Transparency and Government: Revolving Doors in Spain

Abstract

The aim of the research is to detect possible cases of revolving doors in Spain over the last fifty years. The methodological approach used is quantitative, through content analysis, and focuses on the typology of revolving doors from the public to the private sector. The data show that men occupy the majority of senior positions on boards of directors, still demonstrating the existence of a gender gap, not only in terms of the type of position held, but also in terms of proportion. On the other hand, it can be seen that the energy sector is the one that employs the most people who have been part of the public administration. In terms of political background, most of the people who have held important positions in companies come from the executive branch, especially from ministries and regional ministries. The study also shows that the two parties with the most relations between political power and the business sector are the PSOE and the PP, coinciding with the two parties that have governed Spain for the longest time. Finally, a gradual decrease in the practice of revolving doors has been found in the last decade, which could be explained by the influence of the global economic crisis of 2008, which led to a loss of political dominance in large companies.