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1901 Spanish general election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A general election was held in Spain on 19 May 1901 (for the Congress of Deputies), and on 2 June 1901 (for the Senate),[a] to elect the members of the 10th Cortes under the Spanish Constitution of 1876, during the Restoration period. All 402 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as 180 of 360 seats in the Senate.
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19 May 1901 (Congress)
2 June 1901 (Senate)[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 402 seats in the Congress of Deputies and 180 (of 360) seats in the Senate 202 seats needed for a majority in the Congress of Deputies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.svg) Election results by constituency (Congress) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Since the Pact of El Pardo, an informal system known as turno or turnismo was operated by the monarchy and the country's two main partiesâthe Conservatives and the Liberalsâto determine in advance the outcome of elections by means of electoral fraud, often achieved through the territorial clientelistic networks of local bosses (the caciques), ensuring that both parties would have rotating periods in power. As a result, elections were often neither truly free nor fair, though they could be more competitive in the country's urban centres where caciquism was weaker.
Conservative prime minister Francisco Silvela resigned in late 1900 as a result of social, political and ecclesiastical backlash resulting from both a tax reform adopted by finance minister Raimundo Fernández-Villaverde and the conflictive marriage between MarÃa de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, and Infante Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Práxedes Mateo Sagasta formed a new government in March 1901, the so-called "Electra cabinet"âin reference to the Benito Pérez Galdós's Electra play which caused a public uproar that hastened the fall of the previous cabinet led by Marcelo Azcárragaâand immediately sought a parliamentary majority for his Liberal Party by triggering a snap election.
The election resulted in a Liberal-dominated parliament that saw new parties such as the regenerationist National Union or the Catalan-based Regionalist League gaining seats for the first time. This would be Sagasta's final electoral contest, as he would resign as prime minister in December 1902 and die on 5 January 1903, aged 77, as a result of bronchopneumonia.
Background
Following the Bourbon Restoration in 1874, the Spanish Constitution of 1876 enshrined Spain as a semi-constitutional monarchy, awarding the monarchâunder the royal prerogativeâthe right of legislative initiative together with the bicameral Cortes; the capacity to veto laws passed by the legislative body; the power to appoint government members (including the prime minister); the ability to grant or deny parliamentary dissolution, the adjournment of legislative sessions and the signature of royal decrees; as well as the title of commander-in-chief of the armed forces.[6][7] The monarch would play a key role in the turno system by appointing and dismissing governments, which would then organize elections to provide themselves with a parliamentary majority. This informal system allowed the two major "dynastic" political parties at the time, the Conservatives and the Liberalsâcharacterized as oligarchic, elite parties with loose structures dominated by internal factions, each led by powerful individualsâto alternate in power by means of electoral fraud (pucherazo). This was achieved by assigning candidates to districts before the elections were held (encasillado), then arrange their victory through the links between the Ministry of Governance and the territorial clientelistic networks of provincial governors and local bosses (the caciques), excluding minor parties from the power sharing.[8][9]
In March 1899, Conservative leader Francisco Silvela formed a regenerationist government that aimed at implementing a program of reforms to address the causes of Spain's decline as a nationâself-evidenced in the country's defeat in the SpanishâAmerican War and the subsequent loss of the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean and Pacific.[10] However, Silvela was forced to resign as prime minister and cede power to Marcelo Azcárraga in October 1900, following the political and social backlash resulting from both the tax reform adopted by his finance minister, Raimundo Fernández-Villaverdeâwhich, while intending to reduce the national debt caused by the war in Cuba, sparked a wave of protests and strikesâand the conflictive marriage between MarÃa de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, and Infante Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, whose father had fought in the Carlist side during the Third Carlist War.[11][12] Further, the Carlist uprising of October 1900âan attempted armed insurrection originating in Badalona which spread to other towns in Spainâhad led to the suspension of constitutional freedoms in a number of provinces for several months.[13][14] Azcárraga's government fell in March 1901, unable to deal with these issues and amid a wave of anti-clericalism propelled by Benito Pérez Galdós's Electra playâwhich caused a storm of both outrage and uproarâ, being replaced by a Liberal government under Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, the so-called "Electra cabinet".[15][16][17][18]
Concurrently, regenerationism saw the rise of movements opposed to the Restoration political system. On the one hand, the establishment of the regenerationist National Union (UN) party by JoaquÃn Costa and Santiago Alba.[19] On the other hand, Catalan regionalism was invigorated following Silvela's refusal to meet their demands and a growing disaffection among the Catalan middle and industrial classes, which in turn led to the establishment throughout 1899 of the liberal conservative Catalan National Centre (CNC) and the Regionalist Union (UR). Both parties would merge in April 1901 into the Regionalist League (LR).
