2004 European Parliament election in Spain
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An election was held in Spain on 13 June 2004 as part of the concurrent EU-wide election to the 6th European Parliament. All 54 seats allocated to the Spanish constituency as per the Treaty of Nice were up for election.[a]
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2.6%
17.9 pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 June 2004
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All 54[a] Spanish seats in the European Parliament | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Opinion polls | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 34,706,044 2.6% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 15,666,491 (45.1%) 17.9 pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The election saw a close race between the centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which had accessed power earlier in April in the wake of the 11M train bombings leading up to the 14 March general election, and the centre-right People's Party (PP), still reeling from its election defeat. It marked the only time the PSOE emerged as the largest party in a European Parliament election in Spain between 1989 and 2019. It also saw a considerable drop in turnout down to 45.1%, the lowest up until that point—a figure that would be outmatched by the turnout in the two subsequent European Parliament elections, 2009 (44.9%) and 2014 (43.8%).
Overview
Electoral system
Voting for the European Parliament in Spain was based on universal suffrage, which comprised all Spanish nationals and resident non-national European citizens over 18 years of age with full political rights, provided that they had not been deprived of the right to vote by a final sentence, nor were legally incapacitated.[2]
54 European Parliament seats were allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Nice.[3][a] All were elected in a single multi-member constituency—comprising the entire national territory—using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with no electoral threshold.[4] The use of this electoral method resulted in an effective threshold depending on district magnitude and vote distribution.[5]
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.[6]
Outgoing delegation
The table below shows the composition of the Spanish delegation in the chamber at the time of the election call.[7]
| Groups | Parties | MEPs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | Total | ||||
| European People's Party–European Democrats | PP | 26 | 28 | ||
| UPN | 1 | ||||
| UDC | 1 | ||||
| Party of European Socialists | PSOE | 23 | 24 | ||
| LV | 1 | ||||
| European United Left–Nordic Green Left | IU | 4 | 4 | ||
| Greens–European Free Alliance | BNG | 1 | 4 | ||
| ERC | 1 | ||||
| PAR | 1 | ||||
| BNV | 1 | ||||
| European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party | CDC | 1 | 3 | ||
| EAJ/PNV | 1 | ||||
| UV | 1 | ||||
| Non-Inscrits | INDEP | 1[f] | 1 | ||
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. In order to be entitled to run, parties, federations, alliances 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.[8]
Below is a list of the main parties and alliances which contested the election:
The abertzale left tried to run under the umbrella of the Herritarren Zerrenda list (Basque for "Citizens' List").[15][16] However, the Spanish Supreme Court annulled HZ lists and banned them from running on 22 May 2004, as it considered that the candidacy's promoters and half of its candidates had links with the outlawed Batasuna and with the ETA environment.[17]
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.
- Color key:
Exit poll
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout |  |
 |
GEC |  |
CE | EP | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 EP election | 13 Jun 2004 | N/a | 45.1 | 41.2 24 |
43.5 25 |
5.1 2 |
4.1 2 |
1.3 0 |
2.5 1 |
2.3 |
| Sigma Dos/Antena 3[p 1][p 2] | 13 Jun 2004 | ? | ? | 39.5– 41.5 22/24 |
42.0– 44.0 23/25 |
6.0 3 |
5.0 2/3 |
1.6 0/1 |
2.4 1 |
2.5 |
| Ipsos–Eco/RTVE[p 1][p 2] | 13 Jun 2004 | ? | ? | 39.9 21/24 |
