José Enrique Serrano, Chief of Staff for Former Presidents González and Zapatero, Passes Away

José Enrique Serrano, who served as chief of staff for former socialist presidents Felipe González and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 75. He also joined the PSOE's negotiating team for the investiture of the current Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, after the 2016 general elections, which was unsuccessful at the time.

Born in Madrid in 1949, Serrano held a degree in Labour Law from the Complutense University of Madrid, where he also served as secretary-general and professor. His public career also included roles as Director General of Personnel at the Ministry of Defence, Secretary-General of the Vice Presidency of the Government, and Deputy Director of the Prime Minister's Office.

Serrano was chief of staff for former socialist presidents Felipe González and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. He was also a close collaborator of former minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, and was known as an expert negotiator and political dealmaker.

He also served in Congress as a deputy for Madrid during the 10th Legislature, where he was President of the Budget Committee, Vice President of the Defence Committee, and a member of the Permanent Deputation, as well as a rapporteur for a dozen laws in the PSOE parliamentary group, reports Europa Press. In 2024, the Government awarded him the Medal of the Order of Constitutional Merit, highlighting "his service to the Constitution and the values and principles it establishes."

The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, described Serrano as "irreplaceable." "He made discretion a craft and efficiency an attitude. With loyalty matching his commitment, José Enrique set an example," Sánchez stated in a post on 'X', where he thanked him for his work "in the service of others." "We will always miss you," he added.

The PSOE has recognized Serrano as "a servant to Spain and a socialist committed to the deepest values of this party." "This country will always be indebted to José Enrique Serrano," they stated on social media.

The Socialist Party's number two, First Vice President and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, described him as "a wise and generous man who dedicated his life to making Spain a fairer country, with more rights and greater freedoms." "The socialist family will never forget his great legacy and example," she reacted. "A great man. Brilliant, discreet, and kind," stated the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente.

For the Minister of Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, he was a "discreet protagonist of the most important moments in Spain's history in recent decades." Meanwhile, the President of Congress, Francina Armengol, expressed that with José Enrique Serrano's passing "we lose a person committed to progressive ideas" and "a public servant who dedicated his life to the interest of the citizens."

Finally, the PSOE spokesperson in Congress, Patxi López, wrote that "socialism and the democracy of our time lose a unique and unparalleled reference." "His wisdom, teachings, and immense knowledge will remain forever in our memory," he emphasized.