I.

Introduction

José Aznar (1953- ), Spanish centre-right politician, Prime Minister of Spain (1996-2004). Born in Madrid, Aznar was educated at the University Complutense, graduating in law in 1975. Becoming a state tax inspector, he joined the Popular Alliance Party in 1979, also becoming party secretary-general for Logroño (1979-1980). By 1982 he had risen to secretary-general for the national party apparatus, a position he held until 1987, while also serving from 1982 as parliamentary deputy for Ávila. From 1987 to 1989 he served as his party’s regional president in Castile-León. He resigned this post in 1989 to contest the presidency of the new Popular Party (PP), formed that year as an amalgamation of centre-right parties, and was elected president of the party in 1990. Also in 1989, he was elected parliamentary deputy for Madrid. Aznar escaped injury in April 1995 when the Basque separatist group ETA carried out a car-bomb attack on him. After the centre-right won a narrow majority in the general elections of March 1996, following 13 years of left-wing government, Aznar became prime minister, but his narrow victory made him reliant on the Catalan and Basque regional parties.