1989 European Parliament election in Spain

The 1989 European Parliament election in Spain was held on Thursday, 15 June 1989, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 3rd European Parliament. All 60 seats allocated to Spain as per the 1985 Treaty of Accession were up for election.

1989 European Parliament election in Spain

← 1987 15 June 1989 1994 →

All 60 Spanish seats in the European Parliament
Opinion polls
Registered29,283,982 Green arrow up2.9%
Turnout16,022,276 (54.7%)
Red arrow down13.8 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Fernando Morán Marcelino Oreja José Ramón Caso
Party PSOE PP CDS
Alliance SOC ED (EPP) LDR
Leader since 10 April 1987 20 January 1989 28 April 1989
Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain
Last election 28 seats, 39.1% 17 seats, 25.5%[a] 7 seats, 10.3%
Seats won 27 15 5
Seat change Red arrow down1 Red arrow down2 Red arrow down2
Popular vote 6,275,552 3,395,015 1,133,429
Percentage 39.6% 21.4% 7.1%
Swing Green arrow up0.5 pp Red arrow down4.1 pp Red arrow down3.2 pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Fernando Pérez Royo Carles Gasòliba José María Ruiz-Mateos
Party IU CiU Ruiz-Mateos
Alliance COM (EUL) LDR
EPP
EDA
Leader since 25 April 1987 1 January 1986 7 May 1987
Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain
Last election 3 seats, 5.3% 3 seats, 4.4% 0 seats, 0.6%
Seats won 4 2 2
Seat change Green arrow up1 Red arrow down1 Green arrow up2
Popular vote 961,742 666,602 608,560
Percentage 6.1% 4.2% 3.8%
Swing Green arrow up0.8 pp Red arrow down0.2 pp Green arrow up3.2 pp

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) emerged as the largest party, followed by the newly amalgamated People's Party (PP) and Adolfo Suárez's Democratic and Social Centre—both of which scoring far below expectations—, as well as left-wing United Left (IU), which improved slightly on its 1987 performance. Ruiz-Mateos Group was the election surprise by winning two seats, with former Rumasa CEO and party leader José María Ruiz Mateos being elected as MEP—which granted him immunity from criminal prosecution, as he had been a fugitive from Spanish justice at the time of his election—. Registered turnout was a record low at the time for a nationwide election held in Spain, with abstention peaking at 45.3%.[1]

The election was largely influenced by a recent string of PP–CDS agreements to vote no confidence motions on PSOE local governments, which included the Madrid city council and regional governments.[2][3][4] This was said to have influenced the election's outcome, which had resulted in a sizeable PSOE win and a collapse in support for both the PP and CDS.[5][6] His party's showing in this election was said to be one of the reasons that led Prime Minister Felipe González to call a snap general election for 29 October 1989.[7][8]

Electoral system

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60 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the 1985 Treaty of Accession. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.[9][10]

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. The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.[11]

Outgoing delegation

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Outgoing delegation in May 1989[12]
Groups Parties MEPs
Seats Total
Socialist Group PSOE 29 29
European Democrats PP 17 17
Communist and Allies PCE 1 3
PASOC 1
PSUC 1
Liberal and Democratic Reformist Group CDC 2 2
European People's Party UDC 1 1
Rainbow Group EA 1 1
Non-Inscrits CDS 6 7
HB 1

Parties and candidates

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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.[9]

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

Candidacy Parties and
alliances
Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Ref.
Votes (%) Seats
PSOE   Fernando Morán Social democracy 39.06% 28 [13]
[14]
PP   Marcelino Oreja Conservatism
Christian democracy
25.54%[a] 15 [15]
CDS   José Ramón Caso Centrism
Liberalism
10.26% 7 [16]
IU   Fernando Pérez Royo Socialism
Communism
5.25% 3 [17]
CiU   Carles Gasòliba Catalan nationalism
Centrism
4.43% 3
HB   Txema Montero Basque independence
Abertzale left
Revolutionary socialism
1.87% 1
PEP   Carlos Garaikoetxea Left-wing nationalism 1.70%[b] 1
CN   Jon Gangoiti Regionalism 1.75%[c] 0
IP   Juan María Bandrés Left-wing nationalism 1.36%[d] 0
FPR
List
  Héctor Villalba Regionalism 1.12%[e] 0
PA
List
  Pedro Pacheco Andalusian nationalism
Social democracy
0.96% 0
Ruiz-Mateos
List
  José María Ruiz-Mateos Right-wing populism 0.61%[f] 0 [18]

Opinion polls

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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.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Results

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Overall

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Summary of the 15 June 1989 European Parliament election results in Spain
 