Overview
Under the 1876 Constitution, the Spanish Cortes were conceived as "co-legislative bodies", forming a nearly perfect bicameral system.[20] Both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate exercised legislative, oversight and budgetary functions, sharing almost equal powers, except in budget laws (taxation and public credit)âwhose first reading corresponded to Congressâand in impeachment processes against government ministers, where Congress handled indictment and the Senate the trial.[21][22]
Date
The term of each chamber of the Cortesâthe Congress and one-half of the elective part of the Senateâexpired five years from the date of their previous election, unless they were dissolved earlier.[23] The previous elections were held on 16 April 1899 for the Congress and on 30 April 1899 for the Senate, which meant that the chambers' terms would have expired on 16 and 30 April 1904, respectively.
The monarch had the prerogative to dissolve both chambers at any given timeâeither jointly or separatelyâand call a snap election.[24] There was no constitutional requirement for concurrent elections to the Congress and the Senate, nor for the elective part of the Senate to be renewed in its entirety except in the case that a full dissolution was agreed by the monarch. Still, there was only one case of a separate election (for the Senate in 1877) and no half-Senate elections taking place under the 1876 Constitution.
The Cortes were officially dissolved on 24 April 1901, with the corresponding decree setting election day for 19 May (Congress) and 2 June 1901 (Senate) and scheduling for both chambers to reconvene on 11 June.[25]
Electoral system
Voting for the Congress of Deputies was based on universal manhood suffrage, comprising all Spanish national males over 25 years of age with full civil rights, provided they had two years of residence in a Spanish municipality and were not enlisted ranks in active duty.[26][27][28][29] Additional restrictions excluded those deprived of political rights or barred from public office by a final sentence, criminally imprisoned or convicted, legally incapacitated, bankrupt, public debtors, and homeless.[30]
The Congress of Deputies had one seat per 50,000 inhabitants. Of these, those corresponding to larger urban areas were elected in multi-member constituencies using partial block voting: voters in constituencies electing eight seats or more could choose up to three candidates less that seats at stake; in those with between four and eight seats, up to two less; and in those with between one and four seats, up to one less. The remaining seats were elected in single-member districts by plurality voting and distributed among the provinces of Spain according to population.[31][32] Additionally, universities, economic societies of Friends of the Country and officially organized chambers of commerce, industry and agriculture, had one seat per 5,000 registered voters.[33]
As a result of the aforementioned allocation, 310 single-member districts were established, and each Congress multi-member constituency (a total of 26, electing 92 seats) was entitled the following seats:[34]
Voting for the elective part of the Senate was based on censitary suffrage, comprising Spanish male householders of voting age, residing in a Spanish municipality, with full political and civil rights, who met either of the following:[35]
- Being qualified electors (such as archbishops, bishops and cathedral chapter members, in the archdioceses; full academics, in the royal academies; university authorities and professors, in the universities; or provincial deputies);
- Being elected as delegates (either by members with three years of seniority (in the economic societies of Friends of the Country; or by major taxpayers for direct taxes and local authorities, in the local councils).
180 Senate seats were elected using indirect, two-round majority voting. Delegates chosen by local councilsâeach of which was assigned an initial minimum of one delegate, with one additional delegate for every six councillorsâvoted for senators together with provincial deputies. The provinces of Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia were allocated four seats each, and the rest three each, for a total of 150. The remaining 30 seats were allocated to special institutional districts (one each), including major archdioceses, royal academies, universities, and economic societies,[c] each elected by their own qualified electors or delegates.[36][37] Another 180 seats consisted of senators in their own right (such as the monarch's offspring and the heir apparent once coming of age (16), grandees of Spain with an income of Pts 60,000, certain general officersâcaptain generals and admiralsâthe Patriarch of the Indies and archbishops, and the heads of higher courts and state institutions[d] after two years of service), as well as senators for life directly appointed by the monarch.[38]
The law provided for by-elections to fill vacant seats during the legislative term. At least two vacancies were required to trigger a by-election in Congress multi-member constituencies.[39]
Candidates
Nomination rules
For the Congress, secular Spanish males of voting age, with full civil rights, could run for election. Causes of ineligibility applied to those excluded from voting or meeting any of the incompatibility rules for deputies, as well as to:[40]
- Public contractors, within their relevant territories;
- Holders of a number of territorial posts (such as government-appointed positions, not including government ministers and Central Administration employees; local and provincial employees; and provincial deputation members), within their areas of jurisdiction, during their term of office and up to one year afterwards.