43.4 23/26 |
5.5 2/3 |
4.4 1/2 |
1.7 0/1 |
2.6 1/2 |
3.5 |
| Celeste-Tel/La Razón[p 2][p 3] | 6 Jun 2004 | 1,202 | ? | 37.2 21/22 |
46.1 26/27 |
5.2 2/3 |
4.6 2 |
1.3 0 |
3.0 1 |
8.9 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 4] | 31 May–3 Jun 2004 | 1,200 | ? | 37.4 22 |
46.1 27 |
4.9 2 |
4.8 2 |
1.5 0 |
2.4 1 |
8.7 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 2][p 5] | 1–2 Jun 2004 | 1,000 | ? | 37.9 21/23 |
42.6 24/26 |
5.2 2/3 |
5.2 2/3 |
1.7 0/1 |
3.1 1 |
4.7 |
| TNS Demoscopia/ABC[p 6] | 31 May–2 Jun 2004 | 2,005 | 55–60 | 38.4 22 |
46.7 27 |
4.6 2 |
3.7 2 |
1.1 0 |
2.2 1 |
8.3 |
| CIS[p 7][p 8] | 19–26 May 2004 | 4,781 | 76.7 | 36.7 22 |
46.3 27 |
5.0 2 |
4.4 2 |
1.5 0 |
3.1 1 |
9.6 |
| Opina/El País[p 9][p 10] | 24 May 2004 | 1,000 | ? | 37.0 | 43.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 6.0 |
| Opina/Cadena SER[p 11][p 12] | 13 May 2004 | 1,000 | ? | 37.0 | 45.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 8.0 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 13][p 14] | 26 Apr 2004 | ? | ? | 39.2 | 45.1 | 2.1 | 3.6 | – | – | 5.9 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 15][p 16] | 13–15 Apr 2004 | 1,501 | ? | 36.5 21/22 |
42.2 25 |
5.7 3 |
5.8 3 |
? 0/1 |
2.3 1 |
5.7 |
| Burson-Marsteller[p 17] | 13 Apr 2004 | ? | ? | 38.6 23 |
35.5 22 |
– | – | – | – | 3.1 |
| Opina/El País[p 18][p 19] | 30 Mar 2004 | 1,000 | ? | 38.8 | 45.9 | 4.2 | 5.3 | – | – | 7.1 |
| Celeste-Tel[p 20][p 21] | 14 Feb 2001 | 1,156 | ? | 38.4 27 |
37.9 27 |
4.5 3 |
4.1 2 |
3.3 2 |
– | 0.5 |
| 1999 EP election | 13 Jun 1999 | N/a | 63.0 | 39.7 27 |
35.3 24 |
8.0 4 |
6.5 4 |
3.4 2 |
1.1 2 |
4.4 |
Voting preferences
The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | |
|
GEC | |
CE | EP |  |
 |
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 EP election[g] | 13 Jun 2004 | N/a | 18.8 | 19.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.1 | N/a | 54.1 | 0.9 |
| TNS Demoscopia/ABC[p 6] | 31 May–2 Jun 2004 | 2,005 | 22.0 | 27.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 39.1 | 2.6 | 5.5 |
| CIS[p 7] | 19–26 May 2004 | 4,781 | 20.7 | 39.8 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 22.8 | 8.2 | 19.1 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 15] | 13–15 Apr 2004 | 1,501 | 22.3 | 28.2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5.9 |
| 1999 EP election[g] | 13 Jun 1999 | N/a | 25.4 | 22.5 | 5.1 | 4.2 | 2.1 | 0.6 | N/a | 35.7 | 2.9 |
Victory preferences
The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a European Parliament election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | |
|
GEC | |
CE | EP | Other/ None |
|
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 4] | 31 May–3 Jun 2004 | 1,200 | 31.0 | 50.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | – | 2.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 19.0 |
| CIS[p 7] | 19–26 May 2004 | 4,781 | 24.4 | 49.1 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 5.0 | 15.5 | 24.7 |
| Opina/El País[p 10] | 24 May 2004 | 1,000 | 27.8 | 47.3 | – | – | – | – | 2.7 | 22.2 | 19.5 |
| Opina/Cadena SER[p 12] | 13 May 2004 | 1,000 | 28.5 | 47.8 | – | – | – | – | 3.2 | 20.5 | 19.3 |
Victory likelihood
The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a European Parliament election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | |
|
Other/ None |
|
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 4] | 31 May–3 Jun 2004 | 1,200 | 22.0 | 59.0 | 1.0 | 18.0 | 37.0 |
| CIS[p 7] | 19–26 May 2004 | 4,781 | 12.3 | 57.2 | 0.8 | 29.7 | 44.9 |
| Opina/El País[p 10] | 24 May 2004 | 1,000 | 16.0 | 48.3 | 0.3 | 35.4 | 32.3 |
| Opina/Cadena SER[p 12] | 13 May 2004 | 1,000 | 18.0 | 49.2 | 1.9 | 30.9 | 31.2 |
Results
Overall
 | ||||||
| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− | ||
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 6,741,112 | 43.46 | +8.13 | 25 | +1 | |
| People's Party (PP) | 6,393,192 | 41.21 | +1.47 | 24 | −3 | |
| Galeusca–Peoples of Europe (Galeusca)1 | 798,816 | 5.15 | −2.87 | 2 | −2 | |
| United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Greens–EUiA (IU–ICV–EUiA)2 | 643,136 | 4.15 | −2.36 | 2 | −2 | |
