1991 Spanish local elections explained
Election Name: | 1991 Spanish local elections |
Country: | Spain |
Type: | parliamentary |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 1987 Spanish local elections |
Previous Year: | 1987 |
Next Election: | 1995 Spanish local elections |
Next Year: | 1995 |
Seats For Election: | 66,308 councillors in 8,060 municipal councils 1,032 seats in 38 provincial deputations |
Registered: | 30,223,384 |
Turnout: | 18,973,514 (62.8%) 6.6 pp |
Election Date: | 26 May 1991 |
Leader1: | Felipe González |
Party1: | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party |
Leader Since1: | 13 October 1974 |
Last Election1: | 23,241 c., 37.1% |
Seats1: | 25,260 |
Seat Change1: | 2,019 |
Popular Vote1: | 7,224,242 |
Percentage1: | 38.3% |
Swing1: | 1.2 pp |
Leader2: | José María Aznar |
Party2: | People's Party (Spain) |
Leader Since2: | 4 September 1989 |
Last Election2: | 17,805 c., 22.3% |
Seats2: | 19,543 |
Seat Change2: | 1,738 |
Popular Vote2: | 4,843,733 |
Percentage2: | 25.7% |
Swing2: | 3.4 pp |
Leader3: | Julio Anguita |
Party3: | United Left (Spain) |
Leader Since3: | 12 February 1989 |
Last Election3: | 2,576 c., 7.9% |
Seats3: | 2,625 |
Seat Change3: | 49 |
Popular Vote3: | 1,582,703 |
Percentage3: | 8.4% |
Swing3: | 0.5 pp |
Leader4: | Jordi Pujol |
Party4: | Convergence and Union |
Leader Since4: | 19 September 1978 |
Last Election4: | 4,350 c., 5.2% |
Seats4: | 4,360 |
Seat Change4: | 10 |
Popular Vote4: | 915,291 |
Percentage4: | 4.9% |
Swing4: | 0.3 pp |
Leader5: | Adolfo Suárez |
Party5: | Democratic and Social Centre (Spain) |
Leader Since5: | 29 July 1982 |
Last Election5: | 6,173 c., 9.9% |
Seats5: | 2,939 |
Seat Change5: | 3,234 |
Popular Vote5: | 731,331 |
Percentage5: | 3.9% |
Swing5: | 6.0 pp |
Leader6: | Pedro Pacheco |
Party6: | Andalusian Party |
Leader Since6: | June 1986 |
Last Election6: | 294 c., 1.1% |
Seats6: | 540 |
Seat Change6: | 246 |
Popular Vote6: | 342,927 |
Percentage6: | 1.8% |
Swing6: | 0.7 pp |
Map Size: | 435px |
The 1991 Spanish local elections were held on Sunday, 26 May 1991, to elect all 66,308 councillors in the 8,060 municipalities of Spain and all 1,032 seats in 38 provincial deputations.[1] [2] The elections were held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities, as well as local elections in the three foral deputations of the Basque Country and the ten island councils in the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Electoral system
- Municipal electionsMunicipalities in Spain were local corporations with independent legal personality. They had a governing body, the municipal council or corporation, composed of a mayor, deputy mayors and a plenary assembly of councillors. Voting for the local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, with all nationals over eighteen, registered in the corresponding municipality and in full enjoyment of all political rights entitled to vote. The mayor was in turn elected by the plenary assembly, with a legal clause providing for the candidate of the most-voted party to be automatically elected to the post in the event no other candidate was to gather an absolute majority of votes.
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. Councillors were allocated to municipal councils based on the following scale:
Population | Councillors |
---|
<250 | 5 |
251–1,000 | 7 |
1,001–2,000 | 9 |
2,001–5,000 | 11 |
5,001–10,000 | 13 |
10,001–20,000 | 17 |
20,001–50,000 | 21 |
50,001–100,000 | 25 |
>100,001 | +1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction +1 if total is an even number | |
Councillors of municipalities with populations between 100 and 250 inhabitants were elected under an open list partial block voting, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties and for up to four candidates. Additionally, municipalities below 100 inhabitants, as well as those whose geographical location or the best management of municipal interests or other circumstances made it advisable, were to be organized through the open council system (Spanish; Castilian: régimen de concejo abierto), in which voters would directly elect the local major.[3] [4] [5]
The electoral law provided that parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors were allowed to present lists of candidates. However, groupings of electors were required to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election:
- At least 1 percent of the electors in municipalities below 5,000 inhabitants, provided that the number of signers was more than double that of councillors at stake.
