1987 European Parliament election in Spain

1987 European Parliament election in Spain
← outgoing members elected members →
All 60 Spanish seats in the European Parliament
	Opinion polls
Registered	28,450,491
Turnout	19,494,098 (68.5%)

The 1987 European Parliament election in Spain was held on Wednesday, 10 June 1987, to elect the MEP delegation from the country for the 2nd European Parliament. All 60 seats allocated to Spain as per the 1985 Treaty of Accession were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

Spain had acceded the European Communities on 1 January 1986 and had been represented in the European Parliament by 60 temporarily-appointed delegates until a proper election could be held. As a European-wide election was due in 1989, elected MEPs only served for the remainder of the European Parliament term.

Electoral system

60 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the 1985 Treaty of Accession. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals 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.^[3] The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.^[4]

Background

The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) designated former Foreign Affairs Minister Fernando Morán to lead their campaign.^[5] The main opposition People's Alliance party (AP), running on its own after the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Liberal Party (PL) broke away from the People's Coalition, chose Manuel Fraga—who had resigned as party leader in December 1986—to lead the party list.^[6] Adolfo Suárez had considered running as main candidate for his Democratic and Social Centre party (CDS),^[7] but declined after the electoral law was amended by the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party to make elected MEPs incompatible for posts in the Cortes Generales—Suárez was deputy in the Congress of Deputies, and would have been forced to renounce one of the two offices if elected.^[8]

Outgoing delegation

Outgoing delegation in May 1987^[9]
Groups		Parties		MEPs
Groups		Parties		Seats	Total
	Socialist Group		PSOE	36	36
	European Democrats		AP	12	14
			UM	1
			PDP	1
	European People's Party		PDP	2	5
			EAJ/PNV	2
			UDC	1
	Liberal and Democratic Reformist Group		CDC	2	2
	Liberal and Democratic Reformist Group		INDEP	1	2
	Rainbow Group		EE	1	1
	Non-Inscrits		INDEP	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.^[10]

	Parties and alliances		Ideology	Ref.
PSOE	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)	Fernando Morán	Social democracy	^[11]
AP	List People's Alliance (AP) Navarrese People's Union (UPN) Centrists of Galicia (CdG)	Manuel Fraga	Conservatism	^[12]
CDS	List Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	Eduard Punset	Centrism Liberalism	^[8]
CiU	List Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC)	Carles Gasòliba	Catalan nationalism Centrism
IU	List Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Socialist Action Party (PASOC) Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) Progressive Federation (FP) Republican Left (IR) United Candidacy of Workers (CUT) Initiative for Catalonia (IC) – Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC) – Agreement of Left Nationalists (ENE)	Fernando Pérez Royo	Socialism Communism	^[13]
UE	List Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) Nationalist Galicianist Party (PGN)	Jon Gangoiti	Peripheral nationalism	^[14]
HB	List Popular Unity (HB) – People's Socialist Revolutionary Party (HASI) – Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV) – Patriotic Socialist Committees (ASK)	Txema Montero	Basque independence Abertzale left Revolutionary socialism	^[15]
IP	List Basque Country Left (EE) Galician Socialist Party–Galician Left (PSG–EG) Agreement of Left Nationalists (ENE) Socialist Party of Majorca (PSM) Socialist Party of Menorca (PSM) Aragonese Union (UA–CHA)	Mario Onaindia	Left-wing nationalism	^[14]
CEP	List Basque Solidarity (EA) Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) Galician Nationalist Party (PNG)	Carlos Garaikoetxea	Left-wing nationalism	^[16]
PDP	List People's Democratic Party (PDP)	Javier Rupérez	Christian democracy
UM	List Majorcan Union (UM)	Antoni Rosés	Liberalism Regionalism

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						UE			IP	CEP			AS	Lead
Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout														Lead

1987 EP election	10 Jun 1987	—	68.5	39.1 28	24.6 17	10.3 7	4.4 3	5.3 3	1.2 0	1.9 1	1.2 0	1.4 0	1.7 1	0.9 0	0.6 0	0.6 0	14.5