For the Senate, eligibility was limited to Spanish males over 35 years of age not under criminal prosecution, disfranchisement nor asset seizure, and who either qualified as senators in their own right or belonged (or had belonged) to certain categories:[41]
- Provided an income of Pts 7,500: the presidents of the Senate and the Congress; deputies serving in three different congresses or eight terms; government ministers; bishops; grandees of Spain not eligible as senators in their own right; and various senior officials after two years of service (such as certain general officersâlieutenant generals and vice admiralsâand members of higher courts and state institutions);[d] heads of diplomatic missions abroad (ambassadors after two years, and plenipotentiaries after four); heads and full academics in the royal academies; chief engineers; and full professors with four years of service;
- Provided an income of Pts 20,000 or being taxpayers with a minimum quota of Pts 4,000 in direct taxes (paid two years in advance): Spanish nobility; and former deputies, provincial deputies or mayors in provincial capitals or towns over 20,000;
- Having served as senators before the promulgation of the 1876 Constitution.
Other ineligibility provisions for the Senate also applied to a number of territorial officials within their areas of jurisdiction, during their term of office and up to three months afterwards; public contractors; tax collectors; and public debtors.[42]
Incompatibility rules barred representing multiple constituencies simultaneously, as well as combining:[43]
- The role of senator with other legislative roles (deputy, senator and local councillor, except those in Madrid; and provincial deputies within their respective provinces); or with any public post not explicitly permitted under Senate eligibility requirements;
- The role of deputy with any other civil, military or judicial post, with exceptionsâand as many as 40 deputies allowed to simultaneously benefit from theseâincluding a number of specific posts based in Madrid, such as any of the aforementioned ones (provided a public salary of Pts 12,500); senior court officials; university authorities and professors; chief engineers; and general officers.
Results
Congress of Deputies
 | ||||
| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Seats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | |||
| Liberal Party (PL) | 246 | |||
| Conservative Party (PC) | 76 | |||
| Republican Coalition (CR) | 15 | |||
| Gamacist Liberals (G) | 15 | |||
| Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) | 12 | |||
| Tetuanist Conservatives (T) | 10 | |||
| National Union (UN) | 6 | |||
| Traditionalist Communion (Carlist) (CT) | 6 | |||
| Regionalist League (LR) | 6 | |||
| Blasquist Republicans (RB) | 2 | |||
| Integrist Party (PI) | 2 | |||
| Independents (INDEP) | 6 | |||
| Total | 402 | |||
| Votes cast / turnout | ||||
| Abstentions | ||||
| Registered voters | ||||
| Sources[44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52] | ||||
Senate
 | ||
| Parties and alliances | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Party (PL) | 116 | |
| Conservative Party (PC) | 38 | |
| Tetuanist Conservatives (T) | 7 | |
| Republican Coalition (CR) | 3 | |
| Gamacist Liberals (G) | 3 | |
| Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) | 2 | |
| National Union (UN) | 1 | |
| Independents (INDEP) | 1 | |
| Archbishops (ARCH) | 9 | |
| Total elective seats | 180 | |
| Sources[a][53][54][55][56][57][58] | ||
Maps
Election results by constituency (Congress).
Distribution by group
| Group | Parties and alliances | C | S | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PL | Liberal Party (PL) | 245 | 113 | 362 | ||
| Basque Dynastics (Urquijist) (DV) | 1 | 2 | ||||
| LiberalâRepublican Coalition (CLR) | 0 | 1 | ||||
| PC | Conservative Party (PC) | 76 | 38 | 114 | ||
| CR | National Republican Party (PRN) | 12 | 1 | 18 | ||
| Federal Republican Party (PRF) | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Centralist Republican Party (PRC) | 1 | 1 | ||||
| LiberalâRepublican Coalition (CLR) | 0 | 1 | ||||
| G | Gamacist Liberals (G) | 15 | 3 | 18 | ||
| T | Tetuanist Conservatives (T) | 9 | 7 | 17 | ||
| Independents (INDEP) | 1 | 0 | ||||
| PLR | Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) | 12 | 2 | 14 | ||
| UN | National Union (UN) | 6 | 0 | 7 | ||
| LiberalâRepublican Coalition (CLR) | 0 | 1 | ||||
| CT | Traditionalist Communion (Carlist) (CT) | 6 | 0 | 6 | ||
| LR | Regionalist League (LR) | 6 | 0 | 6 | ||
| RB | Blasquist Republicans (RB) | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
| PI | Integrist Party (PI) | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
| INDEP | Independents (INDEP) | 5 | 1 | 7 | ||
| Independent Catholics (CAT) | 1 | 0 | ||||
| ARCH | Archbishops (ARCH) | 0 | 9 | 9 | ||
| Total | 402 | 180 | 582 | |||
Notes
- The following were considered as the major districts in each category:
- Archdioceses: Burgos, Granada, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tarragona, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid, and Zaragoza.
- Royal academies: Spanish; History; Fine Arts of San Fernando; Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences; Moral and Political Sciences; and Medicine.
- Universities: Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Oviedo, Salamanca, Santiago, Seville, Valencia, Valladolid, and Zaragoza.
- Economic societies of Friends of the Country: Madrid, Barcelona, León, Seville, and Valencia.
- These comprised the Council of State, the Supreme Court, the Court of Auditors and the Supreme Council of War and Navy.