1979 Spanish general election

none 1979 Spanish election the local elections 1979 Spanish local elections 1979 Spanish general election Spain 1977 parliamentary no 1977 Spanish general election 1977 1982 Spanish general election 1982 All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies and all 208 seats in the Senate176 seats needed for a majority in the Congress of Deputies Opinion polling for the 1979 Spanish general election 26,836,490 10px 13.8% 18,259,192 (68.0%)10px 10.8 pp 1 March 1979 170x170px Adolfo Suárez Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 3 May 1977 Madrid 165 seats, 34.4% 168 10px 3 6,268,593 34.8% 10px 0.4 pp 170x170px Felipe González Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 13 October 1974 Madrid 124 seats, 33.8%"PSOE+PSP" Results for PSOE (29.3%, 118 deputies) and PSP–US (4.5%, 6 deputies) in the 1977 Congress election. 121 10px 3 5,469,813 30.4% 10px 3.4 pp 170x170px Santiago Carrillo Communist Party of Spain 3 July 1960 Madrid 20 seats, 9.3% 23 10px 3 1,938,487 10.8% 10px 1.5 pp 170x170px Manuel Fraga Democratic Coalition (Spain) 9 October 1976 Madrid 16 seats, 8.4%"AP+DIV" Results for AP (8.3%, 16 deputies) and DIV (0.1%, 0 deputies) in the 1977 Congress election. 9 10px 7 1,094,438 6.1% 10px 2.3 pp 170x170px Jordi Pujol Convergence and Union 17 November 1974 Barcelona 13 seats, 3.8%"PDC+UCiDCC" Results for PDC (2.8%, 11 deputies) and UCiDCC (0.9%, 2 deputies) in the 1977 Congress election. 8 10px 5 483,353 2.7% 10px 1.1 pp 170x170px Xabier Arzalluz Basque Nationalist Party 1977 Guipúzcoa 8 seats, 1.6% 7 10px 1 296,597 1.6% 10px 0.0 pp x315px|Map of Spain showcasing winning party's strength by constituency Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress) x315px|Map of Spain showcasing winning party's strength by autonomous community Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress)"AC" This territorial division is based on the autonomic system established under the Spanish Constitution of 1978, as opposed to the regional division established in 1833. Most autonomous communities would be constituted by the time of the 1982 election, with the rest being established in early 1983. The autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla would not be constituted as independent administrative entities until 1995. x315px|Map of Spain showcasing seat distribution by Congress of Deputies constituency Election results by constituency (Congress) Prime Minister Prime Minister after election Adolfo Suárez Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) Adolfo Suárez Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) A general election was held in Spain on 1 March 1979 to elect the members of the 1st es Cortes Generales no under the Spanish Constitution of 1978. All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as all 208 seats in the Senate. This was the first election held under the new constitution that had been approved in a referendum on 6 December 1978 and which had lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, resulting in an increase of the electoral roll by three million people. The Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) remained the largest party, winning 168 of the 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies and 119 of the 208 seats in the Senate. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which had merged with the People's Socialist Party (PSP) and was widely expected to make large gains—with some opinion polls predicting a narrow win—fell short of expectations and lost ground when compared to the combined totals for the PSOE–PSP alliance in the 1977 election. The Communist Party of Spain obtained the best result in its history, whereas Manuel Fraga's Democratic Coalition (CD)—an electoral bloc formed by the People's Alliance, the Liberal Citizens Action and the Progressive Democratic Party—lost nearly half of its seats. The election would also see the best showing of the far-right in Spain until the April 2019 election, as Blas Piñar-led National Union would secure one seat with 2.1% of the vote share. As a result of the election, Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez went on to form a UCD minority government, depending on support from the CD and other minor parties such as the Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party, the Regionalist Aragonese Party and the Navarrese People's Union. Overview Under the 1978 Constitution, the Spanish es Cortes Generales no were conceived as an imperfect bicameral system.Constitution 1978 art. 66.https://app.