Prime Minister of Spain

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The President of the Government of Spain (Spanish: Presidente del Gobierno), sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the Spanish head of government. The President of the Government is elected by the Congress of Deputies (the lower house of parliament) on being proposed by the King (this step is a mere formality). The current office is established under the Constitution of 1978. It is presently occupied by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

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[edit] Official title

The Spanish head of government is known, in Spanish, as the Presidente del Gobierno. Literally translated, this title is "President of the Government" or alternatively "Chairman of the Government",[1] but nevertheless the office-holder is commonly referred to in English as the "prime minister": the usual term for the head of government in a constitutional monarchy. However the Spanish for 'prime minister' is primer ministro; thus, for example, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the Primer Ministro del Reino Unido, not the Presidente del Gobierno.

In Spain the President of the Government is often called simply Presidente, meaning 'President'. More than once this has caused embarrassing errors among foreign authorities, such as mistaking Spain for a republic. For example Jeb Bush, the Governor of Florida, mistakenly referred to the head of government as the "President of the Spanish Republic" during a visit to Spain in 2003 [1].

The custom to name the head of government as "President" dates back from the reign of Isabella II of Spain, when the Prime Minister was called Presidente del Consejo de Ministros ("President of the Cabinet"). Before 1833 the figure was known as Secretario de Estado ("Secretary of State"), a denomination used today for junior ministers.

[edit] Election

The President of the Government is not directly elected by the people but indirectly elected by the legislature. Following legislative elections, which take place every four years, the leader of the majority party, or the leader of the majority coalition, is usually proposed as President of the Government by the King and elected by the Congress of Deputies. The First Vice President of the Government (or First Deputy Prime Minister) is appointed by the King on the proposal of the President.

[edit] Secretarios del Despacho Universal (1705-1734)

[edit] Kingdom of Spain (1705-1734)

[edit] First Secretaries of State (1734-1834)

[edit] Kingdom of Spain (1734-1834)

[edit] Prime Ministers (Presidents of the Council of Ministers, 1834-Present)

[edit] Kingdom of Spain (1834-1873)

[edit] Spanish Revolution of 1868

[edit] First Spanish Republic (1873-1874)

[edit] Kingdom of Spain Restored (1874-1931)

[edit] Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939)

[edit] Heads of Government of the Nationalist Zone (Spanish Civil War, (1936-1939)

[edit] Heads of Government of the Spanish State (1939-1975)

[edit] Kingdom of Spain Restored (1975-Present)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Oxford Spanish Dictionary and Grammar, ed. C.Lea et al., 2nd ed.(2001)
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