2019 Barcelona City Council election explained

Election Name:2019 Barcelona City Council election
Country:Barcelona
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2015 Barcelona City Council election
Previous Year:2015
Next Election:2023 Barcelona City Council election
Next Year:2023
Seats For Election:All 41 seats in the City Council of Barcelona
Majority Seats:21
Opinion Polls:
  1. Opinion polls
Registered:1,142,444 1.6%
Turnout:755,983 (66.2%)
5.6 pp
Election Date:26 May 2019
Leader1:Ernest Maragall
Party1:ERC+BCN–Nova–AM
Leader Since1:27 October 2018
Last Election1:5 seats, 11.0%
Seats1:10
Seat Change1:5
Popular Vote1:161,189
Percentage1:21.4%
Swing1:10.4 pp
Leader2:Ada Colau
Party2:BComú–ECG
Leader Since2:5 February 2015
Last Election2:11 seats, 25.2%
Seats2:10
Seat Change2:1
Popular Vote2:156,493
Percentage2:20.7%
Swing2:4.5 pp
Leader3:Jaume Collboni
Party3:PSC–CP
Leader Since3:5 May 2014
Last Election3:4 seats, 9.6%
Seats3:8
Seat Change3:4
Popular Vote3:138,885
Percentage3:18.4%
Swing3:8.8 pp
Leader4:Manuel Valls
Party4:BCN CanviCs
Leader Since4:25 September 2018
Last Election4:5 seats, 11.1%
Seats4:6
Seat Change4:1
Popular Vote4:99,452
Percentage4:13.2%
Swing4:2.1 pp
Leader5:Joaquim Forn
Party5:Junts
Leader Since5:23 January 2019
Last Election5:10 seats, 22.8%
Seats5:5
Seat Change5:5
Popular Vote5:79,280
Percentage5:10.5%
Swing5:12.3 pp
Leader6:Josep Bou
Party6:People's Party of Catalonia
Leader Since6:12 December 2018
Last Election6:3 seats, 8.7%
Seats6:2
Seat Change6:1
Popular Vote6:37,786
Percentage6:5.0%
Swing6:3.7 pp
Mayor
Before Election:Ada Colau
Before Party:Barcelona en Comú
After Election:Ada Colau
After Party:Barcelona en Comú

The 2019 Barcelona City Council election, also the 2019 Barcelona municipal election, was held on Sunday, 26 May 2019, to elect the 11th City Council of the municipality of Barcelona. All 41 seats in the City Council were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain, as well as the 2019 European Parliament election in Spain.

The contest was won by Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), which under the leadership of Ernest Maragall—brother of former Barcelona mayor and president of the Government of Catalonia Pasqual Maragall with the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)—came out on top in a municipal election in Barcelona for the first time in history, as a resurgent PSC drew votes away from incumbent mayor Ada Colau's Barcelona in Common (BComú). Colau was able to retain the mayorship through an BComú—PSC alliance that received the support of Barcelona for Change (BCN Canvi) councillors under Manuel Valls, the former prime minister of France, who after his failed run at the 2017 French presidential election was nominated by the liberal Citizens (Cs) to become their mayoral candidate in his city of birth. Valls's support of Colau's investiture was based on his stated intention to prevent the pro-Catalan independence camp from securing control over Catalonia's capital city.

Together for Catalonia (JxCat), the new brand of former Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) members who had openly embraced a Catalan independence ideology following the dissolution of the Convergence and Union (CiU) federation in June 2015, fell to fifth place to a record-low 10.5% of the vote under the leadership of Joaquim Forn, the former Interior minister who was at the time at preventive detention because of his involvement in the organization of the controversial 2017 Catalan independence referendum. Concurrently, support for the People's Party (PP) plummeted even further to its worst historical showing, barely passing the five percent threshold with 5.01%, whereas the Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) was expelled from the city council altogether.

Electoral system

The City Council of Barcelona (Catalan; Valencian: Ajuntament de Barcelona, Spanish; Castilian: Ayuntamiento de Barcelona) was the top-tier administrative and governing body of the municipality of Barcelona, composed of the mayor, the government council and the elected plenary assembly.[1] Elections to the local councils in Spain were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years.[2] Voting for the local assembly was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality of Barcelona and in full enjoyment of their political rights, as well as resident non-national European citizens and those whose country of origin allowed Spanish nationals to vote in their own elections by virtue of a treaty.

Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each local council.[1] [2] Councillors were allocated to municipal councils based on the following scale:

PopulationCouncillors
<1003
101–2505
251–1,0007
1,001–2,0009
2,001–5,00011
5,001–10,00013
10,001–20,00017
20,001–50,00021
50,001–100,00025
>100,001+1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction
+1 if total is an even number

The mayor was indirectly elected by the plenary assembly. A legal clause required that mayoral candidates earned the vote of an absolute majority of councillors, or else the candidate of the most-voted party in the assembly was to be automatically appointed to the post. In the event of a tie, the appointee would be determined by lot.[1]

Council composition

The table below shows the composition of the political groups in the City Council at the time of dissolution.[3]

Parliamentary composition in April 2019
GroupsPartiesCouncillors
SeatsTotal
Barcelona in Common's Municipal GroupBComú711
ICV3
EUiA1
Democratic Municipal GroupPDeCAT89
INDEP1
Citizens's Municipal GroupCs55
Republican Municipal GroupERC44
Socialist Municipal GroupPSC44
People's Party's Municipal GroupPP33
Popular Unity Candidacy–Let's Reverse
Barcelona Municipal Group
CUP33
Non-InscritsDC12
INDEP1

Parties and candidates

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, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. For the case of Barcelona, as its population was over 1,000,001, at least 8,000 signatures were required.[2]

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

CandidacyParties and
alliances
Leading candidateIdeologyPrevious result
Votes (%)Seats
BComú–ECGAda ColauLeft-wing populism
Participatory democracy
25.21%[4]
JuntsJoaquim FornCatalan independence
Liberalism
22.75%[5]
BCN CanviCsManuel VallsLiberalism11.03%[6]
[7]
ERC+BCN–
Nova–AM
Ernest MaragallCatalan independence
Left-wing nationalism
Social democracy
11.01%[8]
[9]
PSC–CPJaume CollboniSocial democracy9.63%[10]
[11]
PPJosep BouConservatism
Christian democracy
8.71%[12]
Capgirem
BCN–AMunt
Anna SalienteCatalan independence
Anti-capitalism
Socialism
7.42%[13]

Campaign budget

Parties and alliancesBudget
(self-reported)[14]
BComú–ECG€425,000
PSC–CP€416,701
Junts€320,000
ERC+BCN–Nova–AM€246,250
Capgirem BCN–AMunt€200,000
BCN Canvi–Cs€170,000
PPNo data

According to a report from the Catalan newspaper Diari Ara, BCN Canvi–Cs candidate Manuel Valls would have received funds from a group of businessmen to prepare the campaign, that would have included a salary of €20,000 monthly for him.[15] [16] Valls rejected those accusations and said all funds he received for the campaign were declared.[17]

Opinion polls

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 poll. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 21 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Barcelona.

Results

← Summary of the 26 May 2019 City Council of Barcelona election results →
Parties and alliancesPopular voteSeats
Votes%±ppTotal+/−
ERC–Mayor Ernest Maragall+BCN–Nova–AM (ERC+BCN–Nova–AM)161,189 21.37 +10.3610 +5
Barcelona in Common–In Common We Win (BComú–ECG)156,493 20.74 –4.4710 –1
PSC–Commitment to BarcelonaUnited–Progress Candidacy (PSC–CP)138,885 18.41 +8.788 +4
Barcelona for ChangeCitizens (BCN Canvi–Cs)199,452 13.18 +2.156 +1
Together (Junts)279,280 10.51 –12.245 –5
People's Party (PP)37,786 5.01 –3.702 –1
CUP–Let's Reverse Barcelona–Municipalist Alternative (Capgirem BCN–AMunt)29,318 3.89 –3.530 –3
Barcelona is Capital–Primaries (BCAP–Primàries)28,253 3.74 New0 ±0
Vox (Vox)8,751 1.16 +0.940 ±0
Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA)6,181 0.82 ±0.000 ±0
The Eco-pacifist Greens (EVEP)1,891 0.25 New0 ±0
Citizen Force (FC's)1,197 0.16 New0 ±0
United and Socialists+ for Democracy (Unidos SI–DEF)501 0.07 New0 ±0
Blank Seats (EB)432 0.06 –0.220 ±0
Convergents (CNV)379 0.05 New0 ±0
Communist Party of the Catalan People (PCPC)373 0.05 –0.040 ±0
European Retirees Social Democratic Party (PDSJE)313 0.04 New0 ±0
Act (PACT)303 0.04 New0 ±0
Family and Life Party (PFiV)215 0.03 New0 ±0
For a Fairer World (PUM+J)195 0.03 New0 ±0
Libertarian Party (P–LIB)144 0.02 –0.020 ±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)132 0.02 –0.050 ±0
dCIDE (Of Spanish Centre-Left) (dCIDE)93 0.01 New0 ±0
We, Party of Social Regeneration (NPRS)47 0.01 New0 ±0
Barcelona is you (BCN ets tú)5 0.00 New0 ±0
Blank ballots2,635 0.35 –0.56
Total754,443 41 ±0
Valid votes754,443 99.80 +0.24
Invalid votes1,540 0.20 –0.24
Votes cast / turnout755,983 66.17 +5.58
Abstentions386,461 33.83 –5.58
Registered voters1,142,444
Sources[80] [81]

