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2016 Spanish general election

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2016 Spanish general election
← 2015
26 June 2016
2019 (Apr) →
All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies and 208 (of 266) seats in the Senate
176 seats needed for a majority in the Congress of Deputies
Opinion polls
Registered36,520,913 Increase 0.0%
Turnout24,279,259 (66.5%)
Decrease 3.2 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Mariano Rajoy Pedro Sánchez Pablo Iglesias
Party PP PSOE Unidos Podemos[a]
Leader since 2 September 2003 26 July 2014 15 November 2014
Leader's seat Madrid Madrid Madrid
Last election 123 seats, 28.7% 90 seats, 22.0% 71 seats, 24.5%[b]
Seats won 137 85 71
Seat change Increase 14 Decrease 5 Steady 0
Popular vote 7,941,236 5,443,846 5,087,538
Percentage 33.0% 22.6% 21.2%
Swing Increase 4.3 pp Increase 0.6 pp Decrease 3.3 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Albert Rivera Gabriel Rufián Francesc Homs
Party C's ERC–CatSí CDC
Leader since 9 July 2006 7 November 2015 6 November 2015
Leader's seat Madrid Barcelona Barcelona
Last election 40 seats, 13.9% 9 seats, 2.4% 8 seats, 2.2%[c]
Seats won 32 9 8
Seat change Decrease 8 Steady 0 Steady 0
Popular vote 3,141,570 639,652 483,488
Percentage 13.1% 2.7% 2.0%
Swing Decrease 0.8 pp Increase 0.3 pp Decrease 0.2 pp
Map of Spain showcasing winning party's strength by constituency
Map of Spain showcasing winning party's strength by autonomous community
Map of Spain showcasing seat distribution by Congress of Deputies constituency
Prime Minister before election

Mariano Rajoy (acting)
PP

 Prime Minister after election

Mariano Rajoy
PP

A general election was held in Spain on 26 June 2016 to elect the members of the 12th Cortes Generales under the Spanish Constitution of 1978. All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as 208 of 266 seats in the Senate. It was a repeat election under the provisions of Article 99.5 of the Constitution,[1] as a result of the failure in government formation negotiations following the previous general election (and the first time a nationwide election was held in Spain under this procedure).[2]

The 2015 election had resulted in the most fragmented parliament since 1977 up to that point, with no party or bloc securing an overall majority. Parliamentary arithmetics prompted the People's Party (PP) of the acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, to reject an investiture bid to avoid certain defeat. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) under Pedro Sánchez was invited by King Felipe VI to form a government instead, securing the support of the liberal Citizens (C's) party of Albert Rivera, but opposition by the anti-austerity Podemos leader, Pablo Iglesias, thwarted Sánchez's bid. The ensuing political deadlock and failure in government negotiations forced a repeat election being called for 26 June. Podemos joined with United Left into the Unidos Podemos alliance, along with several other minor left-wing parties. Opinion polls going into the election predicted a growing polarization between this alliance and the PP, which would be fighting to maintain first place nationally.[3]

Despite ongoing political scandals (which had seen resignations amid the Púnica affair and the Panama leaks, and the unveiling of Operation Catalonia), the PP benefitted from the political uncertainty and increased its margin of victory, whereas the Unidos Podemos alliance unexpectedly lost support—in what was seen as voter punishment to its hardline stance during government negotiations—thwarting Iglesias's aim to overcome Sánchez's PSOE (the so-called sorpasso), which clung on to second place despite scoring a new historical low.[4] The C's party suffered from the electoral system as well as from tactical voting to the PP, but slightly improved on the most pessimistic last-minute expectations that placed it below 30 seats. Overall, a potential PP–C's bloc gained six more seats but still remained short of a majority, whereas the prospective left-wing bloc lost ground and remained more dependant on peripheral nationalist parties than before. With a new deadlock settling in, commentators suggested that a new, third election could be eventually needed.[5]

Electoral setbacks for the PSOE in the Basque and Galician elections in September 2016 unleashed a party crisis that led to Sánchez's ouster as leader. Party rebels appointed a provisional leadership, which chose to abstain to allow Rajoy to form a minority government amid public outcry and protest at PSOE's U-turn (which also saw a number of its lawmakers breaking party discipline and voting against Rajoy nonetheless).[6][7] Rajoy's second government would only last for 20 months until June 2018, as erosion from the ensuing Catalan crisis, the emergence of new scandals and judicial blows to his ruling PP would prompt Sánchez—who would secure re-election as PSOE leader in June 2017—to bring him down in a no-confidence vote.[8]

Background

[edit]

The 2015 general election produced the most fragmented Spanish parliament since 1977, with neither of the two main alliances—the conservative People's Party (PP) with liberal Citizens (C's), or the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) with anti-austerity Podemos—having enough seats to form a majority without the support of peripheral nationalist parties.[9][10] At the same time, the possibility of a grand coalition between PP and PSOE (unprecedented in Spain) was firmly rejected by the latter.[11] A political deadlock followed as acting prime minister and PP leader, Mariano Rajoy, declined King Felipe VI's invitation to attempt investiture because he lacked enough support,[12] leading to PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez being nominated instead after Podemos's Pablo Iglesias offered to join a left-wing coalition government.[13][14]

Mariano Rajoy giving a press conference in Moncloa palace
On 22 January 2016, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy turned down King Felipe VI's invitation to form a government, triggering a political deadlock.

Sánchez managed to fend off an internal challenge to his leadership, while a faction within the PSOE discouraged any pact with Podemos because of the party's sympathies to the Catalan independence movement.[15][16] The PSOE also rejected Podemos's demands for ministerial posts and its condition that C's be excluded from negotiations.[17] In the end, Sánchez reached an agreement with Albert Rivera in an attempt to outmanoeuvre Iglesias and garner cross-party support, despite the alliance controlling only 130 of the 350 seats in Congress.[18][19][20] This PSOE–C's deal was rejected by Podemos as incompatible with its programme,[21] leading to a breakdown in negotiations.[22] With opposition from all other parties, Sánchez's investiture bid was defeated 219–131 on 4 March 2016.[23][24]

Concurrently, corruption scandals continued to affect the ruling PP.[25][26] One party lawmaker was expelled over a kickbacks-for-contracts scheme,[27] while an investigation into alleged bid rigging at the state-run water contract company Acuamed led to the resignation of the presidency undersecretary.[28] The party's Valencian branch was also accused of widespread corruption in the so-called Taula affair involving dozens of politicians, including figures close to former Valencia mayor Rita Barberá.[29][30] The Púnica affair brought a police raid on the PP's headquarters in Madrid over illegal financing allegations and led to Esperanza Aguirre's resignation as regional party leader.[31][32] April 2016 saw the arrest of the PP mayor of Granada in a real-estate corruption probe;[33] the resignation of the industry minister, José Manuel Soria, after being implicated in the Panama leaks;[34] and former prime minister José María Aznar being ordered to pay €270,000 in fines and back taxes.[35] In June 2016, leaked recordings implicated the interior minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, in an alleged plot to fabricate scandals against pro-Catalan independence politicians.[36] Rajoy's caretaker government was also taken to court for refusing parliamentary oversight,[37] while reports that Spain had missed its 2015 deficit target forced him to acknowledge the need for further austerity measures to meet European Union requirements.[38][39][40]

After Sánchez's failed investiture, the PSOE tried to secure at least Podemos's abstention.[41][42][43] Internal divisions emerged within Podemos between supporters of Iglesias's hardline negotiating stance (pablistas) and those aligned with his deputy Íñigo Errejón (errejonistas), who favoured allowing a PSOE-led government; this conflict led to several resignations in the party's Madrid branch.[44][45] Attempts to form a three-way agreement with C's failed because of deep mutual distrust,[46][47][48] while Rajoy kept dismissing the possibility of forming a government himself under the existing parliamentary numbers.[49] A last attempt by the Valencianist party Compromís to form a left-wing coalition of independents was also rejected by Podemos,[50] ultimately leading to a snap election being called for 26 June 2016 amid mutual accusations among the parties.[51][52]

