Madrid (Spanish Congress Electoral District) Totally Explained

Everything about Madrid Spanish Congress Electoral District totally explained

Madrid is one of the 52 electoral districts (circunscripciones) used for the Spanish Congress of Deputies - the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. It has the largest electorate of all the 52 districts. Madrid is the largest city. Other municipalities with an electorate over 100,000 are (in descending order) Móstoles, Leganés, Alcalá de Henares, Fuenlabrada, Alcorcón and Getafe.
Traditionally the two main parties candidates for Prime Minister are the heads of the Madrid list for their respective parties.

Boundaries and electoral system

Under Article 68 of the Spanish constitution the boundaries must be the same as the province of Madrid and under Article 140 this can only be altered with the approval of congress. Voting is on the basis of universal suffrage in a secret ballot. The electoral system used is closed list proportional representation with seats allocated using the D'Hondt method. Only lists which poll 3% or more of all valid votes cast, including votes "en blanco" for example for "none of the above" can be considered for seats. Under article 12 of the constitution, the minimum voting age is 18.

Eligibility

Article 67.3 of the Spanish Constitution prohibits dual membership of the Cortes and regional assemblies, meaning that candidates must resign from Regional Assemblies if successfully elected. Article 70 also makes active judges, magistrates, public defenders, serving military personnel, active police officers and members of constitutional and electoral tribunals ineligible.

Number of members

In the general elections of 1977, 1979 and 1982 Madrid returned 32 members. That figure was increased to 33 members for the 1986 General Election, to 34 members for the 1993 election and then to its current figure of 35 from the 2004 General Election.
Under Spanish electoral law, all provinces are entitled to a minimum of 2 seats with a remaining 248 seats apportioned according to population. These laws are laid out in detail in the 1985 electoral law. (Ley Orgánica del Régimen Electoral General) The practical effect of this law has been to overrepresent smaller provinces at the expense of larger provinces like Madrid.
In 2004 for example Spain had 34,571,831 voters giving an average of 98,777 voters per deputy . In Madrid however the number of voters per deputy was 127,377 the second largest ratio after Barcelona. In contrast the ratio was 38,714 and 26,177 respectively in the smallest provinces of Teruel and Soria.

Party strength by municipality

Generally certain patterns have emerged in recent elections. The Popular Party (PP) normally polls best in the City of Madrid, with the PSOE polling best in the smaller municipalities, particularly those in the 'sur metropolitano' (South Metropolitan region) area which consists of the satellite towns to the immediate south and of Madrid.
Within the Madrid autonomous community, PP generally polled best in the municipalities in the north and west of the community, while PSOE does best in the south and east of the community. IU normally failed to break the 10% barrier, but did do relatively well in many of the smaller municipalities and in one of them, Berzosa del Lozoya, in the north of the autonomous community, outpolled the other parties, albeit by just one vote out of 106 cast.
Exactly the same pattern was evident in 2004 within Madrid city itself with PP polling best in the districts in the north western half of the city and PSOE doing best in the south eastern half. PP polled best in the districts of Chamartín (67.9%), Salamanca (67.7%) and Chamberí (64.9%) while PSOE's best vote shares came in the Vallecas districts where they polled 61.4% in Puente de Vallecas and 56.9% in Villa de Vallecas. IU's best result was in Centro where they polled 10.4%.

Party strength in largest muncipalities

Municipality	PP	PSOE	IU
Madrid Autonomous Community	46.0	45.0	6.6
Madrid	48.7	42.7	6.4
Móstoles	39.0	51.7	6.5
Leganés	33.8	54.9	8.4
Alcalá de Henares	40.9	48.9	7.1
Fuenlabrada	31.5	59.0	6.5
Alcorcón	39.0	51.7	6.5
Getafe	33.8	53.7	9.8
Torrejón de Ardoz	38.0	50.1	7.0
Alcobendas	46.1	44.0	4.9
Coslada	32.9	52.1	9.8
Parla	26.5	62.3	7.0
Pozuelo de Alarcón	62.8	29.3	3.2

Only municipalities with more than 50,000 voters shown. Source:

Summary of seats won 1977-2004

	1977	1979	1982	1986	1989	1993	1996	2000	2004	2008
Democratic Centre Union (UCD)	11	12	1
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	11	12	18	15	12	13	11	12	16	15
United Left (IU)	4	4	1	2	5	5	6	3	2	1
People's Party (PP)	3	3	11	11	12	16	17	19	17	18
Popular Socialist Party (PSP)	3
National Union (UN)		1
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)			1	5	4
Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)										1

Seats shown for the People's Party include seats won by their predecessors, the Popular Alliance and the Popular Coalition before 1989. Seats shown for United Left include seats won by the Communist Party of Spain before 1986.

