1999 Barcelona municipal election
Election in the Spanish municipality of Barcelona
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A municipal election was held in Barcelona on 13 June 1999 to elect the 6th City Council of the municipality. All 41 seats in the City Council were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all across Spain, as well as the 1999 European Parliament election.
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1.1% 14.7 pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 June 1999
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All 41 seats in the City Council of Barcelona 21 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Opinion polls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 1,352,781 1.1% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 697,091 (51.5%) 14.7 pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview
Under the 1978 Constitution, the governance of municipalities in Spain—part of the country's local government system—was centered on the figure of city councils (Spanish: ayuntamientos), local corporations with independent legal personality composed of a mayor, a government council and an elected legislative assembly.[1] The mayor was indirectly elected by the local assembly, requiring an absolute majority; otherwise, the candidate from the most-voted party automatically became mayor (ties were resolved by drawing lots).[2] In the case of Barcelona, the top-tier administrative and governing body was the City Council of Barcelona.[3]
Date
The term of local assemblies in Spain expired four years after the date of their previous election, with election day being fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years, but a 1998 amendment allowed for local elections held in May 1995 to be held concurrently with European Parliament elections, provided that they were scheduled for within a four month-timespan. The election decree was required to be issued no later than 54 days before the scheduled election date and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE).[4] The previous local elections were held on 28 May 1995, setting the date for election day concurrently with that year's European Parliament election on 13 June 1999.
Local assemblies could not be dissolved before the expiration of their term, except in cases of mismanagement that seriously harmed the public interest and implied a breach of constitutional obligations, in which case the Council of Ministers could—optionally—decide to call a by-election.[5]
Elections to the assemblies of local entities were officially called on 20 April 1999 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 13 June.[6]
Electoral system
Voting for local assemblies was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality and with full political rights (provided that they had not been deprived of the right to vote by a final sentence, nor were legally incapacitated), as well as resident non-national European citizens, and those whose country of origin allowed reciprocal voting by virtue of a treaty.[7]
Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a five percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each municipality.[8] Each municipality was a multi-member constituency, with a number of seats based on the following scale:[9]
| Population | Councillors |
|---|---|
| <250 | 5 |
| 251–1,000 | 7 |
| 1,001–2,000 | 9 |
| 2,001–5,000 | 11 |
| 5,001–10,000 | 13 |
| 10,001–20,000 | 17 |
| 20,001–50,000 | 21 |
| 50,001–100,000 | 25 |
| >100,001 | +1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction +1 if total is an even number |
The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacant seats; instead, any vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term were filled by the next candidates on the party lists or, when required, by designated substitutes.[10]
Parties and candidates
The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance were required to inform the relevant electoral commission within 10 days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list. In the case of Barcelona, as its population was over 1,000,001, at least 8,000 signatures were required.[11]
Below is a list of the main parties and alliances which contested the election:
| Candidacy | Parties and alliances |
Leading candidate | Ideology | Previous result | Gov. | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote % | Seats | ||||||||
| PSC–PM | List
|
|
Joan Clos | Social democracy | 38.4% | 16 |  |
[12] [13] [14] | |
| CiU | List |
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Joaquim Molins | Catalan nationalism Centrism |
30.6% | 13 |  |
[15] [16] [17] | |
| PP | List
|
.jpg) |
Santiago Fisas | Conservatism Christian democracy |
16.6% | 7 | |
[18] [19] | |
| IC– V–EPM |
List |
.jpg) |
Imma Mayol | Regionalism Eco-socialism Green politics |
7.6% [b] |
3 | |
||
| EUiA | List
|
 |
Jordi Gasull | Socialism Communism |
|
||||
| ERC– EV–AM |
List |
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Jordi Portabella | Catalan independence Left-wing nationalism Social democracy |
5.1% | 2 | |
[20] [21] [22] | |
| PI | List |
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Pilar Rahola | Catalan independence | Did not contest | |
[23] | ||
Opinion polls
The tables below list opinion polling results 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 poll.