Overview

[edit]

Under the 1978 Constitution, the Spanish Cortes Generales were conceived as an imperfect bicameral system.[53][54] The Congress of Deputies held greater legislative power than the Senate, having the ability to grant or withdraw confidence from a prime minister and to override Senate vetoes by an absolute majority.[55] Nonetheless, the Senate retained a limited number of specific functions—such as ratifying international treaties, authorizing cooperation agreements between autonomous communities, enforcing direct rule, regulating interterritorial compensation funds, and taking part in constitutional amendments and in the appointment of members to the Constitutional Court and the General Council of the Judiciary—which were not subject to override by Congress.[56]

Date

[edit]

The term of each chamber of the Cortes Generales—the Congress and the Senate—expired four years from the date of their previous election, unless they were dissolved earlier.[57] The election decree was required to be issued no later than 25 days before the scheduled expiration date of parliament and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE), with election day taking place 54 days after the decree's publication.[58] The previous election was held on 20 December 2015, which meant that the chambers' terms would have expired on 20 December 2019. The election decree was required to be published in the BOE no later than 26 November 2019, setting the latest possible date for election day on 19 January 2020.

The prime minister had the prerogative to propose the monarch to dissolve both chambers at any given time—either jointly or separately—and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no state of emergency was in force and that dissolution did not occur before one year after a previous one.[59] Additionally, both chambers were to be dissolved and a new election called if an investiture process failed to elect a prime minister within a two-month period from the first ballot.[60] Barring this exception, there was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate.[61] Still, as of 2026, there has been no precedent of separate elections taking place under the 1978 Constitution.

Following Sánchez's nomination as investiture candidate, the president of the Congress of Deputies, Patxi López, initially scheduled the first ballot for 3 March 2016;[62] however, this date was moved forward to 2 March so that a hypothetical repeat election was held on 26 June (a Sunday) rather than on 27 June (Monday).[63]

The Cortes Generales were officially dissolved on 3 May 2016 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 26 June and scheduling for both chambers to reconvene on 19 July.[64][65]

Electoral system

[edit]

Voting for each chamber of the Cortes Generales was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age with full political rights, provided that they had not been deprived of the right to vote by a final sentence, nor were legally incapacitated.[66][67] Additionally, non-resident citizens were required to apply for voting, a system known as "begged" voting (Spanish: Voto rogado).[68][69]

The Congress of Deputies had a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 400 seats, with electoral provisions fixing its size at 350. Of these, 348 were elected in 50 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the provinces of Spain—each of which was assigned an initial minimum of two seats and the remaining 248 distributed in proportion to population—using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a three percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency. The remaining two seats were allocated to Ceuta and Melilla as single-member districts elected by plurality voting.[70] The use of this electoral method resulted in a higher effective threshold depending on district magnitude and vote distribution.[71]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats:[72]

Seats Constituencies
36 Madrid
31 Barcelona
16 Valencia(+1)
12 Alicante, Seville
11 Málaga
10 Murcia
9 Cádiz
8 A Coruña, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Biscay, Las Palmas
7 Granada, Pontevedra, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Zaragoza
6 Almería, Badajoz, Córdoba, Gipuzkoa, Girona, Tarragona, Toledo
5 Cantabria, Castellón, Ciudad Real, Huelva, Jaén, Navarre, Valladolid
4 Álava, Albacete, Burgos, Cáceres, La Rioja, León(–1), Lleida, Lugo, Ourense, Salamanca
3 Ávila, Cuenca, Guadalajara, Huesca, Palencia, Segovia, Teruel, Zamora
2 Soria

208 Senate seats were elected using open-list partial block voting: voters in constituencies electing four seats could choose up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, up to two; and in single-member districts, one. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces was allocated four seats, while in insular provinces—such as the Balearic and Canary Islands—the districts were the islands themselves, with the larger ones (Mallorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife) being allocated three seats each, and the smaller ones (Menorca, Ibiza–Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma) one each. Ceuta and Melilla elected two seats each. Additionally, autonomous communities could appoint at least one senator each and were entitled to one additional seat per million inhabitants.[73][74]

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacant seats; instead, any vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term were filled by the next candidates on the party lists or, when required, by designated substitutes.[75]

Outgoing parliament

[edit]

The tables below show the composition of the parliamentary groups in both chambers at the time of dissolution.[76][77]

Candidates

[edit]

Nomination rules

[edit]

Spanish citizens with the right to vote could run for election, provided that they had not been criminally imprisoned by a final sentence or convicted—whether final or not—of offences that involved loss of eligibility or disqualification from public office (such as rebellion, terrorism or other crimes against the state). Additional causes of ineligibility applied to the following officials:[82]

Other ineligibility provisions also applied to a number of territorial officials in these categories within their areas of jurisdiction, as well as to employees of foreign states and members of regional governments.[82]

Incompatibility rules included those of ineligibility, and also barred running in multiple constituencies or lists, holding office if the candidacy was later declared illegal (by a final ruling), and combining legislative roles (deputy, senator, and regional lawmaker) with each other or with:[83]

Parties and lists

[edit]

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance were required to inform the relevant electoral commission within 10 days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list. Concurrently, parties, federations or alliances that had not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the Cortes at the preceding election were required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies.[84] Additionally, a balanced composition of men and women was required in the electoral lists, so that candidates of either sex made up at least 40 percent of the total composition.[85]

Below is a list of the main parties and alliances which contested the election:

Candidacy Parties and
alliances		 Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Gov. Ref.
Congress Senate
Vote % Seats Vote % Seats
PP Mariano Rajoy Conservatism
Christian democracy		 28.7% 123 30.3% 124 Yes [86]
[87]
[88]
PSOE Pedro Sánchez Social democracy 22.0% 90 22.4% 47 No [89]
Unidos
Podemos
List
 Pablo Iglesias Left-wing populism
Direct democracy
Democratic socialism
24.5%
[b]		 71
22.1%
[g]		 16 No [90]
[91]
[92]
C's Albert Rivera Liberalism 13.9% 40 11.2% 0 No
ERC–CatSí Gabriel Rufián Catalan independence
Left-wing nationalism
Social democracy		 2.4% 9 2.9% 6 No
CDC Francesc Homs Catalan independence
Liberalism
2.2%
[c]		 7
2.3%
[c]		 5 No [93]
EAJ/PNV
List
 Aitor Esteban Basque nationalism
Christian democracy		 1.2% 6 1.4% 6 No
EH Bildu
List
 Marian Beitialarrangoitia Basque independence
Abertzale left
Socialism		 0.9% 2 0.9% 0 No
CCa–PNC Ana Oramas Regionalism
Canarian nationalism
Centrism		 0.3% 1 0.2% 1 No
GBai
List
 Daniel Innerarity Basque nationalism
Social democracy		 0.1% 0 [h] 1 No
ASG Yaiza Castilla Insularism
Social democracy		 Did not contest 0.0% 1 No

