José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Spanish politician and member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Don José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (listen (help·info); 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 | |
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Prime Minister of Spain | |
In office 17 April 2004 – 21 December 2011 | |
Monarch | Juan Carlos I of Spain |
Deputy | María Teresa Fernández de la Vega Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba Elena Salgado |
Preceded by | José María Aznar |
Succeeded by | Mariano Rajoy |
Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 1 July 2000 – 17 April 2004 | |
Prime Minister | José María Aznar |
Preceded by | Joaquín Almunia |
Succeeded by | Mariano Rajoy |
Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
In office 14 March 2004 – 20 November 2011 | |
Constituency | Madrid |
In office 22 June 1986 – 14 March 2004 | |
Constituency | León |
Personal details | |
Born | (1960-08-04) 4 August 1960 (age 64) Valladolid, Spain |
Political party | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party |
Spouse(s) | Sonsoles Espinosa (1990–present) |
Children | Laura Alba |
Alma mater | University 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]