1996 Spanish general election

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox election A general election was held in Spain on Sunday, 3 March 1996, to elect the members of the 6th {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as 208 of 257 seats in the Senate.

Ever since forming a minority government after its victory in the 1993 election, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) had to deal with the impact of the early 1990s recession in the Spanish economy, amid soaring unemployment, an increase in public deficit and GDP contraction. The cabinet of Prime Minister Felipe González was also rocked by the unveiling of a string of corruption scandals, including accusations of funding state terrorism through the GAL, the misuse of public funds to pay for undeclared bonuses to high-ranking officials, tax evasion by former and current cabinet members and illegal espionage by the CESID. A snap election was triggered after Convergence and Union (CiU) withdrew its parliamentary support from to the government in mid 1995 and helped vote down the 1996 General State Budget in October that year.

The election resulted in the first PSOE defeat in a general election since 1979, but predictions of a landslide victory by the opposition José María Aznar's People's Party (PP)—which had achieved resounding wins in the European Parliament, local and regional elections held in 1994 and 1995 and was predicted by opinion polls to secure an outright overall majority or come short of it by few seats—failed to materialize. Instead, the election turned into the closest result between the two major parties in the Spanish democratic period to date; a PSOE comeback, fueled by a strong 77.4% voter turnout (the highest scored ever since) left the PP leading by just 1.2 percentage points and 290,000 votes, falling 20 seats short of an absolute majority. Julio Anguita's United Left (IU)—which had hoped to come close or even surpass the PSOE, in the so-called sorpasso—also failed to meet expectations, despite scoring over 10% in their best overall result in a general election since the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) in 1979.

At 156 seats, this would be the worst performance for a winning party in the democratic period until the 2015 election. The results forced Aznar to tone down his attacks on Catalan and Basque nationalists in order to garner their support for his investiture. After two months of negotiations, agreements were reached with CiU—the Majestic Pact—the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and Canarian Coalition (CC), enabling José María Aznar to become prime minister of a centre-right minority cabinet and marking the end of over 13 years of Socialist government.

Background

Following the victory of the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) at the 1993 general election, Felipe González was able to be re-elected as prime minister for a fourth term in office through an confidence and supply alliance with the Catalan nationalist Convergence and Union (CiU) and the support of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The international economic crisis of 1992–1993 continued, with the newly-elected cabinet having to face the impact of unemployment growth, a large public deficit and recession.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In an attempt to curb rising joblessness, the government passed a labour reform (legalizing temporary work agencies, introducing "junk contracts", easening employers' ability to modify working condition, reducing overtime and severance pays and making regulations on hiring and collective bargaining more flexible), which was met with a general strike on 27 January 1994.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Economic recovery started that year with a slow decrease of unemployment rates and a GDP growth of 2%,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but the deficit in the social security system led to the Toledo Pact: a multi-party agreement to transfer all obligations arising from the health care system and social assistance benefits—which would henceforth be financed entirely by general taxes—to the General State Budget, while social security contributions would be maintained to fund pensions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The terrorist group ETA maintained its activity during this period, including the López de Hoyos bombing in Madrid which killed seven amid the 1993 government negotiations,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the killing of PP local councillor in San Sebastián Gregorio Ordóñez,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> an unsuccessful attempt to kill opposition leader José María Aznar in April 1995 with a car bomb detonated at the passing of his official car,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> an attempted assassination plot of King Juan Carlos I in the summer of 1995,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> a car bombing in Puente de Vallecas in December 1995 which killed six,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the kidnapping of prison officer José Antonio Ortega Lara in January 1996,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> among others.

File:Toma de posesion del director general de la Guardia Civil. Pool Moncloa. 5 de noviembre de 1986 (cropped).jpeg

Luis Roldán being sworn in as director general of the Civil Guard in 1986.