In Asturias, Asturias Forum announced its intention to continue their electoral alliance with the People's Party, due to the PP–FAC tandem obtaining 3 out of the 8 seats at stake in the December election.[87] Meanwhile, in Navarre, both Navarrese People's Union and PP were likely to maintain their alliance ahead of the upcoming general election, aiming at keeping their status as the first political force in the region. Izquierda-Ezkerra started talks with Podemos ahead of an alliance, whereas Geroa Bai and EH Bildu were open to "exploring" coalition possibilities after failing to make headway in the Congress in the region after the 2015 election.[88][94] After Podemos and I-E rejected their offer of building a common platform, both parties studied the option of running together,[95][96] but ended up discarding such a possibility.[97] Both PSOE and New Canaries announced their intention of continuing their alliance in the Canary Islands,[98][99] whereas the PP offered to maintain its alliance with Aragonese Party in Aragon.[100]

Unidos Podemos
Catalonia: w. En Comú Podem
Galicia: w. En Marea
Valencian Community: w. A la valenciana

CDC—which contested the 2015 election under the Democracy and Freedom (DL) banner—made an offer to ERC to resurrect the unitary coalition in which they both contested the 2015 Catalan regional election.[101] Former Catalan president Artur Mas offered himself to lead such an alliance into the election if it was eventually formed.[102] ERC, however, rejected the offer and chose to run alone instead.[103] Subsequently, debate arose within CDC on the opportunity to continue the DL alliance or to opt for alternative formulas to contest the election.[104][105] Democrats of Catalonia and Reagrupament, CDC's allies within DL, suggested rebranding the alliance as "Together for Catalonia" (JxCat) and demanded it to be led by an independent.[106][107] CDC leaders rejected this proposal and announced on 9 May that they were contesting the election on their own.[93]

On 10 May, the newly formed Podemos–IU alliance offered a nationwide alliance with PSOE to contest the Senate election, in an effort to prevent a new PP absolute majority in that chamber.[108] Pedro Sánchez rejected such a possibility as negotiations were already underway in Aragon, Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community.[109][110] However, the party's Valencian branch, which advocated for an alliance with Compromís and Podemos for the Senate under the "Valencian Accord" label (In Valencian: Acord Valencià),[111] refused to acknowledge Sánchez's command, threatening a schism in PSOE ranks as the party's national leadership tried to override their regional counterpart.[112][113][114] After several days of conflict, the PSPV acquiesced to Sánchez's demand on 13 May, reluctantly rejecting the alliance with Compromís-Podemos.[115]

Logo for the Unidos Podemos alliance.

Podemos aimed at enlarging its alliance system from December, seeking to conglomerate all forces to the left of PSOE in a single, unitary alliance for the 2016 election.[116] Both En Comú Podem and En Marea had already announced their intention to continue their successful alliances,[117][118] while Compromís' leaders expressed their will to renew their alliance with Podemos but also seeking to include United Left of the Valencian Country, which had been left out of the coalition for the previous election.[119][120] Talks between Podemos and Més had also started in the Balearic Islands ahead of a prospective election alliance, aiming at forming a "grand coalition of the left" in the islands.[121][122] Podemos tried to probe Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals for a common nationwide list for the 2016 election, but this was rejected by the latter as it perceived that Podemos was "not clear enough on the issue of banning bullfighting".[123]

Already from 20 April, both Podemos and United Left–Popular Unity started exploring the possibility of forming a joint list for a likely fresh election.[124][125][126] By 30 April, as the new election was confirmed, both parties acknowledged that talks had formally started and that an agreement was expected to be reached throughout the next week.[127] On 9 May, Pablo Iglesias (Podemos) and Alberto Garzón (IU) officially announced that a formal alliance had been reached and that their parties would be running together in the upcoming general election.[91] Equo, which had already supported the continuation of its coalition with Podemos, announced it would also participate in the newly formed alliance.[90] The Podemos–IU national agreement paved the way for United Left to join the És el moment alliance in the Valencian Community as well.[92][128]

On 13 May, it was announced that the alliance name for the election would be "Unidos Podemos" (Spanish for United We Can).[129]

Campaign

[edit]

Timetable

[edit]

The key dates are listed below (all times are CET. The Canary Islands used WET (UTC+0) instead):[130]

  • 3 May: The election decree is issued with the countersign of the president of the Congress of Deputies, ratified by the King; formal dissolution of parliament and start of prohibition period on the inauguration of public works, services or projects.
  • 6 May: Initial constitution of provincial and zone electoral commissions with judicial members.
  • 9 May: Division of constituencies into polling sections and stations.
  • 13 May: Deadline for parties and federations to report on their electoral alliances.
  • 16 May: Deadline for electoral register consultation for the purpose of possible corrections.
  • 23 May: Deadline for parties, federations, alliances, and groupings of electors to present electoral lists.
  • 25 May: Publication of submitted electoral lists in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
  • 28 May: Deadline for non-resident citizens (electors residing abroad (CERA) and citizens temporarily absent from Spain) to apply for voting.
  • 30 May: Official proclamation of validly submitted electoral lists.
  • 31 May: Publication of proclaimed electoral lists in the BOE.
  • 1 June: Deadline for the selection of polling station members by sortition.
  • 9 June: Deadline for the appointment of non-judicial members to provincial and zone electoral commissions.
  • 10 June: Official start of electoral campaigning.[131]
  • 16 June: Deadline to apply for postal voting.
  • 21 June: Start of legal ban on electoral opinion polling publication; deadline for CERA citizens to vote by mail.
  • 22 June: Deadline for postal and temporarily absent voting.
  • 24 June: Last day of electoral campaigning;[131] deadline for CERA voting.
  • 25 June: Official election silence ("reflection day").
  • 26 June: Election day (polling stations open at 9 am and close at 8 pm or once voters present in a queue at/outside the polling station at 8 pm have cast their vote); provisional vote counting.
  • 29 June: Start of general vote counting, including CERA votes.
  • 2 July: Deadline for the general vote counting.
  • 11 July: Deadline for the proclamation of elected members.
  • 21 July: Deadline for the reconvening of parliament (date determined by the election decree, which for the 2016 election was set for 19 July).[64][132]
  • 20 August: Deadline for the publication of definitive election results in the BOE.

Party slogans

[edit]
Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Ref.
PP « A favor » "In favour" [133][134]
PSOE « Un SÍ por el cambio » "A YES for change" [133][135]
Unidos Podemos Main: « La sonrisa de un país »
ECP: « Guanyem el canvi »
A la valenciana: « La victòria de la gent »
En Marea: « O cambio non hai quen o pare »		 Main: "The smile of a country"
ECP: "Let's win the change"
A la valenciana: "Victory of the people"
En Marea: "The change does not stop"		 [133]
[136]
[137]
[138]
C's « Tiempo de acuerdo, tiempo de cambio » "Time of agreement, time of change" [133][139]
ERC–CatSí « L'únic canvi posible » "The only possible change" [133][140]
CDC « Fets x Catalunya » & « Molt per defensar » "Facts for Catalonia" & "Much to defend" [133][141]
EAJ/PNV « Lehenik Euskadi. Euskadi es lo que importa » "The Basque Country first. The Basque Country is what matters" [133][142]
EH Bildu « Aukerak zabaltzera goaz »
« Vamos a crear oportunidades »		 "Let's create opportunities" [143]
CCa–PNC « [Ana Oramas] sí nos representa » "[Ana Oramas] represents us" [144]

Events and issues

[edit]

As parties geared up for the upcoming election campaign, the PP faced the fresh election looking back at the corruption scandals under judicial investigation in which the party was involved. Some of such scandals, involving senior party members such as Rita Barberá, stirred up debate as to whether it was best to maintain these people within party ranks or force their withdrawal.[145] C's, on its part, discarded its pact with the PSOE after it was announced that a new election would be held, with party leaders stating that it "won't be in force anymore" once the Cortes were dissolved. However, they wanted to use the accord as a showing of the party's "willingness to negotiate" with forces both to the left and right of the spectrum.[146] The party's main aim was to prevent that a possible campaign polarization could cast "fearful" voters away to the PP to prevent Podemos' rise.[147] Albert Rivera said that the PP was "controlled by its 'old guard'" and that his party would not negotiate with the PP so long as Rajoy remained as leader.[148]

