20:00 Feb 8, 2019
I translate this as "regional minister". For "consejería" I often use "department" rather than "ministry". It's true, as Rebecca says, that an autonomous community is not strictly a "region", constitutionally, but although I would not refer to Castilla y León as a "region", I think the adjective "regional" is acceptable and it's certainly neater than the alternative.
I am strongly opposed to omitting "regional". I don't think you can just call this person the Minister of Agriculture or Agriculture Minister. That is a position in the national government. There is a deeply-held view among public officials in Spain that the word "ministro" cannot be used at autonomous community level, and I have had had objections from public-sector clients to the use of "minister" for "consejero". They really seem to feel very uncomfortable with it. My arguments for using it have always prevailed so far, provided that it is qualified by "regional". I am quite sure that "minister" alone would invite objections; indeed, as I say, I know from experience that this is so. |