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 6,275,552 39.57 +0.51 27 –1
People's Party (PP)1 3,395,015 21.41 –4.13 15 –2
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 1,133,429 7.15 –3.11 5 –2
United Left (IU) 961,742 6.06 +0.81 4 +1
Convergence and Union (CiU) 666,602 4.20 –0.23 2 –1
Ruiz-Mateos Group (Ruiz-Mateos)2 608,560 3.84 +3.23 2 +2
Nationalist Coalition (CN)3 303,038 1.91 +0.16 1 +1
Andalusian Party (PA) 295,047 1.86 +0.90 1 +1
Left of the Peoples (IP)4 290,286 1.83 +0.47 1 +1
Popular Unity (HB) 269,094 1.70 –0.17 1 ±0
For the Europe of the Peoples (PEP)5 238,909 1.51 –0.19 1 ±0
Workers' Party of Spain–Communist Unity (PTE–UC) 197,095 1.24 +0.08 0 ±0
Green List (Adhered to the European Greens) (LV)6 164,524 1.04 +0.14 0 ±0
The Ecologist Greens (LVE) 161,903 1.02 New 0 ±0
Federation of Regional Parties (FPR)7 151,835 0.96 –0.16 0 ±0
Communist Party of the Peoples of SpainPCC (PCPE–PCC) 79,970 0.50 New 0 ±0
National Front (FN) 60,672 0.38 –0.26 0 ±0
Spanish Vertex Ecological Development Revindication (VERDE) 58,686 0.37 New 0 ±0
Social Democratic Coalition (CSD) 52,577 0.33 +0.20 0 ±0
Green Alternative–Ecologist Movement of Catalonia (AV–MEC) 47,250 0.30 New 0 ±0
Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) 46,052 0.29 +0.01 0 ±0
Workers' Socialist PartyRevolutionary Workers' Party (PST–PORE)8 38,683 0.24 –0.32 0 ±0
Europe for Life (EPV) 30,252 0.19 New 0 ±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) 24,340 0.15 +0.03 0 ±0
Free Catalonia (CLL) 19,774 0.12 New 0 ±0
Humanist Party (PH) 19,356 0.12 ±0.00 0 ±0
Alliance for the Republic (AxR)9 17,189 0.11 –0.02 0 ±0
Asturian Nationalist Unity (UNA) 13,165 0.08 New 0 ±0
Centrist Unity–Democratic Spanish Party (PED) 10,392 0.07 +0.02 0 ±0
Andalusian Liberation (LA) 9,421 0.06 +0.01 0 ±0
Initiative for a European Democracy (IDE) 8,789 0.06 New 0 ±0
Carlist Party (PC) 8,477 0.05 New 0 ±0
BACTERIA Electors' Group (BACTERIA) 0 0.00 New 0 ±0
Blank ballots 200,794 1.27 +0.28
Total 15,858,470 60 ±0
Valid votes 15,858,470 98.98 +0.17
Invalid votes 163,806 1.02 –0.17
Votes cast / turnout 16,022,276 54.71 –13.81
Abstentions 13,261,706 45.29 +13.81
Registered voters 29,283,982
Sources[19][20]
Footnotes:
Popular vote
PSOE
39.57%
PP
21.41%
CDS
7.15%
IU
6.06%
CiU
4.20%
Ruiz-Mateos
3.84%
CN
1.91%
PA
1.86%
IP
1.83%
HB
1.70%
PEP
1.51%
PTE–UC
1.24%
LV
1.04%
LVE
1.02%
Others
4.39%
Blank ballots
1.27%
Seats
PSOE
45.00%
PP
25.00%
CDS
8.33%
IU
6.67%
CiU
3.33%
Ruiz-Mateos
3.33%
CN
1.67%
PA
1.67%
IP
1.67%
HB
1.67%
PEP
1.67%

Distribution by European group

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Summary of political group distribution in the 3rd European Parliament (1989–1994)[21]
Groups Parties Seats Total %
Socialist Group (SOC) 27 27 45.00
European People's Party (EPP) 15
1
16 26.67
Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (LDR) 5
1
6 10.00
European United Left (EUL) 2
1
1
4 6.67
Rainbow Group (RBW) 1
1
2 3.33
The Green Group in the European Parliament (G) 1 1 1.67
Non-Inscrits (NI) 2
1
1

4 6.67
Total 60 60 100.00

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Results for AP (24.65%, 17 seats) and PDP (0.89%, 0 seats) in the 1987 election.
  2. ^ Results for CEP in the 1987 election.
  3. ^ Results for UE (1.18%, 0 seats), AIC (0.50, 0 seats) and PANCAL (0.07%, 0 seats) in the 1987 election.
  4. ^ Results for IP in the 1987 election.
  5. ^ Results for UV (0.84%, 0 seats), EU (0.20%, 0 seats) and PRC (0.08%, 0 seats) in the 1987 election.
  6. ^ Results for AS in the 1987 election.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an Within PP.

