1999 European Parliament election in Spain

The 1999 European Parliament election in Spain was held on Sunday, 13 June 1999, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 5th European Parliament. All 64 seats allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Amsterdam were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

1999 European Parliament election in Spain

← 1994 13 June 1999 2004 →
← outgoing members elected members →
All 64 Spanish seats in the European Parliament
Opinion polls
Registered	33,840,432 7.2%
Turnout	21,334,948 (63.0%) 3.9 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Loyola de Palacio Rosa Díez Alonso Puerta Party PP PSOE–p IU–EUiA Alliance EPP (EPP–ED) PES GUE/NGL Leader since 22 April 1999 22 March 1999 2 March 1994 Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain Last election 28 seats, 40.1% 22 seats, 30.8% 9 seats, 11.9%[a] Seats won 27 24 4 Seat change 1 2 5 Popular vote 8,410,993 7,477,823 1,221,566 Percentage 39.7% 35.3% 5.8% Swing 0.4 pp 4.5 pp 6.1 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Pere Esteve Isidoro Sánchez Josu Ortuondo Party CiU CE CN–EP Alliance ELDR EPP (EPP–ED) ELDR ERA (Greens/EFA) Greens/EFA Leader since 16 November 1998 1999 17 April 1999 Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain Last election 3 seats, 4.7% 0 seats, 2.2%[b] 2 seats, 2.8%[c] Seats won 3 2 2 Seat change 0 2 0 Popular vote 937,687 677,094 613,968 Percentage 4.4% 3.2% 2.9% Swing 0.3 pp 1.0 pp 0.1 pp
Winner strength by province Winner strength by autonomous community

The ruling People's Party (PP)—which for the first time contested a nationwide election in Spain while in government—emerged as the largest political force in the country, albeit with a diminished victory margin than in the previous election held in 1994. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), in opposition for the first time since 1982, recovered some ground from its previous result. Overall, the PP lead decreased from 9.3 to 4.4 percentage points, though this was an increase from the 1.2 points between both parties in the 1996 general election. United Left (IU) lost half of its votes and parliamentary representation amid internal divisions—Initiative for Catalonia (IC) and the New Left (NI) had split from the larger alliance in 1997—policy differences over their relationship with the PSOE and the deteriorating health condition of IU's maverick leader, Julio Anguita.

Electoral system

64 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Amsterdam. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals and resident non-national European citizens over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.^[1][2]

All seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with no electoral threshold being applied in order to be entitled to enter seat distribution. Seats were allocated to a single multi-member constituency comprising the entire national territory.^[1] The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.^[3]

Outgoing delegation

Main article: List of members of the European Parliament for Spain, 1994–1999

Outgoing delegation in May 1999^[4]

Groups		Parties		MEPs
				Seats	Total
	European People's Party		PP	26	29
			UPN	2
			UDC	1
	Party of European Socialists		PSOE	21	21
	European United Left–Nordic Green Left		IU	8	9
			IC–V	1
	European Radical Alliance		PAR	1	3
			CG	1
			INDEP	1[d]
	European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party		CDC	2	2

Parties and candidates

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. In order to be entitled to run, parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least 15,000 registered electors; this requirement could be lifted and replaced through the signature of at least 50 elected officials—deputies, senators, MEPs or members from the legislative assemblies of autonomous communities or from local city councils. Electors and elected officials were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.^[1]