The PSOE suffered from the end of the negotiations period. Carme Chacón—former Defence Minister under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero—and Irene Lozano—an independent, formerly aligned to UPyD, personally enlisted into PSOE by Pedro Sánchez for the December election—both announced their withdrawal from PSOE lists ahead of the June election.[149][150] Concurrently, PSOE leaders had tried to pressure United Left into avoiding an electoral alliance with Podemos out of fear of being pushed into third place nationally,[151] with some commenting that the party's actions had been erratic and confusing throughout negotiations. Coupled with growing pessimism within PSOE ranks, this was said to potentially be able to harm them going into the campaign.[152] On 30 April, Sánchez tried to stir up morale among party members and asked for "unity and trust" around him ahead of the new election.[153] Susana Díaz, Sánchez's rival for the party's leadership, warned him that she would only accept "a PSOE win".[154] Once the hegemonic party of the Spanish left, the PSOE had been pushed out of the left and into the centre, with some fearing it could run down the path of the Greek PASOK.[155][156]

Puerta del Sol in Madrid during the 2011 Spanish protests
The fifth anniversary of the 15-M Movement coincided with the election's pre-campaign period.

As the newly formed Unidos Podemos alliance was announced on early May, the PSOE found itself under threat of being marginalized as both PP and UP sought to polarize the campaign between the two.[157] Sánchez tried to remain in the spotlight and cast off the phantom of party internal division by releasing a series of key announcements throughout the first weeks of May. Margarita Robles—a judge from the Spanish Supreme Court and former state secretary for Interior under Felipe González—and Josep Borrell—former minister of Public Works—were announced to be signing up for Sánchez's campaign;[158] concurrently, Susana Díaz accepted to officially present Sánchez's proclamation as PSOE candidate, in a move seen as an act of apparent "reconciliation" between the two leaders ahead of the election.[89][159] Sánchez was also expected to announce his "shadow cabinet" on 15 May,[160] and tried to appeal to centrist voters that a vote for him would be a "vote for change".[161]

Pablo Iglesias blamed the PSOE for the failure in negotiations and commented that Podemos' aim in the June election would be to directly face the PP as equals, in what he referred to as a "second round" of the December run.[162] Iglesias offered to explore the possibility of an accord with PSOE after the election, expressing his will to form a "progressive" government, but condemned the way the PSOE had—in his view—treated his party up until that point.[163] During an interview held a few days later, Iglesias took for granted that his party had already surpassed the PSOE nationally and stated he would offer Sánchez be his deputy in a Podemos-led cabinet.[164] Once his electoral coalition with IU had been formalized, Iglesias again reiterated his wish to see the PSOE "as an ally"—despite the Socialists having rejected Podemos' offer for an alliance to the Senate—and put overtaking the PP as his target.[165]

For the first time since 2011, the anniversary of the 15-M Movement came marked by the pre-electoral campaign of a general election. UP, self-declared as the Movement's political heir, intended to use the event as a launching point for its campaign. Various nods to 15-M were made: the announcement of the Podemos–IU alliance was staged on 9 May at Puerta del Sol, long-regarded as a symbol and focal point for 15-M. Concurrently, Podemos launched an "accountability" campaign under the 'Congress in your square' label "to regain the connection with the streets".[166][167][168] On 15 May, thousands gathered at Puerta del Sol to commemorate the 15-M anniversary; the crowd shouting some of the Movement's most featured slogans, such as the "Yes we can!" warcry—which had also served as Podemos' party slogan ever since its inception.[169][170]

As UP struggled to gain momentum, PP, PSOE and C's turned their attacks on the newborn alliance, trying to corner it to the far-left side of the spectrum. Andalusian president Susana Díaz said of it that it was "the reunion of the Communist Youth";[171] the PP described it as "the old-fashioned communists but with another name".[172] C's leader Albert Rivera commented that his party offered itself "without sickles, hammers nor corruption", in reference both to UP and the PP.[173]

Following the result of the Brexit vote three days before the election in Spain, the PP issued a statement saying the country needed "stability" in the face of "radicalism" and "populism." It was also read as an attack on the Unidos Podemos coalition that vowed to fight for the least well-off. Iglesias said that Europe had to "change course. No-one would want to leave Europe if it were fair and united."[174]

Debates

[edit]

After the success of election debates in the 2015 election, the organizing of new debates for the incoming campaign started after the Cortes's dissolution. As in the previous election, the first debate was organized by the Demos Association, to be held in the Charles III University of Madrid on 6 June. The leaders of the four main parties were invited, with Pablo Iglesias and Albert Rivera confirming their presence but making it conditional on Rajoy and Sánchez attending as well.[175] Atresmedia also announced the group's intention to have a four-way debate, scheduled for 16 June, similar to the one held on 7 December.[176] This time, Mariano Rajoy was willing to attend a four-way leaders' debate—unlike the previous election campaign, in which his party sent Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría instead. The PP was, however, unconvinced of holding another two-way debate with Pedro Sánchez, with Rajoy displeased with the format of 14 December debate—allegedly after a harsh confrontation with Sánchez following the latter referring to Rajoy as "indecent".[177][178]

The PSOE announced that Sánchez would not attend a debate with Iglesias and Rivera if Rajoy was not present as well. C's made Rivera's presence conditional on either Rajoy attending or having an empty lectern put in his place, but would not accept the PP sending another person instead. Podemos did not take a firm stance on the issue but Íñigo Errejón stated that his party would "go to all debates, always sending spokespeople at the same level as those sent by other political forces", thus opening the door for Iglesias not attending debates if other parties did not send their prime ministerial candidates.[179][180]

As neither Rajoy nor Sánchez confirmed their presence at the Charles III debate, the Demos Association announced its cancellation on 30 May.[181] A four-way debate was announced to be held on 13 June to be organized by the TV Academy. All four main parties confirmed their presence, with the novelty that Rajoy accepted an invitation to attend as well.[182] Unlike the previous campaign, the PP rejected a two-way debate between Rajoy and Sánchez, on grounds that, according to opinion polls, if a two-way debate was held "it was doubtful which party was to face Rajoy"—in reference to Unidos Podemos having overtaken the PSOE in opinion polling ahead of the election.[183]

Pablo Iglesias and Albert Rivera staged a two-on-two debate in the Salvados news show hosted by Jordi Évole. The debate was not broadcast live, but rather recorded on 28 May and intentionally delayed until 5 June.[184] Évole had stated that the debate had been "specially harsh" between both candidates in comparison to previous similar events, and that C's had put a series of conditions in order to accept bringing Rivera to the debate.[185]

2016 Spanish general election debates
Date Organizer(s) Moderator(s)     P  Present[i]    S  Surrogate[j]    NI  Not invited   I  Invited    A  Absent invitee 
PP PSOE UP C's ERC CDC PNV Audience Ref.
5 June laSexta
(Salvados)		 Jordi Évole A A P
Iglesias		 P
Rivera		 NI NI NI 18.2%
(3,237,000)		 [186]
9 June Atresmedia[k] Vicente Vallés P
Levy		 P
Robles		 P
Bescansa		 P
Arrimadas		 NI NI NI 12.7%
(2,040,000)		 [187]
12 June laSexta
(El Objetivo)[l]		 Ana Pastor P
De Guindos		 P
Sevilla		 P
Garzón		 P
Garicano		 NI NI NI 11.2%
(1,992,000)		 [188]
13 June TV Academy Ana Blanco
Pedro Piqueras
Vicente Vallés		 P
Rajoy		 P
Sánchez		 P
Iglesias		 P
Rivera		 NI NI NI 57.0%
(10,496,000)		 [189]
20 June TVE
(El debate de La 1)		 Julio Somoano S
Casado		 S
Rodríguez		 S
Errejón		 S
Girauta		 P
Rufián		 S
Campuzano		 P
Esteban		 4.8%
(845,000)		 [190]

