José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has been, for more than two decades, one of the most influential figures in Spanish politics. He came to the General Secretariat of the PSOE in 2000 as a deputy practically unknown to the majority of Spaniards.
He governed Spain between 2004 and 2011, promoted some of the deepest social reforms of democracy and, after leaving La Moncloa in the midst of a serious economic crisis, reinvented himself as an international mediator, private advisor, and trusted man of the current President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
Following his indictment by the National Court in the Plus Ultra case, his career is once again under public scrutiny.
The unknown deputy who won against all odds
Born in Valladolid in 1960 and raised in León, Zapatero surprised everyone at the XXXV Federal Congress of the PSOE, held in July 2000.
After the electoral debacle of Joaquín Almunia against José María Aznar, the party was looking for a generational change capable of pulling socialism out of the political depression it had fallen into.
Zapatero won by a very narrow margin against heavyweights such as José Bono, Matilde Fernández, and Rosa Díez. His victory was interpreted as the PSOE's bet on a young, moderate leader with an image of renewal.
Dialogue, democratic regeneration, and expansion of rights
From the opposition, Zapatero articulated a discourse based on dialogue, democratic regeneration, and the expansion of civil rights.
His opposition to the Aznar Government's support for the Iraq War, as well as the PP's wear and tear from the management of the Prestige disaster and other crises, allowed him to consolidate his leadership.
The turning point came after the attacks of March 11, 2004. Three days later, the PSOE won the general elections with 164 seats and, at just 43 years old, Zapatero was invested President of the Government.
The five pillars of his investiture
In his investiture speech in April 2004, Zapatero structured his political project into five main axes: renewal of public life, foreign policy, modernization of the economy, social policies and equality, and expansion of civil rights.
He promised to raise the minimum wage to 600 euros, create the Dependency Law, combat gender-based violence, and recognize homosexual and transsexual people with "the same public consideration as heterosexuals."
The great reforms of his government
In his first term, he approved some of the most emblematic measures of recent democracy, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage, the Comprehensive Law against Gender Violence, the Dependency Law, the withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq, or the reform of the Statute of Catalonia.
These reforms provided him with broad social support and consolidated his international profile as a progressive leader.
The economic crisis and wear and tear
But the international financial crisis of 2008 marked a turning point.
After initially denying the gravity of the situation, his government promoted policies of strong public spending, such as the Plan E, and later approved cuts and reforms demanded by Brussels.
The political wear and tear was enormous. Social discontent grew and in 2011 he decided not to run for a third term. The PSOE suffered a severe defeat against Mariano Rajoy.
From former president to interlocutor with Venezuela
After leaving La Moncloa, Zapatero maintained a discreet profile for some years, but little by little he built an intense international agenda.
He became a regular interlocutor of the Nicolás Maduro regime to mediate, for example, in the release of prisoners and strengthened ties with figures such as Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez.
He also intensified his presence in China, where he acted as an intermediary and advisor in business and institutional operations.
Sánchez's strongman in the shadows
Zapatero's political return was consolidated with the arrival of Pedro Sánchez at La Moncloa.
Without holding any official position, the former president became one of his main advisors. He participated in contacts with Catalan independence supporters, in the dialogue with Carles Puigdemont, and in political dealings in Venezuela and China.
Within the PSOE, Ferraz has promoted his figure as a moral and political reference.
The indictment that threatens his legacy
The Audiencia Nacional has summoned Zapatero as an investigated person for alleged crimes of influence peddling and money laundering.
Judge José Luis Calama places him at the head of a structure that, according to the investigation, would have used his network of contacts to influence public decisions and channel payments through shell companies.
After years of exerting influence without an institutional position, the former president now faces the biggest judicial challenge of his career and an episode that could decisively alter his political legacy.