- At least 100 signatures in municipalities between 5,001 and 10,000.
- At least 500 signatures in municipalities between 10,001 and 50,000.
- At least 1,500 signatures in municipalities between 50,001 and 150,000.
- At least 3,000 signatures in municipalities between 150,001 and 300,000.
- At least 5,000 signatures in municipalities between 300,001 and 1,000,000.
- At least 8,000 signatures in municipalities over 1,000,001.
Electors were barred from signing for more than one list of candidates. Concurrently, parties and federations intending to enter in coalition to take part jointly at an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election being called.[3] [4]
- Deputations and island councilsProvincial deputations were the governing bodies of provinces in Spain, having an administration role of municipal activities and composed of a provincial president, an administrative body, and a plenary. Basque provinces had foral deputations instead—called Juntas Generales—, whereas deputations for single-province autonomous communities were abolished: their functions transferred to the corresponding regional parliaments. For insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, deputations were replaced by island councils in each of the islands or group of islands. For Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza–Formentera this figure was referred to in Spanish as consejo insular (Catalan; Valencian: consell insular), whereas for Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma its name was cabildo insular.
Most deputations were indirectly elected by local councillors from municipalities in each judicial district. Seats were allocated to provincial deputations based on the following scale:
Population | Seats |
---|
<500,000 | 25 |
500,001–1,000,000 | 27 |
1,000,001–3,500,000 | 31 |
>3,500,001 | 51 | |
Island councils and foral deputations were elected directly by electors under their own, specific electoral regulations.[3] [4]
Municipal elections
Overall
← Summary of the 26 May 1991 municipal election results in Spain →Parties and coalitions | Popular vote | Councillors |
---|
Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− |
---|
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 7,224,242 | 38.34 | +1.26 | 25,260 | +2,019 |
| People's Party (PP) | 4,843,733 | 25.71 | +3.45 | 19,543 | +1,738 |
People's Party (PP)1 | 4,775,051 | 25.34 | +3.38 | 19,298 | +1,654 |
Navarrese People's Union (UPN)2 | 68,682 | 0.36 | +0.06 | 245 | +84 |
| United Left (IU) | 1,582,703 | 8.40 | +0.53 | 2,625 | +49 |
United Left (IU)3 | 1,579,097 | 8.38 | +0.53 | 2,614 | +48 |
Agreement of the Left of Menorca (PSM–EU) | 3,606 | 0.02 | ±0.00 | 11 | +1 |
| Convergence and Union (CiU) | 915,291 | 4.86 | –0.29 | 4,360 | +10 |
| Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)4 | 731,331 | 3.88 | –6.04 | 2,939 | –3,234 |
| Andalusian Party (PA) | 342,927 | 1.82 | +0.68 | 540 | +246 |
| Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | 299,840 | 1.59 | +0.35 | 993 | +174 |
| Popular Unity (HB) | 199,090 | 1.06 | –0.17 | 701 | +32 |
| Valencian Union (UV) | 187,385 | 0.99 | +0.23 | 335 | +120 |
| Canarian Independent Groups (AIC) | 140,462 | 0.75 | +0.03 | 281 | +38 |
| Basque Solidarity (EA) | 131,384 | 0.70 | –0.36 | 393 | –104 |
| Aragonese Party (PAR) | 128,025 | 0.68 | +0.02 | 1,221 | +325 |
| Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) | 107,932 | 0.57 | +0.26 | 241 | +102 |
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 92,003 | 0.49 | +0.10 | 228 | +40 |
| The Greens (LV) | 82,361 | 0.44 | +0.34 | 5 | +3 |
| Union for the Progress of Cantabria (UPCA) | 71,683 | 0.38 | New | 285 | +285 |
| Basque Country Left (EE) | 71,382 | 0.38 | –0.17 | 105 | –52 |
| Valencian People's Union (UPV) | 54,951 | 0.29 | +0.14 | 92 | +27 |
| Galician Nationalist Convergence (CG–CdG)6 | 52,196 | 0.28 | –0.33 | 137 | –269 |
| Galician Socialist Party–Galician Left (PSG–EG) | 39,116 | 0.21 | –0.08 | 46 | –14 |
| Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PCC) | 30,802 | 0.16 | New | 25 | +25 |
Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PCC) | 14,521 | 0.08 | New | 4 | +4 |
Left Proposal–Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PEC–PCC) | 9,468 | 0.05 | New | 5 | +5 |
Left Proposal for Catalonia (PEC) | 6,813 | 0.04 | New | 16 | +16 |
| Canarian Nationalist Assembly (ACN)7 | 26,188 | 0.14 | –0.07 | 30 | –10 |
| The Greens Ecologist–Humanist List (PH–LE–FV) | 25,136 | 0.13 | –0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
The Greens Ecologist–Humanist List (LVLE–H)8 | 16,408 | 0.09 | –0.04 | 0 | ±0 |
The Ecologists (LE) | 8,495 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 |
Humanist Party (PH) | 233 | 0.00 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| Ruiz-Mateos Group (ARM) | 23,404 | 0.12 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| Independent Solution (SI) | 21,951 | 0.12 | –0.25 | 61 | –68 |