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/sinopsis/sinopsis.jsp?art=66&tipo=2 Constitución española. Título III. De las Cortes Generales. Sinopsis artículo 66 es Congress of Deputies 11 October 2025 , summarizing Constitution 1978 art. 66. The Congress of Deputies held greater legislative power than the Senate, having the ability to grant or withdraw confidence from a prime minister and to override Senate vetoes by an absolute majority.Constitution 1978 arts. 90 & 99. Nonetheless, the Senate retained a limited number of specific functions—such as ratifying international treaties, authorizing cooperation agreements between autonomous communities, enforcing direct rule, regulating interterritorial compensation funds, and taking part in constitutional amendments and in the appointment of members to the Constitutional Court and the General Council of the Judiciary—which were not subject to override by Congress.Constitution 1978 arts. 74, 94, 122, 145, 155, 158–159 & 166–167. The electoral and procedural rules were the same as those used in the 1977 election.Constitution 1978 trans. prov. 8; Royal Decree 3073/1978 1978 art. 4. Date The term of the Spanish es Cortes no elected in the 1977 election was not to be continued beyond 15 June 1981, in the event they were not dissolved earlier.Constitution 1978 trans. prov. 8. The election decree was required to be issued after the expiration date of parliament, with election day taking place within from 55 to 60 days after the decree's publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE),Constitution 1978 art. 68; Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 28. setting the latest possible date for election day on 14 August 1981. The prime minister had the prerogative to propose the monarch to dissolve both chambers at any given time—either jointly or separately—and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no state of emergency was in force and that dissolution did not occur before one year after a previous one.Constitution 1978 arts. 115–116. Additionally, both chambers were to be dissolved, and a new election called, if an investiture process failed to elect a prime minister within a two-month period from the first ballot.Constitution 1978 art. 99. Barring this exception, there was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate.https://app.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/sinopsis/sinopsis.jsp?art=115&tipo=2 Constitución española. Título V. De las relaciones entre el Gobierno y las Cortes Generales. Sinopsis artículo 115 es Congress of Deputies 31 October 2025 , summarizing Constitution 1978 art. 115. Still, as of , there has been no precedent of separate elections taking place under the 1978 Constitution. The es Cortes Generales no were officially dissolved on 1 January 1979 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 1 March.Royal Decree 3073/1978 1978 arts. 1–2. The Congress and the Senate were scheduled to reconvene on 23 and 27 March, respectively.Royal Decree 514/1979 1979 single art.; Royal Decree 527/1979 1979 single art. Electoral system Voting for each chamber of the es Cortes Generales no was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age with full political rights.Constitution 1978 art. 68; Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 2.Carreras de Odriozola Tafunell Sambola 2005 1077 The Congress of Deputies had a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 400 seats, with electoral provisions fixing its size at 350. Of these, 348 were elected in 50 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the provinces of Spain—each of which was assigned an initial minimum of two seats and the remaining 248 distributed in proportion to population, roughly one seat per 144,500 inhabitants or fraction above 70,000—using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a three percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency. The remaining two seats were allocated to Ceuta and Melilla as single-member districts elected by plurality voting.Constitution 1978 art. 68; Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 arts. 19–20. The use of this electoral method resulted in a higher effective threshold depending on district magnitude and vote distribution.Gallagher Michael 30 July 2012 http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php Effective threshold in electoral systems Trinity College Dublin Dublin https://web.archive.org/web/20170730092518/http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php 22 July 2017 30 July 2017 As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled to the following seats:Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 19; Royal Decree 3073/1978 1978 art. 3. Seats Constituencies 33 Barcelona 32 Madrid 15 Valencia 12 Seville 10 Biscay, Oviedo 9 Alicante, La Coruña 8 Cádiz, Málaga, Murcia, Pontevedra, Zaragoza 7 Badajoz, Córdoba, Granada, Guipúzcoa, Jaén, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 6 Balearics, Las Palmas, León 5 Almería, Cáceres, Castellón, Ciudad Real, Gerona, Huelva, Lugo, Navarre, Orense, Santander, Tarragona, Toledo, Valladolid 4 Álava, Albacete, Burgos, Cuenca, Lérida, Logroño, Salamanca, Zamora 3 Ávila, Guadalajara, Huesca, Palencia, Segovia, Soria, Teruel 208 Senate seats were elected using open-listParties could group candidates into lists, although each candidate was treated separately for the purpose of the voting procedure. partial block voting: voters in constituencies electing four seats could choose up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, up to two; and in single-member districts, one. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces was allocated four seats, while in insular provinces—such as the Balearic and Canary Islands—the districts were the islands themselves, with the larger ones (Mallorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife) being allocated three seats each, and the smaller ones (Menorca, Ibiza–Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma) one each. Ceuta and Melilla elected two seats each. Additionally, autonomous communities could appoint at least one senator each and were entitled to one additional senator for every million inhabitants.Constitution 1978 art. 69; Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 arts. 19 & 21.Carreras de Odriozola Tafunell Sambola 2005 1083 The law provided for by-elections to fill vacant seats in the Congress only when results in a constituency were annulled by a final sentence following an electoral petition; otherwise, vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term were filled by the next candidates on the party lists or, when required, by designated substitutes. Additionally for the Senate, by-elections were required to fill any seat vacated within the first two years of the legislative term.Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 arts. 20 & 29–30. Candidates Nomination rules Spanish citizens with the right to vote could run for election. Causes of ineligibility applied to the following officials:Constitution 1978 art. 70; Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 4. Holders of a number of senior public or institutional posts, including the heads and members of higher courts and state institutions;These comprised the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Council of State, the Court of Auditors and the Council of National Economy. the Ombudsman; high-ranking officials of government departments and other state agencies; government delegates in the autonomous communities and civil governors; members of electoral commissions; and the chairs of national trade unions; Judges and public prosecutors in active service; Members of the Armed Forces and law enforcement bodies in active service. Other ineligibility provisions also applied to a number of territorial officials in these categories within their areas of jurisdiction. Incompatibility rules included those of ineligibility (except for chairs of national trade unions), and also barred combining legislative roles (deputy and senator).Constitution 1978 art. 67; Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 4. Parties and lists List of political parties in Spain The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance were required to inform the relevant electoral commission within 15 days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one permille—and, in any case, 500 signatures—of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list.Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 arts. 30–31 & 34. Below is a list of the main parties and alliances which contested the election: Candidacy Parties andalliances Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Gov. Government Ref. References Congress Senate Vote % Seats Vote % Seats UCD List on Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) 50px Adolfo Suárez Centrism 34.4% 165 29.9% 106 PSOE List on Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) 50px Felipe González Social democracyDemocratic socialismMarxism 33.8%"PSOE+PSP" 124 29.7%Results for PSOE (11.0%, 35 senators), SD (10.5%, 16 senators), PSP–US (5.1%, 2 senators) and PSI (3.1%, 8 senators) in the 1977 Senate election. 61 García Sebastián 11 April 1978 El IV Congreso Nacional del PSP aprobó su fusión con el PSOE https://elpais.com/diario/1978/04/11/espana/261093640_850215.html es El País Torremolinos 4 January 2026 PCE List on Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC) 50px Santiago Carrillo Eurocommunism 9.3% 20 2.0% 0 CD List on People's Alliance (AP) Liberal Citizens Action (ACL) Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Foral Union of the Basque Country (UFPV)– People's Alliance (AP)– Basque Independent Democrats (DIV) 50px Manuel Fraga Conservatism 8.4%"AP+DIV" 16 9.2%Results for AP (9.2%, 2 senators) and DIV (0.0%, 0 senators) in the 1977 Senate election. 