Aftermath

Investiture
Ballot →15 June 2019
Required majority →21 out of 41
Absentees
Sources[82]

References

Opinion poll sources
Other

Notes and References

  1. Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local . Law . 7 . es . 2 April 1985 . 30 June 2020.
  2. Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General . Organic Law . 5 . es . 19 June 1985 . 30 January 2020.
  3. Web site: Eleccions municipals a Barcelona (1979 - 2019) . ca . Historia Electoral.com . 1 January 2022.
  4. News: 5 December 2018 . Ada Colau anuncia que concurrirá a las primarias para ser la alcaldable de BComú . es . El Confidencial . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  5. News: Sust . Toni . 23 January 2019 . Joaquim Forn anuncia su candidatura a la alcaldía de Barcelona . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  6. News: Reino . Cristian . 25 September 2018 . Manuel Valls será candidato independiente a la alcaldía de Barcelona . es . El Correo . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  7. News: Segura . Cristian . 3 April 2019 . Manuel Valls registra su propio partido . es . El País . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  8. News: Blanchar . Clara . Noguer . Miquel . 20 September 2018 . Ernest Maragall será el candidato de Esquerra a la alcaldía de Barcelona . es . El País . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  9. News: 27 October 2018 . Ernest Maragall, proclamado candidato de ERC para la alcaldía de Barcelona . es . La Vanguardia . 16 January 2022.
  10. News: Catà . Josep . 9 January 2019 . Collboni repetirá como candidato a Barcelona . es . El País . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  11. News: 2 March 2019 . Units per Avançar concurrirá a las municipales de Barcelona en coalición con el PSC . es . El Mundo . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  12. News: Europa Press . 12 December 2018 . Josep Bou será el candidato del PP al Ayuntamiento de Barcelona . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  13. News: EFE . 2 February 2019 . Anna Saliente, candidata a alcaldesa de Barcelona por la CUP . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . Barcelona . 16 January 2022.
  14. News: 24 May 2019 . BComú i PSC, els dos partits que més han gastat en la campanya electoral de Barcelona . ca . Tot Barcelona . 24 May 2019 . 24 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190524212809/https://www.totbarcelona.cat/politica/eleccions-municipals-2019-barcelona-bcomu-psc-partits-gastat-campanya-electoral_1932656102.html . dead .
  15. News: Operació Manuel Valls: així es va finançar la seva campanya. Font Manté. Alex. 2019-06-13. Diari Ara. 2019-08-23. Pruna. Gerard. ca. Mascaró. Anna. Martín. Albert.
  16. News: Manuel Valls aurait touché 20.000 euros par mois comme candidat à la mairie de Barcelone. Nadau. Louis. 2019-06-14. Marianne. 2019-08-23. fr.
  17. Web site: Valls nega haver cobrat 20.000 euros al mes i assegura que no té patrimoni. 2019-06-30. Tot Barcelona. ca. 2019-08-23. 2019-08-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20190823200336/https://www.totbarcelona.cat/politica/valls-negar-cobrat-20-000-euros-mes-assegura-no-te-patrimoni_1936919102.html. dead.
  18. Web site: Encuesta de última hora de las elecciones municipales en Barcelona: Empate entre Maragall y Colau . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . 26 May 2019.
  19. Web site: Empate técnico entre ERC y Colau en Barcelona, según el sondeo de betevé . es . eldiario.es . 26 May 2019.
  20. Web site: Colau llega a las elecciones dos puntos por delante de Maragall . es . El Periòdic d'Andorra . 25 May 2019.
  21. Web site: Colau atrapa a Maragall a dos días de las elecciones . es . El Periòdic d'Andorra . 24 May 2019.
  22. Web site: #emojiPanel Ayto Barcelona (24M) . es . Electomanía . 24 May 2019.
