Merkel first foreign leader to congratulate Zapatero

11 March 2008

MADRID – German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the first foreign leader to congratulate Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on his election win at the weekend, Spanish government sources revealed Monday.

The sources said that Merkel telephoned Zapatero and said she was looking forward to congratulating him personally at the upcoming EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Merkel called Zapatero before Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who also called to congratulate the Spanish premier on election night.