References

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Opinion poll sources
  1. ^ "El PSOE, satisfecho de su triunfo porque no se ve una alternativa clara al Gobierno". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 16 June 1989.
  2. ^ "El PSOE resiste, erosión del PP y CDS y ascenso de grupos minoritarios". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 16 June 1989.
  3. ^ "La abstención hace que los pequeños ganen la "pedrea"". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 16 June 1989.
  4. ^ a b c "Los sondeos electorales de los medios de comunicación muestran el retroceso del PSOE". ABC (in Spanish). 9 June 1989.
  5. ^ "Los partidos grandes repiten, los menores cambian". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 9 June 1989.
  6. ^ "El PSOE pierde de 3 a 5 escaños, IU gana 1 y el centro-derecha se mantiene". El País (in Spanish). 9 June 1989.
  7. ^ "Izquierda Unida y las minorías mejoran a costa del PSOE". El País (in Spanish). 9 June 1989.
  8. ^ "Ficha técnica". El País (in Spanish). 9 June 1989.
  9. ^ a b c "Sondejos". Generalitat de Catalunya (in Catalan). Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  10. ^ "El hipotético relevo de Pujol". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 3 June 1989.
  11. ^ a b "Una vez más, las encuestas de opinión no acertaron en sus estimaciones electorales". ABC (in Spanish). 19 June 1989.
  12. ^ "Desciende el PSOE y suben centristas y comunistas". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 4 June 1989.
  13. ^ "El PSOE perderá tres escaños, pero el centro-derecha no sube". El País (in Spanish). 28 May 1989.
  14. ^ "El PSOE perderá diputados en el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). 28 May 1989.
  15. ^ "Ficha técnica". El País (in Spanish). 28 May 1989.
  16. ^ "PSOE y PP repiten resultados y HB se queda sin escaño, dice un sondeo del CIS". ABC (in Spanish). 20 May 1989.
  17. ^ "El Gobierno estudia adelantar las elecciones". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 1 May 1989.
  18. ^ "Sigue la tónica de ligero descenso del PSOE y mejora de la oposición". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 16 April 1989.
  19. ^ "El CIS da más del 40% al PSOE". El País (in Spanish). 26 April 1989.
  20. ^ "Fuerte descenso electoral del PSOE, según una encuesta". ABC (in Spanish). 8 March 1989.
Other
  1. ^ "La abstención quita escaños a los grandes y se los da a los pequeños". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 16 June 1989. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  2. ^ González Ibañez, Juan (9 May 1989). "Fraga anuncia su acuerdo con el CDS para derribar a Barranco, Leguina y cuatro alcaldes socialistas". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  3. ^ Montoliu, Pedro (18 May 1989). "Centristas y populares presentan la moción de censura contra el alcalde de Madrid". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  4. ^ "La moción de censura contra Leguina se votará tras las elecciones europeas". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 30 May 1989. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Caso admite que puede haber sido un error presentar mociones de censura con el PP". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 24 June 1989. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  6. ^ Díez, Anabel (7 August 1989). "El CDS se desmarca de los populares tras el daño electoral y la desmoralización de sus bases". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  7. ^ González Ibañez, Juan (19 August 1989). "Felipe González, claramente favorable al adelanto de las elecciones tras reflexionar en Doñana". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  8. ^ González Ibañez, Juan (26 August 1989). "González convocará las legislativas para el 29 de octubre". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  9. ^ a b Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General (Organic Law 5) (in Spanish). 19 June 1985. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  10. ^ Treaty concerning the accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic to the European Economic Community and to the European Atomic Energy Community. 15 November 1985. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  11. ^ Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  13. ^ Díez, Anabel (7 April 1987). "Fernando Morán encabezará la candidatura del PSOE para el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Morán vuelve a ser el cabeza de lista del PSOE al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 9 February 1989. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  15. ^ González Ibáñez, Juan; Prieto, Joaquín (20 January 1989). "Manuel Fraga lanza hoy el Partido Popular como clave de la renovación del centro-derecha". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Confirmada la entrada de Caso en la lista europea de los centristas". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 28 April 1989. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  17. ^ Bayarri, Francesc (26 April 1987). "Gerardo Iglesias afirma que el Gobierno no conocía el impacto de la entrada de España en la CE". El País (in Spanish). Valencia. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Ruiz-Mateos define su partido como democrático y constitucional". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 8 May 1987. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales". Ministry of the Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Elecciones Europeas 15 de junio de 1989". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  21. ^ "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 March 2017.
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