Tweede termijn voor Zapatero: Consequenties voor Spaans beleid

Otto Holman analyses the recent general elections in Spain from the perspective of domestic and international developments since 2004, when José Luis Zapatero unexpectedly came to power as Socialist Prime Minister, as a direct consequence of the Madrid bomb attacks. One of his first decisions was to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq. Diplomatic relations with the United States deteriorated as a result. On the other hand, the Zapatero government returned to the pro-European foreign policy of the González era, subordinating Spain's major foreign policy priorities to enhanced cooperation in Europe. Meanwhile, the Spanish economy continued to grow steadily, both at home (fuelled by the so-called construction boom) and abroad (through the dramatic increase of Spanish foreign direct investment in Latin America and continental Europe). It is argued that Zapatero will continue the pro-European course in his second term of office, if only because the recent sharp drop in business activity will make Spain even more dependent on its economic ties with the European heartland.