Pedro Sánchez

Profile Overview

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón (Spanish: [ˈpeðɾo ˈsantʃeθ ˈpeɾeθ kasteˈxon] ; born 29 February 1972) is a Spanish politician who has been the prime minister of Spain since 2018. A member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), he is also Secretary-General of the party since 2017, having previously held that office from 2014 to 2016, and is the ninth president of Socialist International since 2022.
Sánchez began his political career in August 2004 as a city councillor in Madrid, before being elected to the Congress of Deputies in 2009. In 2014, he was elected Secretary-General of the PSOE, becoming Leader of the Opposition. He led the party through the inconclusive 2015 and 2016 general elections, but resigned as Secretary-General shortly after the latter, following public disagreements with the party's executive. He was re-elected in a leadership election eight months later, defeating internal rivals Susana Díaz and Patxi López.
On 1 June 2018, the PSOE called a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, passing the motion after winning the support of Unidas Podemos, as well as various regionalist and nationalist parties. Sánchez was appointed prime minister by King Felipe VI the following day. He went on to lead the PSOE to gain 38 seats in the April 2019 general election, the PSOE's first national victory since 2008, although they fell short of a majority. After talks to form a government failed, Sánchez again won the most votes at the November 2019 general election, forming a minority coalition government with Unidas Podemos, the first national coalition government since the country's return to democracy. After the PSOE suffered significant losses in regional elections in May 2023, Sánchez called a snap general election, which saw the PSOE hold all of its seats; despite finishing second behind the People's Party, Sánchez was able to again form a coalition government, and was appointed to a third term as Prime Minister on 17 November 2023.