14th National Congress of the People's Party (Spain)

14th National Congress of the PP
3,156 delegates in the national congress; Plurality needed to win
	Opinion polls
Turnout	2,541 (80.5%) (president); 2,541 (80.5%) (board)
President before election; José María Aznar;	Elected President ; José María Aznar;

The 14th National Congress of the People's Party was held in Madrid from 25 to 27 January 2002, to renovate the governing bodies of the People's Party (PP) and establish the party's main lines of action and strategy for the next leadership term. It saw José María Aznar being re-elected unopposed for a fifth term as party president, with 99.6% of the delegate vote in the congress (2,528 votes) and 0.4% of blank ballots (10).^[1]^[2]

Candidates

Candidate	Age	Notable positions	Announced	Eliminated	Ref.
Elected edit
Candidate elected as president.
José María Aznar	48	President pro tempore of the Council of the European Union (since 2002) Prime Minister of Spain (since 1996) President of the PP (since 1990) Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Ávila and Madrid (1982–1987 and since 1989) President of AP/PP of Castile and León (1985–1991) President of the Junta of Castile and León (1987–1989) Procurator in the Cortes of Castile and León for Ávila (1987–1989) Secretary-General of AP in La Rioja (1979–1980).	29 October 2001	Y Elected	^[3] ^[4]

Declined

The individuals in this section were the subject of speculation about their possible candidacy, but publicly denied or recanted interest in running:

Javier Arenas (age 43) — Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Seville (1989–1994 and since 2000); Secretary-General of the PP (since 1999); Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Spain (1996–1999); President of the PP of Andalusia (1993–1999); Senator in the Cortes Generales appointed by the Parliament of Andalusia (1994–1996); Deputy in the Parliament of Andalusia for Seville (1986–1989 and 1994–1996).
Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón (age 42) — President of the Community of Madrid (since 1995); Deputy in the Assembly of Madrid (since 1987); Spokesperson of the PP Group in the Senate of Spain (1993–1995); Senator in the Cortes Generales appointed by the Assembly of Madrid (1987–1995); Spokesperson of the AP/PP Group in the Assembly of Madrid (1987–1993); Vice President of AP (1987–1989); Secretary-General of AP (1986–1987); City Councillor of Madrid (1983–1987).
Jaime Mayor Oreja (age 50) — Deputy in the Basque Parliament for Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa (1980, 1984–1986, 1990–1996 and since 2001); Deputy Secretary-General of the PP (since 1996); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa (1982, 1989–1990 and 1996–2001); Minister of the Interior of Spain (1996–2001); Spokesperson of the PP Group in the Basque Parliament (1990–1996); President of the PP of the Basque Country (1989–1996); Government's Delegate in the Basque Country (1982–1983); Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade of the Basque Country (1979–1980).
Mariano Rajoy (age 46) — Minister of the Interior of Spain (since 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister of Spain (since 2000); Deputy Secretary-General of the PP (since 1990); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Pontevedra and Madrid (1986 and since 1989); Minister of the Presidency of Spain (2000–2001); Minister of Education and Culture of Spain (1999–2000); Minister of Public Administrations of Spain (1996–1999); President of AP/PP in Pontevedra (1983–1986 and 1987–1991); Vice President of the Xunta de Galicia (1986–1987); President of the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra (1983–1986); City Councillor of Pontevedra (1983–1986); Deputy in the Parliament of Galicia for Pontevedra (1981–1985); Director-General of Institutional Relations of Galicia (1982).
Rodrigo Rato (age 52) — Second Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Spain (since 2000); Minister of Economy of Spain (since 2000); Deputy Secretary-General of the PP (since 1996); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Cádiz and Madrid (since 1982); Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain (1996–2000); Minister of Economy and Finance of Spain (1996–2000); Spokesperson of the PP Group in the Congress of Deputies (1989–1996).

Opinion polls

Poll results are listed in the tables below in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first, and using the date the survey's fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. If such date is unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed in bold, and the background shaded in the candidate's colour. In the instance of a tie, the figures with the highest percentages are shaded.