  23. Web site: #emojiPanel Ayto de Barcelona (23M) . es . Electomanía . 23 May 2019.
  24. Web site: Colau reduce a un punto su distancia con Maragall . es . El Periòdic d'Andorra . 23 May 2019.
  25. Web site: #emojiPanel Ayto de Barcelona (22M) . es . Electomanía . 22 May 2019.
  26. Web site: Maragall y Colau vuelven a empatar y el PSC pierde fuelle . es . El Periòdic d'Andorra . 22 May 2019.
  27. Web site: Maragall recupera terreno en su pulso con Colau en Barcelona . es . El Periòdic d'Andorra . 21 May 2019.
  28. Web site: #emojiPanel Ayto Barcelona (21M) . es . Electomanía . 21 May 2019.
  29. Web site: Encuesta GIPEyOP: Europeas y Locales 2019 . es . GIPEyOP . 20 May 2019.
  30. Web site: Colau y Maragall, condenados a entenderse para gobernar Barcelona, según los sondeos . es . Público . 20 May 2019.
  31. Web site: #emojiPanel Ayuntamiento de Barcelona (20M) . es . Electomanía . 20 May 2019.
  32. Web site: Encuesta elecciones municipales Barcelona: Maragall pierde fuelle y Colau recorta distancias . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . 19 May 2019.
  33. Web site: Encuesta Barcelona: Maragall consolida sus opciones de victoria . es . El Nacional . 20 May 2019.
  34. Web site: Ada Colau y Maragall (ERC) se disputan Barcelona y el PSC se acerca a la pugna . es . El Confidencial . 19 May 2019.
  35. Web site: Encuesta electoral: El independentismo desbanca a Colau en Barcelona . es . La Razón . 19 May 2019.
  36. Web site: Ayuntamiento de Barcelona. Encuesta NC Report mayo 2019 . es . La Razón . 19 May 2019.
  37. Web site: #electoPanel Ayto Barcelona (17M): subida de PP, que lograría 2 concejales, CUP y BcnEsCapital, que rozan su entrada . es . Electomanía . 17 May 2019.
  38. Web site: La Alcaldía de Barcelona, en un puño entre Collboni, Colau y Maragall . es . El Mundo . 18 May 2019.
  39. Web site: Encuesta Barcelona: Maragall i Colau mantienen el pulso y Collboni se descuelga . es . El Nacional . 15 May 2019.
  40. Web site: #electoPanel Ayto Barcelona (14M): suben ERC y Colau . es . Electomanía . 14 May 2019.
  41. Web site: El independentismo se quedaría la ciudad de Barcelona . es . Crónica Global . 18 May 2019.
  42. Web site: #electoPanel Ayto Barcelona (11M): el PP da el sorpasso a la CUP y se acerca al 5% . es . Electomanía . 11 May 2019.
  43. Web site: ERC ganaría las elecciones municipales en Barcelona por un solo concejal . es . La Vanguardia . 11 May 2019.
  44. Web site: ERC ganaría a Colau en Barcelona, pero necesitaría apoyos . es . El País . 19 May 2019.
  45. Web site: Sondeo preelectoral en Barcelona de las elecciones municipales . es . El País . 19 May 2019.
  46. Web site: #electoPanel Ayto Barcelona (8M): sigue la lucha Colau-Collboni mientras PP, CUP, BcnEsCapital y Vox intentan llegar al 5% . es . Electomanía . 8 May 2019.
  47. Web site: Encuesta elecciones municipales Barcelona: Maragall ganaría pero necesitaría pactos para gobernar . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . 6 May 2019.
  48. Web site: ElectoPanel Barcelona (5M): gana ERC, empate Colau-Collboni. CUP, PP y Vox, fuera del Consistorio . es . Electomanía . 5 May 2019.
  49. Web site: Encuesta Barcelona: Maragall gana con Colau y Collboni muy cerca . es . El Nacional . 3 May 2019.
  50. Web site: Electoral Results Consultation. Congress. April 2019. Barcelona Municipality . es . Ministry of the Interior . 13 July 2020.
  51. Web site: Estimaciones de voto en Comunidades Autónomas y grandes ciudades (Estudio nº 3245. Marzo-abril 2019) . es . CIS . 9 May 2019.
  52. Web site: ElectoPanel municipal (12A): muchas ciudades pendientes de un concejal . es . Electomanía . 12 April 2019.
  53. Web site: ElectoPanel municipales (4A): Madrid en Pie no consigue entrar en el Ayuntamiento . es . Electomanía . 4 April 2019.
