| Election Name: | 2007 Spanish local elections |
| Country: | Spain |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2003 Spanish local elections |
| Previous Year: | 2003 |
| Next Election: | 2011 Spanish local elections |
| Next Year: | 2011 |
| Seats For Election: | 66,131 councillors in 8,111 municipal councils 1,038 seats in 38 provincial deputations |
| Opinion Polls: | 2007 Spanish local elections#Opinion polls |
| Registered: | 35,153,523 |
| Turnout: | 22,488,232 (64.0%) 3.7 pp |
| Election Date: | 27 May 2007 |
| Leader1: | Mariano Rajoy |
| Party1: | People's Party (Spain) |
| Leader Since1: | 2 September 2003 |
| Last Election1: | 23,615 c., 34.3% |
| Seats1: | 23,348 |
| Seat Change1: | 322 |
| Popular Vote1: | 7,916,075 |
| Percentage1: | 35.6% |
| Swing1: | 1.3 pp |
| Leader2: | José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero |
| Party2: | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party |
| Leader Since2: | 22 July 2000 |
| Last Election2: | 23,257 c., 34.9% |
| Seats2: | 24,029 |
| Seat Change2: | 772 |
| Popular Vote2: | 7,760,865 |
| Percentage2: | 34.9% |
| Swing2: | 0.0 pp |
| Leader3: | Gaspar Llamazares |
| Party3: | IU–ICV |
| Colour3: | 732021 |
| Leader Since3: | 29 October 2000 |
| Last Election3: | 2,624 c., 7.5% |
| Seats3: | 2,628 |
| Seat Change3: | 4 |
| Popular Vote3: | 1,559,774 |
| Percentage3: | 7.0% |
| Swing3: | 0.5 pp |
| Leader4: | Artur Mas |
| Party4: | Convergence and Union |
| Leader Since4: | 27 November 2004 |
| Last Election4: | 3,687 c., 3.4% |
| Seats4: | 3,387 |
| Seat Change4: | 300 |
| Popular Vote4: | 723,325 |
| Percentage4: | 3.3% |
| Swing4: | 0.1 pp |
| Leader5: | Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira |
| Leader Since5: | July 2004 |
| Party5: | ERC–AM |
| Colour5: | FFB232 |
| Last Election5: | 1,282 c., 1.8% |
| Seats5: | 1,591 |
| Seat Change5: | 309 |
| Popular Vote5: | 347,601 |
| Percentage5: | 1.6% |
| Swing5: | 0.2 pp |
| Leader6: | Anxo Quintana |
| Party6: | Galician Nationalist Bloc |
| Leader Since6: | 23 November 2003 |
| Last Election6: | 595 c., 1.4% |
| Seats6: | 661 |
| Seat Change6: | 66 |
| Popular Vote6: | 315,279 |
| Percentage6: | 1.4% |
| Swing6: | 0.0 pp |
| Map Size: | 435px |
The 2007 Spanish local elections were held on Sunday, 27 May 2007, to elect all 66,131 councillors in the 8,111 municipalities of Spain and all 1,038 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 eleven island councils in the Balearic and Canary Islands.
The results saw few changes overall; most incumbent governments retained their majority, with only a few exceptions. The PP government in the Balearics fell, and a coalition led by PSOE took power. While the elections were seen as a first indication of how the 2008 Spanish general election might turn out, the results proved to be inconclusive. In 2003, the PSOE had a slight edge with 34.8 against the PP's 34.3; in this election, the PP had 35.6 to the PSOE's 34.9. Turnout was slightly lower, with 63.8 instead of 67.7 four years earlier.
Voting for the local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered and residing in the corresponding municipality 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. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution. 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, in municipalities with populations below 100 inhabitants, as well as for those that made it advisable as a result of their geographical location or the convenience of a better management of municipal interests or other circumstances, 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]
The mayor was indirectly elected by the plenary assembly. A legal clause required that mayoral candidates earn 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, a toss-up would determine the appointee.
