1977 Spanish general election

A general election was held in Spain on Wednesday, 15 June 1977, to elect the members of the Spanish Cortes. All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as all 207 seats in the Senate.

1977 Spanish general election

← 1971 15 June 1977 1979 →
All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies and 207 (of 248) seats in the Senate 176 seats needed for a majority in the Congress of Deputies
Opinion polls
Registered	23,583,762
Turnout	18,590,130 (78.8%)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Adolfo Suárez Felipe González Santiago Carrillo Party UCD PSOE PCE Leader since 3 May 1977 13 October 1974 3 July 1960 Leader's seat Madrid Madrid Madrid Seats won 165 118 20 Popular vote 6,310,391 5,371,866 1,709,890 Percentage 34.4% 29.3% 9.3%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Manuel Fraga Jordi Pujol Xabier Arzalluz Party AP PDC EAJ/PNV Leader since 9 October 1976 17 November 1974 1977 Leader's seat Madrid Barcelona Guipúzcoa Seats won 16 11 8 Popular vote 1,526,671 514,647 296,193 Percentage 8.3% 2.8% 1.6%
Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress) Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress)[a] Election results by constituency (Congress)
Prime Minister before election Adolfo Suárez UCD Prime Minister after election Adolfo Suárez UCD

It was the first free election held in Spain since 1936, prior to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. It was called by Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez as part of the political reform of the Francoist regime, ongoing since shortly after Francisco Franco's death in 1975 and promoted by his successor, King Juan Carlos I. Its aim was to elect a Constituent Cortes that was to draft a new constitution, which would ultimately lead to the repealing of the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the culmination of the country's transition to democracy.

The Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), the electoral alliance created to serve as Suárez's political platform in government, emerged as the largest political force overall, albeit 11 seats short of an absolute majority. The election surprise was the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) of Felipe González, which—supported by the German SPD and running a campaign intended to highlight González's youth and charisma—won 118 seats and became the main left-of-centre party by a wide margin. The Communist Party of Spain (PCE), which had been the main opposition force to the dictatorship, and the right-wing People's Alliance (AP) of former Francoist minister Manuel Fraga, performed below expectations. Turnout was high at 78.8%, the second highest for any nationwide election held ever since.^[1][2]

Background

Main article: Spanish transition to democracy

The death of Francisco Franco in 1975 paved the way for Spain's transition from an autocratic, one-party dictatorship into a democratic, constitutional monarchy. As per the Succession Law of 1947, the Spanish monarchy was restored under the figure of Juan Carlos I, who quickly became the promoter of a peaceful democratic reform of state institutions. This move was supported by western countries, an important sector of Spanish and international capitalism, a majority of the opposition to Francoism—organized into the Democratic Convergence Platform and the Democratic Junta, which in 1976 would both merge into the Democratic Coordination—and a growing part of the Franco regime itself, weary of popular mobilization after the outcome of the Carnation Revolution in neighbouring Portugal in 1974.^[3] However, as incumbent Prime Minister Carlos Arias Navarro rejected any major transformation of the Spanish political system, rather supporting the preservation of Francoist laws, he was dismissed by the King in July 1976, who appointed Adolfo Suárez for the post.

Suárez's plans for political reform involved the transformation of Spanish institutions in accordance to the Francoist legal system through the approval of a "political reform bill" as a Fundamental Law of the Realm. This was meant as a step beyond Arias Navarro's plans to update—but preserve—the Francoist regime, with Suárez intending to implement democracy "from law to law through law"—in the words of Torcuato Fernández-Miranda—without the outright liquidation of the Francoist system as called for by opposition parties.^[4][5] Thus, on 18 November 1976, the 1977 Political Reform Act was passed by the Francoist Cortes, later ratified in a referendum on 15 December 1976 with overwhelming popular support. As set out in Suárez's scheme, the Act called for an electoral process to elect new Cortes that were to be responsible for drafting a democratic constitution.

Overview

Electoral system

Under the 1977 Political Reform Act, the Spanish Cortes were envisaged as a provisional legislature that was to approve a new constitution in a short timespan. Initiative for constitutional amendment belonged to the Congress of Deputies, as well as to the national government. Constitutional bills required to be passed by an absolute majority in both the Congress and Senate. If the Senate rejected the bill as passed by Congress, discrepancies were to be submitted to a mixed commission and, if the deadlock persisted, a joint sitting of both chambers would convene as a single legislative body in order to resolve on the issue by an absolute majority.^[6] Voting for the Cortes was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 21 years of age and in full enjoyment of their civil and political rights.^[7][8]

For the Congress of Deputies, 348 seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Spain. Each constituency was entitled to an initial minimum of two seats, with the remaining 248 fixed among the constituencies in proportion to their populations, at a rate of approximately one seat per each 144,500 inhabitants or fraction greater than 70,000. Ceuta and Melilla were allocated the two remaining seats, which were elected using plurality voting.^[9][10] The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.^[11]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats:^[12][13]

