Spain's Tourism, Trade and Industry Minister Reyes Maroto will quit to run for mayor of Madrid, triggering a cabinet reshuffle, she said on Monday.
During her stint in government, Maroto took the lead on protecting the tourism sector during the pandemic and now heads negotiations over European Union-financed subsidies for industries such as car and microchip manufacturing.
Who will replace her in Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's cabinet is unclear.
"I have decided to step forward and run for mayor of the city of Madrid (...) I want to be the next mayor of Madrid and I am going to put my heart and soul into it," Maroto told a tourism event on Monday.
TV station TVE and newspaper El Pais had reported she would be candidate earlier on Monday.
Municipal and regional elections in May will be a preview of the general elections to be held at the end of the year.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro, Additional reporting by Emma Pinedo; Editing by William Maclean)