2 CiU List on Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) 50px Jordi Pujol Catalan nationalismCentrism 3.8%"PDC+UCiDCC" 13 2.6%Results for DiC in the 1977 Senate election. 2 EAJ/PNV List on Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) 50px Xabier Arzalluz Basque nationalismChristian democracy 1.6% 8 3.3%Results for FA in the 1977 Senate election. 10 ERC–FNC List on Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) National Front of Catalonia (FNC) Social Democratic Party of Catalonia (PSDC) 50px Heribert Barrera Catalan nationalismLeft-wing nationalismSocial democracy 0.8%Results for EC–FED in the 1977 election. 1 colspan="2" Contestedin alliance"Nova" PSC–PSOE (7 senators) and ERC (1 senator), which contested the 1977 Senate election within the Entesa alliance, joined the Nova Entesa alliance ahead of the 1979 Senate election. EE List on Basque Country Left–Left for Socialism (EE) 50px Juan María Bandrés Basque nationalismSocialism 0.3% 1 0.2% 1 PAR List on Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR) 50px Hipólito Gómez de las Roces RegionalismConservatism 0.2%"CAIC" Results for CAIC in the 1977 election. 1 0.6%"CAIC" 1 UN List on New Force (FN) Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) José Antonio Circles (CJA) National Confederation of Veterans (CNE) Traditionalist Youth Group (AJT) 50px Blas Piñar UltranationalismNational catholicismFrancoism 0.6%Results for AN18 (0.5%, 0 deputies) and CJA (0.0%, 0 deputies) in the 1977 Congress election. 0 1.1%Results for AN18 (0.9%, 0 senators) and CJA (0.1%, 0 senators) in the 1977 Senate election. 0 HB List on Basque Socialist Party (ESB/PSV) Revolutionary Patriotic Workers' Party (LAIA) People's Socialist Revolutionary Party (HASI) Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV) Patriotic Socialist Committees (ASK) 50px Francisco Letamendia Basque independenceAbertzale leftRevolutionary socialism 0.2%Results for ESB/PSV (0.2%, 0 deputies) and EAE/ANV (0.0%, 0 deputies) in the 1977 election. 0 0.2%Results for ESB/PSV (0.1%, 0 senators) and EAE/ANV (0.1%, 0 senators) in the 1977 election. 0 PSC–ERC List on Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) 50px Josep Andreu CatalanismSocial democracy colspan="2" Did not contest "Nova" 8 PSUC–PTC List on Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC) Party of Labour of Catalonia (PTC) 50px Josep Benet CommunismMarxism-LeninismRepublicanism colspan="2" Did not contest PSUC (4 senators), which contested the 1977 Senate election within the Entesa alliance, joined the Per l'Entesa alliance ahead of the 1979 Senate election. 4 CDG List on Galician Democratic Candidacy (CDG) 50px Valentín Paz Andrade GalicianismProgressivism colspan="2" Did not contest 1.2% 3 AM List on Majorera Assembly (AM) 50px Miguel Cabrera Insularism colspan="2" Did not contest 0.0% 1 PSA–PA List on Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA) 50px Alejandro Rojas-Marcos Andalusian nationalismSocial democracy colspan="4" Did not contest UPC List on United Canarian People (PCU)– Communist Party of the Canary Islands (provisional) (PCC(p))– Communist Cells (CC) Party of Communist Unification in the Canaries (PUCC) Socialist Party of the Canary Islands (PSC) 50px Fernando Sagaseta Canarian nationalismSocialism colspan="4" Did not contest UPN List on Navarrese People's Union (UPN) 50px Jesús Aizpún Navarrese regionalismConservatismChristian democracy colspan="4" Did not contest Opinion polls Opinion polling for the 1979 Spanish general election Results Congress of Deputies results by autonomous community/constituency Results of the 1979 Spanish Congress election elected deputies 1st Congress of Deputies + ← Summary of the 1 March 1979 Congress of Deputies election results → center|400px Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) 6,268,593 34.84 +0.40 168 +3 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)1 5,469,813 30.40 −3.44 121 −3 Communist Party of Spain (PCE) 1,938,487 10.77 +1.44 23 +3 Democratic Coalition (CD) 1,094,438 6.08 −2.33 9 −7 Democratic Coalition (CD)2 1,060,330 5.89 −2.05 9 −6 Foral Union of the Basque Country (UFPV)3 34,108 0.19 −0.29 0 −1 Convergence and Union (CiU)4 483,353 2.69 −1.06 8 −5 National Union (UN)5 378,964 2.11 +1.54 1 +1 Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA) 325,842 1.81 New 5 +5 Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) 296,597 1.65 +0.03 7 −1 Party of Labour of Spain (PTE)6 192,798 1.07 +0.40 0 ±0 Popular Unity (HB)7 172,110 0.96 +0.72 3 +3 Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT) 138,487 0.77 +0.22 