  54. Web site: Maragall obtendría 11 concejales y se perfila como futuro alcalde de Barcelona . es . Metrópoli Abierta . 31 March 2019.
  55. Web site: ElectoPanel Municipales (28M). Mayorías ajustadas en varias ciudades . es . Electomanía . 28 March 2019.
  56. Web site: ElectoPanel para municipales (21M): situación estable en la última semana . es . Electomanía . 21 March 2019.
  57. Web site: ElectoPanel grandes áreas metropolitanas 14M: la izquierda resiste en Valencia, Madrid se le escapa a Carmena . es . Electomanía . 14 March 2019.
  58. Web site: ElectoPanel municipal: distintas mayorías posibles y mucha igualdad en varias ciudades . es . Electomanía . 7 March 2019.
  59. Web site: Ernest Maragall podría gobernar Barcelona con comodidad . es . Crónica Global . 23 February 2018.
  60. Web site: Encuesta: ERC gana en Barcelona y las izquierdas suman mayoría . es . El Nacional . 25 February 2019.
  61. Web site: Maragall superaria Colau i Vox entraria a l'Ajuntament, segons una enquesta interna d'ERC . ca . Ara . 10 February 2019.
  62. Web site: Una encuesta da el triunfo a ERC y empate entre 'comuns' y PSC en segunda posición en Barcelona . es . La Vanguardia . 15 December 2018.
  63. Web site: Maragall llevaría a ERC a ganar la alcaldía de Barcelona . es . Crónica Global . 16 December 2018.
  64. Web site: ERC toma la delantera en la batalla de las elecciones municipales de Barcelona, según una encuesta del GESOP . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . 17 October 2018.
  65. Web site: Ciudadanos se sitúa casi a la par de BComú en Barcelona . es . La Vanguardia . 13 June 2018.
  66. Web site: Colau pierde fuelle pero volvería a ganar . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . 20 May 2018.
  67. Web site: ERC ganaría hoy las elecciones municipales en Barcelona . es . Crónica Global . 13 May 2018.
  68. Web site: BARCELONA. Elecciones municipales. Encuesta Time Consultants para Crónica Global. Abril 2018 . es . Electograph . 13 May 2018.
  69. Web site: Electoral results. Parliament of Catalonia election 2017. Barcelona (Municipality) . ca . Government of Catalonia . 13 July 2020.
  70. Web site: El independentismo castiga a Colau . es . La Razón . 19 November 2017.
  71. Web site: BARCELONA. Sondeo NC Report. Municipales. Noviembre 2017 . es . Electograph . 19 November 2017.
  72. Web site: Colau ganaría otra vez las municipales con ERC como segunda fuerza . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . 28 May 2017.
  73. Web site: Colau ganaría las municipales otra vez con ERC como principal rival . es . El Periódico de Catalunya . 28 May 2017.
  74. Web site: Electoral Results Consultation. Congress. June 2016. Barcelona Municipality . es . Ministry of the Interior . 12 November 2017.
  75. Web site: Los barceloneses suspenden la gestión de Colau en los altercados . es . La Razón . 29 May 2016.
  76. Web site: Electoral Results Consultation. Congress. December 2015. Barcelona Municipality . es . Ministry of the Interior . 12 November 2017.
  77. Web site: Electoral results. Parliament of Catalonia election 2015. Barcelona (Municipality) . ca . Government of Catalonia . 13 July 2020.
  78. Web site: PP y C's ganarían hoy en el Ayuntamiento de Madrid . es . La Razón . 25 August 2015.
  79. Web site: Encuesta agosto 2015 . es . La Razón . 25 August 2015 . 26 August 2015 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060337/http://www.larazon.es/documents/10165/0/video_content_3530164_20150825032716.pdf . dead .
  80. Web site: Local election results, 26 May 2019, in Asturias, Ávila, Badajoz, Barcelona and Biscay provinces . es . . 15 July 2019.
  81. Web site: Electoral Results Consultation. Municipal. May 2019. Barcelona Municipality . es . . 1 November 2020.
  82. News: 15 June 2019 . Ada Colau revalida la Alcaldía de Barcelona con los votos de PSC y Valls . eldiario.es . 15 June 2019.