Leader of the Opposition (Spain)

Leader of the Opposition Líder de la oposición
Logo of the largest opposition party
Incumbent Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba since 21 December 2011
Term length	While leader of the largest political party not in government

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The Leader of the Opposition (Spanish: Líder de la oposición) is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish parliament, the Cortes Generales. The Leader of the Opposition is invariably seen as the alternative Prime Minister of Spain to the present incumbent, and heads a rival alternative government known as the Shadow Cabinet.

Leaders of the Opposition of Spain under the 1978 constitution

#	Leader		Political Party	Term of office
1		Felipe González	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party	1977–1982
2		Manuel Fraga Iribarne	People's Alliance	1982–1986
3		Antonio Hernández Mancha	People's Alliance	1987–1989
(2)		Manuel Fraga Iribarne	People's Alliance	1989
4		José María Aznar	People's Party	1989–1996
(1)		Felipe González	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party	1996–1997
5		Joaquín Almunia	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party	1997–1998
6		Josep Borrell	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party	1998–1999
(5)		Joaquín Almunia	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party	1999–2000
7		José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party	2000–2004
8		Mariano Rajoy	People's Party	2004–2011
9		Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party	2011–Present

See also

• List of political parties in Spain
• Congress of Deputies