0 ±0 Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT)8 127,517 0.71 +0.29 0 ±0 Navarrese Left Union (UNAI) 10,970 0.06 −0.07 0 ±0 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh)9 133,869 0.74 +0.05 0 ±0 Republican Left of Catalonia–National Front of Catalonia (ERC–FNC)10 123,452 0.69 −0.10 1 ±0 Basque Country Left (EE) 85,677 0.48 +0.14 1 ±0 Communist Movement–Organization of Communist Left (MC–OIC) 84,856 0.47 +0.28 0 ±0 Galician National-Popular Bloc (BNPG) 60,889 0.34 +0.22 0 ±0 Canarian People's Union (UPC) 58,953 0.33 New 1 +1 Left Bloc for National Liberation (BEAN) 56,582 0.31 New 0 ±0 Galician Unity (PG–POG–PSG)11 55,555 0.31 +0.16 0 ±0 Republican Left (IR) 55,384 0.31 New 0 ±0 Carlist Party (PC) 50,552 0.28 +0.23 0 ±0 Communist Organization–Communist Unification (OCEBR–UCE) 47,937 0.27 New 0 ±0 Workers' Communist Party (PCT) 47,896 0.27 New 0 ±0 Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)12 38,042 0.21 +0.01 1 ±0 Revolutionary Communist League (LCR)13 36,662 0.20 −0.02 0 ±0 Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (Authentic) (FE–JONS(A)) 30,252 0.17 −0.08 0 ±0 Navarrese People's Union (UPN) 28,248 0.16 New 1 +1 Coalition for Aragon (PSAr–PSDA) 19,220 0.11 New 0 ±0 Nationalist Party of Castile and León (PANCAL) 16,016 0.09 New 0 ±0 Liberal Party (PL) 15,774 0.09 New 0 ±0 Valencian Regional Union (URV) 15,694 0.09 New 0 ±0 Nationalist Party of the Valencian Country (PNPV) 13,828 0.08 New 0 ±0 Spanish Ruralist Party (PRE) 10,324 0.06 New 0 ±0 Party of the Canarian Country (PPC) 10,099 0.06 New 0 ±0 Socialists of Mallorca and Menorca (SMiM) 10,022 0.06 New 0 ±0 Syndicalist Party (PSIN) 9,777 0.05 New 0 ±0 Union for the Freedom of Speech (ULE) 7,126 0.04 New 0 ±0 Catalan State (EC) 6,328 0.04 New 0 ±0 Cantonal Party (PCAN) 6,290 0.03 New 0 ±0 Independent Candidacy of the Countryside (CIC) 6,115 0.03 New 0 ±0 Social Christian Democracy of Catalonia (DSCC) 4,976 0.03 −0.02 0 ±0 Proverist Party (PPr) 4,939 0.03 ±0.00 0 ±0 Spanish Democratic Republican Action (ARDE) 4,826 0.03 New 0 ±0 Communist League (LC) 3,614 0.02 New 0 ±0 Asturian Nationalist Council (CNA) 3,049 0.02 New 0 ±0 Authentic Spanish Phalanx (FEA) 2,736 0.02 New 0 ±0 Pro-Austerity Policy Political Party (PIPPA) 2,409 0.01 New 0 ±0 Workers and Peasants Party (POC) 2,314 0.01 New 0 ±0 Independent Candidates of Melilla (CIME) 1,820 0.01 New 0 ±0 Falangist Unity–Independent Spanish Phalanx (UF–FI–AT) 1,188 0.01 New 0 ±0 Spanish Phalanx–Falangist Unity (FE–UF) 876 0.00 New 0 ±0 Centre Independent Candidacy (CIC) n/a n/a −0.16 0 −1 Blank ballots 57,267 0.32 +0.07 Total 17,990,915 350 ±0 Valid votes 17,990,915 98.53 −0.04 Invalid votes 268,277 1.47 +0.04 Votes cast / turnout 18,259,192 68.04 −10.79 Abstentions 8,577,298 31.96 +10.79 Registered voters 26,836,490 Sourceshttps://infoelectoral.interior.gob.es/es/elecciones-celebradas/resultados-electorales/ Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales es Ministry of the Interior 15 April 2022 18 December 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20251218194252/https://infoelectoral.interior.gob.es/es/elecciones-celebradas/resultados-electorales/ dead Lozano Carles https://www.historiaelectoral.com/e1979.html Elecciones Generales 1 de marzo de 1979 es Historia Electoral.com 25 August 2025 left Footnotes: 1 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party results are compared to the combined totals of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and People's Socialist Party–Socialist Unity in the 1977 election. 2 Democratic Coalition results are compared to People's Alliance totals in the 1977 election, not including results in the Basque Country. 3 Foral Union of the Basque Country results are compared to the combined totals of People's Alliance in the Basque Country and Basque Independent Democrats in the 1977 election. 4 Convergence and Union results are compared to the combined totals of Democratic Pact for Catalonia and Union of the Centre and Christian Democracy of Catalonia in the 1977 election. 5 National Union results are compared to the combined totals of National Alliance July 18 and José Antonio Circles in the 1977 election. 6 Party of Labour of Spain results are compared to Democratic Left Front totals in the 1977 election. 7 Popular Unity results are compared to the combined totals of the Basque Socialist Party and Basque Nationalist Action in the 1977 election. 8 Workers' Revolutionary Organization results are compared to Workers' Electoral Group totals in the 1977 election. 9 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) results are compared to Democratic Socialist Alliance totals in the 1977 election. 10 Republican Left of Catalonia–National Front of Catalonia results are compared to Left of Catalonia–Democratic Electoral Front totals in the 1977 election. 