| Alavese Unity (UA) | 21,269 | 0.11 | New | 39 | +39 |
| Socialist Party of Majorca–Nationalists of Majorca (PSM–NM) | 20,981 | 0.11 | +0.05 | 54 | +29 |
| Liberal Independent Group (GIL) | 20,531 | 0.11 | New | 19 | +19 |
| Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) | 18,966 | 0.10 | –0.04 | 69 | –31 |
| Regional Electoral Coalition (PCAN–PRM)9 | 16,180 | 0.09 | –0.05 | 12 | +2 |
| Workers' Socialist Party (PST) | 11,366 | 0.06 | +0.05 | 0 | ±0 |
| Asturian Coalition (PAS–UNA)10 | 10,891 | 0.06 | +0.04 | 6 | +4 |
| Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) | 10,829 | 0.06 | –0.04 | 11 | +5 |
| Aragonese Union (CHA) | 10,196 | 0.05 | +0.03 | 16 | +14 |
| Independent Union of Majorca–Independents of Majorca (UIM–IM) | 10,159 | 0.05 | New | 21 | +21 |
| Green Union (UVE–LVA) | 9,943 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| Leonese People's Union (UPL) | 9,595 | 0.05 | +0.03 | 28 | +15 |
| Progress and Future of Ceuta (PFC) | 9,420 | 0.05 | New | 11 | +11 |
| Granadin Unity (UG) | 9,333 | 0.05 | New | 53 | +53 |
| Socialist Democracy (DS) | 8,747 | 0.05 | New | 4 | +4 |
| Riojan Party (PR) | 8,461 | 0.04 | ±0 | 82 | +31 |
| United Extremadura (EU) | 8,392 | 0.04 | –0.05 | 32 | –80 |
| Others | 988,562 | 5.25 | — | 5,405 | –887 |
Blank ballots | 212,201 | 1.13 | +0.02 | |
|
Total | 18,841,540 | 100.00 | | 66,308 | +731 |
|
Valid votes | 18,841,540 | 99.30 | +0.56 | |
Invalid votes | 131,974 | 0.70 | –0.56 |
Votes cast / turnout | 18,973,514 | 62.78 | –6.64 |
Abstentions | 11,249,870 | 37.22 | +6.64 |
Registered voters | 30,223,384 | |
|
Sources[6] [7] |
| |
City control
The following table lists party control in provincial capitals, as well as in municipalities above or around 75,000.[8] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Municipality | Population | Previous control | New control |
---|
A Coruña | 256,579 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Albacete | 129,002 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Alcalá de Henares | 155,548 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Alcobendas | 78,295 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Alcorcón | 141,080 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Algeciras | 102,079 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Alicante | 267,485 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Almería | 161,566 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Ávila | 46,992 | | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | | People's Party (PP) |
Avilés | 88,429 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Badajoz | 126,781 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Badalona | 225,207 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Barakaldo | 108,588 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Barcelona | 1,707,286 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Bilbao | 383,798 | | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) |
Burgos | 163,507 | | People's Party (PP) | | People's Party (PP) |
Cáceres | 73,915 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Cádiz | 156,903 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Cartagena | 175,966 | | Cantonal Party (PCAN) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Castellón de la Plana | 135,863 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | People's Party (PP) |
Ciudad Real | 58,175 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Córdoba | 307,275 | | United Left (IU) | | United Left (IU) |
Cornellà de Llobregat | 86,287 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Cuenca | 43,209 | | People's Party (PP) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Dos Hermanas | 72,717 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Elche | 184,912 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Ferrol | 86,272 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | People's Party (PP) |
Fuenlabrada | 141,496 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Getafe | 139,068 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Getxo | 81,795 | | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) |
Gijón | 264,948 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Girona | 70,893 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Granada | 268,674 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Guadalajara | 63,581 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | United Left (IU) |
Huelva | 141,002 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Huesca | 42,805 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Jaén | 109,338 | | People's Party (PP) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Jerez de la Frontera | 186,812 | | Andalusian Party (PA) | | Andalusian Party (PA) |
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat | 276,198 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Las Palmas | 373,846 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) |
