1991 Barcelona municipal election

Election in the Spanish municipality of Barcelona 1991 Barcelona municipal election Barcelona 1940s parliamentary no 1987 Barcelona municipal election 1987 1995 Barcelona municipal election 1995 All 43 seats in the City Council of Barcelona 22 #Opinion polls 1,381,148 10px 2.9% 766,520 (55.5%)10px 13.4 pp 26 May 1991 170x170px Pasqual Maragall PSC–PSOE 2 December 1982 21 seats, 43.6% 20 10px 1 328,282 42.9% 10px 0.7 pp 170x170px Josep Maria Cullell Convergence and Union 1987 17 seats, 35.5% 16 10px 1 260,344 34.1% 10px 1.4 pp 170x170px Enrique Lacalle People's Party of Catalonia 1987 3 seats, 7.6%"AP+PDP" Results for AP (7.6%, 0 seats) and PDP (0.0%, 0 seats) in the 1987 election. 4 10px 1 74,804 9.8% 10px 2.2 pp 170x170px Eulàlia Vintró IC 1987 2 seats, 5.2% 3 10px 1 49,034 6.4% 10px 1.2 pp Mayor Mayor after election Pasqual Maragall Socialists' Party of Catalonia Pasqual Maragall Socialists' Party of Catalonia A municipal election was held in Barcelona on 26 May 1991 to elect the 4th City Council of the municipality. All 43 seats in the City Council were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all across Spain. Overview Under the 1978 Constitution, the governance of municipalities in Spain—part of the country's local government system—was centered on the figure of city councils (es ayuntamientos), local corporations with independent legal personality composed of a mayor, a government council and an elected legislative assembly.Constitution 1978 art. 140; LBRL 1985 art. 19. The mayor was indirectly elected by the local assembly, requiring an absolute majority; otherwise, the candidate from the most-voted party automatically became mayor (ties were resolved by drawing lots).LBRL 1985 art. 19; LOREG 1985 art. 196. In the case of Barcelona, the top-tier administrative and governing body was the City Council of Barcelona.LBRL 1985 add. prov. 6 (suppl. supplemented by Decree 1166 of 23 May 1960 art. 2). Date The term of local assemblies in Spain expired four years after the date of their previous election, with amendments earlier in 1991 fixing election day for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The election decree was required to be issued between 54 and 60 days before the scheduled election date and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE).LOREG 1985 arts. 42 & 194. The previous local elections were held on 10 June 1987, setting the date for election day on the fourth Sunday of May four years later, which was 26 May 1991. Local assemblies could not be dissolved before the expiration of their term, except in cases of mismanagement that seriously harmed the public interest and implied a breach of constitutional obligations, in which case the Council of Ministers could—optionally—decide to call a by-election.LBRL 1985 art. 61. Elections to the assemblies of local entities were officially called on 2 April 1991 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 26 May.Royal Decree 391/1991 1991 art. 1. Electoral system Voting for local assemblies was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality and with full political rights (provided that they had not been deprived of the right to vote by a final sentence, nor were legally incapacitated), as well as resident non-nationals whose country of origin allowed reciprocal voting by virtue of a treaty.Constitution 1978 art. 13; LBRL 1985 art. 19; LOREG 1985 arts. 2–3 & 176. Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a five percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each municipality.LOREG 1985 arts. 163 & 180. Each municipality was a multi-member constituency, with a number of seats based on the following scale:LOREG 1985 art. 179. Population Councillors <250 5 251–1,000 7 1,001–2,000 9 2,001–5,000 11 5,001–10,000 13 10,001–20,000 17 20,001–50,000 21 50,001–100,000 25 >100,001 +1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction+1 if total is an even number 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.LOREG 1985 arts. 46, 48 & 182. 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 10 days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list. In the case of Barcelona, as its population was over 1,000,001, at least 8,000 signatures were required.LOREG 1985 arts. 44 & 187. 