comes just one month after a similar figure was recorded in seasonally adjusted terms, that is, excluding one-off factors such as holiday periods and bank holidays. In her view, this "exceptional news confirms the great strength of our labour market".

The Executive spokesperson pointed out that April saw an increase of 223,685 contributors compared to the previous month, making it "the third best April on record". In addition, "we have now seen 63 months of sustained and uninterrupted growth, more than 5 consecutive years of job creation", emphasised Saiz.

The minister especially highlighted the progress made in female employment, which has reached "unprecedented" levels, 10,489,362 employed women, helping to narrow the gender gap. She also pointed to the growth in the number of foreign workers registered with the system, which now stands at over 3.2 million following a significant increase over the past year, cementing Spain's reputation as "a country of opportunities".

She also highlighted the dynamism of self-employment, with a particularly sharp rise in sectors such as telecommunications and software development, which shows, she said, that entrepreneurship is consolidating as a growing sector in the labour market.

"We are not only creating more jobs; we are creating better jobs. Stability is at an all-time high, whilst we are reducing temporary employment. In short, these figures reflect a dynamic Spanish economy that is growing, creating opportunities and moving forward on an increasingly solid and balanced footing", she said.

Non official translation