2009 European Parliament election in Spain

The 2009 European Parliament election in Spain was held on Sunday, 7 June 2009, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 7th European Parliament. All 50 seats allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Nice—54 after the Treaty of Lisbon came into force on 1 December 2011—were up for election.

2009 European Parliament election in Spain
7 June 2009
All 54[lower-alpha 1] Spanish seats in the European Parliament
Opinion polls
Registered35,492,567 2.3%
Turnout15,935,147 (44.9%)
0.2 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jaime Mayor Oreja Juan Fernando López Aguilar Ramon Tremosa
Party PP PSOE CEU
Alliance EPP S&D ALDE
Leader since 22 April 2004 22 November 2008 24 January 2009
Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain
Last election 24 seats, 41.2% 25 seats, 43.5% 2 seats, 5.2%[lower-alpha 2]
Seats won 24 23 3
Seat change 0 2 1
Popular vote 6,670,377 6,141,784 808,246
Percentage 42.1% 38.8% 5.1%
Swing 0.9 pp 4.7 pp 0.1 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Willy Meyer Francisco Sosa Wagner Oriol Junqueras
Party IU–ICV UPyD EdP–V
Alliance GUE/NGL NI Greens/EFA
Leader since 8 May 2004 3 September 2008 21 February 2009
Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain
Last election 2 seats, 4.1% Did not contest 1 seat, 3.4%[lower-alpha 3]
Seats won 2 1 1
Seat change 0 1 0
Popular vote 588,248 451,866 394,938
Percentage 3.7% 2.9% 2.5%
Swing 0.4 pp New party 0.9 pp

The election saw the first national victory for the People's Party (PP) since the 2000 Spanish general election, scoring 42.1% of the share in its best showing in a European Parliament election to date, as well as its third best in a national election overall. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), on the other hand, fell to second place with 38.8% of the votes after a cycle of electoral victories starting in 2004. As in the previous election, the result was close, as both parties came within three percentage points of each other. The Coalition for Europe (CEU), the alliance of regionalist and peripheral nationalist parties that came to succeed the late Galeusca–Peoples of Europe coalition, remained in third place with 5.1% of the votes, whereas United Left (IU)—which ran under The Left banner—saw its worst showing in a nationwide election up to that point, barely surpassing 3.7% of the share. On the other hand, the new Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) party had a strong performance by comfortably doubling its result from the 2008 Spanish general election, being the only national party that saw a net gain of votes compared to that electoral contest. The abertzale left-supported Internationalist Initiative–Solidarity among Peoples (II–SP) candidacy, which had been initially banned from running by the Supreme Court of Spain but later allowed by the Constitutional Court on the grounds that there was not enough evidence of its ties to the ETA terrorist group,[1][2] scored 1.1% of the votes nationwide but failed to secure any parliamentary representation.

As the 2009 election was held under the provisions of the Treaty of Nice, Spain was allocated 50 MEP seats which, come Election Day, were distributed as follows: PP 23, PSOE 21, CEU 2, IU–ICV 2, UPyD 1 and EdP–V 1. After the Treaty of Lisbon came into force on 1 December 2011, Spain's delegation was increased to 54, granting additional seats to the PSOE (two) and to PP and CEU (one each) according to their June 2009 election results.

Electoral system

The 50 members of the European Parliament allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Nice[lower-alpha 1] were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with no 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. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals and resident non-national European citizens over eighteen and in full enjoyment of their political rights.[3][4] The use of the D'Hondt method might result in an effective threshold depending on the district magnitude.[5]

Outgoing delegation
Outgoing delegation in May 2009[6]
Groups Parties MEPs
Seats Total
Party of European Socialists PSOE 24 24
European People's Party PP 24 24
Greens–European Free Alliance ICV 1 3
EA 1
LVdE 1
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe CDC 1 2
EAJ/PNV 1
European United Left–Nordic Green Left IU 1 1

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.[3]

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
PSOE Juan Fernando López Aguilar Social democracy 43.46% 25 [7]
PP Jaime Mayor Oreja Conservatism
Christian democracy		 41.21% 24 [8]
[9]
CEU Ramon Tremosa Peripheral nationalism 5.22%[lower-alpha 2] 2 [10]
[11]
IU–ICV Willy Meyer Socialism
Communism		 4.15% 2 [12]
[13]
EdP–V Oriol Junqueras Peripheral nationalism 3.44%[lower-alpha 3] 1 [14]
UPyD Francisco Sosa Wagner Social liberalism
Radical centrism		 Did not contest [15]