Gallup/Época^{[p 1]}	4 Jun 1987	?	?	46.8 29/30	24.7 16	9.3 6	4.0 2/3	4.4 3	? 1	–	? 1	? 1	–	–	–	–	22.1
Sigma Dos/Diario 16^{[p 2]}^{[p 3]}	30 May–1 Jun 1987	2,500	?	41.0– 43.0 25/27	24.0– 26.0 15/16	11.0– 13.0 7/9	4.0– 4.8 2/3	4.5– 5.5 3	1.0– 1.6 0/1	1.4– 2.0 1	–	1.4– 1.9 1	0.8– 1.4 0/1	–	0.8– 1.4 0/1	0.8– 1.4 0/1	17.0
Iope–Etmar/El Periódico^{[p 4]}	25–29 May 1987	2,497	?	41.6 28	25.2 17	10.0 6	4.4 3	5.4 3	0.8 0	2.0 1	1.0 0	2.0 1	1.9 1	–	0.5 0	0.5 0	16.4
Demoscopia/El País^{[p 5]}^{[p 6]}	22–26 May 1987	11,000	?	38.6 23/26	24.4 15/17	14.7 9/10	4.7 2/3	3.3 1/2	1.4 0/1	1.7 0/1	1.3 0/1	1.6 0/1	1.4 0/1	1.3 0/1	0.7 0	0.5 0	14.2
CIS^{[p 7]}	18–19 May 1987	2,497	?	45.1 30	26.4 17	9.9 6	4.2 2	4.0 2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18.7
Sigma Dos/Diario 16^{[p 2]}	8 May 1987	?	?	42.3 25/27	26.1 14/17	10.8 6/8	5.1 3	5.2 3	1.6 1	1.4 0/1	–	1.1 0/1	1.1 0/1	–	1.6 1	2.1 1	16.2
1986 general election	22 Jun 1986	—	70.5	44.1 (30)	26.0 (17)	9.2 (6)	5.0 (3)	4.6 (3)	1.5 (1)	1.1 (0)	1.1 (0)	0.8 (0)	0.4 (0)	–	–	–	18.1

Results

Overall

Summary of the 10 June 1987 European Parliament election results in Spain →
Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	7,522,706	39.06	n/a	28	n/a
	People's Alliance (AP)	4,747,283	24.65	n/a	17	n/a
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	1,976,093	10.26	n/a	7	n/a
	United Left (IU)	1,011,830	5.25	n/a	3	n/a
	Convergence and Union (CiU)	853,603	4.43	n/a	3	n/a
	Popular Unity (HB)	360,952	1.87	n/a	1	n/a
	Coalition for the Europe of the Peoples (EA–ERC–PNG)	326,911	1.70	n/a	1	n/a
	Left of the Peoples (IP)	261,328	1.36	n/a	0	n/a
	Europeanist Union (PNV–PGN)	226,570	1.18	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Party of Spain–Communist Unity (PTE–UC)	222,680	1.16	n/a	0	n/a
	Andalusian Party (PA)	185,550	0.96	n/a	0	n/a
	People's Democratic Party (PDP)	170,866	0.89	n/a	0	n/a
	Valencian Union (UV)	162,128	0.84	n/a	0	n/a
	National Front (FN)	122,799	0.64	n/a	0	n/a
	Social Action (AS)	116,761	0.61	n/a	0	n/a
	The Greens (LV)	107,625	0.56	n/a	0	n/a
	Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)	105,865	0.55	n/a	0	n/a
	Canarian Independent Groups (AIC)	96,895	0.50	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Socialist Party (PST)	77,132	0.40	n/a	0	n/a
	Confederation of the Greens (CV)	65,574	0.34	n/a	0	n/a
	Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)	53,116	0.28	n/a	0	n/a
	United Extremadura (EU)	39,369	0.20	n/a	0	n/a
	Revolutionary Workers' Party of Spain (PORE)	30,157	0.16	n/a	0	n/a
	National Assembly of Medicine Students and Associates (ANEMYA)	30,143	0.16	n/a	0	n/a
	Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI)	25,270	0.13	n/a	0	n/a
	Social Democratic Coalition (CSD)	25,058	0.13	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)	23,407	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	Humanist Platform (PH–FV)	22,333	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Unification of Spain (UCE)	21,482	0.11	n/a	0	n/a
	Majorcan Union (UM)	19,066	0.10	n/a	0	n/a
	Valencian Coalition Party (PCV)	14,749	0.08	n/a	0	n/a
	Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)	14,553	0.08	n/a	0	n/a
	Nationalist Party of Castile and León (PANCAL)	12,616	0.07	n/a	0	n/a
	Andalusian Liberation (LA)	9,881	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Spanish Party (PED)	9,146	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		189,729	0.99	n/a