11 Galician Unity results are compared to Galician Socialist Party totals in the 1977 election. 12 Regionalist Aragonese Party results are compared to Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy totals in the 1977 election. 13 Revolutionary Communist League results are compared to Front for Workers' Unity totals in the 1977 election. Popular vote #ddd 550px 500px UCD Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 34.84 PSOE Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 30.40 PCE Communist Party of Spain 10.77 CD Democratic Coalition (Spain) 6.08 CiU Convergence and Union 2.69 UN National Union (Spain) 2.11 PSA–PA Andalusian Party 1.81 EAJ/PNV Basque Nationalist Party 1.65 PTE Party of Labour of Spain 1.07 HB Herri Batasuna 0.96 ERC–FNC Republican Left of Catalonia 0.69 EE Euskadiko Ezkerra 0.48 UPC Canarian People's Union 0.33 PAR Regionalist Aragonese Party 0.21 UPN Navarrese People's Union 0.16 Others #777777 5.43 Blank ballots #DDDDDD 0.32 Seats #ddd 550px 500px UCD Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 48.00 PSOE Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 34.57 PCE Communist Party of Spain 6.57 CD Democratic Coalition (Spain) 2.57 CiU Convergence and Union 2.29 EAJ/PNV Basque Nationalist Party 2.00 PSA–PA Andalusian Party 1.43 HB Herri Batasuna 0.86 UN National Union (Spain) 0.29 ERC–FNC Republican Left of Catalonia 0.29 EE Euskadiko Ezkerra 0.29 UPC Canarian People's Union 0.29 PAR Regionalist Aragonese Party 0.29 UPN Navarrese People's Union 0.29 Senate + ← Summary of the 1 March 1979 Senate of Spain election results → center|375px Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) 16,691,333 33.23 +3.35 119 +13 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)1 12,762,128 25.41 −4.43 60 −1 Communist Party of Spain (PCE) 4,407,905 8.78 +6.82 0 ±0 Democratic Coalition (CD) 2,897,073 5.77 −3.45 3 +1 Democratic Coalition (CD)2 2,851,366 5.68 −3.02 3 +1 Foral Union of the Basque Country (UFPV)3 45,707 0.09 −0.43 0 ±0 New Agreement (PSC–ERC)4 2,708,504 5.39 n/a 10 +2 For the Agreement (PSUC–PTC)4 1,832,941 3.65 n/a 1 −3 Convergence and Union (CiU)5 1,387,176 2.76 +0.21 1 −1 National Union (UN)6 1,089,883 2.17 +1.10 0 ±0 Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA) 1,026,345 2.04 New 0 ±0 Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)7 843,452 1.68 −1.63 8 −2 Popular Unity (HB)8 465,852 0.93 +0.74 1 +1 Party of Labour of Spain (PTE)9 412,782 0.82 +0.57 0 ±0 Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT) 290,967 0.58 −0.04 0 ±0 Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT)10 276,457 0.55 +0.13 0 ±0 Navarrese Left Union (UNAI) 14,510 0.03 −0.17 0 ±0 Communist Movement–Organization of Communist Left (MC–OIC) 257,830 0.51 New 0 ±0 Basque Country Left (EE) 209,107 0.42 +0.18 0 −1 Republican Left (IR) 205,512 0.41 New 0 ±0 Galician National-Popular Bloc (BNPG) 196,920 0.39 +0.07 0 ±0 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh)11 179,519 0.36 −0.82 0 ±0 Galician Unity (PG–POG–PSG) 177,549 0.35 New 0 ±0 Navarrese Unity (UNA) 137,275 0.27 New 0 ±0 Spanish Phalanx–Falangist Unity (FE–UF) 130,616 0.26 New 0 ±0 Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)12 117,150 0.23 −0.37 0 −1 Valencian Regional Union (URV) 116,386 0.23 New 0 ±0 Canarian People's Union (UPC) 115,878 0.23 New 0 ±0 Liberal Party (PL) 110,347 0.22 New 0 ±0 Revolutionary Communist League (LCR) 109,118 0.22 New 0 ±0 Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) 90,065 0.18 New 0 ±0 Navarrese People's Union (UPN) 84,289 0.17 New 0 ±0 Carlist Party (PC) 84,028 0.17 +0.10 0 ±0 Spanish Democratic Republican Action (ARDE) 73,308 0.15 New 0 ±0 Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (Authentic) (FE–JONS(A)) 70,659 0.14 +0.14 0 ±0 Group of Independent Electors (ADEI)13 63,257 0.13 −0.02 3 −1 Left Bloc for National Liberation (BEAN) 54,055 0.11 New 0 ±0 Authentic Spanish Phalanx (FEA) 49,190 0.10 New 0 ±0 Coalition for Aragon (PSAr–PSDA) 48,031 0.10 New 0 ±0 Communist Organization–Communist Unification (OCEBR–UCE) 41,656 0.08 New 0 ±0 Spanish Ruralist Party (PRE) 40,086 0.08 New 0 ±0 Union for the Freedom of Speech (ULE) 38,968 0.08 New 0 ±0 Pro-Austerity Policy Political Party (PIPPA) 36,280 0.07 New 0 ±0 Independent (INDEP) 32,055 0.06 New 0 ±0 Social Christian Democracy of Catalonia (DSCC) 29,367 0.06 New 0 ±0 Galician Democratic Candidacy (CDG) 26,426 0.05 −1.11 0 −3 Party of the Canarian Country (PPC) 25,960 0.05 New 0 ±0 Independent (INDEP) 21,891 0.04 New 1 +1 Socialist Party of Mallorca (PSM) 19,753 0.04 New 0 ±0 Workers' Communist Party (PCT) 17,888 0.04 New 0 ±0 Salamancan Regionalist Candidacy (CRS) 17,019 0.03 New 0 ±0 Independent (INDEP) 14,758 0.03 New 0 ±0 