Jose Zapatero Prime Minister of Spain (since 2004). Date of Birth: 04.08.1960 Country: Spain

Biography of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was born on August 4, 1960, in Valladolid, Spain, into a family with left-wing political views. His grandfather was executed by the Franco regime in 1936. At the age of 18, Zapatero joined the Socialist Party and pursued a career in law.

Zapatero studied constitutional law at the University of León, where he later became a professor. In 1986, he dedicated himself fully to politics and quickly rose through the ranks of the Socialist Party. He became the youngest member of the lower house of parliament and, four years later, joined the Federal Committee of the Socialist Party. Ten years after that, in 2000, Zapatero was elected as the party's General Secretary, leading the reformist movement called "New Path" within the party.

In 2004, Zapatero emerged as the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and won the general elections held on March 14th. He became the Prime Minister of Spain, succeeding José María Aznar of the People's Party. One of his first major decisions as Prime Minister was to withdraw the Spanish military contingent from Iraq, aligning with his promise to end Spain's participation in the Iraq War. This move potentially strained the alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom.

In addition to his stance on the Iraq War, Zapatero expressed support for the European Constitution project. His predecessor, José María Aznar, representing the conservative People's Party, had reservations about certain articles of the constitution.

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is married and has two daughters named Laura and Alba. His political career has been marked by his commitment to social reform and progressive policies, making him a prominent figure in Spanish politics.