1999 Catalan regional election

The 1999 Catalan regional election was held on Sunday, 17 October 1999, to elect the 6th Parliament of the autonomous community of Catalonia. All 135 seats in the Parliament were up for election.

1999 Catalan regional election
17 October 1999
All 135 seats in the Parliament of Catalonia
68 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered5,293,657 4.2%
Turnout3,133,926 (59.2%)
4.4 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jordi Pujol Pasqual Maragall Alberto Fernández Díaz
Party CiU PSC–CpC PP
Leader since 17 November 1974 6 March 1999 28 September 1996
Leader's seat Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona
Last election 60 seats, 40.9% 35 seats, 26.1%[lower-alpha 1] 17 seats, 13.1%
Seats won 56 52 12
Seat change 4 17 5
Popular vote 1,178,420 1,183,299 297,265
Percentage 37.7% 37.9% 9.5%
Swing 3.2 pp 11.8 pp 3.6 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira Rafael Ribó
Party ERC IC–V
Leader since 25 November 1996 23 February 1987
Leader's seat Barcelona Barcelona
Last election 13 seats, 9.5% 10 seats, 8.5%[lower-alpha 2]
Seats won 12 3
Seat change 1 7
Popular vote 271,173 78,441
Percentage 8.7% 2.5%
Swing 0.8 pp 6.0 pp
Constituency results map for the Parliament of Catalonia
President before election

Jordi Pujol
CDC (CiU)

 Elected President

Jordi Pujol
CDC (CiU)

The election saw the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) under former Mayor of Barcelona Pasqual Maragall achieve a razor-thin victory in the popular vote, the first time since 1980 that the Convergence and Union (CiU) alliance of incumbent president Jordi Pujol did not come out in top of voters' preferences. However, as a result of the electoral system, CiU was able to retain first place in terms of seats, and together with the conservative People's Party (PP), secure a small majority of 68 seats in the Parliament of Catalonia, compared to the 67 garnered by the combined total of all three left-from-centre parties: the PSC, Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Initiative for Catalonia–Greens (IC–V). The latter of which had recently split from its national referent, United Left (IU), which ahead of the election established a new regional branch, United and Alternative Left (EUiA), which failed to secure any parliamentary representation.

Overview

Electoral system

The Parliament of Catalonia was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Catalonia, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the regional Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.[1]

Transitory Provision Fourth of the Statute established a specific electoral procedure for elections to the Parliament of Catalonia, of application for as long as a specific law regulating the procedures for regional elections was not approved, to be supplemented by the provisions within the Organic Law of General Electoral Regime. Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in Catalonia and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The 135 members of the Parliament of Catalonia were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, with each being allocated a fixed number of seats: 85 for Barcelona, 17 for Girona, 15 for Lleida and 18 for Tarragona.[1]

The use of the D'Hondt method might result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.[2]

Election date

The term of the Parliament of Catalonia expired four years after the date of its previous election, unless it was dissolved earlier. The regional president was required to call an election fifteen days prior to the date of expiry of parliament, with election day taking place within sixty days after the call. The previous election was held on 19 November 1995, which meant that the legislature's term would have expired on 19 November 1999. The election was required to be called no later than 4 November 1999, with it taking place on the sixtieth day from the call, setting the latest possible election date for the Parliament on Monday, 3 January 2000.[1]

The president had the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Catalonia and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process and that dissolution did not occur before one year had elapsed since a previous one under this procedure. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Parliament was to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called.[3][4]

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, 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.[5]

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

Candidacy Parties and
alliances		 Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Gov. Ref.
Votes (%) Seats
CiU Jordi Pujol Catalan nationalism
Centrism		 40.95% 60 Y
PSC–CpC Pasqual Maragall Social democracy 24.89% 34 N [6]
PP Alberto Fernández Díaz Conservatism
Christian democracy		 13.08% 17 N
IC–V Rafael Ribó Regionalism
Eco-socialism
Green politics		 9.71% 11 N
EUiA Antoni Lucchetti Socialism
Communism
EV–CEC Elisenda Fores Ecologism
ERC Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira Catalan independence
Social democracy		 9.49% 13 N

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. 68 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Catalonia.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Results