Menorcan Progressive Candidacy (PSM–PSOE–PCIB–PTI) 11,745 0.02 New 1 +1 Independent Candidacy of the Countryside (CIC) 10,333 0.02 New 0 ±0 Nationalist Party of Castile and León (PANCAL) 8,795 0.02 New 0 ±0 Asturian Nationalist Council (CNA) 8,309 0.02 New 0 ±0 Entirely Anti-Partisan (EA) 7,931 0.02 New 0 ±0 Independent Progressive Candidacy (CPI) 7,763 0.02 New 0 ±0 Independent (INDEP) 7,266 0.01 New 0 ±0 New National Left (NIN) 7,053 0.01 New 0 ±0 Catalan State (EC) 6,998 0.01 New 0 ±0 Riojan Autonomy (AR) 6,835 0.01 New 0 ±0 Independent (INDEP) 5,263 0.01 New 0 ±0 Zamorans for Zamora–Independent Candidacy (ZZ) 5,125 0.01 New 0 ±0 National Front of Catalonia (FNC) 4,566 0.01 New 0 ±0 Majorera Assembly (AM) 4,458 0.01 ±0.00 0 −1 Spanish Communist Workers' Party (PCOE) 3,431 0.01 New 0 ±0 Independent (INDEP) 3,416 0.01 New 0 ±0 Canarian Nationalist Party (PNC) 3,141 0.01 New 0 ±0 Independent (INDEP) 1,698 0.00 New 0 ±0 Proverist Party (PPr) 242 0.00 New 0 ±0 Xirinacs Electoral Group (AE Xirinacs) n/a n/a −1.06 0 −1 Aragonese Candidacy of Democratic Unity (CAUD) n/a n/a −1.04 0 −3 Blank ballotsThe percentage of blank ballots is calculated over the official number of valid votes cast, irrespective of the total number of votes shown as a result of adding up the individual results for each party. 259,613 1.48 Total 50,232,518 208 +1 Valid votes 17,588,988 97.20 Invalid votes 507,434 2.80 Votes cast / turnout 18,096,422 67.43 Abstentions 8,740,068 32.57 Registered voters 23,583,762 SourcesLozano Carles https://www.historiaelectoral.com/e1979comp.html#s Elecciones al Senado 1979 es Historia Electoral.com 25 August 2025Lozano Carles https://www.historiaelectoral.com/senado7.html Composición del Senado 1977- es Historia Electoral.com 25 August 2025 left Footnotes: 1 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party results are compared to the combined totals of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, Democratic Senate, People's Socialist Party–Socialist Unity, Independent Progressives and Socialists and Democratic Group of Albacete in the 1977 election. 2 Democratic Coalition results are compared to People's Alliance totals in the 1977 election, not including results in the Basque Country. 3 Foral Union of the Basque Country results are compared to the combined totals of People's Alliance in the Basque Country and Basque Independent Democrats in the 1977 election. 4 Within the Agreement of the Catalans alliance in the 1977 election. 5 Convergence and Union results are compared to Democracy and Catalonia totals in the 1977 election. 6 National Union results are compared to the combined totals of National Alliance July 18 and José Antonio Circles in the 1977 election. 7 Basque Nationalist Party results are compared to Autonomous Front totals in the 1977 election. 8 Popular Unity results are compared to the combined totals of the Basque Socialist Party and Basque Nationalist Action in the 1977 election. 9 Party of Labour of Spain results are compared to Democratic Left Front totals in the 1977 election. 10 Workers' Revolutionary Organization results are compared to Workers' Electoral Group totals in the 1977 election. 11 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) results are compared to Democratic Socialist Alliance totals in the 1977 election. 12 Regionalist Aragonese Party results are compared to Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy totals in the 1977 election. 13 Group of Independent Electors results are compared to Independents of Soria totals in the 1977 election. Popular vote #ddd 550px 500px UCD Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 33.23 PSOE Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 25.41 PCE Communist Party of Spain 8.78 CD Democratic Coalition (Spain) 5.77 PSC–ERC New Agreement 5.39 PSUC–PTC For the Agreement 3.65 CiU Convergence and Union 2.76 UN National Union (Spain) 2.17 PSA–PA Andalusian Party 2.04 EAJ/PNV Basque Nationalist Party 1.68 HB Herri Batasuna 0.93 ADEI Independent Candidacy 0.13 INDEP Independent politician 0.04 CPMen Socialist Party of Menorca 0.02 Others #777777 8.07 Blank ballots #DDDDDD 1.48 Seats #ddd 550px 500px UCD Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 57.21 PSOE Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 28.85 PSC–ERC New Agreement 4.81 EAJ/PNV Basque Nationalist Party 3.85 CD Democratic Coalition (Spain) 1.44 ADEI Independent Candidacy 1.44 PSUC–PTC For the Agreement 0.48 CiU Convergence and Union 0.48 HB Herri Batasuna 0.48 CPMen Socialist Party of Menorca 0.48 INDEP Independent politician 0.48 Maps Aftermath Government formation Third government of Adolfo Suárez InvestitureCongress of DeputiesNomination of Adolfo Suárez (UCD) Ballot → 30 March 1979 Required majority → 176 out of 