Opinion polls

Candidate viewed as "performing best" or "most convincing" in each debate
Debate Polling firm/Commissioner PP PSOE UP C's Tie None Question
13 June Invymark/laSexta[191] 21.8 18.0 28.9 17.7 – – 13.6
Metroscopia/El País[192] 18.0 6.0 22.0 14.0 – – 40.0
NC Report/La Razón[193] 25.5 18.7 21.5 15.0 – – 19.3
DYM/El Confidencial[194] 15.2 9.9 17.6 15.8 – 19.6 21.9
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[195] 23.3 9.5 13.3 16.7 – 30.1 7.1
CIS[196] 21.1 10.3 14.3 9.9 3.4 32.8 8.1

Cost

[edit]

One of the main themes going into the June election was the economic cost that a new campaign would mean for the budget. During the final round of talks, King Felipe VI—anticipating a fresh election—had asked parties to run austere campaigns.[197]

The PP proposed that the party avoid large scale rallies, aiming at running a "simpler" campaign—with smaller events in medium-sized cities and towns[198]—while also suggesting reducing the campaign's length to 10 days and removing external advertising—namely that involving advertising through billboards and flags.[199] The PSOE suggested reducing campaign spending by 30%, cutting mailing spending and removing external advertising.[200] Podemos and C's proposed unifying party mailing, with C's being favourable to cutting party spending by 50%.[201] Podemos went further and suggested limiting parties' spending to 3 million each.

All three PSOE, Podemos and C's were against PP's proposal of making a shorter campaign or for cuts to affect election debates.[198] As some of these proposals required changes in the electoral law—something which could not happen as the Cortes would be dissolved[202]—parties called for reaching a gentlemen's agreement; in Albert Rivera's words, "a political pact through which changing the law wouldn't be necessary".[203] However, negotiations held to discuss the reduction of electoral spending failed to produce an agreement, with parties expected to cut their spending at will.[204][205]

Opinion polls

[edit]
Local regression trend line of poll results from 20 December 2015 to 26 June 2016, with each line corresponding to a political party.

Voter turnout

[edit]

The table below shows registered voter turnout during the election. Figures for election day do not include non-resident citizens, while final figures do.

Region Time (Election day) Final
14:00 18:00 20:00
2015 2016 +/– 2015 2016 +/– 2015 2016 +/– 2015 2016 +/–
Andalusia 34.98% 37.60% +2.62 55.83% 50.25% −5.58 71.31% 68.16% −3.15 69.08% 66.05% −3.03
Aragon 39.38% 37.88% −1.50 59.53% 50.86% −8.67 74.71% 71.89% −2.82 72.58% 69.92% −2.66
Asturias 35.35% 34.70% −0.65 56.96% 50.84% −6.12 71.22% 68.19% −3.03 63.77% 61.09% −2.68
Balearic Islands 35.02% 34.48% −0.54 52.18% 47.05% −5.13 65.20% 62.58% −2.62 63.35% 60.73% −2.62
Basque Country 39.39% 36.05% −3.34 58.97% 51.36% −7.61 71.44% 67.44% −4.00 69.00% 65.17% −3.83
Canary Islands 27.38% 28.38% +1.00 47.42% 44.86% −2.56 65.65% 64.37% −1.28 60.33% 59.11% −1.22
Cantabria 40.34% 39.22% −1.12 62.31% 56.19% −6.12 76.00% 73.37% −2.63 70.97% 68.52% −2.45
Castile and León 37.18% 37.18% ±0.00 59.48% 53.33% −6.15 75.95% 73.34% −2.61 71.22% 68.79% −2.43
Castilla–La Mancha 37.54% 38.92% +1.38 59.70% 52.44% −7.26 76.49% 72.94% −3.55 75.26% 71.78% −3.48
Catalonia 35.24% 32.31% −2.93 56.62% 46.38% −10.24 70.98% 65.60% −5.38 68.63% 63.42% −5.21
Extremadura 35.91% 39.48% +3.57 56.39% 51.40% −4.99 74.11% 70.45% −3.66 72.17% 68.63% −3.54
Galicia 33.42% 34.07% +0.65 58.51% 51.68% −6.83 73.00% 69.63% −3.37 61.53% 58.76% −2.77
La Rioja 40.70% 40.94% +0.24 60.63% 55.61% −5.02 76.66% 74.71% −1.95 72.43% 70.62% −1.81
Madrid 40.35% 39.01% −1.34 63.37% 54.48% −8.89 77.76% 74.26% −3.50 74.12% 70.81% −3.31
Murcia 38.51% 39.96% +1.45 59.29% 52.89% −6.40 72.96% 71.35% −1.61 71.14% 69.58% −1.56
Navarre 39.53% 38.03% −1.50 59.00% 51.77% −7.23 74.28% 70.58% −3.70 70.93% 67.40% −3.53
Valencian Community 43.25% 43.34% +0.09 63.51% 56.51% −7.00 76.58% 74.09% −2.49 74.79% 72.37% −2.42
Ceuta 25.36% 24.97% −0.39 42.33% 37.51% −4.82 56.44% 52.59% −3.85 54.36% 50.65% −3.19
Melilla 23.04% 21.82% −1.22 38.81% 34.32% −4.49 53.29% 51.35% −1.94 49.35% 47.55% −1.80
Total 37.01% 36.87% −0.14 58.37% 51.21% −7.16 73.20% 69.83% −3.37 69.67% 66.48% −3.19
Sources[206]

Results

[edit]