Overall
← Summary of the 17 October 1999 Parliament of Catalonia election results →
Parties and coalitions Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
Socialists' Party of Catalonia–Citizens for Change (PSC–CpC) 1,183,29937.85+11.75 52+17
Socialists' Party of Catalonia–Citizens for Change (PSC–CpC)1 948,20230.33+11.08 36+14
Socialists' Party–Citizens for Change–Initiative–Greens (PSC–CpC–IC–V)2 235,0977.52+0.67 16+3
Convergence and Union (CiU) 1,178,42037.70–3.25 56–4
People's Party (PP) 297,2659.51–3.57 12–5
Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) 271,1738.67–0.82 12–1
Initiative for Catalonia–Greens (IC–V)2 78,4412.51–5.99 3–7
United and Alternative Left (EUiA) 44,4541.42New 0±0
The Greens–Ecologist Confederation of Catalonia (EV–CEC) 22,7970.73New 0±0
The Greens–Green Alternative (EV–AV) 8,2540.26New 0±0
Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI) 2,7840.09New 0±0
Catalan State (EC) 1,7740.06New 0±0
Humanist Party of Catalonia (PHC) 1,3270.04New 0±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) 1,2810.04+0.03 0±0
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 1,1610.04New 0±0
Natural Law Party (PLN) 1,0290.03New 0±0
UNIC–Federation of Independents of Catalonia (UNIC–FIC) 8810.03New 0±0
Bounced Public Workers (TPR) 8330.03New 0±0
Espinalist Party (PE) 7990.03New 0±0
Internationalist Struggle (LI (LIT–CI)) 4850.02New 0±0
Federal Democratic Union (UFD) 4470.01New 0±0
Catalans in the World (CAM) 1100.00New 0±0
Democratic Party of the People (PDEP) 1080.00±0.00 0±0
Blank ballots 28,9680.93–0.04
Total 3,126,090 135±0
Valid votes 3,126,09099.75+0.03
Invalid votes 7,8360.25–0.03
Votes cast / turnout 3,133,92659.20–4.44
Abstentions 2,159,73140.80+4.44
Registered voters 5,293,657
Sources[7][8]
Popular vote
PSC–CpC
 
 37.85%
CiU
 
 37.70%
PP
 
 9.51%
ERC
 
 8.67%
IC–V
 
 2.51%
EUiA
 
 1.42%
Others
 
 1.41%
Blank ballots
 
 0.93%
Seats
CiU
 
 41.48%
PSC–CpC
 
 38.52%
PP
 
 8.89%
ERC
 
 8.89%
IC–V
 
 2.22%

Distribution by constituency
Constituency PSC–CpC CiU PP ERC IC–V
% S % S % S % S % S
Barcelona 40.0 36 35.1 31 9.9 8 7.7 7 3.3 3
Girona 29.2 5 48.6 9 6.0 1 12.8 2
Lleida 29.5 5 48.1 8 8.0 1 11.6 1
Tarragona 34.1 6 41.3 8 10.6 2 10.5 2
Total 37.9 52 37.7 56 9.5 12 8.7 12 2.5 3
Sources[9][10][11][12][8]

Aftermath

Government formation
Investiture
Jordi Pujol (CDC)
Ballot → 16 November 1999
Required majority → 68 out of 135 Y
68 / 135
55 / 135
12 / 135
Absentees
0 / 135
Sources[8]

2001 motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
Pasqual Maragall (PSC)
Ballot → 17 October 2001
Required majority → 68 out of 135 N
55 / 135
68 / 135
12 / 135
Absentees
0 / 135
Sources[8]

Notes
  1. Aggregated data for PSC and IC–EV in Girona, Lleida and Tarragona in the 1995 election.
  2. Data for IC–EV in the 1995 election, not including results in Girona, Lleida and Tarragona.
  3. In Girona, Lleida and Tarragona.
  4. Large turnout from CiU's voters.
  5. Large turnout from PSC's voters.

