Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón is a Spanish economist and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Spain since June 2018. A central figure in modern Spanish politics, Sánchez has led the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) as Secretary-General during two distinct periods, first from 2014 to 2016 and again since 2017. His premiership has been characterized by his ability to maintain stability through complex parliamentary arithmetic, most notably by forming the first coalition government in Spain since the restoration of democracy. Born on February 29, 1972, in Madrid, Sánchez grew up in a middle-class family in the Tetuán district. His father, Pedro Sánchez Fernández, was a public administrator and businessman, while his mother, Magdalena Pérez-Castejón, worked in the social security system before qualifying as a lawyer. As a youth, Sánchez attended the Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu and was an active basketball player, eventually playing in the youth system for the well-known club CB Estudiantes. He pursued higher education in economics, earning a licentiate degree from the Real Colegio Universitario María Cristina in 1995. He later obtained a degree in Politics and Economics from the Université libre de Bruxelles in 1998, a business leadership qualification from IESE Business School, and a doctorate in Economics from the Universidad Camilo José Cela, where he subsequently served as a lecturer. Sánchez joined the PSOE in 1993. His early professional career included work as an economic consultant and as an assistant in the European Parliament. He entered public office in 2004, serving as a city councillor in Madrid, a position he held until 2009. That year, he was elected to the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish Parliament. Although he lost his seat following the 2011 general election, he returned to the chamber in 2013 to fill a vacancy. In 2014, following the resignation of Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Sánchez launched a leadership bid and was elected Secretary-General of the PSOE. His initial tenure was marked by electoral difficulties in 2015 and 2016 and internal party strife, which culminated in his resignation in October 2016. However, he staged a political comeback in 2017, winning a primary election to regain the party leadership. In June 2018, Sánchez achieved a historic political milestone by leading a successful motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, following a major corruption scandal involving the People's Party. Appointed Prime Minister by King Felipe VI, Sánchez initially led a minority government. Following subsequent general elections in 2019, he negotiated a coalition agreement with the left-wing party Unidas Podemos, forming the first coalition government of the democratic era. His tenure has faced significant domestic and international challenges, including the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic reform efforts, and long-standing political tensions regarding the independence movement in Catalonia. Following the general election in 2023, where his party secured the second-most seats, Sánchez demonstrated his tactical political acumen by negotiating the support of several regionalist and nationalist parties to form a third consecutive government, officially taking office for this term in November 2023. Beyond his national role, he has maintained an active presence in international affairs, including serving as President of the Socialist International since 2022. Sánchez is married to Begoña Gómez, with whom he has two daughters. He is known for his fluency in English and French, as well as his background as a former competitive athlete, which he has occasionally emphasized in his public persona. Throughout his career, political analysts have frequently noted his resilience, often referring to his ability to recover from political setbacks as a defining trait of his leadership style.