Congress of Deputies

[edit]
← Summary of 26 June 2016 Congress of Deputies election results →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
People's Party (PP) 7,941,23633.01+4.30 137+14
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 5,443,84622.63+0.63 85−5
United We Can (Unidos Podemos) 5,087,53821.15−3.34 71±0
United We Can (Podemos–IU–Equo)1 3,227,12313.42−2.63 45+1
In Common We Can–Let's Win the Change (ECP) 853,1023.55−0.14 12±0
The Valencian Way (Podemos–Compromís–EUPV)2 659,7712.74−0.38 9±0
In Tide (Podemos–Anova–EU) 347,5421.44−0.19 5−1
Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) 3,141,57013.06−0.88 32−8
Republican Left–Catalonia Yes (ERC–CatSí) 639,6522.66+0.26 9±0
Republican Left–Catalonia Yes (ERC–CatSí) 632,2342.63+0.24 9±0
Sovereignty for the Isles (SI) 7,4180.03New 0±0
Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC)3 483,4882.01−0.24 8±0
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) 287,0141.19−0.01 5−1
Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 286,7021.19+0.32 0±0
Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu) 184,7130.77−0.10 2±0
Canarian Coalition–Canarian Nationalist Party (CCa–PNC) 78,2530.33+0.01 1±0
Zero Cuts–Green Group (Recortes Cero–GV) 51,9070.22+0.03 0±0
Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) 50,2470.21−0.41 0±0
Vox (Vox) 47,1820.20−0.03 0±0
Galician Nationalist Bloc–We–Galician Candidacy (BNG–Nós)4 45,2520.19−0.09 0±0
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) 26,6270.11−0.01 0±0
Yes to the Future (GBai) 14,3430.06−0.06 0±0
Blank Seats (EB) 11,6690.05+0.01 0±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE de las JONS) 9,9090.04+0.01 0±0
Citizens of Democratic Centre (CCD) 8,9450.04±0.00 0±0
Citizens of Democratic Centre (CCD) 6,2730.03−0.01 0±0
Citizens of Democratic Centre–Independent Candidacy (CCD–CI) 2,6720.01New 0±0
We Are Valencian (SOMVAL) 6,6470.03+0.01 0±0
Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn) 3,1100.01−0.01 0±0
Humanist Party (PH) 3,0120.01±0.00 0±0
The Eco-pacifist Greens (Centro Moderado) 3,0110.01±0.00 0±0
Libertarian Party (P–LIB) 2,9960.01±0.00 0±0
Leonese People's Union (UPL) 2,2950.01New 0±0
Spanish Communist Workers' Party (PCOE) 1,8220.01±0.00 0±0
We Are Andalusians Party, For Andalusia and the Peoples (AND) 1,7270.01New 0±0
Together for Canaries (JxC) 1,1900.00New 0±0
Family and Life Party (PFyV) 8460.00±0.00 0±0
United Free Citizens (CILUS) 8300.00±0.00 0±0
Platform for Catalonia (PxC) 7240.00New 0±0
Social Aragonese Movement (MAS) 7230.00New 0±0
Navarrese Freedom (Ln) 7020.00±0.00 0±0
Navarrese Freedom (Ln) 6220.00±0.00 0±0
Rioja Southern Territory–Navarrese Freedom (HRTS–Ln) 800.00New 0±0
Revolutionary Anticapitalist Left (IZAR) 6870.00New 0±0
Unity of the People (UP)5 6860.00−0.01 0±0
Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) 6680.00−0.01 0±0
Political Renovation (RePo) 5700.00New 0±0
Independents for Aragon (i) 5500.00±0.00 0±0
Forward (Entabán) 3770.00New 0±0
Merindades of Castile Initiative (IMC) 3560.00New 0±0
State of Spain Unionist Party (PUEDE) 3360.00New 0±0
The Phalanx (FE) 2540.00New 0±0
Alliance of the Democratic Centre (ALCD) 2140.00New 0±0
Spain Elders' Force (FME) 2000.00New 0±0
Union of Everyone (UdT) 480.00New 0±0
Blank ballots 179,0810.74−0.01
Total 24,053,755 350±0
Valid votes 24,053,75599.07−0.04
Invalid votes 225,5040.93+0.04
Votes cast / turnout 24,279,25966.48−3.19
Abstentions 12,241,65433.52+3.19
Registered voters 36,520,913
Sources[206][207][208]
Footnotes:
Popular vote
PP
 
 33.01%
PSOE
 
 22.63%
Unidos Podemos
 
 21.15%
C's
 
 13.06%
ERC–CatSí
 
 2.66%
CDC
 
 2.01%
EAJ/PNV
 
 1.19%
PACMA
 
 1.19%
EH Bildu
 
 0.77%
CCa–PNC
 
 0.33%
Others
 
 1.26%
Blank ballots
 
 0.74%
Seats
PP
 
 39.14%
PSOE
 
 24.29%
Unidos Podemos
 
 20.29%
C's
 
 9.14%
ERC–CatSí
 
 2.57%
CDC
 
 2.29%
EAJ/PNV
 
 1.43%
EH Bildu
 
 0.57%
CCa–PNC
 
 0.29%

Senate

[edit]
← Summary of the 26 June 2016 Senate of Spain election results →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
People's Party (PP) 22,285,96934.22+3.91 130+6
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 15,354,92923.58+1.14 43−4
United We Can (Unidos Podemos) 12,786,77919.63−2.50 16±0
United We Can (Podemos–IU–Equo)1 8,033,19412.33−2.24 8−1
In Common We Can–Let's Win the Change (ECP) 1,983,1213.05±0.00 4±0
The Valencian Way (Podemos–Compromís–EUPV)2 1,882,3882.89−0.12 3+2
In Tide (Podemos–Anova–EU) 888,0761.36−0.14 1−1
Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) 6,894,85310.59−0.59 0±0
Republican Left–Catalonia Yes (ERC–CatSí) 1,943,8292.98+0.12 10+4
Republican Left–Catalonia Yes (ERC–CatSí) 1,928,4722.96+0.11 10+4
Sovereignty for the Isles (SI) 15,3570.02New 0±0
Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC)3 1,421,6532.18−0.13 2−4
Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 1,213,8711.86+0.30 0±0
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) 885,8601.36−0.01 5−1
Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu) 587,6500.90+0.05 0±0
Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) 186,1270.29−0.65 0±0
Galician Nationalist Bloc–We–Galician Candidacy (BNG–Nós)4 184,8120.28−0.14 0±0
Zero Cuts–Green Group (Recortes Cero–GV) 180,5000.28+0.02 0±0
Vox (Vox) 165,7400.25−0.05 0±0
Canarian Coalition–Canarian Nationalist Party (CCa–PNC) 148,9700.23−0.01 1±0
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) 71,5400.11−0.05 0±0
Blank Seats (EB) 66,4450.10−0.03 0±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE de las JONS) 35,1870.05−0.01 0±0
Yes to the Future (GBai)5 32,0820.05n/a 0−1
We Are Valencian (SOMVAL) 23,6290.04+0.01 0±0
Citizens of Democratic Centre (CCD) 15,3550.02−0.01 0±0
Citizens of Democratic Centre (CCD) 11,4590.02−0.01 0±0
Citizens of Democratic Centre–Independent Candidacy (CCD–CI) 3,8960.01New 0±0
Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn) 12,6700.02−0.01 0±0
The Eco-pacifist Greens (Centro Moderado) 8,4010.01±0.00 0±0
Humanist Party (PH) 8,0880.01±0.00 0±0
Leonese People's Union (UPL) 6,9490.01New 0±0
Libertarian Party (P–LIB) 6,0420.01New 0±0
Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) 5,6680.01New 0±0
Gomera Socialist Group (ASG) 4,3400.01New 1±0
Forward Badajoz (BA) 3,0120.00−0.01 0±0
Independents for Aragon (i) 2,5060.00±0.00 0±0
Navarrese Freedom (Ln) 2,5030.00−0.01 0±0
Navarrese Freedom (Ln) 2,2500.00−0.01 0±0
Rioja Southern Territory–Navarrese Freedom (HRTS–Ln) 2530.00New 0±0
Together for Canaries (JxC) 2,2390.00New 0±0
Merindades of Castile Initiative (IMC) 1,9480.00±0.00 0±0
Social Aragonese Movement (MAS) 1,8680.00New 0±0
United Free Citizens (CILUS) 1,6330.00±0.00 0±0
Family and Life Party (PFyV) 1,5970.00±0.00 0±0
Platform for Catalonia (PxC) 9910.00New 0±0
Unity of the People (UP)6 9710.00−0.01 0±0
Political Renovation (RePo) 9380.00New 0±0
Forward (Entabán) 7650.00New 0±0
The Phalanx (FE) 3910.00New 0±0
Alliance of the Democratic Centre (ALCD) 3000.00New 0±0
Union of Everyone (UdT) 730.00New 0±0
Blank ballots[m] 565,5632.42−1.64
Total 65,125,236 208±0
Valid votes 23,393,16197.47+0.69
Invalid votes 606,4352.53−0.69
Votes cast / turnout 23,999,59665.71−2.55
Abstentions 12,521,31734.29+2.55
Registered voters 36,520,913
Sources[77][206][207][208][209]
Footnotes:
Popular vote
PP
 
 34.22%
PSOE
 
 23.58%
Unidos Podemos
 
 19.63%
C's
 
 10.59%
ERC–CatSí
 
 2.98%
CDC
 
 2.18%
PACMA
 
 1.86%
EAJ/PNV
 
 1.36%
CCa–PNC
 
 0.23%
ASG
 
 0.01%
Others
 
 2.99%
Blank ballots
 
 2.42%
Seats
PP
 
 62.50%
PSOE
 
 20.67%
Unidos Podemos
 
 7.69%
ERC–CatSí
 
 4.81%
EAJ/PNV
 
 2.40%
CDC
 
 0.96%
CCa–PNC
 
 0.48%
ASG
 
 0.48%

Maps

[edit]