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

Candidacy		Parties and alliances	Leading candidate		Ideology	Previous result		Ref.
						Votes (%)	Seats
	PP	List People's Party (PP) Navarrese People's Union (UPN)		Loyola de Palacio	Conservatism Christian democracy	40.12%	28	[5]
	PSOE–p	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) Democratic Party of the New Left (PDNI)		Rosa Díez	Social democracy	30.79%	22	[6]
	IU–EUiA	List United Left (IU) – Communist Party of Spain (PCE) – Socialist Action Party (PASOC) – Republican Left (IR) – Collective for the Unity of Workers–Andalusian Left Bloc (CUT–BAI) – Revolutionary Workers' Party (POR) – Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRT) United and Alternative Left (EUiA) – Living Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUCviu) – Party of the Communists of Catalonia (PCC)		Alonso Puerta	Socialism Communism	11.92%[a]	9	[7] [8]
	CiU	List Convergence and Union (CiU) – Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) – Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) Valencian Nationalist Bloc (BNV) PSM–Nationalist Agreement (PSM–EN)		Pere Esteve	Catalan nationalism Centrism	4.66%	3	[9]
	CN–EP	List Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) Basque Solidarity (EA) Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) Majorcan Union (UM) The Greens–Ecologist Confederation of Catalonia (EV–CEC)		Josu Ortuondo	Peripheral nationalism	2.84%[c]	2	[10] [11]
	CE	List Canarian Coalition (CC) Andalusian Party (PA) Valencian Union (UV) Aragonese Party (PAR)		Isidoro Sánchez	Regionalism	2.17%[b]	0
	LV–IP	List Initiative for Catalonia–Greens (IC–V) The Greens (LV) Aragonese Union (CHA) Left of Galicia (EdeG) Andalusian Left (IA)		Antoni Gutiérrez	Green politics Eco-socialism Left-wing nationalism	1.53%[e]	0
	EH	List Popular Unity (HB) – Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV) Assembly (Batzarre) Stand Up (Zutik)		Koldo Gorostiaga	Basque independence Left-wing nationalism Revolutionary socialism	0.97%[f]	0
	BNG	List Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) – Galician People's Union (UPG) – Socialist Collective (CS) – Galician Nationalist Party–Galicianist Party (PNG–PG) – Nationalist Left (EN) – Inzar (Inzar) – Galician Unity (UG)		Camilo Nogueira	Galician nationalism Left-wing nationalism Socialism	0.75%	0

Opinion polls

The table below lists voting intention estimates 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 given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout					CN–EP		BNG	CE	LV–IP	Lead
1999 EP election	13 Jun 1999	—	63.0	39.7 27	35.3 24	5.8 4	4.4 3	2.9 2	1.5 1	1.6 1	3.2 2	1.4 0	4.4
Ipsos–Eco Consulting/ABC[p 1]	24 May–2 Jun 1999	2,000	?	40.9 28	35.2 24	10.4 7	4.5 3	2.4 1	0.5 0	0.5 0	1.8 1	–	5.7
Demoscopia/El País[p 2]	26 May–1 Jun 1999	17,500	67	41.1 28	35.6 24	8.8 5/6	5.2 3	2.9 1	–	1.8 1	1.6 1	1.4 0/1	5.5
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 3][p 4]	28–31 May 1999	2,600	?	41.8 28/30	36.2 24/26	7.9 5	4.4 3	2.4 1	–	–	1.9 1	1.2 0	5.6
CIS[p 5][p 6]	3–26 May 1999	4,797	?	41.5 28/29	35.5 24/25	8.1 5/6	4.2 2/3	2.3 1	1.0 0	1.0 0	2.3 1	2.4 1	6.0
Metra Seis/Colpisa[p 7]	14–20 May 1999	1,200	?	40.2 27/29	36.8 24/26	8.8 5/7	4.7 3	2.8 1/2	0.9 0	0.9 0	2.8 1/2	–	3.4
Gallup/El Correo[p 8]	5–30 Mar 1999	2,031	?	41.0 28	38.0 26	9.0 6	4.0 2	? 1	–	–	? 1	–	3.0
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 9]	26–27 Dec 1998	1,000	?	43.4 30/31	35.1 24/25	8.2 5/6	4.1 2/3	2.3 1	–	–	–	–	8.3
1994 EP election	12 Jun 1994	—	59.1	40.1 28	30.8 22	13.4 9	4.7 3	4.1 2	1.0 0	0.7 0	–	–	9.3

Results

Overall

For results by autonomous community/constituency, see Results breakdown of the 1999 European Parliament election in Spain.