Voting intention estimates
The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 21 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Barcelona.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
PI |  |
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 municipal election | 13 Jun 1999 | N/a | 51.5 | 45.2 20 |
21.7 10 |
14.9 6 |
6.3 2 |
6.5 3 |
1.0 0 |
1.3 0 |
23.5 |
| DYM/El Periódico[p 1][p 2] | 6 Jun 1999 | 1,007 | ? | 44.1 20 |
31.5 14 |
12.8 5 |
5.5 2 |
3.3 0 |
– | – | 12.6 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia[p 2][p 3] | 1–2 Jun 1999 | 900 | ? | 40.0 18/19 |
26.5 12 |
17.5 7/8 |
5.0 0/2 |
6.0 2 |
– | – | 13.5 |
| Eco Consulting/ABC[p 4] | 24 May–2 Jun 1999 | 400 | ? | 35.8 16/17 |
28.8 13 |
18.9 8/9 |
7.0 3 |
– | 4.2 0 |
2.1 0 |
7.0 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 5][p 6] | 27 May–1 Jun 1999 | 500 | ? | 39.2 17/19 |
27.3 12/13 |
18.5 8/9 |
5.5 2 |
4.4 0 |
2.1 0 |
1.8 0 |
11.9 |
| Demoscopia/El País[p 7] | 26 May–1 Jun 1999 | ? | ? | 39.9 17/18 |
25.3 11 |
19.3 8/9 |
8.1 3 |
4.7 0/2 |
– | – | 14.6 |
| CIS[p 8][p 9] | 9–19 May 1999 | 720 | ? | 41.6 17/18 |
27.0 11/12 |
16.3 6/7 |
7.0 2/3 |
5.6 2 |
0.4 0 |
– | 14.6 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia[p 10] | 29 Apr–1 May 1999 | 850 | ? | 39.0 17/19 |
30.0 13/14 |
17.0 7/8 |
5.0 0/2 |
5.0 0/2 |
0.5 0 |
1.0 0 |
9.0 |
| DYM/El Periódico[p 11][p 12] | 24 Apr 1999 | 708 | ? | 42.7 19/20 |
26.9 12 |
15.0 6/7 |
3.8 0 |
6.2 2 |
0.4 0 |
4.8 0/2 |
15.8 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia[p 13][p 14] | 19–20 Jun 1998 | 600 | ? | 38.1 17 |
30.8 14 |
16.3 7 |
6.0 3 |
4.8 0 |
1.0 0 |
0.8 0 |
7.3 |
| IC–EV[p 15][p 16] | 20–22 Apr 1998 | 1,200 | ? | ? 18 |
? 13 |
? 7 |
? 3 |
? 0 |
? 0 |
– | ? |
| Barcelona City Council[p 17][p 18] | 15–17 Dec 1997 | 720 | ? | 41.0– 42.0 19 |
29.5– 30.5 13 |
? 7 |
? 2 |
? 0 |
? 0 |
– | 11.5 |
| 1996 general election | 3 Mar 1996 | N/a | 77.0 | 34.4 (15) |
29.8 (13) |
22.7 (10) |
7.7 (3) |
4.1 (0) |
– | – | 4.6 |
| 1995 regional election | 19 Nov 1995 | N/a | 65.9 | 21.5 (9) |
39.7 (17) |
17.6 (7) |
9.9 (4) |
9.3 (4) |
– | – | 18.2 |
| 1995 municipal election | 28 May 1995 | N/a | 66.2 | 38.4 16 |
30.6 13 |
16.6 7 |
7.6 3 |
5.1 2 |
– | – | 7.8 |
Voting preferences
The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | |
|
|
|
|
PI | |
 |
 |
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 municipal election | 13 Jun 1999 | N/a | 23.2 | 11.1 | 7.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | N/a | 48.5 | 12.1 |
| CIS[p 19] | 9–19 May 1999 | 720 | 29.2 | 14.0 | 7.5 | 6.4 | 4.3 | 0.3 | – | 27.0 | 9.5 | 15.2 |
| 1996 general election[c] | 3 Mar 1996 | N/a | 26.4 | 22.9 | 17.4 | 5.9 | 3.2 | – | – | N/a | 23.0 | 3.5 |
| 1995 regional election[c] | 19 Nov 1995 | N/a | 14.2 | 26.1 | 11.6 | 6.5 | 6.1 | – | – | N/a | 34.1 | 11.9 |
| 1995 municipal election | 28 May 1995 | N/a | 25.4 | 20.2 | 11.0 | 5.0 | 3.4 | – | – | N/a | 33.8 | 5.2 |
Victory preferences
The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a municipal election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | |
|
|
|
|
PI | |
Other/ None |
|
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIS[p 19] | 9–19 May 1999 | 720 | 38.2 | 15.6 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 4.2 | 0.3 | – | 0.7 | 26.0 | 22.6 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia[p 10] | 29 Apr–1 May 1999 | 850 | 38.1 | 22.4 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 2.2 | – | 0.2 | 0.9 | 29.4 | 15.7 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia[p 13] | 19–20 Jun 1998 | 600 | 36.0 | 24.8 | – | – | – | – | – | 7.5 | 31.7 | 11.2 |
Victory likelihood
The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a municipal election taking place.
Preferred Mayor
The table below lists opinion polling on leader preferences to become mayor of Barcelona.
- All candidates
- Clos vs. Molins
Predicted Mayor
The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood for each leader to become mayor.
Results
 | ||||||
| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− | ||
| Socialists' Party of Catalonia–Municipal Progress (PSC–PM) | 313,623 | 45.19 | +6.80 | 20 | +4 | |
| Convergence and Union (CiU) | 150,518 | 21.69 | −8.87 | 10 | −3 | |
| People's Party (PP) | 103,177 | 14.87 | −1.75 | 6 | −1 | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia–The Greens–Municipal Agreement (ERC–EV–AM) | 45,278 | 6.52 | +1.40 | 3 | +1 | |
| Initiative for Catalonia–Greens–Agreement for Municipal Progress (IC–V–EPM) | 43,999 | 6.34 | −1.27 | 2 | −1 | |
| United and Alternative Left (EUiA) | 8,941 | 1.29 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Party for Independence (PI) | 6,671 | 0.96 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| The Greens–Green Group (EV–GV) | 4,675 | 0.67 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Ecologist Party of Catalonia (PEC) | 1,079 | 0.16 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 798 | 0.11 | −0.03 | 0 | ±0 | |
| The Phalanx (FE) | 644 | 0.09 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Catalan State (EC) | 561 | 0.08 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Humanist Party of Catalonia (PHC) | 517 | 0.07 | +0.04 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Independent Spanish Phalanx (FEI) | 235 | 0.03 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| European Nation State (N) | 210 | 0.03 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Blank ballots | 13,130 | 1.89 | +0.98 | |||
| Total | 694,056 | 41 | ±0 | |||
| Valid votes | 694,056 | 99.56 | −0.22 | |||
| Invalid votes | 3,035 | 0.44 | +0.22 | |||
| Votes cast / turnout | 697,091 | 51.53 | −14.69 | |||
| Abstentions | 655,690 | 48.47 | +14.69 | |||
| Registered voters | 1,352,781 | |||||
| Sources[24][25][26][27] | ||||||