PP voters

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				Other /None	Lead

			Mayor Oreja	Rajoy	Rato
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 1]}	25–28 Jun 2001	1,506	–	25.6	53.3	21.1	27.7
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 2]}	16–18 Apr 2001	1,514	–	26.9	51.1	22.0	24.2
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 3]}	29–31 Jan 2001	1,519	11.8	8.7	16.6	62.9	4.8

Spanish voters

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size								Other /None	?	Lead

			Gallardón	Mayor Oreja	Rajoy	Rato	Arenas	Zaplana	De Palacio
Sigma Dos/El Mundo^{[p 4]}	26–28 Dec 2001	?	4.4	7.9	11.8	7.6	4.9	3.3	0.7	–	59.4	3.9
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 5]}	22–23 Oct 2001	1,509	–	–	35.5	33.0	–	–	–	31.5		2.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 5]}	22–23 Oct 2001	1,509	5.5	10.7	8.1	9.0	1.6	–	–	65.1		1.7
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 1]}	25–28 Jun 2001	1,506	–	–	24.1	41.6	–	–	–	34.3		17.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 1]}	25–28 Jun 2001	1,506	8.8	11.9	4.9	9.5	1.5	–	–	63.4		2.4
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 2]}	16–18 Apr 2001	1,514	–	–	27.4	37.5	–	–	–	35.1		10.1
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 2]}	16–18 Apr 2001	1,514	5.1	11.5	7.2	11.3	1.6	–	–	18.5	44.8	0.2
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 3]}	29–31 Jan 2001	1,519	–	–	24.4	41.9	–	–	–	33.7		17.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 3]}	29–31 Jan 2001	1,519	5.3	9.8	5.9	9.8	4.0	–	–	19.4	45.8	Tie
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 6]}	30–31 Oct 2000	1,210	–	–	26.3	41.6	–	–	–	32.1		15.3
Vox Pública/El Periódico^{[p 6]}	30–31 Oct 2000	1,210	5.6	7.0	7.3	15.2	3.1	–	–	61.8		7.9

Results

Summary of the 25 January 2002 congress results
Candidate		President		Board
Candidate		Votes	%	Votes	%
	José María Aznar	2,528	99.61	2,525	99.53
Blank ballots		10	0.39	12	0.47

Total		2,538		2,537

Valid votes		2,538	99.88	2,537	99.84
Invalid votes		3	0.12	4	0.16
Votes cast / turnout		2,541	80.51	2,541	80.51
Abstentions		615	19.49	615	19.49
Registered voters		3,156		3,156

Sources^[5]^[6]

Vote by delegates (President)

Aznar			99.61%
Blank ballots			0.39%

Vote by delegates (Board)

Aznar			99.53%
Blank ballots			0.47%

References

Opinion poll sources

^ ^a ^b "La sucesión de Aznar". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 8 July 2001.
^ ^a ^b "Mayor desplaza a Zapatero como dirigente mejor valorado". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 28 April 2001.
^ ^a ^b "Zapatero es el preferido para presidir el Gobierno". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 11 February 2001.
^ "La sucesión de Aznar" (PDF). El Mundo (in Spanish). 11 November 2002.
^ "Zapatero pierde ventaja". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 28 October 2001.
^ "Zapatero casi iguala al líder popular y supera a los delfines de éste para llegar a la Moncloa". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 12 November 2000.

Other

^ Bareño, Gonzalo (25 January 2002). "Aznar, elegido por quinta vez presidente del PP con 99,6 % votos". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
^ "Alianza Popular / Partido Popular". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 March 2023.
^ Debido, Juan Manuel (29 October 2001). "Alegría del PP al ser designado Zaplana para presidir el XIV Congreso Nacional". ABC (in Spanish). Valencia. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
^ "Aznar reitera que no volverá a presentarse". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. 12 November 2001. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
^ "El PP refrenda el último mandato de Aznar con un abrumador 99,6% de votos". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
^ "Una dirección continuista con pocas caras nuevas en los puestos decisivos". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[VPJun01-5] "La sucesión de Aznar". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 8 July 2001.

[VPApr01-6] "Mayor desplaza a Zapatero como dirigente mejor valorado". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 28 April 2001.

[VPJan01-7] "Zapatero es el preferido para presidir el Gobierno". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 11 February 2001.

[8] "La sucesión de Aznar" (PDF). El Mundo (in Spanish). 11 November 2002.

[9] "Zapatero pierde ventaja". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 28 October 2001.

[10] "Zapatero casi iguala al líder popular y supera a los delfines de éste para llegar a la Moncloa". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 12 November 2000.

[1] Bareño, Gonzalo (25 January 2002). "Aznar, elegido por quinta vez presidente del PP con 99,6 % votos". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 25 March 2022.

[2] "Alianza Popular / Partido Popular". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 March 2023.

[3] Debido, Juan Manuel (29 October 2001). "Alegría del PP al ser designado Zaplana para presidir el XIV Congreso Nacional". ABC (in Spanish). Valencia. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[4] "Aznar reitera que no volverá a presentarse". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. 12 November 2001. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[11] "El PP refrenda el último mandato de Aznar con un abrumador 99,6% de votos". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[12] "Una dirección continuista con pocas caras nuevas en los puestos decisivos". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

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