Famous Spanish Prime Ministers

Former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy is a qualified lawyer and had stepped into politics at the tender age of 26. Under his leadership, the People’s Party shifted from being staunchly right to center-right. He was eventually ousted by a vote of no-confidence after the Catalan independence crisis.

Spanish lawyer and PSOE politician Felipe González has been the longest-serving freely elected prime minister of Spain. Born to a livestock farmer in Seville, he had initially aspired to be a civil engineer but later switched to law. At 40, he was the youngest European head of government.

Juan Negrín was a Spanish physician and politician. He is best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Spain from 17 May 1937 to 31 March 1939. An important political leader, Juan Negrín also served as the Minister of the Treasury and as the Minister of National Defence from 5 April 1938 to 31 March 1939.

Juan O'Donojú was a Spanish-Irish diplomat and military officer. He is best remembered for his service as the viceroy of New Spain from July 1821 to September 1821. Prior to his service as the last Spanish Jefe Político Superior of New Spain, Juan O'Donojú also served as the Prime Minister of Spain for a brief period in 1813.

While he initially studied law, Antonio Cánovas del Castillo showed a marked interest in history and politics, too. The six-time prime minister of Spain led the Conservative Party. As a historian, he had penned works such as History of the Decline of Spain. He was assassinated by an Italian anarchist.

Damaso Berenguer was a Spanish politician and general best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Spain from 30 January 1930 to 18 February 1931. He is credited with founding the Fuerzas Regulares Indígenas, volunteer infantry units of the Spanish Army.