350 15 Yes • UCD (168) • CD (8) • PSA–PA (5) • PAR (1) • UPN (1) 183 350 green 125px No • PSOE (94) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (16) • PNV (6) • PSE (6) • UN (1) • ERC (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1) 149 350 red 125px Abstentions • CiU (8) 8 350 gray 125px Absentees • PSOE (4) • HB (3) • PSC (1) • CD (1) • PNV (1) 10 350 black 125px SourcesLozano Carles https://www.historiaelectoral.com/congresovota.html Congreso de los Diputados: Votaciones más importantes es Historia Electoral.com 25 August 2025 1980 motion of no confidence 1980 vote of no confidence in the government of Adolfo Suárez Motion of no confidenceCongress of DeputiesNomination of Felipe González (PSOE) Ballot → 30 May 1980 Required majority → 176 out of 350 15 Yes • PSOE (97) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (17) • PSE (6) • PSA–PA (5) • ERC (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1) • Independent (1) 152 350 green 125px No • UCD (166) 166 350 red 125px Abstentions • CD (9) • CiU (7) • Independents (2) • FN (1) • PAR (1) • UPN (1) 21 350 gray 125px Absentees • PNV (7) • HB (3) • CiU (1) 11 350 black 125px Sources 1980 motion of confidence Motion of confidenceCongress of DeputiesGeneral Policy Statement (Prime Minister) Ballot → 18 September 1980 Required majority → Simple 15 Yes • UCD (165) • CiU (8) • PSA–PA (5) • Independents (2) 180 350 green 125px No • PSOE (97) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (16) • CD (9) • PNV (7) • PSE (6) • FN (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1) • PAR (1) • UPN (1) • Independent (1) 164 350 red 125px Abstentions • ERC (1) • Independent (1) 2 350 gray 125px Absentees • HB (3) • PSC (1) 4 350 black 125px Sources 1981 investiture 1981 Spanish coup attempt Government of Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo InvestitureCongress of DeputiesNomination of Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo (UCD) Ballot → 21 February 1981 23 February 1981 25 February 1981 Required majority → 176 out of 350 15 Simple Simple 15 Yes • UCD (165) • CD (9) (3 on 21 Feb) • CiU (9) (on 25 Feb) • PAR (1) (on 25 Feb) • UPN (1) • UA (1) (on 25 Feb) 169 350 green 125px (as a result of acoup attempt) 186 350 green 125px No • PSOE (95) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (16) • PNV (7) • PSE (6) • PSA–PA (4) • Independents (3) • FN (1) • ERC (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1) 158 350 red 125px 158 350 red 125px Abstentions • CiU (9) (on 21 Feb) • CD (6) (on 21 Feb) • PAR (1) (on 21 Feb) • UA (1) (on 21 Feb) 17 350 gray 125px 0 350 gray 125px Absentees • HB (3) • PSOE (2) (1 on 21 Feb) • PSC (1) • PSA–PA (1) (on 21 Feb) 6 350 black 125px 6 350 black 125px Sources Notes References Bibliography Legislation 30em y Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 18 March 1977 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1977-7445 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1977-7445 27 December 2016 Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 y Constitución Española Constitution 27 December 1978 version as of 29 December 1978 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1978-31229 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1978-31229&tn=1&p=19781229 27 December 2016 Constitution 1978 y Real Decreto 3073/1978, de 29 de diciembre, de disolución del Congreso de los Diputados y del Senado y de convocatoria de elecciones generales Royal Decree 3073/1978 29 December 1978 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1979-1 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1979-1 1 April 2026 Royal Decree 3073/1978 1978 y Real Decreto 514/1979, de 16 de marzo, por el que se convoca a los Diputados electos para constitución de la Junta Preparatoria del Congreso Royal Decree 514/1979 16 March 1979 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1979-7895 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1979-7895 1 April 2026 Royal Decree 514/1979 1979 y Real Decreto 527/1979, de 20 de marzo, por el que se convoca a los Senadores electos para constitución de la Junta Preparatoria del Senado Royal Decree 527/1979 29 December 1978 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1979-7986 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1979-7986 1 April 2026 Royal Decree 527/1979 1979 Other Carreras de Odriozola Albert Tafunell Sambola Xavier 2005 1989 Estadísticas históricas de España, siglos XIX-XX http://www.fbbva.es/TLFU/dat/autores.pdf es 1 Bilbao Fundación BBVA 1072–1097 II 84-96515-00-1 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20150924010950/http://www.fbbva.es/TLFU/dat/autores.pdf 24 September 2015 dmy-all External links Category:1979 elections in Spain 1979 Category:March 1979 in Spain