1980 Basque regional election

Election in the Spanish region of the Basque Country 1980 Basque regional election Basque Country parliamentary no 1984 Basque regional election 1984 All 60 seats in the Basque Parliament 31 #Opinion polls 1,554,527 929,051 (59.8%) 9 March 1980 170x170px Carlos Garaikoetxea Basque Nationalist Party April 1977 Guipúzcoa 25 349,102 38.0% 170x170px Francisco Letamendia Herri Batasuna 27 January 1980 Biscay 11 151,636 16.5% 170x170px Txiki Benegas PSE–PSOE 26 February 1978 Guipúzcoa 9 130,221 14.2% 170x170px Juan María Bandrés Euskadiko Ezkerra 1979 Guipúzcoa 6 89,953 9.8% 170x170px Jesús María Viana Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 1978 Álava 6 78,095 8.5% 170x170px Florencio Aróstegui People's Alliance (Spain) 1980 Biscay 2 43,751 4.8% x250px Vote winner strength by constituency x300px Election result by constituency Lehendakari Lehendakari after election Carlos Garaikoetxea Basque Nationalist Party Carlos Garaikoetxea Basque Nationalist Party A regional election was held in the Basque Country on 9 March 1980 to elect the 1st Parliament of the autonomous community. All 60 seats in the Parliament were up for election. The Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) emerged as the largest party with 25 seats, followed by People's Unity (HB) with 11 seats and the Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE) with nine seats. Basque Country Left (EE) and the ruling party in Spain, the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), secured six seats each, with other parties securing parliamentary representation including the right-wing People's Alliance (AP), with two seats, and the Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK) with one seat. No party secured an absolute majority in parliament. Voter turnout was 929,051 (59.8%) from an electorate of 1,554,527. Following the election, the newly elected parliament proceeded to re-elect Carlos Garaikoetxea as lehendakari. Overview Under the 1979 Statute of Autonomy, the Basque Parliament was the unicameral legislature of the Basque Autonomous Community, having legislative power in devolved matters, as well as the ability to grant or withdraw confidence from a lehendakari.Statute 1979 arts. 25 & 27–28. The electoral and procedural rules were supplemented by national law provisions (which were those used in the 1977 general election).Statute 1979 trans. prov. 1; Decree of 12 January 1980 art. 3. Date The Basque General Council was required to call an election to the Basque Parliament within 60 days from the enactment of the Statute, with election day taking place within four months after the call.Statute 1979 trans. prov. 1. The Statute was published in the Official State Gazette on 22 December 1979, setting the latest possible date for election day on 20 May 1980.Unzueta Patxo 15 December 1979 No habrá elecciones al Parlamento vasco hasta marzo https://elpais.com/diario/1979/12/15/espana/314060431_850215.html es El País Bilbao 21 August 201721 December 1979 El Rey sancionó los estatutos de Cataluña y el País Vasco https://elpais.com/diario/1979/12/21/portada/314578801_850215.html es El País 21 August 2017 The Basque Parliament could not be dissolved before the expiration date of parliament, except in the event of an investiture process failing to elect a lehendakari within a 60-day period period from the Parliament's reconvening. In such a case, the Parliament was to be automatically dissolved and a snap election called. Initially, 24 February or 2 March 1980 were considered as the most likely dates for the election to be held, but on 22 December 1979 it was announced that it would be called for 9 March.Angulo Javier 20 December 1979 El Consejo General Vasco estudia la fecha de las elecciones al Parlamento