Total		19,261,226			60	n/a

Valid votes		19,261,226	98.81	n/a
Invalid votes		232,872	1.19	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		19,494,098	68.52	n/a
Abstentions		8,956,393	31.48	n/a
Registered voters		28,450,491

Sources^[17]^[18]

Popular vote

PSOE			39.06%
AP			24.65%
CDS			10.26%
IU			5.25%
CiU			4.43%
HB			1.87%
EA–ERC–PNG			1.70%
IP			1.36%
PNV–PGN			1.18%
PTE–UC			1.16%
Others			8.11%
Blank ballots			0.99%

Seats

PSOE			46.67%
AP			28.33%
CDS			11.67%
IU			5.00%
CiU			5.00%
HB			1.67%
EA–ERC–PNG			1.67%

Maps

Winner strength by constituency.
Winner strength by autonomous community.

Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 2nd European Parliament (1984–1989)^[19]
Groups		Parties	Seats	Total	%
	Socialist Group (SOC)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	28	28	46.67
	European Democrats (ED)	People's Alliance (AP)	17	17	28.33
	Communist and Allies Group (COM)	Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Initiative for Catalonia (IC) Socialist Action Party (PASOC)	1 1 1	3	5.00
	Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (LDR)	Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC)	2	2	3.33
	European People's Party (EPP)	Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC)	1	1	1.67
	Rainbow Group (RBW)	Basque Solidarity (EA)	1	1	1.67
	Non-Inscrits (NI)	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) Popular Unity (HB)	7 1	8	13.33

Total			60	60	100.00

Notes

References

Opinion poll sources

^ "Algunas encuestas electorales plantean un descenso exagerado del PSOE". ABC (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.
^ ^a ^b "El CDS, único partido que ha progresado durante la campaña" (PDF). Diario 16 (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.
^ "El PSOE ganará las elecciones al Parlamento Europeo pero puede perder al menos diez eurodiputados" (PDF). Diario 16 (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.
^ "PSOE y AP, en cabeza aunque pierden votos". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.
^ "El PSOE pierde el control mayoritario de las grandes ciudades" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.
^ "Fernando Morán se impone con claridad a Fraga y al resto de sus adversarios" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.
^ "Un sondeo del CIS para el Gobierno da la mayoría del PSOE en Madrid y Barcelona" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

Other

^ 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom (1976), art. 1–2.
^ ECA (amend. 2), 1985 (1985), pt. II, tit. I, ch. I, art. 10.
^ LOREG (1985), tit. VI, ch. IV, art. 214–216.
^ 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.
^ Díez, Anabel (7 April 1987). "Fernando Morán encabezará la candidatura del PSOE para el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2017.
^ González Ibañez, Juan (17 March 1987). "Fraga encabezará la candidatura de Alianza Popular al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
^ González Ibañez, Juan (27 April 1987). "Suárez mantiene la intención de ser candidato para el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
^ ^a ^b González Ibáñez, Juan (1 May 1987). "Suárez renuncia a ser candidato al Parlamento y pone en su lugar al ex ministro Punset". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
^ "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ LOREG (1985), tit. VI, ch. VI, art. 220.
^ Díez, Anabel (7 April 1987). "Fernando Morán encabezará la candidatura del PSOE para el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
^ González Ibáñez, Juan (17 March 1987). "Fraga encabezará la candidatura de Alianza Popular al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
^ Bayarri, Francesc (26 April 1987). "Gerardo Iglesias afirma que el Gobierno no conocía el impacto de la entrada de España en la CE". El País (in Spanish). Valencia. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
^ ^a ^b Ruiz de Azúa, Victorino (23 April 1987). "Los partidos vascos irán a las elecciones europeas en coalición con catalanes y gallegos". El País (in Spanish). Bilbao. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
^ Galán, Lola (29 April 1987). "HB presenta al histórico de ETA 'Peixoto' en sus listas al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
^ Etxarri, Tonia (30 April 1987). "Coalición electoral". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 July 2017.
^ "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales". Ministry of the Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2022.
^ "Elecciones Europeas 10 de junio de 1987". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 March 2017.