Seats	Constituencies
33	Barcelona
32	Madrid
15	Valencia
12	Seville
10	Biscay, Oviedo
9	Alicante, La Coruña
8	Cádiz, Málaga, Murcia, Pontevedra, Zaragoza
7	Badajoz, Córdoba, Granada, Guipúzcoa, Jaén, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
6	Balearics, Las Palmas, León
5	Almería, Cáceres, Castellón, Ciudad Real, Gerona, Huelva, Lugo, Navarre, Orense, Santander, Tarragona, Toledo, Valladolid
4	Álava, Albacete, Burgos, Cuenca, Lérida, Logroño, Salamanca, Zamora
3	Ávila, Guadalajara, Huesca, Palencia, Segovia, Soria, Teruel

For the Senate, 207 seats were elected using an open list partial block voting system, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties. In constituencies electing four seats, electors could vote for up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, for up to two candidates; and for one candidate in single-member districts. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces was allocated four seats, whereas for insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, districts were the islands themselves, with the larger—Majorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife—being allocated three seats each, and the smaller—Menorca, Ibiza–Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera–El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma—one each. Ceuta and Melilla elected two seats each. Additionally, the King could appoint senators in a number not higher than one-fifth of the elected seats.^[9][14]

The law provided for by-elections to fill Congress seats only when the results in a particular constituency were annulled by a final court's decision deriving from the election's legal challenge procedures; additionally for the Senate, by-elections were required to fill any seat vacated up to two years into the legislature's term.^[15]

Parties and candidates

Eligibility requirements

Spanish citizens of age and with the legal capacity to vote could run for election. Causes of ineligibility were imposed on government ministers; the president and members of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Council of State and the Court of Auditors; the Ombudsman; high-ranking members—undersecretaries, secretaries-general, directors-general and chiefs of staff—of the General State Administration, government delegations, the Social Security and other government agencies; judges and public prosecutors in active service; Armed Forces and police corps personnel in active service; members of electoral commissions; and the chairs of national trade unions; as well as a number of territorial-level officers in the aforementioned government bodies and institutions being barred from running, during their tenure of office, in constituencies within the whole or part of their respective area of jurisdiction.^[16] Disqualification provisions for the Cortes Generales extended to the impossibility of being simultaneously a member of both the Congress and Senate.^[16]

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 fifteen days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one permille—and, in any case, 500 signatures—of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.^[17]

Main competing lists

Below is a list of the main parties and coalitions which contested the election:

Candidacy		Parties and alliances	Leading candidate		Ideology	Gov.	Ref.
	UCD	List People's Party (PP) Christian Democratic Party (PDC) Federation of Democratic and Liberal Parties (FPDL) Social Democratic Party (PSD) People's Democratic Party (PDP) Social Democratic Federation (FSD) Liberal Party (PL) Independent Social Democratic Party (PSI) Liberal Progressive Party (PPL) Spanish Social Democratic Union (USDE) Andalusian Social Liberal Party (PSLA) Independent Galician Party (PGI) Extremaduran Regional Action (AREX) Canarian Union (UC) Murcian Democratic Union (UDM)		Adolfo Suárez	Centrism
	PSOE	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Socialists of Catalonia (SC) – Socialist Party of Catalonia–Congress (PSC–C) – Catalan Socialist Federation (PSOE)		Felipe González	Social democracy Democratic socialism Marxism
	PCE	List Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)		Santiago Carrillo	Eurocommunism
	AP	List People's Alliance (AP) Spanish Democratic Action (ADE) Spanish National Union (UNE) Navarrese Foral Alliance (AFN) Action for Ceuta (APC) United Gipuzkoa (GU) – People's Alliance (AP) – Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) Catalan Coexistence (CC–AP) – People's Alliance (AP) – Catalan Union (UC) – Catalan Liberal Democratic Party (PDLC) – Democratic Union for Social Progress (UDPS) – Lleidan Union (ULL)		Manuel Fraga	Conservatism National conservatism
	PSP–US	List People's Socialist Party (PSP) Federation of Socialist Parties (FPS) – Socialist Party of Andalusia (PSA) – Socialist Party of Aragon (PSAr) – Autonomist Socialist Party of Canaries (PSAC) – Socialist Party of the Murcian Region (PSRM) – Socialist Party of the Islands (PSI) – Socialist Movement of Menorca (MSM) – Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV)		Enrique Tierno Galván	Democratic socialism Marxism Federalism
	PDC	List Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Socialist Party of Catalonia–Regrouping (PSC–R) Democratic Left of Catalonia (EDC) National Front of Catalonia (FNC)		Jordi Pujol	Catalan nationalism Liberalism Social liberalism
	EDCEE	List Federation of Christian Democracy (FDC) – Democratic People's Federation (FPD) – Democratic Left (ID) Union of the Centre and Christian Democracy of Catalonia (UCiDCC) – Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) – Catalan Centre (CC) Democratic Union of the Valencian Country (UDPV) Galician People's Party (PPG) Basque Christian Democracy (DCV) Democratic Union of the Balearic Islands (UDIB)		Joaquín Ruiz-Giménez	Christian democracy Federalism
	EAJ/PNV	List Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)		Xabier Arzalluz	Basque nationalism Christian democracy
	EC–FED	List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) Party of Labour of Catalonia (PTC) Catalan State (EC)		Heribert Barrera	Left-wing nationalism Socialism
	ASDCI	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh) Spanish Democratic Socialist Party (PSDE)		José Prat	Democratic socialism Social democracy
	FDI	List Party of Labour of Spain (PTE) Independent Socialist Party (PSI) Independent Socialist Democratic Bloc (BDSI) Party of Communist Unification in the Canaries (PUCC) Communist Unification of Spain (UCE)		Lorenzo Benassar	Communism Socialism
	AN18	List New Force (FN) Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) Traditionalist Communion (CT)		Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta	Francoism Neofascism National catholicism
	EE	List Basque Country Left (EE) – Party of the Basque Revolution (EIA) – Communist Movement of the Basque Country (EMK/MCE) Navarrese Left Union (UNAI) – Party of the Basque Revolution (EIA) – Communist Movement of the Basque Country (EMK/MCE) – Basque Socialists (ES) – Workers' Brotherhood of Catholic Action (HOAC) – Organization of Communist Left (OIC/EKE) – Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT)		Francisco Letamendia	Basque nationalism Socialism
	CAIC	List Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy (CAIC)		Hipólito Gómez de las Roces	Regionalism Conservatism