https://elpais.com/diario/1979/12/20/espana/314492412_850215.html es El País Bilbao 21 August 2017Angulo Javier 22 December 1979 El CGV propone el 9 de marzo como fecha para las elecciones al Parlamento https://elpais.com/diario/1979/12/22/espana/314665222_850215.html es El País Bilbao 21 August 2017Angulo Javier 12 January 1980 Convocadas oficialmente las elecciones al Parlamento vasco https://elpais.com/diario/1980/01/12/espana/316479628_850215.html es El País Bilbao 21 August 2017 The election to the Basque Parliament was officially called on 12 January 1980 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country, setting election day for 9 March.Decree of 12 January 1980 art. 1. Electoral system Voting for the Parliament was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered in the Basque Country and with full civil and political rights.Statute 1979 art. 26 (suppl. supplemented by Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 2). The Basque Parliament had 60 seats in its first election. All were elected in three multi-member constituencies—corresponding to the provinces of Álava, Biscay and Guipúzcoa, each of which was assigned a fixed number of 25 seats to provide for an equal parliamentary representation of the three provinces—using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a three percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency.Statute 1979 trans. prov. 1 (suppl. supplemented by Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 20); Decree of 12 January 1980 art. 2. 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 The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacant seats; instead, any 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.Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 20. Parties and candidates 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 Gov. Government Ref. References EAJ/PNV List on Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) 50px Carlos Garaikoetxea Basque nationalismChristian democracyConservative liberalism PSE–PSOE List on Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE) 50px Txiki Benegas Social democracy UCD List on Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) 50px Jesús María Viana Christian democracySocial democracyLiberalism HB List on People's Socialist Revolutionary Party (HASI) Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV) Patriotic Socialist Committees (ASK) 50px Francisco Letamendia Basque independenceAbertzale leftRevolutionary socialism EE List on Basque Country Left (EE) 50px Juan María Bandrés Basque nationalismSocialism AP List on People's Alliance (AP) 50px Florencio Aróstegui ConservatismNational conservatism Opinion polls The tables below list opinion polling results 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 poll. Voting intention estimates The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 31 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Basque Parliament. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size Turnout PNV 17px|link=Socialist Party of the Basque Country|PSE–PSOE 27px|link=Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain)|UCD 28px|link=Herri Batasuna|HB 18px|link=Euskadiko Ezkerra|EE 30px|link=Communist Party of the Basque Country|PCE/EPK 30px|link=People's Alliance (Spain)|AP Lead 1980 regional election 9 Mar 1980 59.8 38.075% Verdana 25 14.275% Verdana 9 8.575% Verdana 6 16.575% Verdana 11 9.875% Verdana 6 4.075% Verdana 1 4.875% Verdana 2 21.5 ABCLos partidos nacionalistas conseguirán treinta y dos escaños http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1980/02/27/015.html es ABC 27 February 1980 27 Feb 1980???75% Verdana 19?75% Verdana 7?75% Verdana 12/13?75% Verdana 9?75% Verdana 8/9?75% Verdana 1?75% Verdana 0? Europa PressElectoralismo