The 1993–1996 term was marked by the uncovering of numerous corruption scandals affecting the ruling party. In November 1993, Spanish daily Diario 16 unveiled that Civil Guard director general Luis Roldán had amassed a large fortune since assuming office in 1986, which he proved unable to legally justify.<ref name="EM270298">Template:Cite news</ref> In March 1994, El Mundo revealed that officers from the interior ministry had used money from the "reserved funds"—public funds destined to finance the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking and not subject to publicity, justification or external oversight<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>—to make bonus payments to high-ranking officers from the ministry, with Roldán's name appearing among the beneficiaries.<ref name="EM270298"/> In April that year, both media revealed that former president of Navarre Gabriel Urralburu had collected millions in kickbacks through the awarding of public works during his tenure, with Roldán having also benefitted from it.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Roldán fled the country to escape legal prosecution, forcing interior minister Antoni Asunción's resignation for failing to monitor him.<ref name="EM270298"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During his time on the run, Roldán admitted to having been paid bonuses from the reserved funds together with other high-ranking Interior ministry (including former minister José Luis Corcuera) and that he was told that prime minister González was "aware of everything".<ref name="EM270298"/> Roldán was captured on 27 February 1995 in Laos amidst claims that he had reached an agreement with the PSOE government (in what would be coined as the "Laos papers") to charge the former with just two crimes—bribery and embezzlement—in exchange for his voluntary surrender, a claim rejected by the Spanish government.<ref name="EM270298"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Roldán would later be convicted for these crimes as well as fraud, forgery and tax evasion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Concurrently, it was revealed in April 1994 that former governor of the Bank of Spain Mariano Rubio had 130 million Ptas of undeclared money in a secret bank account in the Ibercorp investment bank, which had been intervened by the Bank of Spain during Rubio's tenure in 1992.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="EM181007">Template:Cite news</ref> The new revelations in the "Ibercorp case" forced the resignations of Carlos Solchaga (former economy minister and then PSOE spokesperson in Congress, who had backed Rubio in 1992)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Vicente Albero (agriculture minister, who in May 1994 was discovered to own a secret account with undeclared money related to the scandal).<ref name="EM181007"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This scandal would serve as a symbol of the connections between the PSOE government and the so-called "beautiful people", businessmen and nouveau riche who had emerged during the Socialist era.<ref name="EM181007"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Símbolo GAL.png

Symbol used by the GAL death squads.

On 16 December 1994, two policemen convicted in 1991 for participating in the Liberation Antiterrorist Groups (GAL)—death squads involved in a "dirty war" against ETA—confessed to judge Baltasar Garzón that a number of former police and Interior ministry officers were also involved and that the GAL had been financed through the reserved funds.<ref name="EM010601">Template:Cite news</ref> Among those were former interior minister José Barrionuevo, former state security directors Julián Sancristóbal and Rafael Vera, former Biscay PSOE secretary-general Ricardo García Damborenea and a number of police officers.<ref name="EM010601"/> Throughout early 1995, those accused except for Barrionuevo were arrested and court-questioned, leading to the "GAL case" being re-opened by the Spanish National Court on 20 February.<ref name="EM010601"/> Barrionuevo argued that Garzón, who had contested the 1993 general election in the PSOE's electoral lists, was acting out of personal revenge against the party after political differences leading to his resignation as deputy in May 1994.<ref name="EM010601"/> Some defendants accused Felipe González of "knowing and allowing such activities", even pointing out that he could have been the person establishing and financing the GAL (the "Mr. X" person who was attributed leadership over the GAL network).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Barrionuevo, Vera and Sancristóbal were convicted for the scandal, but the Spanish Supreme Court concluded in 1996 that there was not proof of González's involvement and that the accusations were based on mere suspicions.<ref name="EM010601"/> Declassified CIA files in 2020 pointed to González having "agreed to the formation of a group of mercenaries, controlled by the Army, to combat the terrorists outside the law".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In June 1995, El Mundo revealed that the Superior Center of Defense Information (CESID), the main Spanish intelligence agency at the time, had been recording and keeping the taped telephone conversations of dozens of prominent public figures for years, including politicians, businessmen, journalists and King Juan Carlos I himself, apparently without the cabinet's knowledge.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This illegal espionage scandal led to the resignations of defence minister Julián García Vargas, under whose authority the CESID was responsible to, and deputy prime minister Narcís Serra, who had been Vargas's predecessor in the office between 1982 and 1991.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The mounting scandals and the impact of the economic crisis took their toll on González's party: it suffered its first-ever nationwide defeat to the opposition People's Party (PP) in the 1994 European Parliament election,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the 1995 local and regional elections brought about the loss of many Socialist governments throughout Spain and a decline in Catalonia for PSOE's parliamentary partner, CiU, which withdrew its confidence and supply support in July 1995.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This materialized in the 1996 General State Budget being voted down by the Congress of Deputies on 25 October 1995.<ref name="EP130995">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="EP261095">Template:Cite news</ref> As a result, González was forced to call a snap election for early 1996, fifteen months ahead of schedule.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="EP291295">Template:Cite news</ref>

