| Election Name: | 1999 European Parliament election in Spain |
| Country: | Spain |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1994 European Parliament election in Spain |
| Previous Year: | 1994 |
| Next Election: | 2004 European Parliament election in Spain |
| Next Year: | 2004 |
| Outgoing Members: | List of members of the European Parliament for Spain, 1994–99 |
| Elected Members: | List of members of the European Parliament for Spain, 1999–2004 |
| Seats For Election: | All 64 Spanish seats in the European Parliament |
| Opinion Polls: |
|
| Registered: | 33,840,432 7.2% |
| Turnout: | 21,334,948 (63.0%) 3.9 pp |
| Election Date: | 13 June 1999 |
| Leader1: | Loyola de Palacio |
| Party1: | People's Party (Spain) |
| Alliance1: | EPP (EPP–ED) |
| Leader Since1: | 22 April 1999 |
| Leaders Seat1: | Spain |
| Last Election1: | 28 seats, 40.1% |
| Seats1: | 27 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Popular Vote1: | 8,410,993 |
| Percentage1: | 39.7% |
| Swing1: | 0.4 pp |
| Leader2: | Rosa Díez |
| Party2: | PSOE–p |
| Alliance2: | PES |
| Leader Since2: | 22 March 1999 |
| Leaders Seat2: | Spain |
| Last Election2: | 22 seats, 30.8% |
| Seats2: | 24 |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| Popular Vote2: | 7,477,823 |
| Percentage2: | 35.3% |
| Swing2: | 4.5 pp |
| Leader3: | Alonso Puerta |
| Party3: | IU–EUiA |
| Alliance3: | European United Left–Nordic Green Left |
| Leader Since3: | 2 March 1994 |
| Leaders Seat3: | Spain |
| Last Election3: | 9 seats, 11.9% |
| Seats3: | 4 |
| Seat Change3: | 5 |
| Popular Vote3: | 1,221,566 |
| Percentage3: | 5.8% |
| Swing3: | 6.1 pp |
| Leader4: | Pere Esteve |
| Party4: | Convergence and Union |
| Alliance4: | ELDR EPP (EPP–ED) |
| Leader Since4: | 16 November 1998 |
| Leaders Seat4: | Spain |
| Last Election4: | 3 seats, 4.7% |
| Seats4: | 3 |
| Seat Change4: | 0 |
| Popular Vote4: | 937,687 |
| Percentage4: | 4.4% |
| Swing4: | 0.3 pp |
| Leader5: | Isidoro Sánchez |
| Party5: | European Coalition (1999) |
| Alliance5: | ELDR ERA (Greens/EFA) |
| Leader Since5: | 1999 |
| Leaders Seat5: | Spain |
| Last Election5: | 0 seats, 2.2% |
| Seats5: | 2 |
| Seat Change5: | 2 |
| Popular Vote5: | 677,094 |
| Percentage5: | 3.2% |
| Swing5: | 1.0 pp |
| Leader6: | Josu Ortuondo |
| Party6: | Nationalist Coalition–Europe of the Peoples |
| Alliance6: | Greens–European Free Alliance |
| Leader Since6: | 17 April 1999 |
| Leaders Seat6: | Spain |
| Last Election6: | 2 seats, 2.8% |
| Seats6: | 2 |
| Seat Change6: | 0 |
| Popular Vote6: | 613,968 |
| Percentage6: | 2.9% |
| Swing6: | 0.1 pp |
The 1999 European Parliament election in Spain was held on Sunday, 13 June 1999, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 5th European Parliament. All 64 seats allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Amsterdam were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.
The ruling People's Party (PP)—which for the first time contested a nationwide election in Spain while in government—emerged as the largest political force in the country, albeit with a diminished victory margin than in the previous election held in 1994. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), in opposition for the first time since 1982, recovered some ground from its previous result. Overall, the PP lead decreased from 9.3 to 4.4 percentage points, though this was an increase from the 1.2 points between both parties in the 1996 general election. United Left (IU) lost half of its votes and parliamentary representation amid internal divisions—Initiative for Catalonia (IC) and the New Left (NI) had split from the larger alliance in 1997—policy differences over their relationship with the PSOE and the deteriorating health condition of IU's maverick leader, Julio Anguita.
64 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Amsterdam. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals and resident non-national European citizens over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.[1] [2]
All seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with no electoral threshold being applied in order to be entitled to enter seat distribution. Seats were allocated to a single multi-member constituency comprising the entire national territory.[1] The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.[3]
See main article: List of members of the European Parliament for Spain, 1994–1999.