y los problemas de cada día https://w390w.gipuzkoa.net/WAS/CORP/DKPAtzokoPrentsaWEB/getImageServlet.do?imagen&id={DF9169B6-D7BB-4457-8167-07D2B452C124} es El Diario Vasco 27 February 1980 26 Feb 1980???75% Verdana 19?75% Verdana 12?75% Verdana 13?75% Verdana 8?75% Verdana 5?75% Verdana 1?75% Verdana 2? ABCNingún partido conseguirá la mayoría absoluta en las elecciones vascas http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1980/02/26/013.html es ABC 26 February 1980Según los últimos sondeos ningún partido conseguirá la mayoría absoluta en las elecciones vascas http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/sevilla/abc.sevilla/1980/02/26/023.html es ABC Sevilla 26 February 1980 25 Feb 1980???75% Verdana 19/20??75% Verdana 13/14?75% Verdana 6/7?75% Verdana 7/8??? Diario 16El PNV será mayoría minoritaria en el Parlamento Vasco https://recursos.march.es/linz/I31464.pdf es Diario 16 30 January 1980 30 Jan 1980???75% Verdana 18/22?75% Verdana 10/13?75% Verdana 12/16?75% Verdana 7/11?75% Verdana 5/7?75% Verdana 1/3?75% Verdana 1/4? 1979 foral elections 3 Apr 1979 61.9 37.275% Verdana (26) 15.375% Verdana (10) 11.975% Verdana (11) 18.075% Verdana (9) 7.275% Verdana (3) 4.575% Verdana (1) 0.0"UFPV" Results for UFPV.75% Verdana (0) 19.2 1979 general election 1 Mar 1979 65.9 27.675% Verdana (18) 19.075% Verdana (13) 16.975% Verdana (12) 15.075% Verdana (9) 8.075% Verdana (5) 4.675% Verdana (1) 3.4"UFPV"75% Verdana (2) 8.6 Voting preferences The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size PNV 17px|link=Socialist Party of the Basque Country|PSE–PSOE 27px|link=Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain)|UCD 28px|link=Herri Batasuna|HB 18px|link=Euskadiko Ezkerra|EE 30px|link=Communist Party of the Basque Country|PCE/EPK 30px|link=People's Alliance (Spain)|AP Lead 1980 regional election 9 Mar 1980 22.5 8.4 5.0 9.8 5.8 2.4 2.8 40.2 12.7 Arvay/CISElecciones al Parlamento Vasco (Estudio nº 1219. Febrero 1980) https://www.cis.es/documents/d/cis/es1219cru_spdf es CIS 28 February 1980 28 Feb 1980 1,500 25.4 9.4 3.7 8.9 9.9 2.2 1.1 22.1 13.4 15.5 1979 foral elections 3 Apr 1979 22.7 9.4 7.3 11.0 4.4 2.7 0.0"UFPV" 38.1 11.7 1979 general election 1 Mar 1979 17.8 12.3 10.9 9.7 5.2 3.0 2.2"UFPV" 34.1 5.5 Victory likelihood The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a regional election taking place. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size PNV 17px|link=Socialist Party of the Basque Country|PSE–PSOE 27px|link=Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain)|UCD 28px|link=Herri Batasuna|HB 18px|link=Euskadiko Ezkerra|EE 30px|link=Communist Party of the Basque Country|PCE/EPK 30px|link=People's Alliance (Spain)|AP Other/None Lead Arvay/CIS 28 Feb 1980 1,500 73.8 3.4 3.5 1.1 0.6 0.0 0.1 0.3 17.3 70.3 Preferred Lehendakari The table below lists opinion polling on leader preferences to become lehendakari. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size 55px 55px 55px Other/None/Notcare Lead Garaiko.PNV BenegasPSE–PSOE VianaUCD Arvay/CIS 28 Feb 1980 1,500 32.6 8.0 2.2 28.8 28.4 24.6 Predicted Lehendakari The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood for each leader to become lehendakari. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size 55px 55px 55px Other/None/Notcare Lead Garaiko.PNV BenegasPSE–PSOE VianaUCD Arvay/CIS 28 Feb 1980 1,500 70.5 2.2 1.1 3.6 22.6 68.3 Results Overall + Summary of the 9 March 1980 Basque Parliament election results → center|325px Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) 349,102 37.95 n/a 25 n/a Popular Unity (HB) 151,636 16.48 n/a 11 n/a Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE) 130,221 14.16 n/a 9 n/a Basque Country Left (EE) 89,953 9.78 n/a 6 n/a Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) 