Mariano Rajoy
This article has an unclear citation style. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (January 2015) This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Rajoy and the second or maternal family name is Brey. The Most Excellent Mariano Rajoy MP OCIII Prime Minister of Spain Incumbent Assumed office 21 December 2011 Monarch Juan Carlos Felipe VI Deputy Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría Preceded by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero President of the People's Party Incumbent Assumed office 16 October 2004 Preceded by José María Aznar Leader of the Opposition In office 16 April 2004 – 21 December 2011 Monarch Juan Carlos Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero Preceded by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero Succeeded by Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba Secretary-General of the People's Party In office 4 September 2003 – 15 October 2004 President José María Aznar Preceded by Javier Arenas Succeeded by Ángel Acebes First Deputy Prime Minister of Spain In office 27 April 2000 – 4 September 2003 Prime Minister José María Aznar Preceded by Francisco Álvarez Cascos Succeeded by Rodrigo Rato Government Spokesperson In office 10 July 2002 – 4 September 2003 Prime Minister José María Aznar Preceded by Pío Cabanillas Succeeded by Eduardo Zaplana Minister of the Presidency In office 10 July 2002 – 4 September 2003 Prime Minister José María Aznar Preceded by Juan José Lucas Succeeded by Javier Arenas In office 27 April 2000 – 27 February 2001 Prime Minister José María Aznar Preceded by Francisco Álvarez Cascos Succeeded by Juan José Lucas Minister of the Interior In office 27 February 2001 – 10 July 2002 Prime Minister José María Aznar Preceded by Jaime Mayor Oreja Succeeded by Ángel Acebes Minister of Education and Culture In office 19 January 1999 – 27 April 2000 Prime Minister José María Aznar Preceded by Esperanza Aguirre Succeeded by Pilar del Castillo Minister of Public Administrations In office 6 May 1996 – 19 January 1999 Prime Minister José María Aznar Preceded by Joan Lerma Succeeded by Ángel Acebes Personal details Born Mariano Rajoy Brey (1955-03-27) 27 March 1955 (age 59) Santiago de Compostela, Spain Political party People's Alliance (1981–1989) People's Party (1989–present) Spouse(s) Elvira Fernández Balboa (1996–present) Children Mariano Juan Alma mater University of Santiago de Compostela Religion Roman Catholicism Signature Website Party website Mariano Rajoy Brey (Spanish pronunciation: [maˈɾjano raˈxoi ˈβɾei]; born 27 March 1955) is the Prime Minister of Spain, elected on 20 November 2011. He has been leader of the People's Party since 2004. Under Prime Minister José María Aznar, Rajoy was Minister of Public Administration from 1996 to 1999 and Minister of Education from 1999 to 2000; he then served as first Deputy Prime Minister from 2000 to 2003. Rajoy led the People's Party into the March 2004 general election, an election won by the opposition Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in the aftermath of the 2004 Madrid train bombings. Subsequently Rajoy was Leader of the Opposition from 2004 to 2011. He then led the People's Party to a landslide victory in the 2011 general election.