Campaign

Party slogans
Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Ref.
PSOE « Este partido se juega en Europa » "This match plays out in Europe" [16]
PP « Ahora soluciones. Ahora PP » "Now, solutions. Now, PP" [17]
CEU CiU: « Ara »
EAJ/PNV: « Europara, inoiz baino indar gehiagorekin » /
« A Europa, con más fuerza que nunca »		 CiU: "Now"
EAJ/PNV: "To Europe, with more strength than ever"		 [18]
IU–ICV « Izquierda Unida, tu voz en Europa » "United Left, your voice in Europe" [19]
EdP–V ERC: « Pròxima estació, Europa »
BNG: « Imos a Europa, ves? »
Aralar–EA: « Langileen Europa » /
« La Europa de los trabajadores »		 ERC: "Next stop, Europe"
BNG: "We are going to Europe, are you coming?"
Aralar–EA: "The Europe of workers"		 [20]
[21]
[22]
UPyD « Una España fuerte en una Europa unida » "A strong Spain within a united Europe" [23]

Election debates
2009 European Parliament election debates in Spain
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present[lower-alpha 4]    S  Surrogate[lower-alpha 5]    NI  Not invited   A  Absent invitee 
PSOE PP CEU IU–ICV EdP–V Audience Refs
25 May RTVE Ana Blanco P
L. Aguilar		 P
M. Oreja		 NI NI NI 13.9%
(2,653,000)		 [24]
[25]
1 June Antena 3 Gloria Lomana P
L. Aguilar		 P
M. Oreja		 NI NI NI 10.9%
(1,864,000)		 [24]
[25]
3 June RTVE Pepa Bueno S
Jáuregui		 S
De Grandes		 P
Tremosa		 P
Meyer		 P
Junqueras		 8.3%
(1,461,000)		 [24][25]
[26]

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.

Results

Overall
For results by autonomous community/constituency, see Results breakdown of the 2009 European Parliament election in Spain.
← Summary of the 7 June 2009 European Parliament election results in Spain →
Parties and coalitions Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
People's Party (PP)1 6,670,37742.12+0.91 24±0
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)1 6,141,78438.78–4.68 23–2
Coalition for Europe (CEU)1 2 808,2465.10–0.12 3+1
United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Greens: The Left (IU–ICV) 588,2483.71–0.44 2±0
Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) 451,8662.85New 1+1
Europe of the Peoples–Greens (EdP–V)3 394,9382.49–0.95 1±0
Internationalist Initiative–Solidarity among Peoples (II–SP) 178,1211.12New 0±0
The Greens–European Green Group (LV–GVE) 89,1470.56+0.12 0±0
Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 41,9130.26New 0±0
For a Fairer World (PUM+J) 24,5070.15+0.09 0±0
Libertas–Citizens of Spain (Libertas) 22,9030.14New 0±0
Anti-capitalist Left–Global Revolt (IzAn–RG) 19,7350.12New 0±0
Spanish Alternative (AES) 19,5830.12New 0±0
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) 15,2210.10+0.07 0±0
Socialist Party of Andalusia (PSA)4 13,9930.09+0.05 0±0
Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI) 12,3440.08+0.03 0±0
Family and Life Party (PFyV) 10,4560.07+0.02 0±0
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 10,1440.06–0.02 0±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) 10,0310.06+0.03 0±0
National Democracy (DN) 9,9500.06+0.02 0±0
Feminist Initiative (IFem) 9,7210.06New 0±0
National Front (FrN) 7,9700.05New 0±0
Catalan Republican Party (RC) 7,5470.05New 0±0
Humanist Party (PH) 7,0090.04+0.01 0±0
Valencian Union (UV)5 6,0720.04–0.01 0±0
Republican Social Movement (MSR) 6,0090.04New 0±0
Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn) 5,8770.04New 0±0
Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL) 5,7330.04New 0±0
Authentic Phalanx (FA) 5,1650.03+0.02 0±0
United Extremadura (EU)6 5,0070.03+0.02 0±0
Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) 4,7670.03+0.01 0±0
Communist Unification of Spain (UCE) 3,4830.02New 0±0
Asturian Nationalist Unity (UNA) 3,1830.02New 0±0
Andecha Astur (AA) 2,2550.01New 0±0
Liberal Centrist Union (UCL) 1,9910.01±0.00 0±0
Blank ballots 220,4711.39+0.78
Total1 15,835,767 54±0
Valid votes 15,835,76799.38+0.36
Invalid votes 99,3800.62–0.36
Votes cast / turnout 15,935,14744.90–0.24
Abstentions 19,557,42055.10+0.24
Registered voters 35,492,567
Sources[27][28]
Popular vote
PP
 