78,095 8.49 n/a 6 n/a People's Alliance (AP) 43,751 4.76 n/a 2 n/a Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK) 36,845 4.01 n/a 1 n/a Communist Movement of the Basque Country (EMK/MCE) 10,959 1.19 n/a 0 n/a Socialists' Unification of the Basque Country (ESEI) 6,280 0.68 n/a 0 n/a Revolutionary Communist League (LKI/LCR) 5,182 0.56 n/a 0 n/a Workers' Party of the Basque Country (ORT–PTE) 3,448 0.37 n/a 0 n/a Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh) 2,760 0.30 n/a 0 n/a Carlist Party (EKA/PC) 2,434 0.26 n/a 0 n/a Workers' Socialist Party (PST) 2,099 0.23 n/a 0 n/a Communist Unity (UC) 2,044 0.22 n/a 0 n/a Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) 1,466 0.16 n/a 0 n/a Blank ballots 3,570 0.39 n/a Total 919,845 60 n/a Valid votes 919,845 99.01 n/a Invalid votes 9,206 0.99 n/a Votes cast / turnout 929,051 59.76 n/a Abstentions 625,476 40.24 n/a Registered voters 1,554,527 Sourceshttp://www.historiaelectoral.com/aeuzkadi.html Elecciones al Parlamento Vasco / Eusko Legebilitzarra (1980 - 2020) es Historia Electoral.com 24 September 2017http://www.euskadi.eus/web01-aphautes/es/ab12aAREWar/?locale=es Election Results Archive es euskadi.eus Basque Government 24 September 2017 Popular vote #ddd 550px 500px EAJ/PNV Basque Nationalist Party 37.95 HB Herri Batasuna 16.48 PSE–PSOE Socialist Party of the Basque Country 14.16 EE Euskadiko Ezkerra 9.78 UCD Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 8.49 AP People's Alliance (Spain) 4.76 PCE/EPK Communist Party of the Basque Country 4.01 EMK/MCE Communist Movement of Euskadi 1.19 Others #777777 2.80 Blank ballots #DDDDDD 0.39 Seats #ddd 550px 500px EAJ/PNV Basque Nationalist Party 41.67 HB Herri Batasuna 18.33 PSE–PSOE Socialist Party of the Basque Country 15.00 EE Euskadiko Ezkerra 10.00 UCD Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain) 10.00 AP People's Alliance (Spain) 3.33 PCE/EPK Communist Party of the Basque Country 1.67 Distribution by constituency Constituency PNV HB PSE EE UCD AP PCE/EPK % S % S % S % S % S % S % S Álava 30.1 7 14.1 3 14.0 3 9.2 2 19.7 4 5.7 1 3.0 – Biscay 40.0 9 16.4 4 14.4 3 7.8 1 6.8 1 5.8 1 4.8 1 Guipúzcoa 37.3 9 17.6 4 13.8 3 13.5 3 7.6 1 2.7 – 3.0 – Total 38.0 25 16.5 11 14.2 9 9.8 6 8.5 6 4.8 2 4.0 1 Sources Aftermath Government formation InvestitureNomination of Carlos Garaikoetxea (PNV) Ballot → 9 April 19802 PNV and 1 opposition MPs involuntarily cast invalid ballots in the first round of voting. 9 April 1980 Required majority → 31 out of 60 15 Simple 15 Yes • PNV (25) (23 in the first ballot) 23 60 green 125px 25 60 green 125px NoParliamentary records do not specify the party membership of the 1 opposition MP that cast an invalid ballot in the first round of voting. • PSE (9) • EE (6) • UCD (6) • AP (2) • PCE/EPK (1) 23 60 red 125px 24 60 red 125px Abstentions 0 60 gray 125px 0 60 gray 125px Absentees • HB (11) 11 60 black 125px 11 60 black 125px Sources Notes References Opinion poll sources "p" Other Bibliography 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 Ley Orgánica 3/1979, de 18 de diciembre, de Estatuto de Autonomía para el País Vasco Organic Law 3/1979 18 December 1979 version as of 22 December 1979 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1979-30177 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1979-30177&tn=1&p=19791222 12 March 2026 Statute 1979 y Decreto del Consejo General del País Vasco de 12 de enero de 1980, por el que se convocan elecciones al Parlamento Vasco Decree 12 January 1980 Official Gazette of the Basque Country es https://www.juntaelectoralcentral.es/cs/jec/documentos/PAIS_VASCO_1980_Convocatoria.pdf 16 May 2026 Decree of 12 January 1980 Regional election Basque Country Category:Regional elections in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Basque Country