Zapatero Backed As New Pm

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was named prime minister of Spain yesterday at the head of a minority Socialist government, after winning the backing of the majority of deputies in the parliament.

The 43-year-old lawyer will be formally sworn in by King Juan Carlos this morning.

Much of Spain's media looked on with approval as two days of vigorous parliamentary debate ended with his nomination yesterday.

After the harsh, dour and according to some autocratic style of the outgoing conservative prime minister, José María Aznar, Mr Zapatero's image of youthful wide-eyed sincerity and his repeated insistence on "dialogue" appeared to herald a new era in Spanish politics.

"He is a beautiful person," agreed several of the women who rang in to the Tele 5 television station as it covered the vote yesterday.

It is clear, however, that, without an absolute majority, Mr Zapatero will either have to find political partners with whom to have dialogue or face an early return to the polling stations.

Much of the dialogue is likely concentrate on the thorny problem posed by the tension between Madrid and regions such as Catalonia and the Basque country which reached a new intensity under Mr Aznar.

He who opposed giving more power to the regional governments, which control local health, education and culture.

The decision of the main nationalist parties in the Basque country and Catalonia to abstain from supporting Mr Zapatero yesterday is a sign that he cannot expect an easy ride.

The new leader of the opposition People's party, Mariano Rajoy, has already demanded to know if Mr Zapatero plans to award some Spanish regions, such as Catalonia, greater rights to self-government than others.