José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a Spanish politician who served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 2004 to 2011. He is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and became the first Socialist leader to win a general election in Spain after the end of Francisco Franco's dictatorship. His government focused on social reforms, including the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005. During his tenure, Zapatero faced significant challenges, including the global financial crisis of 2008. He implemented various economic measures to address the crisis, but his government also faced criticism for rising unemployment and economic instability. After losing the 2011 elections to Mariano Rajoy, he stepped down as Prime Minister.