← Summary of the 13 June 1999 European Parliament election results in Spain →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	8,410,993	39.74	–0.38	27	–1
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party–Progressives (PSOE–p)	7,477,823	35.33	+4.54	24	+2
	United Left–United and Alternative Left (IU–EUiA)1	1,221,566	5.77	–6.15	4	–5
	Convergence and Union (CiU)	937,687	4.43	–0.23	3	±0
	European Coalition (CE)2	677,094	3.20	+1.03	2	+2
	Nationalist Coalition–Europe of the Peoples (CN–EP)3	613,968	2.90	+0.06	2	±0
	Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)	349,079	1.65	+0.90	1	+1
	Basque Citizens (EH)4	306,923	1.45	+0.48	1	+1
	The Greens–Left of the Peoples (LV–IP)5	300,874	1.42	–0.11	0	±0
	The Greens–Green Group (LV–GV)	138,835	0.66	+0.07	0	±0
	Centrist Union–Democratic and Social Centre (UC–CDS)	38,911	0.18	–0.81	0	±0
	Leonese People's Union (UPL)	33,604	0.16	New	0	±0
	Confederation of Feminist Organizations (COFEM/FEMEK)	28,901	0.14	New	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE)	26,189	0.12	–0.04	0	±0
	Asturian Renewal Union (URAS)	22,400	0.11	New	0	±0
	Party for Independence (PI)	17,544	0.08	New	0	±0
	Spanish Democratic Party (PADE)	16,001	0.08	New	0	±0
	United Extremadura (EU)	15,716	0.07	±0.00	0	±0
	Asturianist Party (PAS)	15,299	0.07	–0.01	0	±0
	Independent Spanish Phalanx (FEI)	13,940	0.07	+0.04	0	±0
	Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party (TC–PNC)6	13,267	0.06	+0.04	0	±0
	Alliance for National Unity (AUN)	12,486	0.06	New	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	12,415	0.06	+0.02	0	±0
	The Phalanx (FE)	10,792	0.05	New	0	±0
	Independent Socialists of Extremadura (SIEx)	10,040	0.05	New	0	±0
	Regionalist Unity of Castile and León (URCL)	9,950	0.05	±0.00	0	±0
	Andalusia Assembly (A)	8,750	0.04	New	0	±0
	Natural Law Party (PLN)	8,671	0.04	New	0	±0
	Party of Self-employed of Spain and Spanish Independent Groups (PAE–I)	8,394	0.04	New	0	±0
	Valencian Community Alternative (ACV)	8,073	0.04	New	0	±0
	National Democracy (DN)	8,053	0.04	New	0	±0
	Andecha Astur (AA)	7,321	0.03	New	0	±0
	Union of Regions (UDR)	7,251	0.03	New	0	±0
	Extremaduran Coalition (PREx–CREx)7	7,230	0.03	±0.00	0	±0
	Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL)	6,977	0.03	±0.00	0	±0
	Coalition for the Repeal of the Maastricht Treaty (DM)8	5,664	0.03	–0.01	0	±0
Blank ballots		357,583	1.69	+0.54
Total		21,166,264			64	±0
Valid votes		21,166,264	99.21	–0.33
Invalid votes		168,684	0.79	+0.33
Votes cast / turnout		21,334,948	63.05	+3.91
Abstentions		12,505,484	36.95	–3.91
Registered voters		33,840,432
Sources[12][13]
Footnotes: 1 United Left–United and Alternative Left results are compared to United Left totals in the 1994 election, not including Catalonia. 2 European Coalition results are compared to the combined totals of Nationalist Coalition in Aragon, the Canary Islands and the Valencian Community and Andalusian Coalition–Andalusian Power in the 1994 election. 3 Nationalist Coalition–Europe of the Peoples results are compared to the combined totals of Nationalist Coalition—not including results in Aragon, the Canary Islands, Galicia and the Valencian Community—, For the Europe of the Peoples—not including results in Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, La Rioja and Madrid—and The Greens–Ecologist Confederation of Catalonia in the 1994 election. 4 Basque Citizens results are compared to Popular Unity totals in the 1994 election. 5 The Greens–Left of the Peoples results are compared to United Left totals in Catalonia in the 1994 election. 6 Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party results are compared to For the Europe of the Peoples totals in Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, La Rioja and Madrid in the 1994 election. 7 Extremaduran Coalition results are compared to Extremaduran Regionalist Party totals in the 1994 election. 8 Coalition for the Repeal of the Maastricht Treaty results are compared to Coalition for a New Socialist Party totals in the 1994 election.

