José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born August 4, 1960) is the Prime Minister of Spain. His party, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, won the general election on March 14, 2004. Notable actions of his government have included withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq and legalizing same-sex marriages. Another notable government act was the removal of one of the last remaining statues of General Franco, the former fascist dictator.

Early years

Zapatero was born in Valladolid to an affluent family with a long history of left-wing politics. His father, Juan Rodríguez García-Lozano, is a prominent lawyer, while his mother, Purificación Zapatero, died in October of 2000. His paternal grandfather, Juan Rodríguez Lozano, was a Freemason and a Republican captain who was executed by the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War, when Zapatero's father was eight years old. It is believed that Zapatero is also a Freemason.

Related Topics:
Valladolid - Juan Rodríguez Lozano - Freemason - Republican - Spanish Civil War

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Zapatero grew up in León and began his schooling at the religious primary school "Discípulas de Jesús" in September, 1966. In September 1970, he entered the "Colegio Leonés", the only private lay school in León at the time. He later went on to study law at the University of León, graduating in 1982. As a student, he admired the agrarian reforms of Mao Tse-tung as well as those in the Soviet Union.

Related Topics:
León - September - 1966 - 1970 - University of León - 1982 - Mao Tse-tung - Soviet Union

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After graduating, Zapatero worked as a professor of constitutional law in the University of León. He was elected to Parliament in 1986, and in October 1991, his contract was terminated by the new rector of the university after the school's legal advisors determined that Zapatero's dual position as a professor and an MP were incompatible. However, the legal advisors of the Spanish parliament had considered the contract valid.

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