Overview

Electoral system

The Spanish {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} were envisaged as an imperfect bicameral system. The Congress of Deputies had greater legislative power than the Senate, having the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a prime minister and to override Senate vetoes by an absolute majority of votes. Nonetheless, the Senate possessed a few exclusive (yet limited in number) functions—such as its role in constitutional amendment—which were not subject to the Congress' override.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} summarizing Template:Harvp.</ref> Voting for the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref>Template:Sfn

For the Congress of Deputies, 348 seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Spain, with each being allocated an initial minimum of two seats and the remaining 248 being distributed in proportion to their populations. Ceuta and Melilla were allocated the two remaining seats, which were elected using plurality voting.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref><ref>Template:Harvp.</ref> The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats:<ref name="ElectionDecree">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Seats	Constituencies
34	Madrid
31	BarcelonaTemplate:Font color
16	Valencia
13	SevilleTemplate:Font color
11	AlicanteTemplate:Font color
10	Málaga
9	Asturias, Biscay, Cádiz, La Coruña, Murcia
8	Pontevedra
7	Balearics, Córdoba, Granada, Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Zaragoza
6	Badajoz, Guipúzcoa, Jaén, Tarragona
5	Almería, Cáceres, Cantabria, Castellón, Ciudad Real, Girona, Huelva, León, Navarre, Toledo, Valladolid
4	Álava, Albacete, Burgos, La Rioja, Lleida, LugoTemplate:Font color, Orense, Salamanca
3	Ávila, Cuenca, Guadalajara, Huesca, Palencia, Segovia, Soria, Teruel, Zamora

For the Senate, 208 seats were elected using an open list partial block voting system, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties. In constituencies electing four seats, electors could vote for up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, for up to two candidates; and for one candidate in single-member districts. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces was allocated four seats, whereas for insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, districts were the islands themselves, with the larger—Majorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife—being allocated three seats each, and the smaller—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 per each million inhabitants.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref><ref>Template:Harvp.</ref>

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacated seats; instead, any vacancies that occurred after the proclamation of candidates and into the legislature's term were to be covered by the successive candidates in the list and, when needed, by the designated substitutes, of which the list was required to include three.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref>

Election date

The term of each chamber of the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}—the Congress and the Senate—expired four years from the date of their previous election, unless they were dissolved earlier. The election decree was required to be issued no later than the twenty-fifth day prior to the date of expiry of parliament and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE), with election day taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref> The previous election was held on 6 June 1993, which meant that the legislature's term would expire on 6 June 1997. The election decree was required to be published in the BOE no later than 13 May 1997, with the election taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication, setting the latest possible election date for the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} on Sunday, 6 July 1997.

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 had elapsed since the previous one.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref> Barred this exception, there was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate. Still, as of Template:Currentyear, there has been no precedent of separate elections taking place under the 1978 Constitution.

