Date Published: 08/11/09
JOSE LUIS RODERIGUEZ ZAPATERO AT 49
By Adewale Akande
Jose Luis Roderiguez Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister celebrated his 49th birthday last week in a low key manner considering the economic crisis in which Spain has 18 percent unemployment rate the highest in comparing with other European nations.
Zapatero is regarded as lover of mmigrants with all his party programmes that take good care of them.This make him to have full support of all immirants living in Spain
Jose Luis Zapatero was born on the 4 th of August 1960 in Valladolid, Spain by a lawyer father. He grew up in the city of Leon which is the capital of Leon province in the northwest of Spain.Zapatero gratuduated as a lawyer from the University of Leon in 1982.He met his wife Sonsoles Espoinosa in 1981 and got married in 1990.
Luis Zapatero joined the Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) on 23 february,1979 and headed the Socialist Youth organisation in 1982 immediately he left University.He was elected as the youngest councillor in the Leon House of Parliment in 1986. Two years later,he was elected the Secretay General of the Socialist Workers’ Party in 1988.
In 2000after PSOE general convention,he was chosen as the Socialist Workers’ Party flag bearer for the general election.He performed brilliantly well in his first term that his party was voted again shortly after the most deadly bomb attack that caused the death of 191 innocent train passengers on 11th of March,2004. His Party won the election with 164 seats in the Parliament against the opposition party (People’s Party-PP) 148 seats.
Since he got to power,he has been battling with the Basque terror group called ETA.This terror group has been killing,bombing,maiming and distrupting lives since 1959.He has gone down as saying that he wants to be remembered in the history books as the Prime Minister who brought an end to the ETA conflicts.
Spain is among other European countries ravaging with world economic crisis largely because of the collapse of 10-year building boom.This young,dynamic and thoughtful Prime Minister is trying all his best to bring back the country GDP with the 3 percent limit set by the European Monetary Union by 2012.His government has introduced more than 10 billions on infrastructure plan to alleviates the problems of the populace.
There was also subsidy programmes for unemployed people and immigrants who are being affected with this economic crisis.
Zapatero with his new team of Ministers has embark n confronting the country crisis with investment in education, research biotechnology and renewable energy. This above issues contributed to his visit to sub-saharan Africa ECOWAS member nations which include Nigeria and Togo.
Spanish Prime Minister was in Nigeria on Tuesday 22,last month and held energy talks with the Nigeria President,Umaru Yar’ Adua.The meeting was focused on oil and gas and the presence of Spanish companies working along with Nigeria companies.
Jose Luis Roderiguez Zapatero who has a far greater sense of diplomacy is blessed with two lovely daughters.
Adewale Akande
adewale_akande@hotmail.com