 42.12%
PSOE
 
 38.78%
CEU
 
 5.10%
IU–ICV
 
 3.71%
UPyD
 
 2.85%
EdP–V
 
 2.49%
II–SP
 
 1.12%
Others
 
 2.41%
Blank ballots
 
 1.39%
Seats
PP
 
 44.44%
PSOE
 
 42.59%
CEU
 
 5.56%
IU–ICV
 
 3.70%
UPyD
 
 1.85%
EdP–V
 
 1.85%

Distribution by European group
Summary of political group distribution in the 7th European Parliament (2009–2014)[6]
Groups Parties Seats Total %
European People's Party (EPP) 24
1		 25 46.30
Party of European Socialists (PES) 23 23 42.59
Greens–European Free Alliance (G/EFA) 1
1		 2 3.70
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) 1
1		 2 3.70
European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) 1 1 1.85
Non-Inscrits (NI) 1 1 1.85
Total 54 54 100.00

Notes
  1. Note that, once the Treaty of Lisbon came into force on 1 December 2011, Spain's MEP delegation was increased from 50 to 54 and applied retroactively.
  2. Results for Galeusca, not including results in the Balearic Islands and Galicia (4.18%), and CE in Andalusia, Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands (1.05%) in the 2004 election.
  3. Results for EdP, not including results in Andalusia and Asturias (2.40%), Galeusca in Galicia (0.91%) and Aralar (0.13%) in the 2004 election.
  4. Denotes a main invitee attending the event.
  5. Denotes a main invitee not attending the event, sending a surrogate in their place.