Felipe González's government had been intent on ending the legislative term in 1997,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but the opposition PP had insisted on a snap election being held as soon as possible.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> CiU leader and Catalan president, Jordi Pujol, sought to secure a balance between his party's preference for the next Catalan regional election—initially scheduled for March or April 1996—being held ahead of the general election, and the belief that González could not politically survive the mounting scandals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following the local and regional elections on 28 May 1995, Pujol opted to hold the Catalan election in the autumn and force a general election for February or March 1996.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> While González resisted,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he did no longer rule out an early electoral call in 1996.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 14 July, González and Pujol agreed for the Catalan election to be held in November and the general election in March, certifying the end of CiU's support to the government.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In September, CiU U-turned and announced that it would reject the 1996 General State Budget to trigger an earlier general election,<ref name="EP130995"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but González's refusal to alter the agreed electoral calendar forced Pujol to advance the Catalan election to November.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The State Budget was voted down by the Congress of Deputies on 25 October,<ref name="EP261095"/> Pujol and his party lost their absolute majority in Catalonia in the 19 November regional election,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and González announced the parliament's dissolution—and the end of the 5th Cortes Generales—on 28 December.<ref name="EP291295"/>

The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} were officially dissolved on 9 January 1996 after the publication of the dissolution decree in the BOE, setting the election date for 3 March and scheduling for both chambers to reconvene on 27 March.<ref name="ElectionDecree"/>

Parliamentary composition

The tables below show the composition of the parliamentary groups in both chambers at the time of dissolution.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="HESenate">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

citation

CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Congress of Deputies
Groups		Parties		Deputies
				Seats	Total
width="1" rowspan="2" bgcolor="Template:Party color"|	Socialist Group of the Congress	width="1" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PSOE	141	159
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		PSC	18
rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	People's Parliamentary Group in the Congress	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PP	138	141
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		UPN	3
rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Federal Parliamentary Group	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	IU	15	18
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		IC	3
rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Catalan Parliamentary Group (Convergence and Union)	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	CDC	12	17
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		UDC	5
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Group (PNV)	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	EAJ/PNV	5	5
rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Canarian Coalition's Parliamentary Group	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	AIC	2	4
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		ICAN	1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		CCN	1
	Mixed Parliamentary Group	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	HB	2	6
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	ERC	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	EA	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	UV	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PAR	1

citation

CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Senate
Groups		Parties		Senators
				Seats	Total
width="1" rowspan="2" bgcolor="Template:Party color"|	People's Parliamentary Group in the Senate	width="1" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PP	111	114
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		UPN	3
rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Socialist Parliamentary Group	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PSOE	103	111
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		PSC	8
rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Convergence and Union's Catalan Parliamentary Group in the Senate	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	CDC	9	13
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		UDC	4
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Nationalist Senators' Parliamentary Group	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	EAJ/PNV	5	5
rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Canarian Coalition's Parliamentary Group in the Senate	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	AIC	2	5
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		ICAN	1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		AM	1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|		AHI	1
	Mixed Parliamentary Group	style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	IU	2	8
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	HB	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	EA	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	ERC	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	UV	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	CDN	1
		style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PIL	1

Parties and candidates

Eligibility

Spanish citizens of age and with the legal capacity to vote could run for election, provided that they were not sentenced to imprisonment by a final court's decision nor convicted by a judgement, even if not yet final, which imposed a penalty of forfeiture of eligibility or of specific disqualification or suspension from public office under specific offences: rebellion and terrorism when involving crimes against life, physical integrity or freedom of persons. Other general causes of ineligibility were imposed on members of the Spanish royal family; the president and members of the Constitutional Court, the General Council of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court, the Council of State, the Court of Auditors and the Economic and Social Council; the Ombudsman; the State's Attorney General; high-ranking members—undersecretaries, secretaries-general, directors-general and chiefs of staff—of Spanish government departments, the Prime Minister's Office, government delegations, the Social Security and other government agencies; heads of diplomatic missions in foreign states or international organizations; judges and public prosecutors in active service; Armed Forces and police corps personnel in active service; members of electoral commissions; the chair of RTVE; the director of the Electoral Register Office; the governor and deputy governor of the Bank of Spain; the chairs of the Official Credit Institute and other official credit institutions; and members of the Nuclear Safety Council; as well as a number of territorial-level officers in the aforementioned government bodies and institutions being barred from running, during their tenure of office, in constituencies within the whole or part of their respective area of jurisdiction.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref><ref>Template:Harvp.</ref> Disqualification provisions for the Cortes Generales extended to any employee of a foreign state and to members of regional governments, as well as the impossibility of running simultaneously as candidate for both the Congress and Senate.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref>