Popular vote PP   39.74% PSOE–p   35.33% IU–EUiA   5.77% CiU   4.43% CE   3.20% CN–EP   2.90% BNG   1.65% EH   1.45% LV–IP   1.42% Others   2.42% Blank ballots   1.69%

Seats PP   42.19% PSOE–p   37.50% IU–EUiA   6.25% CiU   4.69% CE   3.13% CN–EP   3.13% BNG   1.56% EH   1.56%

Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 5th European Parliament (1999–2004)^[4]

Groups		Parties	Seats	Total	%
	European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP–ED)	People's Party (PP) Navarrese People's Union (UPN) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC)	26 1 1	28	43.75
	Party of European Socialists (PES)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Democratic Party of the New Left (PDNI)	22 2	24	37.50
	Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) Basque Solidarity (EA) Andalusian Party (PA) Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)	1 1 1 1	4	6.25
	European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)	United Left (IU)	4	4	6.25
	European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR)	Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Canarian Coalition (CC)	2 1	3	4.69
	Non-Inscrits (NI)	Basque Citizens (EH)	1	1	1.56
Total			64	64	100.00

Elected legislators

The following table lists the elected legislators:^[14]

Elected legislators
#	Name	List
1	Loyola Palacio Valle-Lersundi		PP
2	Rosa María Díez González		PSOE–p
3	José María Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado		PP
4	José María Obiols i Germa (Raimon)		PSOE–p
5	José Gerardo Galeote Quecedo		PP
6	Francisca Sauquillo Pérez del Arco		PSOE–p
7	Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca		PP
8	Enrique Barón Crespo		PSOE–p
9	María del Carmen Fraga Estévez		PP
10	María del Carmen Cerdeira Morterero		PSOE–p
11	Mónica María Ridruejo Ostrowska		PP
12	Carlos Westendorp y Cabeza		PSOE–p
13	Alonso José Puerta Gutiérrez		IU–EUiA
14	Theresa María Zabell Lucas		PP
15	Manuel Medina Ortega		PSOE–p
16	José Manuel García-Margallo Marfil		PP
17	Pere Esteve i Abad		CiU
18	José María Mendiluce Pereiro		PSOE–p
19	José Javier Pomes Ruiz		PP
20	Ana Isabel Palacio del Valle-del Lersundi		PP
21	Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop		PSOE–p
22	Alejandro Agag Longo		PP
23	Pedro Aparicio Sánchez		PSOE–p
24	Encarnación Redondo Jiménez		PP
25	Luis Francisco Berenguer Fuster		PSOE–p
26	Salvador Jove Peres		IU–EUiA
27	Isidoro Sánchez García		CE
28	Juan Ojeda Sanz		PP
29	Juan de Dios Izquierdo Collado		PSOE–p
30	Josu Ortuondo Larrea		CN–EP
31	Laura de la Paz Mercedes González Álvarez		IU–EUiA
32	Fernando Manuel Fernández Martín		PP
33	María Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco		PSOE–p
34	Jaime Valdivielso de-Cue		PP
35	Carlos Carnero González		PSOE–p
36	Juan Manuel Fabra Valles		PP
37	María Izquierdo Rojo		PSOE–p
38	María del Pilar Ayuso González		PP
39	Concepció Ferrer i Casals		CiU
40	Alejandro Cercas Alonso		PSOE–p
41	Íñigo Méndez de Vigo Montojo		PP
42	José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra		PP
43	Joan Colom i Naval		PSOE–p
44	Manuel Pérez Álvarez		PP
45	María Rodríguez Ramos		PSOE–p
46	Pedro Marset Campos		IU–EUiA
47	Cristina García-Orcoyen Tormo		PP
48	Miguel Ángel Martínez Martínez		PSOE–p
49	Daniel Luis Varela Suanzes-Carpegna		PP
50	María Sornosa Martínez		PSOE–p
51	María Antonia Avilés Perea		PP
52	Fernando Pérez Royo		PSOE–p
53	Salvador Garriga Polledo		PP
54	Camilo Nogueira Román		BNG
55	Ana Terrón Cusi		PSOE–p
56	Carlos Bautista Ojeda		CE
57	Carlos Bartolomé Ripoll i Martínez de Bedoya		PP
58	Emilio Menéndez del Valle		PSOE–p
59	Jorge Salvador Hernández Mollar		PP
60	Carles Alfred Gasòliba i Böhm		CiU
61	Rosa María Miguélez Ramos		PSOE–p
62	Cristina Gutiérrez-Cortines Corral		PP
63	Gorka Knörr Borras		CN–EP
64	Koldo Gorostiaga Atxalandabaso		EH