| Groups | Parties | MEPs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | Total | |||||
| European People's Party | PP | 26 | 29 | |||
| UPN | 2 | |||||
| UDC | 1 | |||||
| Party of European Socialists | PSOE | 21 | 21 | |||
| European United Left–Nordic Green Left | IU | 8 | 9 | |||
| IC–V | 1 | |||||
| European Radical Alliance | PAR | 1 | 3 | |||
| CG | 1 | |||||
| INDEP | 1 | |||||
| European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party | CDC | 2 | 2 | |||
The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call. In order to be entitled to run, parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least 15,000 registered electors; this requirement could be lifted and replaced through the signature of at least 50 elected officials—deputies, senators, MEPs or members from the legislative assemblies of autonomous communities or from local city councils. Electors and elected officials were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.[1]
Below is a list of the main parties and electoral alliances which contested the election:
| Candidacy | Parties and alliances | Leading candidate | Ideology | Previous result | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes (%) | Seats | ||||||||
| PP | Loyola de Palacio | Conservatism Christian democracy | 40.12% | [5] | |||||
| PSOE–p | Rosa Díez | Social democracy | 30.79% | [6] | |||||
| IU–EUiA | Alonso Puerta | Socialism Communism | 11.92% | [7] [8] | |||||
| CiU | Pere Esteve | Catalan nationalism Centrism | 4.66% | [9] | |||||
| CN–EP | Josu Ortuondo | Peripheral nationalism | 2.84% | [10] [11] | |||||
| CE | Isidoro Sánchez | Regionalism | 2.17% | ||||||
| LV–IP | Antoni Gutiérrez | Green politics Eco-socialism Left-wing nationalism | 1.53% | ||||||
| EH | Koldo Gorostiaga | Basque independence Left-wing nationalism Revolutionary socialism | 0.97% | ||||||
| BNG | Camilo Nogueira | Galician nationalism Left-wing nationalism Socialism | 0.75% | ||||||
The table below lists voting intention estimates in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout | CN–EP | BNG | CE | LV–IP | Lead | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 EP election | 13 Jun 1999 | 63.0 | 39.7 | 35.3 | 5.8 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 4.4 | ||
| Ipsos–Eco Consulting/ABC[12] | 24 May–2 Jun 1999 | 2,000 | ? | 40.9 | 35.2 | 10.4 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | – | 5.7 | |
| Demoscopia/El País[13] | 26 May–1 Jun 1999 | 17,500 | 67 | 41.1 | 35.6 | 8.8 | 5.2 | 2.9 | – | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 5.5 | |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo[14] [15] | 28–31 May 1999 | 2,600 | ? | 41.8 | 36.2 | 7.9 | 4.4 | 2.4 | – | – | 1.9 | 1.2 | 5.6 | |
| CIS[16] [17] | 3–26 May 1999 | 4,797 | ? | 41.5 | 35.5 | 8.1 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 6.0 | |
| Metra Seis/Colpisa[18] | 14–20 May 1999 | 1,200 | ? | 40.2 | 36.8 | 8.8 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 2.8 | – | 3.4 | |
| Gallup/El Correo[19] | 5–30 Mar 1999 | 2,031 | ? | 41.0 | 38.0 | 9.0 | 4.0 | ? | – | – | ? | – | 3.0 | |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo[20] | 26–27 Dec 1998 | 1,000 | ? | 43.4 | 35.1 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 2.3 | – | – | – | – | 8.3 | |
| 1994 EP election | 12 Jun 1994 | 59.1 | 40.1 | 30.8 | 13.4 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | – | – | 9.3 | ||
| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Seats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− | |||
| People's Party (PP) | 8,410,993 | 39.74 | –0.38 | 27 | –1 | ||
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party–Progressives (PSOE–p) | 7,477,823 | 35.33 | +4.54 | 24 | +2 | ||
| United Left–United and Alternative Left (IU–EUiA)1 | 1,221,566 | 5.77 | –6.15 | 4 | –5 | ||
| Convergence and Union (CiU) | 937,687 | 4.43 | –0.23 | 3 | ±0 | ||
| European Coalition (CE)2 | 677,094 | 3.20 | +1.03 | 2 | +2 | ||
| Nationalist Coalition–Europe of the Peoples (CN–EP)3 | 613,968 | 2.90 | +0.06 | 2 | ±0 | ||
| Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) | 349,079 | 1.65 | +0.90 | 1 | +1 | ||
| Basque Citizens (EH)4 | 306,923 | 1.45 | +0.48 | 1 | +1 | ||
| The Greens–Left of the Peoples (LV–IP)5 | 300,874 | 1.42 | –0.11 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| The Greens–Green Group (LV–GV) | 138,835 | 0.66 | +0.07 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Centrist Union–Democratic and Social Centre (UC–CDS) | 38,911 | 0.18 | –0.81 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Leonese People's Union (UPL) | 33,604 | 0.16 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Confederation of Feminist Organizations (COFEM/FEMEK) | 28,901 | 0.14 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) | 26,189 | 0.12 | –0.04 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Asturian Renewal Union (URAS) | 22,400 | 0.11 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Party for Independence (PI) | 17,544 | 0.08 