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, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.<ref>Template:Harvp.</ref>

Main candidacies

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

Candidacy		Parties and alliances	Leading candidate		Ideology	Previous result				Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr
						Congress		Senate
						Vote %	Seats	Vote %	Seats
width="1" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PSOE	Template:Collapsible list	File:Felipe González 1995 (cropped).jpg	Felipe González	Social democracy	38.8%	Template:Big	39.0% Template:Efn	Template:Big	Template:Ya	<ref name="EP191295">Template:Cite news</ref> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PP	Template:Collapsible list	File:José María Aznar 1996 (cropped).jpg	José María Aznar	Conservatism Christian democracy	35.4% Template:Efn	Template:Big	35.2% Template:Efn	Template:Big	Template:Na	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	IU	Template:Collapsible list	File:Julio Anguita 1996 (cropped).jpg	Julio Anguita	Socialism Communism	9.6%	Template:Big	9.5% Template:Efn	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	CiU	Template:Collapsible list	File:Joaquim Molins 2014 (cropped).jpg	Joaquim Molins	Catalan nationalism Centrism	4.9%	Template:Big	5.3%	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	EAJ/PNV	Template:Collapsible list	File:2007 02 Inaki Anasagasti-2.jpg	Iñaki Anasagasti	Basque nationalism Christian democracy	1.2%	Template:Big	1.3%	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	CC	Template:Collapsible list	File:Portrait placeholder.svg	José Carlos Mauricio	Regionalism Canarian nationalism Centrism	0.9%	Template:Big	0.6%	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	HB	Template:Collapsible list	File:Portrait placeholder.svg	—	Basque independence Abertzale left Revolutionary socialism	0.9%	Template:Big	0.9%	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	ERC	Template:Collapsible list	File:Pilar Rahola (cropped).jpg	Pilar Rahola	Catalan independence Left-wing nationalism Social democracy	0.8%	Template:Big	0.4% Template:Efn	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	EA	Template:Collapsible list	File:Begoña Lasagabaster 2023 (cropped).jpg	Begoña Lasagabaster	Basque nationalism Social democracy	0.5%	Template:Big	0.6%	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	UV	Template:Collapsible list	File:José María Chiquillo 2016 (cropped).jpg	José María Chiquillo	Blaverism Conservatism	0.5%	Template:Big	0.5%	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	BNG	Template:Collapsible list	File:Francisco Rodríguez Sánchez (AELG)-1.jpg	Francisco Rodríguez	Galician nationalism Left-wing nationalism	0.5%	Template:Big	0.5%	Template:Big	Template:Na
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	EFS	Template:Collapsible list	File:Pilar Costa 2017 (cropped).jpg	Pilar Costa	Progressivism	colspan="2" Template:N/a	0.0% Template:Efn	Template:Big	Template:Na	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PIL	Template:Collapsible list	File:Portrait placeholder.svg	Cándido Armas	Insularism Canarian nationalism	colspan="2" Template:N/a	colspan="2" Template:N/a	Template:Na

There was speculation on whether prime minister Felipe González would run as PSOE's candidate for a fifth term in office, which he initially confirmed "if his party asked him to",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> being re-elected as PSOE leader in the party's 1994 congress.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the judicial probe into the GAL case and political weariness made him reconsider,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and by the second half of 1995 he was said to have taken the decision not to continue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The election of Foreign Affairs minister Javier Solana—widely seen as González's most likely successor—as NATO secretary-general in December 1995 thwarted González's plans to retire,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> with him confirming a new run following overwhelming support from his party.<ref name="EP191295"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The PSOE, United Left (IU), The Greens (LV), Nationalist and Ecologist Agreement (ENE) and Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) formed the Ibiza and Formentera in the Senate alliance for the Senate election.<ref name="EEIF"/>