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:
Electors were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.[4]
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.[4]
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout | Lead | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 local elections | 27 May 2007 | 64.0 | 34.9 | 35.6 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 0.7 | ||
| Metroscopia/ABC[5] | 16–18 Apr 2007 | 1,002 | 65 | 38.3 | 36.2 | 5.7 | – | 2.1 | |
| 2003 local elections | 25 May 2003 | 64.0 | 34.8 | 34.3 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 0.5 | ||
| Parties and coalitions | Popular vote | Councillors | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/- | |||
| People's Party and allies (PP–UPN–EU) | 7,916,075 | 35.62 | +1.28 | 23,348 | –322 | ||
| Navarrese People's Union (UPN) | 110,910 | 0.50 | +0.06 | 336 | +1 | ||
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and allies (PSOE–PSC–ExC) | 7,760,865 | 34.92 | +0.02 | 24,029 | +772 | ||
| PSOE–Ibiza for Change (PSOE–ExC)3 | 15,415 | 0.07 | ±0.00 | 22 | –11 | ||
| United Left and allies (IU–ICV–EUiA–Aralar) | 1,559,774 | 7.02 | –0.51 | 2,628 | +4 | ||
| Ceutan Democratic Union–United Left (UDCE–IU)6 | 5,659 | 0.03 | +0.01 | 4 | +1 | ||
| Convergence and Union (CiU) | 723,325 | 3.25 | –0.20 | 3,387 | –300 | ||
| Republican Left of Catalonia–Municipal Agreement (ERC–AM) | 347,601 | 1.56 | –0.27 | 1,591 | +309 | ||
| Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) | 315,279 | 1.42 | ±0.00 | 661 | +66 | ||
| Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)7 | 310,036 | 1.39 | –0.85 | 1,043 | –628 | ||
| Andalusian Party (PA) | 237,098 | 1.07 | –0.42 | 527 | –166 | ||
| Canarian Coalition–Canarian Nationalist Party (CC–PNC)8 | 217,407 | 0.98 | –0.32 | 404 | –65 | ||
| Valencian Nationalist Bloc–The Greens Ecologist Left (Bloc–EVEE) | 105,754 | 0.48 | –0.13 | 277 | –21 | ||
| Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV)9 10 | 94,253 | 0.42 | +0.36 | 432 | +369 | ||
| Aragonese Party (PAR) | 94,079 | 0.42 | +0.05 | 983 | +76 | ||
| Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) | 73,657 | 0.33 | +0.04 | 303 | +27 | ||
| Basque Solidarity (EA) | 72,590 | 0.33 | New | 255 | +255 | ||
| The Greens (LV)11 | 72,297 | 0.33 | –0.18 | 24 | +5 | ||
| Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) | 71,226 | 0.32 | New | 13 | +13 | ||
| Aragonese Union (CHA) | 58,463 | 0.26 | –0.13 | 228 | +32 | ||
| New Canaries (NC) | 57,624 | 0.26 | New | 61 | +61 | ||
| Navarre Yes (NaBai)12 | 52,387 | 0.24 | +0.07 | 133 | +32 | ||
| Canarian Centre–Lanzarote Independents Party (CCN–PIL–IF) | 48,969 | 0.22 | +0.16 | 69 | +37 | ||
| Lanzarote Independents Party (PIL) | 8,646 | 0.04 | –0.01 | 22 | –5 | ||
| Socialist Party of Andalusia (PSA) | 48,365 | 0.22 | –0.04 | 64 | +7 | ||
| Majorcan Union (UM) | 36,558 | 0.16 | ±0.00 | 99 | –4 | ||
| Bloc–PSM–The Greens (Bloc–PSM–EV) | 35,512 | 0.16 | –0.09 | 67 | –41 | ||
| PSM–Nationalist Agreement–The Greens of Menorca (PSM–EN, EV–Me) | 1,800 | 0.01 | ±0.00 | 5 | –1 | ||
| Leonese People's Union–United Zamora (UPL–ZU)15 | 34,044 | 0.15 | –0.06 | 188 | –77 | ||
| Galician Land (TeGa) | 33,626 | 0.15 | New | 66 | +66 | ||
| Party of Almería (PdeAL) | 22,554 | 0.10 | New | 61 | +61 | ||
| Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) | 21,803 | 0.10 | +0.07 | 24 | +18 | ||
| Valencian Coalition (CVa) | 21,304 | 0.10 | New | 20 | +20 | ||
| Independent Candidacy–The Party of Castile and León (CI–PCL) | 19,885 | 0.09 | +0.03 | 149 | +84 | ||
| Galicianist Party (PG) | 19,739 | 0.09 | New | 10 | +10 | ||
| Valencian Union–The Eco-pacifist Greens (UV–LVEP) | 19,419 | 0.09 | –0.29 | 29 | –102 | ||
| Federation of Independents of Catalonia (FIC) | 17,478 | 0.08 | –0.02 | 86 | –18 | ||
| Social Democratic Party (PSD) | 14,634 | 0.07 | New | 16 | +16 | ||
| Commoners' Land (TC) | 14,331 | 0.06 | –0.01 | 93 | +51 | ||
| Vallès Alternative Candidacies (CAV) | 13,471 | 0.06 | New | 13 | +13 | ||
| Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL) | 12,705 | 0.06 | New | 38 | +38 | ||
| Independents for Extremadura (IPEx) | 12,693 | 0.06 | New | 85 | +85 | ||
| Platform for Catalonia (PxC) | 12,425 | 0.06 | +0.05 | 17 | +13 | ||
| Asturian Renewal Union–Asturianist Party (URAS–PAS)16 | 11,513 | 0.05 | –0.06 | 11 | –21 | ||
| Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) | 11,148 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Riojan Party (PR) | 11,085 | 0.05 | –0.01 | 43 | –22 | ||
| Commitment for Gran Canaria (CGCa) | 10,688 | 0.05 | New | 2 | +2 | ||
| Union of the Salamancan People (UPSa) | 10,179 | 0.05 | +0.02 | 85 | +27 | ||
| The Greens of the Community of Madrid (LVCM) | 10,061 | 0.05 | –0.04 | 5 | +3 | ||
| Independent Group for Almería (GIAL) | 9,727 | 0.04 | –0.04 | 31 | ±0 | ||
| Citizens' Movement of Cartagena (MCC) | 9,572 | 0.04 | +0.02 | 5 | +4 | ||
| Andalusian Convergence (CAnda) | 9,250 | 0.04 | New | 20 | ±0 | ||
| Roque Aguayro (RA) | 9,035 | 0.04 | ±0.00 | 15 | ±0 | ||
| Independent Solution (SI) | 8,039 | 0.04 | ±0.00 | 34 | +24 | ||
| Others | 1,089,216 | 4.90 | — | 4,359 | –192 | ||
| Blank ballots | 427,061 | 1.92 | +0.16 | ||||
| Total | 22,225,879 | 100.00 | 66,131 | +621 | |||
| Valid votes | 22,225,879 | 98.83 | +0.13 | ||||
| Invalid votes | 262,353 | 1.17 | –0.13 | ||||
| Votes cast / turnout | 22,488,232 | 63.97 | –3.70 | ||||
| Abstentions | 12,665,291 | 36.03 | +3.70 | ||||
| Registered voters | 35,153,523 | ||||||
| Sources[6] [7] | |||||||
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.
| Parties and coalitions | Seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | +/− | |||
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and allies (PSOE–PSC) | 465 | +6 | ||
| People's Party and allies (PP–EU) | 438 | +9 | ||
| Convergence and Union (CiU) | 51 | +1 | ||
| United Left and allies (IU–ICV–EUiA–Aralar) | 29 | –10 | ||
| Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) | 17 | +2 | ||
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 13 | ±0 | ||
| Aragonese Party (PAR) | 11 | +2 | ||
| Andalusian Party (PA) | 4 | –3 | ||
| Aragonese Union (CHA) | 3 | –1 | ||
| Party of Almería (PdeAL) | 2 | +2 | ||
| Valencian Nationalist Bloc–The Greens Ecologist Left (Bloc–EVEE) | 1 | ±0 | ||
| Leonese People's Union (UPL) | 1 | –1 | ||
| Zamoran Independent Electors–Zamoran People's Union (ADEIZA–UPZ) | 1 | +1 | ||
| Independent Solution (SI) | 1 | ±0 | ||
| Others | 1 | –6 | ||
| Total | 1,038 | +2 | ||
| Sources | ||||
The following table lists party control in provincial deputations.[2] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.