Rubalcaba elected as PSOE party leader

The PSOE party yesterday voted in favour of Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba Saturday to replace former Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero as its new secretary-general.

Rubalcaba, who served in the dual-role of deputy prime minister and interior minister in Zapatero’s 2004-2011 administration, will now be taske with restoring the popularity of the party after being decisively beaten in the recent general elections by the Partido Popular under Mariano ERajoy.

Rubalcaba narrowly beat former Defense Minister Carme Chacon by 487 votes to 465.

Chacon, who would have become Spain's first female political party leader, stood aside as the leader of the PSOE party's election campaign in favour of Rubalcaba early last year.

One of Rubalcaba's first priorities will be to improve the party’s standing before the March 25th regional elections in Andalusia, in where the PP is widely expected to oust the PSOE from office.

The new party leader announced how he would work to promoe the prospects of the unemployed and young people who “fear for their future” amid accelerated spending cuts under the new conservative government.

He also said he would defend social and civil rights “at all costs” and push for even greater gender equality in Spain.