2011 Madrid municipal election
Election in the Spanish municipality of Madrid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A municipal election was held in Madrid on 22 May 2011 to elect the 9th City Council of the municipality. All 57 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.
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4.0%
1.3 pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 May 2011
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All 57 seats in the City Council of Madrid 29 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Opinion polls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 2,308,360 4.0% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 1,551,613 (67.2%) 1.3 pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The People's Party (PP) won its 6th consecutive absolute majority of seats in the City Council, albeit with a diminished voter base, suffering its worst loss of support in the city up until that time (120,000 votes, 6 percentage points and 3 seats were lost from 2007). Only the collapse of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) vote, which obtained the worst result of its history as a result of the criticised José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's premiership in the national government, was larger. United Left (IU) benefitted from the PSOE debacle, while newly founded Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) attracted votes from sectors disenchanted with both PSOE and PP and entered the City Council in the first election in which they stood.
Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, who was re-elected for a third term in office, left the mayoralty in late 2011 to become Justice Minister, after his party won the 2011 Spanish general election and Mariano Rajoy was elected Prime Minister. He was succeeded as mayor by Ana Botella.
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 Madrid, the top-tier administrative and governing body was the City Council of Madrid.[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. 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 27 May 2007, setting the date for election day on the fourth Sunday of May four years later, which was 22 May 2011.
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 29 March 2011 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 22 May.[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 (amended for smaller municipalities in 2011):[9]
| Population | Councillors |
|---|---|
| <100 | 3 |
| 101–250 | 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 Madrid, as its population was over 1,000,001, at least 8,000 signatures were required.[11] Additionally, a balanced composition of men and women was required in the electoral lists, so that candidates of either sex made up at least 40 percent of the total composition.[12]
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 | ||||||||
| PP | List
|
|
Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón | Conservatism Christian democracy |
55.6% | 34 |  |
[13] [14] [15] | |
| PSOE | List |
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Jaime Lissavetzky | Social democracy | 30.9% | 18 |  |
[16] [17] | |
| IUCM–LV | List
|
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Ángel Pérez | Socialism Communism |
8.7% | 5 | |
[18] | |
| UPyD | List |
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David Ortega | Social liberalism Radical centrism |
Did not contest | |
[19] | ||
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; 29 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Madrid.
- Color key:
Exit poll
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout |  |
 |
 |
 |
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 municipal election | 22 May 2011 | N/a | 67.2 | 49.7 31 |
23.9 15 |
10.7 6 |
7.9 5 |
25.8 |
| Ipsos–Eco/FORTA[p 1] | 22 May 2011 | ? | ? | 52.1 32/33 |
22.4 13/15 |
11.0 7/8 |
6.8 3/4 |
29.7 |
| Ikerfel/Vocento[p 2][p 3] | 15 May 2011 | 900 | ? | 50.2 30/31 |
30.1 18/19 |
8.7 5 |
6.1 3 |
20.1 |
| TNS Demoscopia/Antena 3[p 4] | 14 May 2011 | ? | ? | ? 35 |
? 16 |
? 6 |
– | ? |
| Metroscopia/El País[p 5][p 6] | 9 May 2011 | 600 | ? | 52.9 32/33 |
31.3 18/19 |
8.1 4/5 |
5.0 0/3 |
21.6 |
| NC Report/La Razón[p 7][p 8] | 13–30 Apr 2011 | 600 | ? | 53.0 31/33 |
30.4 18/19 |
8.4 5 |
5.6 1/3 |
22.6 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 9] | 25–28 Apr 2011 | 599 | ? | 57.2 34/35 |
31.2 18/19 |