Vote share summary 1977-2004

	1977	1979	1982	1986	1989	1993	1996	2000	2004
Democratic Centre Union (UCD)	32.0	33.1	3.4
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	31.7	33.3	52.1	40.8	33.5	34.5	31.4	33.1	44.1
United Left (IU)	10.7	13.5	5.0	6.0	15.4	14.6	16.4	9.1	6.4
People's Party (PP)	10.5	8.6	32.3	32.0	34.2	43.9	49.3	52.5	45.0
Popular Socialist Party (PSP)	9.2
National Union (UN)		4.8	0.8
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)			4.1	13.9	11.0	3.0	0.4	0.1	0.2

2008 Election

As traditionally the prime ministerial candidate of each party is the leader of the Madrid list, PSOE's, PP's and IU's lists will be led by Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Mariano Rajoy and Gaspar Llamazares respectively. In many political parties it's usually the number two on these lists who are considered the leader and left for discussion within the regional party branches. Up to December 2008 it's only clear that current Second Vice-President Pedro Solbes has been offered this position and that current confederal environment Secretary of the Workers' Commissions trade union, Joaquin Nieto has been offered this position for IU Pending ratificton by the Regional and Federal Political Councils of the organisation. Manuel Pizzarro, former Chairman of ENDESA, was chosen to run as number two in the madrid list of the Peoples's Party, his draft was announced at the time that current Mayor Madrid Alberto Ruiz Gallardón was rejected to take part in the party list.

Results

PSOE had their best result in Madrid since 1982 although the PP still narrowly retained the top position. IU lost a seat and had their biggest drop in percentage terms in any of the 52 districts.

