UK verdict on Sánchez: 'Photogenic' and 'Mr Handsome'

In its report about the success of Pedro Sánchez's no-confidence motion against the right-wing PP party and its president Mariano Rajoy, the BBC described the new leader as a 'photogenic economist' – as well as alluding to his being a keen basketball player.

And later today, the Financial Times tweeted an announcement about the appointment of Pedro Sánchez, “also known as Mr Handsome.”

Being an attractive face for the government is not Sánchez's only first, however – he is also the only Spanish government leader since the dawn of democracy who is not an MP, and therefore cannot vote for himself.

Apparently a very young candidate for the job, Sánchez, at 46 is still not the youngest president of democratic Spain: its first, Adolfo Suárez, was 43, as was the first PP president José María Aznar; José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was 44, and Felipe González, who ruled for 14 years, was just 40 when he was sworn in.

Rajoy is so far the oldest – now 63, he took up office aged 56, just a year older than Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo who ruled for one year between 1981 and 1982.