Aftermath

[edit]

Outcome

[edit]

The People's Party (PP) emerged as the largest party, securing the most seats—137—but just as in the previous election, failed to obtain an overall majority. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) clung on to second place but fell to a new record low of 85, whereas Unidos Podemos, the alliance between Podemos and United Left (IU) remained at third place with 71 seats. The PP increased its seat count by a surprising 14, capitalising on losses by both PSOE and liberal Citizens (C's). Unidos Podemos' second placed projection failed to materialize at the polls, although they maintained the same number of seats as in the previous election.[210][211] Overall, the parliamentary deadlock remained, as neither bloc could gather an absolute majority of seats. However, the PP–C's bloc gained strength, climbing from 163 to 169, whereas the PSOE–Podemos–IU bloc was reduced from 161 to 156. The attempted PSOE–C's pact was reduced to 117 seats, now outnumbered by the PP alone.

Regionally, the PP swept all the autonomous communities except for Catalonia and the Basque Country, where Unidos Podemos retained first place. The PSOE, which had narrowly won in its strongholds of Andalusia and Extremadura in the 2015 election, was pushed to second place in both of them, being unable to retain first place in any region only for the second time in democracy (the first being in 2011). Nonetheless, it recovered slightly on some of the regions where it performed the worst in December 2015, with notable advances in Madrid, Valencian Community, Navarre, Asturias, Galicia and the Canary Islands. However, this contrasted with setbacks in the party's own strongholds of Andalusia, Extremadura and Castile-La Mancha. The Unidos Podemos alliance only managed to improve on the 2015 combined results of Podemos and IU in the Basque Country and Navarre, suffering losses everywhere else.

In Catalonia, the Republican Left–Catalonia Yes coalition (ERC–CatSí) saw gains at the expense of Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC), which lost both Girona and Lleida which the Democracy and Freedom coalition had won in 2015. This marked the first time in democracy that ERC managed to come out on top in any province in a general election. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) lost in Biscay only for the second time since the return of democracy, which cost them the loss of the province's 3rd seat to Unidos Podemos.[212]

Failure in opinion polling was largely attributed to the sudden abstention of roughly 1 million Podemos' voters from December 2015, unsure of their party's chances of ruling after the election and partially disenchanted with politics at large after the failed negotiations in forming a government throughout the previous six months. At the same time, the PP result was attributed to a last-hour surge motivated by centre-right tactical voting against Pablo Iglesias, influenced by Unidos Podemos' strong showing in opinion polls.[213] Voter turnout was a record low 66.5%, exceeding the previous lowest ever recorded turnout of 68.0% at the 1979 election. Of the four main parties, all except for the PP attracted fewer total votes than in 2015. The PSOE lost about 100,000 votes, the Unidos Podemos alliance 1,080,000 and C's 370,000. The PP received about 700,000 more votes.

Government formation

[edit]

On 29 October, Mariano Rajoy succeeded in his investiture attempt with the support of 170 MPs to 111 against and 68 abstentions.[214]

Investiture
Congress of Deputies
Nomination of Mariano Rajoy (PP)
Ballot → 31 August 2016 2 September 2016
Required majority → 176 out of 350 X mark Simple X mark
Yes
170 / 350
170 / 350
No
180 / 350
180 / 350
Abstentions
0 / 350
0 / 350
Absentees
0 / 350
0 / 350
Sources[215]
Investiture
Congress of Deputies
Nomination of Mariano Rajoy (PP)
Ballot → 27 October 2016 29 October 2016
Required majority → 176 out of 350 X mark Simple check
Yes
170 / 350
170 / 350
No
180 / 350
111 / 350
Abstentions
  • • PSOE (68) (on 29 Oct)
0 / 350
68 / 350
Absentees
  • • PSOE (1) (on 29 Oct)
0 / 350
1 / 350
Sources[215]

2017 motion of no confidence

[edit]

On 14 June 2017, a motion of no confidence in the government of Mariano Rajoy tabled by Unidos Podemos (over a string of corruption scandals involving the ruling PP) was defeated 170 to 82, with the main opposition PSOE abstaining.

Motion of no confidence
Congress of Deputies
Nomination of Pablo Iglesias (Podemos)
Ballot → 14 June 2017
Required majority → 176 out of 350 X mark
Yes
82 / 350
No
170 / 350
Abstentions
97 / 350
Absentees
1 / 350
Sources[215]

2018 motion of no confidence

[edit]

A motion of no confidence in the Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy was held between 31 May and 1 June 2018. The motion was registered by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) on 25 May after the ruling People's Party (PP) was found to have profited from the illegal kickbacks-for-contracts scheme of the Gürtel affair. The motion was successful and resulted in Mariano Rajoy being replaced by PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez as prime minister.

Motion of no confidence
Congress of Deputies
Nomination of Pedro Sánchez (PSOE)
Ballot → 1 June 2018
Required majority → 176 out of 350 check
Yes
180 / 350
No
  • • PP (134)
  • • Cs (32)
  • • UPN (2)
  • • FAC (1)
169 / 350
Abstentions
1 / 350
Absentees
0 / 350
Sources[215]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ Total figures include results for En Comú Podem, A la valenciana and En Marea.
  2. 1 2 Results for Podemos–ECP–És el moment–En Marea (20.7%, 69 deputies), IU–UPeC (3.7%, 2 deputies) and Més (0.1%, 0 deputies) in the 2015 Congress election.
  3. 1 2 3 Results for DiL in the 2015 election.
  4. ↑ Pedro Gómez de la Serna, former PP legislator.[79]
  5. ↑ 1 PP appointed seat remained vacant until 14 December 2016.[81]
  6. ↑ These comprised the Constitutional Court, the General Council of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court, the Council of State, the Court of Auditors and the Economic and Social Council.
  7. ↑ Results for Podemos–ECP–És el moment–En Marea (18.5%, 16 senators), IU–UPeC (3.6%, 0 senators) and Més (0.1%, 0 senators) in the 2015 Senate election.
  8. ↑ Geroa Bai (1 senator) contested the 2015 Senate election within the Cambio/Aldaketa alliance.
  9. ↑ Denotes a main invitee attending the event.
  10. ↑ Denotes a main invitee not attending the event, sending a surrogate in their place.
  11. ↑ "Women's debate".
  12. ↑ Economic debate.
  13. ↑ The percentage of blank ballots is calculated over the official number of valid votes cast, irrespective of the total number of votes shown as a result of adding up the individual results for each party.

