| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Las Cortes Generales / The Cortes |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Senado / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Congreso de los Diputados / Congress of Deputies
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
20 December 2015 |
| Purpose of elections |
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's Popular Party (PP) failed to retain the majority in the 350-member Congress of Deputies although it took the majority of the 208 directly elected seats in the 266-member Senate. Its main rival, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), led by Mr. Pedro Sanchez, remained the second largest party in both chambers but reduced its share. The PP and PSOE have dominated Spain's politics since the 1980s. Two new parties fared well in 2015, taking over 10% of seats in the Congress of Deputies: an anti-austerity party, Podemos ("We Can") of Mr. Pablo Iglesias; and a centrist liberal party, Ciudadanos ("Citizens", C's) of Mr. Albert Rivera. En Comú Podem (COMÚ) - which brings together members from Catalan Green-Socialist party ICV and the Catalan wing of Podemos - became the fifth largest party in the Congress of Deputies.
During the election campaigning, the major parties focused on the economy, austerity measures, unemployment, and the independence movement in the north-eastern region of Catalonia. COMÚ leader Xavier Domènech promised to call for a referendum on Catalonia's independence within one year.
On 22 January 2016, outgoing Prime Minister Rajoy declined the invitation by King Felipe VI to try to form a government. On 2 February, the King tasked PSOE leader Sanchez with forming a government. Mr. Sanchez subsequently announced that he would form a minority government comprising PSOE and Ciudadanos. However, his government twice failed to win a vote of confidence ("vote for investiture") in parliament on 2 and 4 March. Under the Constitution, both chambers of parliament will be dissolved and fresh elections held if no government is formed by 2 May (within two months of the first vote for investiture).
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Date of previous elections: 20 November 2011
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 12 December 2015
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry*
*The term of members ends four years after their election or on the day on which the Congress is dissolved. The term of the outgoing members, elected on 20 November 2011, expired on 20 November 2015. Elections were required to take place between 30 and 60 days after the end of the previous term of office (i.e., by January 2015).
Expected date of next elections: January - February 2020
Number of seats at stake: 208 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 1,543 (875 men, 668 women)
Percentage of women candidates: 43.3%
Number of parties contesting the election: 58
Number of parties winning seats: 12
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 13 January 2016
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Pío García-Escudero Márquez (People's Party, PP)
|
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 20 December 2015 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
36'511'848
25'438'532 (69.67%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Party (PP) |
124
|
|
|
|
|
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) |
47
|
|
|
|
|
| Podemos ("We Can") |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)- CATALUNYA SÍERC-CATSI |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Democracy and Freedom (DiL).Convergence. Democrats. |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| En Comú Podem (COMÚ) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| "En Marea" coalition (Podemos-En Marea-Anova-EU) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Commitment coalition (PODEMOS-ÉS EL MOMENTPODEMOS, COMPROMIS) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Cambio Aldaketa |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Canarian Coalition - Canarian Nationalist Party (CC-PNC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Gomera Socialist Group (ASG) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
161
104
39.25%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Eighty-six women were directly elected and 18 others were indirectly elected.
Sources:
Senate (13.01.2016, 14.01.2016)
http://resultadosgenerales2015.interior.es/senado/#/ES201512-SEN-ES/ES |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
