Spain's Socialists elect Rubalcaba as new leader Feb 4 01:11 PM US/Eastern Spain's Socialist Party chose former deputy premier and interior minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba as its new leader Saturday in a delegate vote at a party congress in Seville. The 60-year-old political veteran beat 40-year-old ex-defence minister Carme Chacon and now faces the task of leading the party back to power after last November's crushing election loss to the conservative Popular Party.