José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

Spanish politician and member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)

Don José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (audio speaker iconlisten ; born 4 August 1960 in Valladolid) is a Spanish politician. He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain. This was in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he said he would not stand for re-election. His party is the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).


Don José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

Prime Minister of Spain
In office
17 April 2004 – 21 December 2011
MonarchJuan Carlos I of Spain
DeputyMaría Teresa Fernández de la Vega
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba
Elena Salgado
Preceded byJosé María Aznar
Succeeded byMariano Rajoy
Leader of the Opposition
In office
1 July 2000 – 17 April 2004
Prime MinisterJosé María Aznar
Preceded byJoaquín Almunia
Succeeded byMariano Rajoy
Member of the Congress of Deputies
In office
14 March 2004 – 20 November 2011
ConstituencyMadrid
In office
22 June 1986 – 14 March 2004
ConstituencyLeón
Personal details
Born (1960-08-04) 4 August 1960 (age 63)
Valladolid, Spain
Political partySpanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spouse(s)Sonsoles Espinosa (1990–present)
ChildrenLaura
Alba
Alma materUniversity of León
Signature

He left the office on 21 December 2011.[1] He was succeeded by Mariano Rajoy. He left the PSOE's Secretary General chair on 4th February 2012 to Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba.[2] On 9th February he entered the Spanish Council of State.[3]

Important actions of his government have included withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq, legalizing same-sex marriages[4] and negotiating with Basque terrorist group ETA.[5]

He studied law at the University of León, graduating in 1982. Rodríguez Zapatero met Sonsoles Espinosa in León in 1981. They married on 27 January 1990 and have two daughters named Laura (born 1993) and Alba (born 1995).

Zapatero is a supporter of FC Barcelona.[6][7]

References change

  1. elcomerciodelecuador.es http://www.elcomerciodelecuador.es/component/content/article/97-noticias-de-interes/5779-mariano-rajoy-asume-como-nuevo-presidente-del-gobierno-espanol.html Archived 2012-07-05 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ceutaaldia.com http://www.ceutaldia.com/2012020483697/geografia-subjetiva/alfredo-perez-rubalcaba-nuevo-secretario-general-del-psoe.html
  3. Público http://www.publico.es/espana/421143/zapatero-toma-posesion-como-miembro-del-consejo-de-estado
  4. "Vatican condemns Spain gay bill". BBC News. 22 April 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  5. "ETA declara un alto el fuego permanente · ELPAÍS.com". El País. Elpais.com. 22 March 2006. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  6. Goff, Steven (29 July 2003). "Barça Isn't Lounging Around; Storied Catalonian Club Plots Its Return to the Top". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 22 December 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  7. "Spain's football team welcomed by royals". The New Nation. Associated Press. Retrieved 10 August 2010.

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