Notes

1. Results for IU in the 1994 election, not including Catalonia.
2. Results for CN in Aragon, the Canary Islands and the Valencian Community (1.42%, 0 seats) and PA–PAP (0.76%, 0 seats) in the 1994 election.
3. Results for CN, not including Aragon, the Canary Islands, Galicia and the Valencian Community (1.35%, 2 seats), PEP, not including Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, La Rioja and Madrid (1.26%, 0 seats) and EV–CEC (0.23%, 0 seats) in the 1994 election.
4. Antonio González Triviño, former PSOE MEP.
5. Results for IU in Catalonia in the 1994 election.
6. Results for HB in the 1994 election.

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "El PP saca 5,7 puntos de ventaja al PSOE". ABC (in Spanish). 6 June 1999.
2. "El PP gana al PSOE, pero su ventaja cae a la mitad". El País (in Spanish). 5 June 1999.
3. "El PP aventaja en 5,6 puntos al PSOE en el último sondeo para las europeas". El Mundo (in Spanish). 7 June 1999.
4. "Sondejos". Generalitat de Catalunya (in Catalan). Retrieved 16 June 2018.
5. "Preelectoral elecciones al Parlamento Europeo, 1999 (Estudio nº 2325. Mayo 1999)" (PDF). CIS (in Spanish). 4 June 1999.
6. "El PP conserva su poder municipal, autonómico y europeo, e IU se hunde". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 5 June 1999.
7. "Un sondeo da 3,4 puntos de ventaja al PP en las europeas". El País (in Spanish). 31 May 1999.
8. "Una encuesta adjudica al PP tres puntos de ventaja sobre el PSOE en las europeas". El País (in Spanish). 17 May 1999.
9. "El PP aventaja al PSOE en 6,8 puntos a un año del final de la legislatura". El Mundo (in Spanish). 4 January 1999.

Other

1. Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General (Organic Law 5) (in Spanish). 19 June 1985. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
2. Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts. 10 November 1997. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
3. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
4. "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
5. Casqueiro, Javier (23 April 1999). "El PP designa a Loyola de Palacio para encabezar la lista al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
6. Díez, Anabel (23 March 1999). "Rosa Díez encabezará la lista europea del PSOE para luchar contra el "nacionalismo excluyente"". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
7. Rivas, Javier (3 March 1994). "Alonso Puerta encabezará la lista europea de IU con el rechazo de los 'duros' del PCE". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
8. Serrano, Rodolfo (1 May 1999). "Alonso Puerta encabeza la candidatura europea de IU con mayoría comunista". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
9. Mauri, Luis (17 November 1998). "Pujol 'aparca' a Esteve desplazándolo a las listas para las elecciones europeas". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
10. "La dirección del PNV propone a Ortuondo como cabeza de lista para las europeas". El País (in Spanish). Bilbao. 3 March 1999. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
11. "La asamblea del PNV ratifica a Ortuondo como candidato a las europeas". El País (in Spanish). 18 April 1999. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
12. "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales". Ministry of the Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2022.
13. "Elecciones Europeas 13 de junio de 1999". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
14. Junta Electoral Central: "Acuerdo de 29 de junio de 1999, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se procede a la proclamación de Diputados electos al Parlamento Europeo en las elecciones celebradas el 13 de junio de 1999" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (156): 25068. 1 July 1999. ISSN 0212-033X.

External links

• European elections Spain in Europe Politique.