Francisco Javier Zarzalejos Nieto (pronounced [xaˈβjeɾ θaɾθaˈlexos]; born 1960) is a Spanish civil servant and politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament since 2019.

Born on 6 June 1960, in Bilbao,[1] son to José Antonio Zarzalejos Altares [es],[2] the Civil Governor of Biscay during the Spanish Transition.

[4] From 1996 to 2004 Zarzalejos served as Secretary General of the Cabinet Office of Prime Minister José María Aznar.

[5] Zarzalejos has been secretary general of the Foundation for Social Analysis and Studies (FAES) think tank since 2012,[6] where he previously held the positions of director of the Constitution and Institutions Unit, and editor of the in-house publication Cuadernos de Pensamiento Político.

In this capacity, he was the parliament’s rapporteur on a 2021 proposal to expand Europol’s ability to process large data sets and exchange information with private companies.