On December 21, 2011, Their Majesties King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain presided over a ceremony in which  political Conservative Mariano Rajoy was sworn in as Spain’s new prime minister.

Mr. Rajoy took the oath on the Bible before King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia in the Zarzuela Palace. He then went to the Moncloa palace government headquarters to complete the transfer of power to the new government. He replaces Socialist party leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who had been in office since 2004.

The new prime minister returned to Zarzuela Palace Wednesday evening to inform King Juan Carlos I of his choice of ministers before making them public.

Source: Associated Press

Photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey