A Second Transition, or More of the Same? Spanish Foreign Policy under Zapatero

This text explores the extent to which Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's foreign policy during his first term (2004-8) as prime minister should be seen primarily as a reaction to (and a rejection of) that of his immediate predecessor, Jose Maria Aznar, or whether it is best interpreted as an original, proactive response to changing domestic and international circumstances. It concludes that, although Zapatero's administration was essentially reactive at first, it gradually acquired some unexpected, novel traits of its own, which contributed fresh ideas to the debate over Spain's foreign policy identity and its role in an increasingly globalised world.