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 Vote % Seats PSC–PSOE List on Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) 50px Pasqual Maragall Social democracy 43.6% 21 CiU List on Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) 50px Josep Maria Cullell Catalan nationalismCentrism 35.5% 17 PP List on People's Party (PP) 50px Enrique Lacalle ConservatismChristian democracy 7.6%"AP+PDP" 3 Díez Anabel 16 January 1989 El Partido Liberal se disolverá para integrarse en el proyecto de Fraga https://elpais.com/diario/1989/01/16/espana/600908409_850215.html es El País Madrid 2 January 202621 January 1989 Fraga se empleó a fondo para lograr que el congreso de AP cambie el nombre del partido https://elpais.com/diario/1989/01/21/espana/601340403_850215.html es El País Madrid 2 January 202629 January 1989 La DC aprobó ayer formalmente su integración en el Partido Popular https://elpais.com/diario/1989/01/29/espana/602031611_850215.html es El País Madrid 2 January 2026 IC List on Initiative for Catalonia (IC)– Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)– Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PCC) 50px Eulàlia Vintró Eco-socialismGreen politics 5.2% 2 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; 22 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Barcelona. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size Turnout 22px|link=Socialists' Party of Catalonia|PSC 35px|link=Convergence and Union|CiU 30px|link=People's Alliance (Spain)|AP IC 27px|link=Democratic and Social Centre (Spain)|CDS 27px|link=Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC 35px|link=People's Party of Catalonia|PP Lead 1991 municipal election 26 May 1991 55.5 42.975% Verdana 20 34.175% Verdana 16 "PP" Within PP. 6.475% Verdana 3 0.875% Verdana 0 2.675% Verdana 0 9.875% Verdana 4 8.8 DYM/Cambio 16Las elecciones de 26-5-91 http://www.cepc.gob.es/publicaciones/revistas/revistaselectronicas?IDR=15&IDN=1239&IDA=35412 es CEPC August 1991 20 May 1991?? 41.375% Verdana 19/21 36.575% Verdana 17/18 "PP" 6.675% Verdana 2/3 2.475% Verdana 0 2.575% Verdana 0 7.075% Verdana 3 4.8 Producciones Cinco/AvuiSondejos http://governacio.gencat.cat/ca/pgov_ambits_d_actuacio/pgov_eleccions/pgov_totes_les_convocatories/pgov_municipals/pgov_any_1991_m/sondejos/ ca Generalitat de Catalunya 5 July 2017 19 May 1991 3,800? 40.675% Verdana 20 36.775% Verdana 18 "PP" 5.875% Verdana 2 – 3.175% Verdana 0 8.175% Verdana 3 3.9 OTR–IS/El Periódico 18 May 1991 800? 43.875% Verdana 21/22 32.875% Verdana 15/16 "PP" 6.775% Verdana 3 – 3.575% Verdana 0 7.975% Verdana 3 11.0 Opina/La VanguardiaLa orientación del voto en Barcelona no asegura la mayoría absoluta a Maragall http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1991/05/19/pagina-16/33473305/pdf.html es La Vanguardia 19 May 1991 13–15 May 1991 1,501? 44.675% Verdana 21/22 34.575% Verdana 16/17 "PP" 6.775% Verdana 2/3 1.075% Verdana 0 4.075% Verdana 0 7.875% Verdana 3/4 10.1 Metra Seis/El Independiente 12 May 1991 1,040? 43.975% Verdana 21 34.075% Verdana 16 "PP" 7.075% Verdana 3 1.675% Verdana 0 2.275% Verdana 0 7.875% Verdana 3 9.9 Demoscopia/El PaísEl ascenso del PP hace peligrar al PSOE en Madrid, Sevilla y Valencia https://elpais.com/diario/1991/05/19/portada/674604002_850215.html es El País 19 May 1991Ficha técnica https://elpais.com/diario/1991/05/19/espana/674604006_850215.html es El País 19 May 1991 4–7 May 1991 752? 42.575% Verdana 21 36.175% Verdana 17/18 "PP" 5.675% Verdana 2 – – 6.075% Verdana 2/3 6.4 Opina/La VanguardiaLa orientación del voto augura el mismo mapa político en el Ayuntamiento de Barcelona http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1991/04/21/pagina-20/33480447/pdf.html es La Vanguardia 21 April 1991 15–17 Apr 1991 1,569? 44.875% Verdana 21/22 35.475% Verdana 17/18 "PP" 5.275% Verdana 2/3 1.075% Verdana 0 2.375% Verdana 0 6.475% Verdana 2/3 9.4 1989 general election 29 Oct 1989 68.5 28.475% Verdana (14) 34.275% Verdana (18) "PP" 8.175% Verdana (4) 4.975% Verdana (0) 2.875% Verdana (0) 14.875% Verdana (7) 5.8 1989 EP election 15 Jun 1989 53.7 28.775% Verdana (16) 29.375% Verdana (17) "PP" 5.675% Verdana (3) 3.975% Verdana (0) 3.575% Verdana (0) 12.775% Verdana (7) 0.6 1988 regional election 29 May 1988 59.9 25.275% Verdana (12) 48.075% Verdana (24) "PP" 7.875% Verdana (4) 4.075% Verdana (0) 4.075% Verdana (0) 7.475% Verdana (3) 22.8 1987 municipal election 10 Jun 1987 68.9 43.675% Verdana 21 35.575% Verdana 17 7.675% Verdana 3 5.275% Verdana 2 3.475% Verdana 0 2.375% Verdana 0 – 8.1 Results + ← Summary of the 26 May 1991 City Council of Barcelona election results → center|320px Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) 328,282 42.95 −0.66 20 −1 Convergence and Union (CiU) 260,344 34.06 −1.40 16 −1 People's Party (PP)1 74,804 9.79 +2.23 4 +1 Initiative for Catalonia (IC) 49,034 6.42 +1.26 3 +1 Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) 19,629 2.57 +0.26 0 ±0 Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 6,454 0.84 −2.54 0 ±0 The Greens Ecologist–Humanist List (LVLE–H)2 6,120 0.80 +0.70 0 ±0 Green Barcelona (BV) 5,749 0.75 New 0 ±0 Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PCC) 3,168 0.41 New 0 ±0 