Quotes from Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero

Spaniards have always shown great maturity and great common sense when it comes to voting.

You can't bomb a people just in case.

Wars such as those which have occurred in Iraq only allow hatred, violence and terror to proliferate.

Markets are very important but for the government the citizens are more so.

My commitment is my commitment.

The corporations and the media don't need power; they already have it.

Democratic power is the only voice most citizens have.

I will listen to Mr Bush but my position is very clear and very firm. The occupation is a fiasco. There have been almost more deaths after the war than during the war.

I want to increase our spending on research and development by 25%. That's something the U.S. does very well. That dynamism alongside a welfare state in the European community - that's the synthesis I want to achieve.

It's true that the war in Iraq opened a distance in relations between part of Europe and the U.S. government, but our basic ties are stronger than that. We share democracy, free markets and a commitment to Western security. We differ on how to guarantee that security.

The economic, social and cultural progress of a nation depends on citizens counting for more and having more rights.

No Spanish government has given into terror and no government will do that.

Any peace process after so many years of horror and terror will be long and difficult.

Maybe John Kerry does not know - but I am happy to explain it to him - that my commitment to withdraw the troops goes back before the tragic, dramatic terrorist attack.

Peace needs and takes time, it needs and takes caution, it needs and takes patience after 30 years of terrorism and violence.

We are the envy of Europe and in a few years time we are going to be one of the top countries in the world.

The more equality women have, the fairer, more civilized and tolerant society will be. Sexual equality is a lot more effective against terrorism than military strength.

I said when I came into office that I don't want to be a great leader; I want to be a good democrat.

We're aligning ourselves with Kerry. Our allegiance will be for peace, against war, no more deaths for oil, and for a dialogue between the government of Spain and the new Kerry administration.

The risk of a terrorist victory is greater when in fighting terror, democracy betrays its own essence.

The main priority of the Socialist Party is education".

The more equality women have, the fairer, more civilized and tolerant society will be. Sexual equality is a lot more effective against terrorism than military strength.

Gender equality is more successful than armed force.