2004 General Election

Summary of the 14 March 2004 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|People's Party (Partido Popular) |align="right" |1,576,636 |align="right" |45.02 |align="right" |17 |align="left" | Mariano Rajoy, Rodrigo Rato (Resigned), Carlos Aragonés, Rogelio Baón, Ismael Bardisa, Gabriel Elgorriaga, Elena Garcia-Alcañiz, Fernando López-Amór, Jesús López-Medel, Mario Mingo, Eugenio Nassare, Beatriz Rodríguez Salmones, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaria, Julio Sanchez Fierro, Roberto Soravilla, Juan Carlos Vera, Francisco José Villar |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |1,544,676 |align="right" |44.11 |align="right" |16 |align="left" | José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, María Fernández, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Mercedes Cabrera, Cristina Narbona, José Acosta Cubero, Elviro Aranda, Juan Antonio Barrios Rosa Blanco, Lucila Corral, Juan Julián Eloa, Luis Fernández, Dolores Garcia-Hierro, Antonio Gutierrez, Antonio Hernando, Joaquín Leguina, Diego López Garrido |- |align=left|United Left |align="right" |225,109 |align="right" |6.43 |align="right" |2 |align="left" | Gaspar Llamazares, Ángel Pérez (Resigned), Montserrat Muñoz |- |align=left|Los Verdes |align="right" valign=top|19,600 |align="right" valign=top|0.56 |align="right" valign=top|0 |align="left" | |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |63,719 |align="right" |3.88 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
2000 General Election
Summary of the 12 March 2000 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|People's Party (Partido Popular) |align="right" |1,625,831 |align="right" |52.52 |align="right" |19 |align="left" |Jose Maria Aznar |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |1,023,212 |align="right" |33.06 |align="right" |12 |align="left" |Joaquin Almunia |- |align=left|United Left |align="right" |282,180 |align="right" |9.12 |align="right" |3 |align="left" |Francisco Frutos |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |106,130 |align="right" |3.40 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
1996 General Election
Summary of the 3 March 1996 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|People's Party (Partido Popular) |align="right" |1,642,489 |align="right" |49.29 |align="right" |17 |align="left" |Jose Maria Aznar |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |1,046,904 |align="right" |31.42 |align="right" |11 |align="left" |Felipe Gonzalez |- |align=left|United Left |align="right" |547,901 |align="right" |16.44 |align="right" |6 |align="left" |Julio Anguita |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |52,825 |align="right" |1.60 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
1993 General Election
This election saw the CDS fall just short of the 3% threshold needed to secure representation and as a result they failed to win the seat that they'd have won had there been no threshold. To date this was the only election where the threshold has cost a party representation. Summary of the 6 June 1993 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|People's Party (Partido Popular) |align="right" |1,373,042 |align="right" |43.92 |align="right" |16 |align="left" |Jose Maria Aznar |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |1,093,015 |align="right" |34.96 |align="right" |13 |align="left" |Felipe Gonzalez |- |align=left|United Left |align="right" |455,685 |align="right" |14.58 |align="right" |5 |align="left" |Julio Anguita |- |align=left|Democratic and Social Centre |align="right" |93,347 |align="right" |2.99 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |80,507 |align="right" |2.60 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
1989 General Election
Summary of the 29 October 1989 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|People's Party (Partido Popular) |align="right" |919,357 |align="right" |34.22 |align="right" |12 |align="left" |Jose Maria Aznar |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |899,723 |align="right" |33.49 |align="right" |12 |align="left" |Felipe Gonzalez |- |align=left|United Left |align="right" |414,392 |align="right" |15.42 |align="right" |5 |align="left" |Julio Anguita |- |align=left|Democratic and Social Centre |align="right" |295,189 |align="right" |11.00 |align="right" |4 |align="right" |Adolfo Suarez |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |130,751 |align="right" |4.90 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
1986 General Election
Summary of the 22 June 1986 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |1,054,730 |align="right" |40.81 |align="right" |15 |align="left" |Felipe Gonzalez |- |align=left|People's Party (Partido Popular) |align="right" |826,206 |align="right" |31.97 |align="right" |11 |align="left" |Manuel Fraga |- |align=left|Democratic and Social Centre |align="right" |295,189 |align="right" |13.94 |align="right" |5 |align="right" |Adolfo Suarez |- |align=left|United Left |align="right" |155,932 |align="right" |6.03 |align="right" |5 |align="left" |Gerardo Iglesias |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |162,634 |align="right" |6.30 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
1982 General Election
Summary of the 28 October 1982 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |1,439,137 |align="right" |52.09 |align="right" |18 |align="left" |Felipe Gonzalez |- |align=left|Popular Alliance (Alianza Popular) |align="right" |826,206 |align="right" |32.26 |align="right" |11 |align="left" |Manuel Fraga |- |align=left|Communist Party of Spain (Partido Comunista de España) |align="right" |137,459 |align="right" |4,98 |align="right" |1 |align="left" |Santiago Carrillo |- |align=left|Democratic and Social Centre (Centro Democrático y Social) |align="right" |113,384 |align="right" |4.10 |align="right" |1 |align="right" |Adolfo Suarez |- |align=left|Union of the Democratic Centre (Unión de Centro Democrático) |align="right" |92,508 |align="right" |3.35 |align="right" |1 |align="right" |Landelino Lavilla |- |align=left|New Force (Fuerza Nueva) |align="right" |22,602 |align="right" |0.82 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |54,735 |align="right" |2.00 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
1979 General Election
Summary of the 1 March 1979 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |769,328 |align="right" |33.34 |align="right" |12 |align="left" | Felipe Gonzalez |- |align=left|Union of the Democratic Centre (Unión de Centro Democrático) |align="right" |764,830 |align="right" |33.14 |align="right" |12 |align="right" |Adolfo Suarez |- |align=left|Communist Party of Spain (Partido Comunista de España) |align="right" |310,496 |align="right" |13,46 |align="right" |4 |align="left" | Santiago Carrillo |- |align=left|Democratic Coalition (Coalicion Democratica) |align="right" |198,345 |align="right" |8.60 |align="right" |3 |align="left" | Manuel Fraga |- |align=left|New Force (Fuerza Nueva) |align="right" |110,730 |align="right" |4.80 |align="right" |1 |align="right" |Blas Piñar |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |145,224 |align="right" |6.30 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |}
1977 General Election
Summary of the 15 June 1977 Congress of Deputies election results in Madrid. |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Parties and alliances !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Members elected |- |align=left|Union of the Democratic Centre (Unión de Centro Democrático) |align="right" |737,699 |align="right" |31.95 |align="right" |12 |align="right" |Adolfo Suarez |- |align=left|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) |align="right" |731,380 |align="right" |31.68 |align="right" |11 |align="left" | Felipe Gonzalez |- |align=left|Communist Party of Spain (Partido Comunista de España) |align="right" |247,038 |align="right" |10,70 |align="right" |3 |align="left" | Santiago Carrillo |- |align=left|Popular Alliance (Spain) (Alianza Popular) |align="right" |242,077 |align="right" |10.48 |align="right" |3 |align="left" | Manuel Fraga |- |align=left|Popular Socialist Party (Partido Socialista Popular) |align="right" |211,440 |align="right" |9.16 |align="right" |3 |align="right" |Enrique Tierno Glavan |- |align=left|Others |align="right" |133,171 |align="right" |5.80 |align="right" |0 |align="right" | |- |} Source:

Further Information
Get more info on 'Madrid Spanish Congress Electoral District'.

External Link Exchanges

Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://madrid__spanish_congress_electoral_district.totallyexplained.com">Madrid (Spanish Congress Electoral District) Totally Explained</a>

Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.