References

[edit]
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  3. ↑ Gil, Iván (10 June 2016). "El tsunami de Podemos ahoga a Sánchez y deja a Rajoy con el agua al cuello". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 March 2026.
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  56. ↑ Constitution (1978), arts. 74, 94, 122, 145, 155, 158–159 & 166–167.
  57. ↑ Constitution (1978), arts. 68–69.
  58. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 42 & 167.
  59. ↑ Constitution (1978), arts. 115–116.
  60. ↑ Constitution (1978), art. 99.
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  74. ↑ Carreras de Odriozola & Tafunell Sambola 2005, p. 1083.
  75. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 46, 48, 164, 166 & 170–171.
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  162. ↑ "Iglesias pide a sus seguidores dar el "sorpasso al PP" y "ganar las elecciones"" (in Spanish). Madrid: Europa Press. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  163. ↑ "Pablo Iglesias: "Nuestro enemigo no es el PSOE, a quien queremos ganar las elecciones es al PP"". 20 minutos (in Spanish). 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  164. ↑ Carvajal, Álvaro (4 May 2016). "Pablo Iglesias da por hecho el 'sorpasso' y ofrece a Pedro Sánchez ser su vicepresidente". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  165. ↑ Rojo, Andrés (15 May 2016). "Pablo Iglesias: "Si Podemos gobierna en España, será gracias al PSOE"". La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  166. ↑ Carvajal, Álvaro (15 May 2016). "Unidos Podemos usa el 15-M para coger impulso". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  167. ↑ García de Blas, Elsa; Manetto, Francesco (15 May 2016). "Cinco años después, el 15-M quiere gobernar". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  168. ↑ Gil, Iván (13 May 2016). "De Sol al 'sorpasso': así ha cambiado a la izquierda española el terremoto del 15-M". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  169. ↑ Díaz Valderrama, María (15 May 2016). "Miles de personas celebran en la Puerta del Sol el quinto aniversario del 15-M". El Mundo (in Spanish). Paris / Madrid. Agencias. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  170. ↑ Oliden, Ander Iñaki; Olías, Laura (15 May 2016). "El 15M se reencuentra en las plazas cinco años después". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  171. ↑ "Susana Díaz sobre Unidos Podemos: "Es el reencuentro de las juventudes comunistas"". infoLibre (in Spanish). 13 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  172. ↑ "González Pons: "Unidos Podemos are the old-fashioned communists but with another name"". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 14 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  173. ↑ González, Germán (14 May 2016). "Albert Rivera: "C's se presenta sin hoces, ni martillos ni corrupción"". El Mundo (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  174. ↑ "Spain Election Day: Parties look to break the stalemate". Barcelona: Big News Network.com. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  175. ↑ "Iglesias y Rivera aceptan un nuevo debate en la Carlos III, pero sólo si también acuden Rajoy y Sánchez" (in Spanish). Madrid: Europa Press. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  176. ↑ "Atresmedia propone el 16 de junio para un nuevo debate a cuatro". eldiario.es (in Spanish). 4 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  177. ↑ Casqueiro, Javier; Díez, Anabel (5 May 2016). "Rajoy solo quiere un debate a cuatro en terreno neutral". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  178. ↑ "El PP traslada al PSOE las exigencias de Rajoy: sólo un debate 'a cuatro' y en terreno neutral". El Economista (in Spanish). 6 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  179. ↑ B., G. (5 May 2016). "Sánchez, Iglesias y Rivera solo irán a debates si está Rajoy". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  180. ↑ Castro, Irene; Riveiro, Aitor (6 May 2016). "Pedro Sánchez cierra la puerta a debatir con Iglesias y Rivera si no está Rajoy". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  181. ↑ "Las exigencias cruzadas de los partidos provocan la cancelación del debate de la asociación universitaria Demos". eldiario.es (in Spanish). 30 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  182. ↑ "El único debate electoral entre Rajoy, Sánchez, Iglesias y Rivera se celebrará el lunes 13 de junio". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  183. ↑ "Rajoy rechaza un "cara a cara" con Pedro Sánchez y prefiere un debate a cuatro con Rivera e Iglesias" (in Spanish). FormulaTV. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  184. ↑ "Se acabó la cordialidad: Rivera e Iglesias chocan con dureza en su segundo cara a cara en 'Salvados'". 20 minutos (in Spanish). 3 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  185. ↑ "El veto del cara a cara de 'Salvados': "Ciudadanos no quiso hacerlo en un bar"". El Economista (in Spanish). 3 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  186. ↑ "El segundo debate Iglesias-Rivera pierde audiencia". Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). Madrid. EFE. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  187. ↑ "'Supervivientes' tumba al debate electoral de mujeres de Antena 3". Vanitatis (in Spanish). 10 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  188. ↑ "'El objetivo' destaca en un domingo de fútbol". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 13 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  189. ↑ "El 'Deb4te2016' reúne a 10.496.000 espectadores (57%), entre 17 cadenas" (in Spanish). FormulaTV. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  190. ↑ "El debate a siete solo interesa a un 4,8% y 845.000 espectadores en el prime time de La 1". El Economista (in Spanish). 21 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  191. ↑ "Pablo Iglesias, ganador del debate 13J para el 28,9% de los encuestados seguido de Mariano Rajoy" (in Spanish). Madrid: laSexta. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  192. ↑ De Miguel, Rafa (15 June 2016). "Iglesias ganó el debate a cuatro aunque Rivera jugó mejor sus bazas". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  193. ↑ Rojo, Andrés (15 June 2016). "El debate confirmó la polarización". La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  194. ↑ Gil, Iván (15 June 2016). "Iglesias ganó y Rajoy se benefició, pero el debate solo influye al 6% del electorado". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  195. ↑ Cruz, Marisa (19 June 2016). "El debate lo ganó el 'Sr. ninguno'". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  196. ↑ "Postelectoral Elecciones Generales 2016" (in Spanish). CIS. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  197. ↑ Alberola, Miquel (25 April 2016). "El Rey anticipa la repetición de elecciones y pide una campaña austera". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  198. 1 2 "Lo que dicen los partidos sobre la campaña electoral". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  199. ↑ "El PP propone una campaña electoral de 10 días y sin carteles". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid / Castellón. Servimedia. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  200. ↑ "El PSOE propone reducir un 30% el presupuesto de campaña y recortar el gasto en «mailing". ABC (in Spanish). Europa Press. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  201. ↑ Esteban, Paloma (27 April 2016). "Rivera abre el melón: propone reducir el gasto electoral un 50% y un único 'mailing'". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  202. ↑ "Patxi López ve difícil acortar la campaña pese a haber "cabreo y frustración"". Faro de Vigo (in Spanish). Madrid. Agencias. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  203. ↑ Mateo, Juan José; Manetto, Francesco; Marcos, José (28 April 2016). "Los partidos inician contactos para pactar una reducción del gasto electoral". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  204. ↑ Mateo, Juan José; Díez, Anabel (5 May 2016). "Los partidos cierran sin acuerdo la primera reunión para reducir los gastos electorales". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  205. ↑ Sánchez, Ana I.; Medialdea, Sara (11 May 2016). "Fracasa la negociación de los partidos políticos para reducir sus gastos electorales". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
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  208. 1 2 "Acuerdo de 20 de julio de 2016, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se publica el resumen de los resultados de las elecciones al Congreso de los Diputados y al Senado convocadas por Real Decreto 184/2016, de 3 de mayo, y celebradas el 26 de junio de 2016, conforme a las actas de escrutinio general y de proclamación de electos remitidas por las correspondientes Juntas Electorales Provinciales y por las Juntas Electorales de Ceuta y de Melilla" (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish) (176): 51661–51727. 22 July 2016. ISSN 0212-033X. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
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  210. ↑ Jones, Sam (27 June 2016). "Spanish elections: renewed deadlock beckons as no party wins majority". The Guardian. Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  211. ↑ Saez, Santiago (27 June 2016). "Spanish election cements deadlock". Deutsche Welle. Madrid. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  212. ↑ "Which Parties Won And Lost Votes in Which Spanish Regions in the 2016 General Election?". The Spain Report. 27 June 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  213. ↑ "Achacan el "fallo" de las encuestas a la abstención de un millón de votantes de Podemos". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Europa Press. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  214. ↑ Forster, Katie (29 October 2016). "Spanish Parliament votes to reappoint Mariano Rajoy Prime Minister as thousands protest". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  215. 1 2 3 4 Lozano, Carles. "Congreso de los Diputados: Votaciones más importantes" (in Spanish). historiaelectoral.com. Retrieved 25 August 2025.

Bibliography

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