Campaign

Party slogans

Party or alliance		Original slogan	English translation	Template:Abbr
width="1" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PSOE	« España en positivo »	"Spain in positive"	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	PP	« Con la nueva mayoría »	"With the new majority"	<ref name="Slogans"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	IU	« IU decide »	"IU decides"	<ref name="Slogans"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Opinion polls

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:Opinion polling for the 1996 Spanish general election (Graphical summary)

Results

Congress of Deputies

← Summary of the 3 March 1996 Congress of Deputies election results →

File:SpainCongressDiagram1996.svg
Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
width="1" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	People's Party (PP)1	9,716,006	38.79	+3.42	156	+14
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	9,425,678	37.63	–1.15	141	–18
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	United Left (IU)	2,639,774	10.54	+0.99	21	+3
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Convergence and Union (CiU)	1,151,633	4.60	–0.34	16	–1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	318,951	1.27	+0.03	5	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Canarian Coalition (CC)	220,418	0.88	±0.00	4	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)	220,147	0.88	+0.34	2	+2
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Popular Unity (HB)	181,304	0.72	–0.16	2	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)	167,641	0.67	–0.13	1	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Andalusian Party (PA)2	134,800	0.54	–0.05	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Solidarity (EA)	115,861	0.46	–0.09	1	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Valencian Union (UV)	91,575	0.37	–0.11	1	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	The European Greens (LVE)	61,689	0.25	–0.54	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Aragonese Union (CHA)	49,739	0.20	+0.17	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Centrist Union (UC)	44,771	0.18	–1.58	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Valencian People's Union–Nationalist Bloc (UPV–BN)	26,777	0.11	–0.06	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Nationalists of the Balearic Islands (PSM–ENE)	24,644	0.10	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	The Greens–Green Group (LV–GV)	17,177	0.07	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Convergence of Democrats of Navarre (CDN)	17,020	0.07	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRT)3	14,854	0.06	–0.07	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE)	14,513	0.06	+0.02	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Humanist Party (PH)	13,482	0.05	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Asturianist Party (PAS)	12,213	0.05	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Authentic Spanish Phalanx (FEA)	12,114	0.05	+0.05	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Leonese People's Union (UPL)	12,049	0.05	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Citizen Initiative (ICV–Gorordo)	11,833	0.05	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	The Greens of Madrid (LVM)	8,483	0.03	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Extremaduran Coalition (CEx)4	7,312	0.03	–0.03	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Majorcan Union (UM)	6,943	0.03	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party (TC–PNC)	6,206	0.02	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Riojan Party (PR)	6,065	0.02	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Ecologist Party of Catalonia (PEC)	4,305	0.02	–0.02	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Regionalist Unity of Castile and León (URCL)	4,061	0.02	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Andalusian Nation (NA)	3,505	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Alliance for National Unity (AUN)	3,397	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Salamanca–Zamora–León–PREPAL (PREPAL)	2,762	0.01	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	SOS Nature (SOS)	2,753	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Republican Coalition (CR)5	2,744	0.01	–0.02	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Popular Front of the Canary Islands (FREPIC)	2,567	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Socialist Party of the People of Ceuta (PSPC)	2,365	0.01	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Regionalist Party of Castilla-La Mancha (PRCM)	2,279	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Galician People's Front (FPG)	2,065	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Independent Socialists of Extremadura (SIEx)	1,678	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Madrilenian Independent Regional Party (PRIM)	1,671	0.01	±0.00	0	±0
	Red–Green Party (PRV)	1,656	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Independent Spanish Phalanx (FEI)	1,550	0.01	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	New Region (NR)	1,452	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Republican Action (AR)	1,237	0.00	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Citizen Independent Platform of Catalonia (PICC)	1,229	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Valencian Nationalist Left (ENV)	1,023	0.00	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Party of El Bierzo (PB)	1,000	0.00	–0.01	0	±0
	Nationalist Canarian Party (PCN)	722	0.00	New	0	±0
	Alicantine Provincial Union (UPRA)	651	0.00	±0.00	0	±0
	Democratic Andalusian Unity (UAD)	627	0.00	New	0	±0
	Citizen Democratic Action (ADEC)	598	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Voice of the Andalusian People (VDPA)	529	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	European Nation State (N)	495	0.00	New	0	±0
	Social and Autonomist Liberal Group (ALAS)	402	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Balearic Alliance (ABA)	379	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Regionalist Party of Guadalajara (PRGU)	338	0.00	±0.00	0	±0
	Spanish Autonomous League (LAE)	296	0.00	New	0	±0
	Aragonese Social Dynamic (DSA)	265	0.00	New	0	±0
	Party of The People (LG)	243	0.00	±0.00	0	±0
	Inter-Zamoran Party (PIZ)	215	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Nationalist Party of Melilla (PNM)	200	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Centrists of the Valencian Community (CCV)	0	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Revolutionary Workers' Party (POR)	0	0.00	–0.03	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Party of Self-employed of Spain (PAE)	0	0.00	New	0	±0
	Tenerife Independent Familiar Groups (AFIT)	0	0.00	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		243,345	0.97	+0.17
Total		25,046,276			350	±0
Valid votes		25,046,276	99.50	+0.04
Invalid votes		125,782	0.50	–0.04
Votes cast / turnout		25,172,058	77.38	+0.94
Abstentions		7,359,775	22.62	–0.94
Registered voters		32,531,833
Sources<ref name="InfoE">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation							CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="HE">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Hidden

