SPAIN: Ana Botella is the latest political spouse to suggest she could be more than just the woman behind the man. Jane Walker in Madrid writes on a growing ambition
As José María Aznar's prime ministerial rule draws to its close next year, he can leave the scene confident that his place in the political arena will remain in the family.
His wife, Ana Botella, has joined the growing list of politicians' wives who have decided to follow in the footsteps of their husbands.
Last November, when Madrid mayoral candidate Alberto Ruiz Gallardon invited her to join his list in next May's municipal elections, even her closest friends expressed their surprise.
Although she has worked closely alongside her husband throughout his career, the 49-year-old former civil servant, who gave up her job to support her husband and bring up their three children, has never held any political post herself.
She promised to consider the offer and give her decision "after the Christmas holidays".
Yesterday, only two days after the Three Kings (Epiphany) holiday, La Botella, or Annie Bottles as she is known, announced her decision to stand in third place as a Popular Party (PP) candidate, probably with responsibility for social services and with a budget of €250 million.
The PP is likely to hold on to Madrid City Hall and Mr Gallardon, who is currently the president of the autonomous government of Madrid, is the favourite to become mayor.
"I was surprised at first, but then realised she was an obvious choice," said the former government spokesman Miguel Angel Rodriguez, who knows her well. He describes her a "political animal" and praises her intelligence.
"She is friendly and calm, and rarely loses her temper," he says. He is not alone in praising her political enthusiasm as a person who lives and breathes politics. "At home they talk politics breakfast, lunch and dinner," said another friend.
La Botella joined the Popular Alliance Party, precursor of the Popular Party, 25 years ago and has remained a political militant ever since.
Some say she is brighter than her husband, who is known for his lack of charisma and as an efficient but uninspired leader. She is believed to wield enormous influence over Mr Aznar, discussing important decisions and appointments with him.
"She has always worked to help her husband, is always ready to appear on TV or in the press if it will help him. They form a perfect Aznar-Botella team," said her biographer, José Luis Roche.
She persuaded Mr Aznar to run for office in 1993, a move which, although he was defeated by the socialists, laid the path for his successful attempt three years later and his re-election in 2000.
He says he will not run for a third term in the 2004 general elections and the in-fighting for his replacement is already becoming bitter.
The entry of Ms Botella on to the political scene leaves the window open for his wife to use her influence in naming the candidate, even perhaps with an eye to stepping in herself at some future date.
Ms Botella, one of 13 children, is devoutly Catholic and deeply conservative. She was dubbed "a macho woman" by one gay magazine for her opposition to homosexual adoption.
"While I respect all kinds of relationships, I believe a child should have a father and a mother and not two mothers or two fathers," she said last year.
She angered feminists by defending the Popular Party former mayor of Ponferrada, who was accused of sexual harassment of a member of his staff. "He behaved impeccably," she said.
One of the labels given to Ms Botella is that of La Hilaria, after Hillary Clinton, who became a US senator after her husband left politics.
Indeed she joins the growing list of wives following in their husbands' political footsteps, going back to Evita and then Isabel Peron in Argentina.
Others on that list include Sonia Gandhi, who entered Indian politics after the murder of her husband, Rajiv, and Glenys Kinnock MEP, the wife of the former British Labour Party leader, now a European Commissioner, Neil Kinnock. She can also follow the example of her predecessor, Carmen Romero, who became a member of the Spanish parliament in 1989 while her husband, Felipe Gonzalez, was still prime minister.
After 28 years together, the Aznar-Botella team are experienced and successful politicos and campaigners. As he prepares to step down next year, perhaps the time has come for Mr Aznar to return the favour and join the campaign trail to fight for his wife's new career in the political arena.