References
Opinion poll sources
  1. "Los sondeos que maneja el PSOE también dan la victoria a Mayor Oreja". El Imparcial (in Spanish). 5 June 2009.
  2. "El PP aventaja a los socialistas en las elecciones europeas". Antena 3 (in Spanish). 28 May 2009.
  3. "El PP aventaja al PSOE por 3,7 puntos". El País (in Spanish). 31 May 2009.
  4. "Encuestas. La Razón (1 junio 2009)". euskadi.es (in Spanish). 1 June 2009.
  5. "El PP supera al PSOE en 2,2 puntos a una semana del 7-J". El Mundo (in Spanish). 31 May 2009.
  6. "Intención de voto al Parlamento Europeo". El Mundo (in Spanish). 31 May 2009.
  7. "El PP gana al PSOE en votos y escaños". El Mundo (in Spanish). 31 May 2009.
  8. "El PP aventaja al PSOE en dos puntos a una semana de las elecciones europeas". ABC (in Spanish). 31 May 2009.
  9. "PP y PSOE encaran las europeas en un apretado e incierto codo a codo". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 31 May 2009.
  10. "El PSOE se acerca al PP". Público (in Spanish). 31 May 2009. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009.
  11. "Una encuesta del PSOE pronostica un empate a 23 escaños con el PP". Público (in Spanish). 29 May 2009.
  12. "Las encuestas del PSOE pronostican un empate con el PP a 23 escaños". Estrella Digital (in Spanish). 1 June 2009.
  13. "Encuesta de NC Report para LA RAZÓN: El PSOE pierde más de un millón de votos y al menos tres escaños". La Razón (in Spanish). 25 May 2009.
  14. "Encuestas. La Razón (25 mayo 2009)". euskadi.es (in Spanish). 25 May 2009.
  15. "Pre-electoral elecciones al Parlamento Europeo, 2009 (Estudio nº 2800. Abril-Mayo 2009)" (PDF). CIS (in Spanish). 21 May 2009.
  16. "El CIS señala un empate". ABC (in Spanish). 22 May 2009.
  17. "Un PP al alza se perfila como claro ganador de los comicios del 7-J". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 24 May 2009.
  18. "Macroencuesta COPE: Mayor Oreja supera en valoración a López Aguilar". COPE (in Spanish). 8 May 2009. Archived from the original on 11 May 2009.
  19. "Encuesta de NC Report para LA RAZÓN: El PP superaría al PSOE en medio millón de votos en las europeas". La Razón (in Spanish). 11 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011.
  20. "El PP aventaja al PSOE en cuatro puntos". Público (in Spanish). 9 May 2009. Archived from the original on 15 May 2009.
  21. "Encuestas. Público (11 mayo 2009)". euskadi.es (in Spanish). 11 May 2009.
  22. "El PP gana al PSOE en Europa". La Razón (in Spanish). 20 April 2009. Archived from the original on 23 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  23. "El PP supera en 4,4 puntos al PSOE ante las europeas". El Mundo (in Spanish). 12 April 2009.
  24. "Macroencuesta de El Mundo-Sigma Dos. Valoración sobre elecciones europeas". El Mundo (in Spanish). 11 April 2009.
  25. "El PP parte con ventaja". Público (in Spanish). 12 April 2009. Archived from the original on 13 April 2009.
Other
  1. "El Supremo anula la lista de Iniciativa Internacionalista para las elecciones del 7-J". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  2. "El Constitucional permite presentarse a la lista anulada por el Supremo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  3. "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 6 March 2017.
  4. "Treaty of Nice amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts". Act of 10 March 2001. Official Journal of the European Communities. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  5. 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.
  6. "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  7. "López Aguilar hace campaña por las europeas mientras el PP sigue sin candidato". Libertad Digital (in Spanish). 22 November 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  8. Marcos, Pilar (23 April 2004). "El PP designa a Mayor para que encabece su lista en las elecciones al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  9. Ximénez de Sandoval, Pablo (5 January 2009). "Rajoy deja en manos del PP más duro la campaña de las europeas". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  10. Foguet, Joan (13 January 2009). "Mas sustituye a Guardans por un soberanista en las listas europeas". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  11. "CDC ratifica a Tremosa con la abstención de Guardans". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. 25 January 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. "Willy Meyer será el candidato de IU a las elecciones europeas" (in Spanish). Madrid: Cadena SER. Agencias. 8 May 2004. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  13. "La dirección de IU proclama a Willy Meyer como cabeza de lista para las europeas". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Agencia EFE. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  14. Cazorla, Bertran (22 February 2009). "ERC aprueba la candidatura europea de Junqueras". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  15. "Sosa Wagner encabezará la candidatura europea de UPyD, el partido de Rosa Díez". La Nueva España (in Spanish). Oviedo. 3 September 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  16. "7-J.- PSOE propone una campaña "europea, moderna y movilizadora" bajo el lema de que "Este partido se juega en Europa"" (in Spanish). Madrid: Europa Press. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  17. "El PP centrará su campaña en ofrecer "soluciones" a la crisis" (in Spanish). Madrid: Europa Press. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  18. "CiU se vuelca en Internet para combatir la "campaña de la vergüenza" del PSC". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 22 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  19. "Zaragoza.- Izquierda Unida presentará mañana en Mallén (Zaragoza) sus propuestas para el Parlamento europeo" (in Spanish). Europa Press. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  20. "'Próxima estación, Europa', lema de campaña de ERC". El Mundo (in Spanish). 15 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  21. "Guillerme Vázquez: "Co BNG, Galiza e os seus problemas estarán presentes en Europa"". Vieiros (in Galician). 22 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  22. "EA y Aralar inician hoy la campaña por respetar la jornada de huelga de ayer". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 22 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  23. "UPyD inicia su precampaña en Extremadura abogando por una "España fuerte en una Europa unida"". El Periódico de Extremadura (in Spanish). 5 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  24. "López Aguilar y Mayor Oreja afrontan en TVE su primer debate por las elecciones europeas". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 25 May 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  25. "El debate a cinco sobre las elecciones europeas, peor que los dos 'cara a cara'". El Mundo (in Spanish). 4 June 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  26. "Los temas nacionales eclipsan una vez más el debate de las europeas". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 4 June 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  27. "Electoral Results Consultation. European Parliament. June 2009. National totals". Ministry of the Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  28. "European election 7 June 2009". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2017.
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