Zapatero government into office on 17 April. Zapatero's first cabinet was composed mainly by members of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and its sister party, the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC), as well as a number of independents. It succeeded the second Aznar government. The Council of Ministers was structured into the Prime Minister, two Deputy Prime Ministers, 16 ministries and the post of Spokesperson of the Government. The second Zapatero government was the government of Spain from 14 April 2008 to 22 December 2011, a total of days, or . Zapatero was elected Prime Minister by the Congress of Deputies
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero a serious environmental damage and that in 2003, 14 times more water reached the sea than what was needed annually). The scheme, finally approved by the Government, was canceled by Zapatero soon after becoming Prime Minister. Zapatero was the main proponent of the "Pacto de las Libertades contra el Terrorismo" ("Anti Terrorist Freedom pact) which was signed on 8 December 2000. At the end of the year, the Mad Cow disease came back into the spotlight after its outbreak in 1996. Zapatero repeatedly criticized the Government's management of the crisis arguing that it was out of control. As of March