Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero news stories on Newser

Spain's Ruling Socialists Clobbered in Election

Matt Cantor — Mon, 23 May 2011 09:12:05 CDT

Facing widespread protests amid 21.3% unemployment, Spain’s ruling Socialist party suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of conservatives yesterday—reportedly the party's worst-ever performance in local and regional elections. The conservative People's Party took 38% of the vote at the municipal level, compared with 28% for the Socialists,...

Octopus Predicts Spain Will Win World Cup

Kevin Spak — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 06:48:00 CDT

It's official: Spain is going to win the World Cup. Paul the Octopus has decreed it, the Daily Telegraph reports. The psychic cephalopod is 6 for 6 this World Cup, and went 4 for 5 in Euro 2008, missing only when he predicted his beloved Germans to defeat Spain in...

Hacker Morphs Spanish Prez Into Mr. Bean

Rob Quinn — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:47:48 CST

A hacker yesterday redirected visitors to Spain's EU presidency website to a page replacing Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's image with that of Mr. Bean. The goofy, benign comedy character appeared with the words: "Hi there." Zapatero's resemblance to Rowan Atkinson's bumbling character is a long-running joke in Spain,...

McCain Disses Spain's PM, One Way or Another

Jason Farago — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:25:06 CDT

John McCain seemed to say Spain’s prime minister is an enemy of the US during an interview with a Spanish-language radio station this week, Time reports. Asked whether, if elected, he would meet with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, McCain answered, “I will establish closer relationships with our friends, and I...

Portugal PM Gets Heat for Smoking on Plane

Peter Fearon — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:41:34 CDT

Portugal banned smoking in public places five months ago but the country's prime minister appears to have forgotten the rule his own government enacted. Jose Socrates—known to be a smoker in private—stunned passengers and triggered an uproar when he blithely lit up in the first-class cabin of a...

Women Rule in Spain's New Cabinet

Jason Farago — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:31:12 CDT

So much for machismo. Re-elected Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced a new government this weekend, with a surprise twist: His new cabinet boasts more women than men. The eight men and nine ministras include a pregnant woman who will head the army as defense minister, the Independent...

Socialist Party Wins in Spain

Neal Colgrass — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:25:00 CDT

Spain's Socialist Party overcame a sputtering economy and the murder of a former councilor to win today's national election, the BBC reports. "The Spanish people have spoken clearly and have decided to open a new period without tension, without confrontation," Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told a crowd of...

Spain Divided Ahead of Big Vote

Kevin Spak — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:37:00 CST

Spaniards are bitterly divided between the ruling Socialist Party and right-wing Popular Party as they head for the polls tomorrow, the Washington Post reports. Polls do not predict a majority for Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's socialists or the Mariano Rajoy-led Popular Party, but much will depend on the...

Spanish PM: Basque Group Killed Pol

Harry Kimball — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 06:51:43 CST

Spain’s Prime Minister is blaming Basque separatist group Eta for the shooting death of a party functionary a day before national elections, the BBC reports. Jose Zapatero, whose Socialist Party is expected to win the contest, painted Isaias Carrasco’s murder as an attempt to disrupt elections, but vowed that Spain...