Zapatero government Zapatero government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero formed the Zapatero government on 18 April 2004 after being nominated by King Juan Carlos I to form a government as a result of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party's victory at the 2004 general election. Zapatero was nominated again after the 2008 general election to form a new cabinet for a second term in office. The first Zapatero government was the government of Spain from 18 April 2004 to 14 April 2008, a total of days, or . Zapatero was elected Prime Minister by the Congress of Deputies on 16 April and was sworn
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of Civilizations; the legalisation of same-sex marriage; reform of abortion law; a peace negotiation attempt with ETA; increase of tobacco restrictions; and the reform of various autonomous statutes, particularly the Statute of Catalonia. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was born in Valladolid, Castile and León, to Juan Rodríguez y García-Lozano (born 1928), a lawyer, and María de la Purificación Zapatero Valero (Tordehumos, Valladolid, 1927 – Madrid, 30 October 2000). He grew up in León, where his family originated. His paternal grandfather, Juan Rodríguez y Lozano (28 July 1893 – Puente Castro, León, 18 August 1936), was a Republican captain, executed by