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.

Personal data

On January 27, 1990, Zapatero married Sonsoles Espinosa Díaz, the daughter of a military officer (Rafael Espinosa Armendáriz) http://www.minutodigital.com/noticias/sonsoles.htm. Sonsoles studied law, and is a classical singer and music teacher. Zapatero is also the father of two young girls, Laura (1993) and Alba (1995). His family has never appeared before the Spanish media, and there are no recent images of his two young daughters. Most Spaniards do not even know what his wife's speaking voice sounds like, as she does not give public speeches.

Related Topics:
January 27 - 1990 - Sonsoles Espinosa Díaz

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Zapatero is fluent only in Spanish and has some rough basic knowledge of English. This is despite the fact that his father sent him to Britain for several summers to help him learn English, and that he took classes after being appointed Secretary General of the Socialists. Some of Zapatero's hobbies include fishing for trout, walking in the countryside, jogging, and reading political essays. His favorite sports is soccer; he is a fan of Barcelona football team and of César Rodríguez Álvarez, a famous striker from León who had played for the team in the 1940's. Zapatero also smokes, though he has substantially reduced the habit since his university days.

Related Topics:
Barcelona football team - César Rodríguez Álvarez - Striker

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