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.

Main government policies

Same-sex marriage and church-state issues

The legalization of same-sex marriage (became law on July 1st, 2005) includes adoption rights as well as other rights that were available only to heterosexual couples. The recognition of homosexual marriage, the loosening of laws restricting divorce, the rumours about a legalization of euthanasia, new regulations regulating the teaching of religion in school, and some attempts to change the manner that the government treats the finances of the Catholic Church are all factors that are contributing to the growing tension between the Socialist government and the Roman Catholic Church. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6885557/site/newsweek/.

Related Topics:
Same-sex marriage - July 1st - 2005 - Roman Catholic Church

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Gender violence

The first law passed by his government was against gender violence. At first, the text was intended to protect only women, leaving out legal protection of other victims like children, elders or men. According to the General Council of the Judicial Power (Consejo General del Poder Judicial), that stance made the initial draft unconstitutional as it discriminated citizens for its sex. Finally, the text was changed and the term 'especially vulnerable victim' substituted that of 'woman' in the articles defining the new punishments established by the law. After that change, it was approved by unanimity in the parliament. (Text of the law.)

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Regional terrorism

Zapatero has often declared that his government will not be "soft on terrorism" and will not allow regional nationalists to endanger Spanish unity. This comment was aroused, probably, for his party alliances with parties like Republican Left of Catalonia.

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In December 2004, Zapatero became the first prime minister to face an Investigative Committee after being interrogated by the Committee created to discover the truth about the 11 March attacks http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6703389/.

Related Topics:
December - 2004 - 11 March

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The biggest rejection of Spanish unity has come from Juan José Ibarretxe http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6823214/ - the head of the Basque Regional Government. His Ibarretxe Plan is a reform of the statute now regulating the Basque Autonomous Community considered almost equivalent to a declaration of independence by its opponents. The plan was drafted by the Basque regional government and approved by the regional legislature in spite of the opposition of the PSOE and the PP. The PP pressured Zapatero to prevent the vote from taking place, but Zapatero, insisted on debating and voting on it. The Spanish National Parliament rejected the plan, as was expected. The plan then became a major campaign issue in the Basque parliamentary election held on April 17, where its main proponent, the Basque Nationalist Party, suffered an important loss of votes. Zapatero has stated that he will support in the national parliament any statute reform supported by two-thirds of the Basque parliament.

Related Topics:
Juan José Ibarretxe - April 17

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Public housing

One of the most important Zapatero's electoral promises was to make housing more accessible. Housing prices have increased largely in Spain, mostly since 2001. For that purpose he created a new ministry. The Minister of Housing (Ministra de la Vivienda) has declared that its intention is not to reduce housing prices but to allow people to obtain a house more easily. In Zapatero's first year as prime minister the cost of buying a house has increased around 17% on average, a figure similar to those before being appointed http://www.elmundo.es/mundodinero/2004/11/16/Noti20041116095929.html.

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Spanish Civil War remanants

In October 2004 Zapatero's government undertook the task of morally and legally rehabilitating those who were suppressed during and after the Spanish Civil War, by instituting a Memory Commission chaired by Vice-president María Teresa Fernández de la Vega. Some accused him of deliberately forgetting the incidents in Republican territory affecting right-wing victims. Zapatero's grandfather, in his will, called on family members to clear his name "when the time is right", as has been already said.

Related Topics:
October - 2004 - Spanish Civil War - María Teresa Fernández de la Vega

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