Leganés | 172,729 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
León | 137,758 | | People's Party (PP) | | People's Party (PP) |
Lleida | 111,825 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Logroño | 121,911 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Lugo | 81,493 | | Galician Coalition (CG) | | People's Party (PP) |
Madrid | 3,120,732 | | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | | People's Party (PP) |
Málaga | 560,495 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Marbella | 81,876 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Liberal Independent Group (GIL) |
Mataró | 101,882 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Móstoles | 189,707 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Murcia | 322,911 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Ourense | 109,283 | | Independents of Galicia (IG) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Oviedo | 194,637 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | People's Party (PP) |
Palencia | 77,464 | | People's Party (PP) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Palma | 325,120 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | People's Party (PP) |
Pamplona | 183,525 | | Navarrese People's Union (UPN) | | Navarrese People's Union (UPN) |
Pontevedra | 70,356 | | Independents of Galicia (IG) | | People's Party (PP) |
Reus | 86,407 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Sabadell | 192,142 | | Initiative for Catalonia (IC) | | Initiative for Catalonia (IC) |
Salamanca | 162,037 | | People's Party (PP) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
San Cristóbal de La Laguna | 118,548 | | Canarian Independent Groups (AIC) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
San Fernando | 83,923 | | Andalusian Party (PA) | | Andalusian Party (PA) |
San Sebastián | 183,944 | | Basque Solidarity (EA) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Sant Boi de Llobregat | 78,882 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Santa Coloma de Gramenet | 135,486 | | Initiative for Catalonia (IC) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 222,892 | | Canarian Independent Groups (AIC) | | Canarian Independent Groups (AIC) |
Santander | 194,221 | | People's Party (PP) | | People's Party (PP) |
Santiago de Compostela | 91,419 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Segovia | 55,188 | | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | | People's Party (PP) |
Seville | 678,218 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Andalusian Party (PA) |
Soria | 32,609 | | People's Party (PP) | | People's Party (PP) |
Tarragona | 112,360 | | Convergence and Union (CiU) | | Convergence and Union (CiU) |
Telde | 78,978 | | United Left (IU) | | Nationalist Canarian Assembly (ACN) |
Terrassa | 161,682 | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) | | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) |
Teruel | 28,488 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Aragonese Party (PAR) |
Toledo | 60,671 | | People's Party (PP) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Torrejón de Ardoz | 86,678 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Valencia | 758,738 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | People's Party (PP) |
Valladolid | 333,680 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Vigo | 279,986 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Vitoria-Gasteiz | 209,506 | | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) |
Zamora | 63,436 | | People's Party (PP) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
Zaragoza | 592,686 | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | |
Provincial deputations
Summary
Deputation control
The following table lists party control in provincial deputations.[2] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Notes and References
- Web site: Municipal elections in Spain 1979-2011 . interior.gob.es . Ministry of the Interior . es . 12 August 2017.
- Web site: Provincial deputation elections since 1979 . es . historiaelectoral.com . 24 September 2017.
- General Electoral System Organic Law of 1985 . Organic Law . 5 . . es . 19 June 1985 . 28 December 2016.
- Web site: Representation of the people Institutional Act . . . juntaelectoralcentral.es . Central Electoral Commission . 16 June 2017.
- Regulation of the Basis of Local Regimes Law of 1985 . Law . 7 . . es . 2 April 1985 . 27 August 2017.
- Web site: Electoral Results Consultation. Municipal. May 1991. National totals . es . infoelectoral.mir.es . Ministry of the Interior . 24 September 2017.
- Web site: Municipal elections (overall results 1979-2011) . es . historiaelectoral.com . 24 September 2017.
- Web site: Municipal elections (city majors by party) . historiaelectoral.com . Historia Electoral . es . 24 February 2018.