References
Opinion poll sources
  1. "Sondejos". Generalitat de Catalunya (in Catalan). Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  2. "DYM 10/10/1999". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 10 October 1999.
  3. "Pujol aventaja en ocho escaños a Maragall a una semana de las elecciones catalanas". ABC (in Spanish). 10 October 1999.
  4. "CiU gana terreno y podría llegar a los 55 diputados". ABC (in Spanish). 9 October 1999.
  5. "Pujol se despega de Maragall". El País (in Spanish). 10 October 1999.
  6. "Pujol afianza su ventaja sobre Maragall". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 10 October 1999.
  7. "Convergencia retrocede un escaño, que pasaría a ERC". ABC (in Spanish). 6 October 1999.
  8. "Preelectoral de Cataluña. Elecciones autonómicas, 1999. Cataluña". CIS (in Spanish). 7 October 1999.
  9. "Estudio CIS nº 2373. Ficha técnica". CIS (in Spanish). 7 October 1999.
  10. "El sondeo del CIS da a Pujol una ventaja de 6,9 puñtos pese al avance de Maragall". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 8 October 1999.
  11. "Subida de Pujol en el arranque de la campaña". ABC (in Spanish). 4 October 1999.
  12. "Subida de Pujol en el arranque de la campaña". ABC (in Spanish). 3 October 1999.
  13. "Pujol recupera una cómoda ventaja". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 25 September 1999.
  14. "Un sondeo socialista da ganador al PSC por dos puntos". El País (in Spanish). 1 October 1999.
  15. "Pujol supera a Maragall en sólo un punto a un mes de las elecciones". El País (in Spanish). 19 September 1999.
  16. "Pujol y Maragall, codo a codo". El País (in Spanish). 19 September 1999.
  17. "El enigma del 17 de octubre". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 13 September 1999.
  18. "Pujol y Maragall encaran la campaña catalana con un inédito empate técnico en los sondeos". El País (in Spanish). 6 September 1999.
  19. "Maragall se sitúa a sólo 10 escaños de Pujol, según un sondeo de CiU". El País (in Spanish). 3 September 1999.
  20. "La ventaja de Pujol se reduce a 2 puntos". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 5 September 1999.
  21. "Un sondeo da 55 escaños a CiU y 45 al PSC". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 July 1999.
  22. "El PP caería en las autonómicas del 13,1% al 7,7%, según una encuesta". El País (in Spanish). 19 July 1999.
  23. "Una encuesta augura la victoria de CiU". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 19 July 1999.
  24. "CiU recupera ventaja sobre el PSC". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 9 May 1999.
  25. "El PP sufraga la recuperación de CiU y Esquerra". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 9 May 1999.
  26. "El PSC dispone de un sondeo que marca por vez primera un empate entre Pujol y Maragall". El País (in Spanish). 7 May 1999.
  27. "Un sondeo de 'La Vanguardia' da a CiU ocho puntos más que al PSC". El País (in Spanish). 10 May 1999.
  28. "CiU aventaja en más de diez puntos al PSC". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 24 January 1999.
  29. "Un sondeo da la mayoría a CiU en Cataluña, pese a la subida del PSC". El País (in Spanish). 24 January 1999.
  30. "Maragall acorta distancias con Pujol". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 20 December 1998.
  31. "El bajón de CiU apenas incide en sus escaños". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 20 December 1998.
  32. "El PP designará este mes a Alberto Fernández candidato a la Generalidad". ABC (in Spanish). 6 November 1998.
  33. "Pujol pretende compensar un "tirón" de Maragall en Barcelona quitando votos a ERC en comarcas". El País (in Spanish). 4 November 1998.
  34. "Los socialistas contraatacan con un sondeo en el que Maragall vence a Pujol por dos puntos". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 4 November 1998.
  35. "Pujol se siente insatisfecho por el sondeo de CDC en el que vence a Maragall". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 5 November 1998.
  36. "Pujol tiene un sondeo en el que repite resultados, a 14 escaños de Maragall". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 3 November 1998.
  37. "Pujol aventaja en 11 puntos a Maragall". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 June 1998.
  38. "CiU se atrinchera en su resultado del 95". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 June 1998.
  39. "CiU retrocede mientras el PSC avanza". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 22 March 1998.
  40. "Pujol obtendría un escaño más que en 1995". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 23 March 1998.
  41. "Pujol roza de nuevo la mayoría absoluta". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 9 November 1997.
  42. "CiU recupera el voto autonómico del 95". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 29 June 1997.
  43. "CiU baja, pero Pujol sigue ganando". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 20 March 1997.
Other
  1. "Ley Orgánica 4/1979, de 18 de diciembre, de Estatuto de Autonomía de Cataluña". Organic Law No. 4 of 18 December 1979. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  2. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  3. "Ley 3/1982, de 25 de marzo, del Parlament, del Presidente y del Consell Executiu de la Generalitat". Law No. 3 of 25 March 1982. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  4. "Ley 8/1985, de 24 de mayo, de modificación de la Ley 3/1982, de 25 de marzo, del Parlamento, del Presidente y del Consejo Ejecutivo de la Generalidad de Cataluña". Law No. 8 of 24 May 1985. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  5. "Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General". Organic Law No. 5 of 19 June 1985. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  6. "Maragall, elegido candidato a la Generalitat con casi 60.000 votos". El País (in Spanish). 7 March 1999. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  7. "Electoral results. Parliament of Catalonia election 1999". resultats.dadeselectorals.gencat.cat (in Catalan). Government of Catalonia. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  8. "Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya (1980 - 2017)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  9. "Election Results. Parliament of Catalonia Election 1999. Barcelona". gencat.cat (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  10. "Election Results. Parliament of Catalonia Election 1999. Girona". gencat.cat (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  11. "Election Results. Parliament of Catalonia Election 1999. Lleida". gencat.cat (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  12. "Election Results. Parliament of Catalonia Election 1999. Tarragona". gencat.cat (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
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