Senate

← Summary of the 3 March 1996 Senate of Spain election results →

File:SpainSenateDiagram1996.svg
Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
width="1" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	People's Party (PP)1	26,788,282	39.04	+3.87	112	+19
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	25,865,206	37.70	–1.32	81	–15
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	United Left (IU)	6,851,023	9.99	+0.52	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Convergence and Union (CiU)	3,338,737	4.87	–0.43	8	–2
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	918,692	1.34	+0.04	4	+1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)	670,346	0.98	+0.36	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Popular Unity (HB)	516,007	0.75	–0.17	0	–1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)	493,480	0.72	+0.35	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Andalusian Party (PA)2	415,676	0.61	–0.07	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Canarian Coalition (CC)	388,366	0.57	–0.04	1	–4
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Solidarity (EA)	337,911	0.49	–0.09	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Valencian Union (UV)	280,383	0.41	–0.12	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Aragonese Union (CHA)	136,157	0.20	+0.16	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Centrist Union (UC)	129,432	0.19	–1.63	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	The European Greens (LVE)	127,576	0.19	–0.69	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Valencian People's Union–Nationalist Bloc (UPV–BN)	93,337	0.14	–0.07	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	The Greens–Green Group (LV–GV)	67,439	0.10	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Convergence of Democrats of Navarre (CDN)	54,016	0.08	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Nationalists of the Balearic Islands (PSM–ENE)	50,928	0.07	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Leonese People's Union (UPL)	48,214	0.07	–0.02	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Asturianist Party (PAS)	41,127	0.06	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE)	34,495	0.05	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Alliance for National Unity (AUN)	32,451	0.05	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Basque Citizen Initiative (ICV–Gorordo)	31,632	0.05	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Extremaduran Coalition (CEx)3	30,213	0.04	–0.05	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Authentic Spanish Phalanx (FEA)	27,999	0.04	+0.03	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Ecologist Party of Catalonia (PEC)	24,662	0.04	–0.04	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Humanist Party (PH)	24,149	0.04	+0.02	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Ibiza and Formentera in the Senate (PSOE–EU–ENE–ERC–EV–Eiv)	21,365	0.03	New	1	+1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Riojan Party (PR)	20,172	0.03	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party (TC–PNC)	20,119	0.03	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Majorcan Union (UM)	18,944	0.03	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Salamanca–Zamora–León–PREPAL (PREPAL)	17,024	0.02	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Republican Coalition (CR)4	15,958	0.02	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Independent Spanish Phalanx (FEI)	14,963	0.02	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRT)5	14,618	0.02	–0.05	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Regionalist Unity of Castile and León (URCL)	14,362	0.02	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Lanzarote Independents Party (PIL)	13,161	0.02	New	1	+1
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	The Greens of Madrid (LVM)	13,080	0.02	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Andalusian Nation (NA)	12,803	0.02	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Nationalist Party of Castile and León (PANCAL)	10,268	0.01	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Party of El Bierzo (PB)	8,641	0.01	±0.00	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Independent Socialists of Extremadura (SIEx)	8,018	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Madrilenian Independent Regional Party (PRIM)	6,409	0.01	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Republican Action (AR)	6,398	0.01	–0.01	0	±0