Workers' Socialist Party (PST) 1,308 0.17 New 0 ±0 Revolutionary Workers' Party of Spain (PORE) 532 0.07 −0.06 0 ±0 Evangelical Social Action Party (PASE) 514 0.07 New 0 ±0 Alternative for Barcelona (AltBCN) 428 0.06 New 0 ±0 Alliance for the Republic (AxR)3 296 0.04 −0.03 0 ±0 Radical Centre of Catalonia (CRC) 294 0.04 New 0 ±0 Left Platform (PCE (m–l)–CRPE)4 210 0.03 −0.09 0 ±0 Centrist Unity (PED) 198 0.03 New 0 ±0 Blank ballots 6,979 0.92 +0.17 Total 764,343 43 ±0 Valid votes 764,343 99.70 +0.48 Invalid votes 2,177 0.30 −0.48 Votes cast / turnout 766,520 55.50 −13.43 Abstentions 614,628 44.50 +13.43 Registered voters 1,381,148 SourcesLozano Carles https://www.historiaelectoral.com/mbarcelona.html Eleccions municipals a Barcelona (des de 1979) ca Historia Electoral.com 4 November 2025https://resultats.dadeselectorals.gencat.cat/#/dades?tipusProces=M&proces=M19911&nivell=MU&territori=08019#dades Resultats electorals. Eleccions Municipals 1991. Barcelona (Municipi) ca Government of Catalonia 6 November 2025https://infoelectoral.interior.gob.es/es/elecciones-celebradas/resultados-electorales/ Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales es Ministry of the Interior 5 November 2025 5 August 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240805154842/https://infoelectoral.interior.gob.es/es/elecciones-celebradas/resultados-electorales/ dead Official State Gazette 173 (Supplement) 20 July 1991 es Resumen de los resultados de las elecciones locales convocadas por Real Decreto 391/1991, de 1 de abril, y celebradas el 26 de mayo de 1991, según los datos que figuran en las actas remitidas por cada una de las Juntas Electorales de Zona https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1991/07/20/pdfs/C00001-01052.pdf 0212-033X 1–1052 26 November 2025 left Footnotes: 1 People's Party results are compared to the combined totals of People's Alliance and People's Democratic Party in the 1987 election. 2 The Greens Ecologist–Humanist List results are compared to Humanist Platform totals in the 1987 election. 3 Alliance for the Republic results are compared to Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party totals in the 1987 election. 4 Left Platform results are compared to Republican Popular Unity totals in the 1987 election. Popular vote #ddd 550px 500px PSC–PSOE Socialists' Party of Catalonia 42.95 CiU Convergence and Union 34.06 PP People's Party of Catalonia 9.79 IC Initiative for Catalonia 6.42 ERC Republican Left of Catalonia 2.57 Others #777777 3.30 Blank ballots #DDDDDD 0.92 Seats #ddd 550px 500px PSC–PSOE Socialists' Party of Catalonia 46.51 CiU Convergence and Union 37.21 PP People's Party of Catalonia 9.30 IC Initiative for Catalonia 6.98 Aftermath Government formation Investiture Ballot → 5 July 1991 Required majority → 22 out of 43 Pasqual Maragall (PSC) • PSC (20) 20 43 Socialists' Party of Catalonia 125px yellow 15 Josep Maria Cullell (CiU) • CiU (16) 16 43 Convergence and Union 125px 15 Enrique Lacalle (PP) • PP (4) 4 43 People's Party of Catalonia 125px 15 Abstentions/Blank ballots • IC (3) 3 43 gray 125px Absentees 0 43 black 125px Sources6 July 1991 https://elpais.com/diario/1991/07/06/espana/678751220_850215.html El PSOE logra cinco de las 10 capitales pendientes El País Madrid 29 November 2025 Notes References Opinion poll sources "p" Other Bibliography 30em y Decreto 1166/1960, de 23 de mayo, por el que se establece un régimen especial para el Municipio de Barcelona, conforme a lo autorizado por el artículo 94 de la vigente Ley de Régimen Local Decree 1166/1960 23 May 1960 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1960-9155 es https://boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE/1960/151/A08685-08694.pdf 18 December 2025 Decree 1166 of 23 May 1960 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 Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local Law 7/1985 2 April 1985 version as of 27 March 1991 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1985-5392 es https://boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1985-5392&tn=1&p=19910327 4 November 2025 LBRL 1985 y Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General Organic Law 5/1985 19 June 1985 version as of 14 March 1991 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1985-11672 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1985-11672&tn=1&p=19910314 4 November 2025 LOREG 1985 y Real Decreto 391/1991, de 1 de abril, de convocatoria de elecciones locales Royal Decree 391/1991 1 April 1991 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1991-7959 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1991-7959 27 November 2025 Royal Decree 391/1991 1991 Municipal election Barcelona Category:Elections in Barcelona Barcelona