Bibliography

Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General (Organic Law 5). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Vol. 147. 19 June 1985 [version as of 3 April 1987]. ISSN 0212-033X. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage. Official Journal of the European Communities. Vol. 19. 20 September 1976. ISSN 0378-6978. 41976X1008(01). Retrieved 10 July 2024.
Treaty (signed on 12 June 1985) between the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Member States of the European Communities) and the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic concerning the accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic to the European Economic Community and to the European Atomic Energy Community. Official Journal of the European Communities. Vol. 28. 15 November 1985. ISSN 0378-6978. 11985I/TXT. Retrieved 21 July 2017.

External links

European elections Spain in Europe Politique.

[17] "Algunas encuestas electorales plantean un descenso exagerado del PSOE". ABC (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

[SDJun87-18] "El CDS, único partido que ha progresado durante la campaña" (PDF). Diario 16 (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

[19] "El PSOE ganará las elecciones al Parlamento Europeo pero puede perder al menos diez eurodiputados" (PDF). Diario 16 (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

[20] "PSOE y AP, en cabeza aunque pierden votos". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

[21] "El PSOE pierde el control mayoritario de las grandes ciudades" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

[22] "Fernando Morán se impone con claridad a Fraga y al resto de sus adversarios" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

[23] "Un sondeo del CIS para el Gobierno da la mayoría del PSOE en Madrid y Barcelona" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 4 June 1987.

[1] 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom (1976), art. 1–2.

[2] ECA (amend. 2), 1985 (1985), pt. II, tit. I, ch. I, art. 10.

[3] LOREG (1985), tit. VI, ch. IV, art. 214–216.

[4] 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.

[5] Díez, Anabel (7 April 1987). "Fernando Morán encabezará la candidatura del PSOE para el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2017.

[6] González Ibañez, Juan (17 March 1987). "Fraga encabezará la candidatura de Alianza Popular al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 17 March 2017.

[7] González Ibañez, Juan (27 April 1987). "Suárez mantiene la intención de ser candidato para el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 17 March 2017.

[EP010587-8] González Ibáñez, Juan (1 May 1987). "Suárez renuncia a ser candidato al Parlamento y pone en su lugar al ex ministro Punset". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.

[HE2-9] "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[10] LOREG (1985), tit. VI, ch. VI, art. 220.

[11] Díez, Anabel (7 April 1987). "Fernando Morán encabezará la candidatura del PSOE para el Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.

[12] González Ibáñez, Juan (17 March 1987). "Fraga encabezará la candidatura de Alianza Popular al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.

[13] Bayarri, Francesc (26 April 1987). "Gerardo Iglesias afirma que el Gobierno no conocía el impacto de la entrada de España en la CE". El País (in Spanish). Valencia. Retrieved 14 July 2017.

[EP230487-14] Ruiz de Azúa, Victorino (23 April 1987). "Los partidos vascos irán a las elecciones europeas en coalición con catalanes y gallegos". El País (in Spanish). Bilbao. Retrieved 20 July 2017.

[15] Galán, Lola (29 April 1987). "HB presenta al histórico de ETA 'Peixoto' en sus listas al Parlamento Europeo". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 14 July 2017.

[16] Etxarri, Tonia (30 April 1987). "Coalición electoral". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 July 2017.

[InfoE-24] "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales". Ministry of the Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2022.

[HE-25] "Elecciones Europeas 10 de junio de 1987". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[26] "Parlamento Europeo: Distribución de los Eurodiputados españoles en grupos parlamentarios". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 March 2017.

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