	Red–Green Party (PRV)	6,232	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	SOS Nature (SOS)	6,149	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Regionalist Party of Castilla-La Mancha (PRCM)	6,106	0.01	New	0	±0
	Democratic Party of the People (PDEP)	6,061	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Popular Front of the Canary Islands (FREPIC)	4,764	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Socialist Party of the People of Ceuta (PSPC)	4,107	0.01	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Natural Culture (CN)	3,986	0.01	+0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Galician People's Front (FPG)	3,727	0.01	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Citizen Independent Platform of Catalonia (PICC)	3,408	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Independent Candidacy of Valladolid (CIV)	3,270	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Join Action (AY)	2,573	0.00	New	0	±0
	Alicantine Provincial Union (UPRA)	2,536	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Voice of the Andalusian People (VDPA)	2,352	0.00	New	0	±0
	Aragonese Unity (UA)	2,305	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Valencian Nationalist Left (ENV)	2,080	0.00	–0.01	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	National Workers' Party (PNT)	1,788	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	New Region (NR)	1,754	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Revolutionary Workers' Party (POR)	1,438	0.00	–0.02	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Regionalist Party of Guadalajara (PRGU)	1,305	0.00	±0.00	0	±0
	Citizen Democratic Action (ADEC)	1,187	0.00	New	0	±0
	Social and Autonomist Liberal Group (ALAS)	1,099	0.00	New	0	±0
	Nationalist Canarian Party (PCN)	934	0.00	New	0	±0
	Inter-Zamoran Party (PIZ)	912	0.00	New	0	±0
	Iberian Unity (UI)	883	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	European Nation State (N)	816	0.00	New	0	±0
	Democratic Andalusian Unity (UAD)	783	0.00	New	0	±0
	Spanish Autonomous League (LAE)	610	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Nationalist Party of Melilla (PNM)	595	0.00	New	0	±0
	Aragonese Social Dynamic (DSA)	581	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Independents of Menorca (INME)	558	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Proverist Party (PPr)	373	0.00	±0.00	0	±0
	Spanish Action (AE)	256	0.00	±0.00	0	±0
	Clean Hands Project (PML)	231	0.00	New	0	±0
	Party of The People (LG)	125	0.00	New	0	±0
	Tenerife Independent Familiar Groups (AFIT)	0	0.00	New	0	±0
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color"|	Centrists of the Valencian Community (CCV)	0	0.00	New	0	±0
Blank ballotsTemplate:Efn		482,601	1.97	+0.34
Total		68,612,724			208	±0
Valid votes		24,502,854	97.41	–0.29
Invalid votes		652,656	2.59	+0.29
Votes cast / turnout		25,155,510	77.33	+0.84
Abstentions		7,376,323	22.67	–0.84
Registered voters		32,531,833
Sources<ref name="HESenate"/><ref name="InfoE"/><ref name="HE"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation							CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Hidden

Maps

• 1996 Spanish general election map.svg

  Election results by constituency (Congress).

• 1996 Spanish election - Results.svg

  Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress).

• 1996 Spanish election - AC results.svg

  Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress).

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture José María Aznar (PP)
Ballot →		4 May 1996
Required majority →		176 out of 350 Template:Tick
	Template:Collapsible list	Template:Composition bar
	Template:Collapsible list	Template:Composition bar
	Template:Collapsible list	Template:Composition bar
	Template:Collapsible list	Template:Composition bar
Sources<ref name="HECongressVotes">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Bibliography

• Template:Cite act
• Template:Cite act
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:Commons category-inline