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Spanish Democratic Party (PADE) | 16,001 | 0.08 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| United Extremadura (EU) | 15,716 | 0.07 | ±0.00 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Asturianist Party (PAS) | 15,299 | 0.07 | –0.01 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Independent Spanish Phalanx (FEI) | 13,940 | 0.07 | +0.04 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party (TC–PNC)6 | 13,267 | 0.06 | +0.04 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Alliance for National Unity (AUN) | 12,486 | 0.06 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Humanist Party (PH) | 12,415 | 0.06 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| The Phalanx (FE) | 10,792 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Independent Socialists of Extremadura (SIEx) | 10,040 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Regionalist Unity of Castile and León (URCL) | 9,950 | 0.05 | ±0.00 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Andalusia Assembly (A) | 8,750 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Natural Law Party (PLN) | 8,671 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Party of Self-employed of Spain and Spanish Independent Groups (PAE–I) | 8,394 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Valencian Community Alternative (ACV) | 8,073 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| National Democracy (DN) | 8,053 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Andecha Astur (AA) | 7,321 | 0.03 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Union of Regions (UDR) | 7,251 | 0.03 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Extremaduran Coalition (PREx–CREx)7 | 7,230 | 0.03 | ±0.00 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) | 6,977 | 0.03 | ±0.00 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Coalition for the Repeal of the Maastricht Treaty (DM)8 | 5,664 | 0.03 | –0.01 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Blank ballots | 357,583 | 1.69 | +0.54 | ||||
| Total | 21,166,264 | 64 | ±0 | ||||
| Valid votes | 21,166,264 | 99.21 | –0.33 | ||||
| Invalid votes | 168,684 | 0.79 | +0.33 | ||||
| Votes cast / turnout | 21,334,948 | 63.05 | +3.91 | ||||
| Abstentions | 12,505,484 | 36.95 | –3.91 | ||||
| Registered voters | 33,840,432 | ||||||
| Sources[21] [22] | |||||||
| Groups | Parties | Seats | Total | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP–ED) |
| 26 1 1 | 28 | 43.75 | ||
| Party of European Socialists (PES) | 22 2 | 24 | 37.50 | |||
| Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) |
| 1 1 1 1 | 4 | 6.25 | ||
| European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) |
| 4 | 4 | 6.25 | ||
| European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) | 2 1 | 3 | 4.69 | |||
| Non-Inscrits (NI) |
| 1 | 1 | 1.56 | ||
| Total | 64 | 64 | 100.00 | |||
The following table lists the elected legislators:[23]
| Elected legislators | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | List | |||
| 1 | PP | |||
| 2 | PSOE–p | |||
| 3 | PP | |||
| 4 | José María Obiols i Germa (Raimon) | PSOE–p | ||
| 5 | PP | |||
| 6 | PSOE–p | |||
| 7 | PP | |||
| 8 | PSOE–p | |||
| 9 | PP | |||
| 10 | PSOE–p | |||
| 11 | Mónica María Ridruejo Ostrowska | PP | ||
| 12 | PSOE–p | |||
| 13 | IU–EUiA | |||
| 14 | PP | |||
| 15 | PSOE–p | |||
| 16 | PP | |||
| 17 | CiU | |||
| 18 | PSOE–p | |||
| 19 | PP | |||
| 20 | PP | |||
| 21 | PSOE–p | |||
| 22 | PP | |||
| 23 | PSOE–p | |||
| 24 | PP | |||
| 25 | Luis Francisco Berenguer Fuster | PSOE–p | ||
| 26 | Salvador Jove Peres | IU–EUiA | ||
| 27 | Isidoro Sánchez García | CE | ||
| 28 | Juan Ojeda Sanz | PP | ||
| 29 | Juan de Dios Izquierdo Collado | PSOE–p | ||
| 30 | CN–EP | |||
| 31 | Laura de la Paz Mercedes González Álvarez | IU–EUiA | ||
| 32 | PP | |||
| 33 | PSOE–p | |||
| 34 | Jaime Valdivielso de-Cue | PP | ||
| 35 | PSOE–p | |||
| 36 | Juan Manuel Fabra Valles | PP | ||
| 37 | PSOE–p | |||
| 38 | PP | |||
| 39 | CiU | |||
| 40 | PSOE–p | |||
| 41 | PP | |||
| 42 | PP | |||
| 43 | Joan Colom i Naval | PSOE–p | ||
| 44 | Manuel Pérez Álvarez | PP | ||
| 45 | PSOE–p | |||
| 46 | Pedro Marset Campos | IU–EUiA | ||
| 47 | PP | |||
| 48 | PSOE–p | |||
| 49 | PP | |||
| 50 | PSOE–p | |||
| 51 | María Antonia Avilés Perea | PP | ||
| 52 | PSOE–p | |||
| 53 | PP | |||
| 54 | BNG | |||
| 55 | Ana Terrón Cusi | PSOE–p | ||
| 56 | Carlos Bautista Ojeda | CE | ||
| 57 | Carlos Bartolomé Ripoll i Martínez de Bedoya | PP | ||
| 58 | PSOE–p | |||
| 59 | Jorge Salvador Hernández Mollar | PP | ||
| 60 | Carles Alfred Gasòliba i Böhm | CiU | ||
| 61 | PSOE–p | |||
| 62 | PP | |||
| 63 | Gorka Knörr Borras | CN–EP | ||
| 64 | EH | |||
0212-033X . 156. 1 July 1999. Acuerdo de 29 de junio de 1999, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se procede a la proclamación de Diputados electos al Parlamento Europeo en las elecciones celebradas el 13 de junio de 1999. Boletín Oficial del Estado. 25068.