6.7 4 |
– | 26.0 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 10] | 15–18 Apr 2011 | 400 | ? | 53.5 32/34 |
29.8 18 |
8.0 4/5 |
5.1 0/3 |
23.7 |
| CIS[p 11][p 12] | 17 Mar–17 Apr 2011 | 781 | ? | 52.6 32/34 |
28.6 17/18 |
8.2 5 |
4.3 0/3 |
24.0 |
| Metroscopia/CEIM[p 13] | 6–15 Apr 2011 | ? | ? | 51.8 31 |
31.3 18 |
? 5 |
5.1 3 |
20.5 |
| Metroscopia/El País[p 14][p 15] | 15 May 2010 | 500 | ? | 53.4 32 |
27.9 17 |
9.1 5 |
6.0 3 |
25.5 |
| 2009 EP election | 7 Jun 2009 | N/a | 53.8 | 50.1 (32) |
34.1 (21) |
4.5 (0) |
6.8 (4) |
16.0 |
| Metroscopia/El País[p 16] | 15 May 2009 | 400 | ? | 56.3 34 |
29.1 18 |
8.5 5 |
– | 27.2 |
| 2008 general election | 9 Mar 2008 | N/a | 80.7 | 50.6 (33) |
38.1 (24) |
4.7 (0) |
4.0 (0) |
12.5 |
| 2007 municipal election | 27 May 2007 | N/a | 65.9 | 55.6 34 |
30.9 18 |
8.7 5 |
– | 24.7 |
Voting preferences
The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | |
|
|
|
 |
 |
Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 municipal election | 22 May 2011 | N/a | 32.8 | 15.8 | 7.1 | 5.2 | N/a | 32.8 | 17.0 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 9] | 25–28 Apr 2011 | 599 | 41.3 | 23.5 | 4.7 | 1.2 | – | – | 17.8 |
| CIS[p 11] | 17 Mar–17 Apr 2011 | 781 | 35.0 | 20.5 | 5.2 | 3.5 | 22.7 | 7.9 | 14.5 |
| 2009 EP election[a] | 7 Jun 2009 | N/a | 26.8 | 18.3 | 2.4 | 3.7 | N/a | 46.2 | 8.5 |
| 2008 general election[a] | 9 Mar 2008 | N/a | 40.6 | 30.6 | 3.8 | 3.2 | N/a | 19.3 | 10.0 |
| 2007 municipal election | 27 May 2007 | N/a | 36.5 | 20.3 | 5.7 | – | N/a | 34.1 | 16.2 |
Preferred Mayor
The table below lists opinion polling on leader preferences to become mayor of Madrid.
Results
 | ||||||
| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− | ||
| People's Party (PP) | 756,952 | 49.69 | −5.96 | 31 | −3 | |
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 364,600 | 23.93 | −7.01 | 15 | −3 | |
| United Left of the Community of Madrid–The Greens (IUCM–LV) | 163,706 | 10.75 | +2.07 | 6 | +1 | |
| Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) | 119,601 | 7.85 | New | 5 | +5 | |
| Ecolo–Greens (Ecolo)1 | 13,425 | 0.88 | −0.01 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Citizens for Blank Votes (CenB) | 10,795 | 0.71 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) | 7,071 | 0.46 | +0.26 | 0 | ±0 | |
| For a Fairer World (PUM+J) | 6,456 | 0.42 | +0.26 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Spanish Alternative (AES) | 4,764 | 0.31 | −0.08 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Pirate Party (Pirata) | 4,631 | 0.30 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Regeneration (REG) | 4,100 | 0.27 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Spanish Smokers' Party (PARFE) | 3,031 | 0.20 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) | 2,866 | 0.19 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| The Phalanx (FE) | 2,608 | 0.17 | +0.08 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Family and Life Party (PFyV) | 2,381 | 0.16 | +0.07 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) | 2,119 | 0.14 | +0.06 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Humanist Party (PH) | 2,047 | 0.13 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE de las JONS) | 2,026 | 0.13 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Party of the Elderly and the Self-employed (PdMA) | 1,671 | 0.11 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Union for Leganés (ULEG) | 1,015 | 0.07 | +0.06 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI) | 999 | 0.07 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Authentic Phalanx (FA) | 912 | 0.06 | +0.03 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Centre and Democracy Forum (CyD) | 891 | 0.06 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Castilian Party (PCAS)2 | 888 | 0.06 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Communist Unification of Spain (UCE) | 527 | 0.03 | New | 0 | ±0 | |
| Blank ballots | 43,292 | 2.84 | +0.81 | |||
| Total | 1,523,374 | 57 | ±0 | |||
| Valid votes | 1,523,374 | 98.18 | −1.29 | |||
| Invalid votes | 28,239 | 1.82 | +1.29 | |||
| Votes cast / turnout | 1,551,613 | 67.22 | +1.31 | |||
| Abstentions | 756,747 | 32.78 | −1.31 | |||
| Registered voters | 2,308,360 | |||||
| Sources[20][21][22][23] | ||||||
Footnotes:
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Aftermath
Government formation
December 2011 investiture
Notes
- Does not include non-resident citizens.