sentences:  After the constitution of the Cortes Generales, Pérez Rubalcaba was appointed Leader of the Socialist Group in the Congress of Deputies.On 11 April 2006 he replaced José Antonio Alonso as head of the Ministry of the Interior.It was in this ministry where he gained popularity within his party, thanks, among other measures, to the change of direction in the fight against terrorism that led to the end of the violence of ETA.