| Europe of the Peoples (EdP)3 | 380,709 | 2.45 | +1.34 | 1 | −1 | |
| European Coalition (CE)4 | 197,231 | 1.27 | −2.17 | 0 | −2 | |
| The Greens–European Green Group (LV–GVE)5 | 68,536 | 0.44 | −0.22 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Cannabis Party for Legalisation and Normalisation (PCLyN) | 54,460 | 0.35 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Aralar (Aralar) | 19,993 | 0.13 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Socialist Action Party (PASOC) | 13,810 | 0.09 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 11,820 | 0.08 | −0.10 | 0 | ±0 | |
| For a Fairer World (PUM+J) | 9,202 | 0.06 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) | 8,180 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI)6 | 7,976 | 0.05 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Family and Life Party (PFyV) | 7,958 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| New Green Left (NIV) | 6,876 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| National Democracy (DN) | 6,314 | 0.04 | ±0.00 | 0 | ±0 | |
| The Phalanx (FE) | 5,935 | 0.04 | −0.01 | 0 | ±0 | |
| The Unemployed (Los Parados) | 5,314 | 0.03 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party (TC–PNC) | 5,267 | 0.03 | −0.03 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE de las JONS) | 4,484 | 0.03 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain–Internationalist Struggle (PCPE–LI) | 4,281 | 0.03 | −0.09 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Humanist Party (PH) | 3,923 | 0.03 | −0.03 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Spanish Democratic Party (PADE) | 3,454 | 0.02 | −0.06 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) | 3,308 | 0.02 | −0.01 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Catalan State (EC) | 2,594 | 0.02 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| We–People's Unity (Nós–UP) | 2,516 | 0.02 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Authentic Phalanx (FA) | 2,008 | 0.01 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Liberal Coalition (CL) | 1,719 | 0.01 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Carlist Party (PC) | 1,600 | 0.01 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Liberal Centrist Union (UCL) | 1,544 | 0.01 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Basque Citizens (EH) | n/a | n/a | −1.45 | 0 | −1 | |
| Blank ballots | 95,014 | 0.61 | −1.08 | |||
| Total | 15,512,282 | 54 | −10 | |||
| Valid votes | 15,512,282 | 99.02 | −0.19 | |||
| Invalid votes | 154,209 | 0.98 | +0.19 | |||
| Votes cast / turnout | 15,666,491 | 45.14 | −17.91 | |||
| Abstentions | 19,039,553 | 54.86 | +17.91 | |||
| Registered voters | 34,706,044 | |||||
| Sources[18][19][20] | ||||||
Footnotes:
| ||||||
Maps
Vote winner strength by province.
Vote winner strength by autonomous community.
Distribution by European group
| Groups | Parties | Seats | Total | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party of European Socialists (PES) | 24 | 24 | 44.44 | ||
| European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP–ED) |
|
23 1 |
24 | 44.44 | |
| Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) | 1 1 1 |
3 | 5.56 | ||
| Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) |
|
1 1 |
2 | 3.70 | |
| European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) |
|
1 | 1 | 1.85 | |
| Total | 54 | 54 | 100.00 | ||
Elected legislators
The following table lists the elected legislators:[21]
Notes
- Note that while the Treaty of Nice initially allocated 50 seats to Spain, it provided for a total European Parliament size of 732 which—as a result of Bulgaria and Romania not accessing the European Union until 2007—allowed for Spain to be awarded four additional seats, which it maintained for the entire 2004–2009 term.[1]
- Results for CN–EP, not including the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country and Navarre (0.9%, 2 seats), LV–IP in Aragon (0.2%, 0 seats) and Andecha Astur (0.0%, 0 seats) in the 1999 election.
- Koldo Gorostiaga, former EH MEP.
- Does not include non-resident citizens.