: 01 ET Mr Zapatero said that speculation about his future distracting the Government of its main tasks, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has said he will not seek a third term in office after parliamentary elections next year.Mr Zapatero, whose popularity at an all-time low, said it was the right decision for the country, its centre-left Socialist Party and his family.
He was Prime Minister in 2004 in the aftermath of the attacks in Madrid train.
Spain's economy was booming. It has since suffered a deep recession and unemployment is at 20%.
End speculationMr Zapatero said that he would resign as party leader when a successor was chosen.
That process by means of a series of ' primaries '-will begin after the municipal elections on 22 May.
The Socialists are currently 15% behind the right of Center Popular Party in the polls and is expected to suffer heavy losses.
Mr Zapatero said that he was his position clear now, one year before the elections for Parliament, to put an end to the uncertainty and speculation about his future.
That the Government of its main tasks was distracting, he said: Spain lifting of recession and create jobs.
The BBC Sarah Rainsford, in Madrid, says Mr Zapatero party will hope that his announcement gives them a boost in local elections.
But it also leaves a good degree of uncertainty, our correspondent says-the kind of "distraction" the PM said he tried to prevent.
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