Opinion polls

Main article: Opinion polling for the 1977 Spanish general election

Results

Congress of Deputies

For results by autonomous community/constituency, see Results breakdown of the 1977 Spanish general election (Congress).

Summary of 15 June 1977 Congress of Deputies election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	6,310,391	34.44	n/a	165	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	5,371,866	29.32	n/a	118	n/a
	Communist Party of Spain (PCE)	1,709,890	9.33	n/a	20	n/a
	People's Alliance (AP)	1,526,671	8.33	n/a	16	n/a
	People's Alliance (AP)	1,504,771	8.21	n/a	16	n/a
	Navarrese Foral Alliance (AFN)	21,900	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	People's Socialist Party–Socialist Unity (PSP–US)	828,461	4.52	n/a	6	n/a
	People's Socialist Party–Socialist Unity (PSP–US)	816,582	4.46	n/a	6	n/a
	Centre-Left of Albacete (CIA)	11,879	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Pact for Catalonia (PDC)	514,647	2.81	n/a	11	n/a
	Christian Democratic Team of the Spanish State (EDCEE)	417,678	2.28	n/a	2	n/a
	Federation of Christian Democracy (FPD–ID)	215,841	1.18	n/a	0	n/a
	Union of the Centre and Christian Democracy of Catalonia (UCiDCC)	172,791	0.94	n/a	2	n/a
	Basque Christian Democracy (DCV)	26,100	0.14	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Union of the Balearic Islands (UDIB)	2,946	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	296,193	1.62	n/a	8	n/a
	Left of Catalonia–Democratic Electoral Front (EC–FED)	143,954	0.79	n/a	1	n/a
	Democratic Socialist Alliance (PSOEh–PSDE)	126,944	0.69	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Socialist Alliance (ASDCI)	101,916	0.56	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh)	21,242	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Democratic Socialist Party (PSDE)	3,786	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Left Front (FDI)	122,608	0.67	n/a	0	n/a
	National Alliance July 18 (AN18)	97,894	0.53	n/a	0	n/a
	National Alliance July 18 (AN18)	67,336	0.37	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)	25,017	0.14	n/a	0	n/a
	New Force (FN)	5,541	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Country Left–Navarrese Left Union (EE–UNAI)	85,906	0.47	n/a	1	n/a
	Basque Country Left (EE)	61,417	0.34	n/a	1	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	24,489	0.13	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Electoral Group (AET)	77,575	0.42	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Social Reform (RSE)	64,241	0.35	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (Authentic) (FE–JONS(A))	46,548	0.25	n/a	0	n/a
	Front for Workers' Unity (FUT)	41,208	0.22	n/a	0	n/a
	Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy (CAIC)	37,183	0.20	n/a	1	n/a
	Basque Socialist Party (ESB/PSV)	36,002	0.20	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Movement (MC)1	34,588	0.19	n/a	0	n/a
	Popular Unity for Socialism Candidacy (CUPS)	12,040	0.07	n/a	0	n/a
	Regionalist Unity (UR)	10,821	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
	Popular Unity Candidates (CUP)	5,206	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Aragonese Autonomist Front (FAA)	4,791	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Regionalist Left Unitary Candidacy (CUIR)	1,504	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Left Andalusian Bloc (BAI)	226	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV)	31,138	0.17	n/a	0	n/a
	Centre Independent Candidacy (CIC)	29,834	0.16	n/a	1	n/a
	Galician Socialist Party (PSG)	27,197	0.15	n/a	0	n/a
	Galician National-Popular Bloc (BNPG)	22,771	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	Andalusian Regional Unity (URA)	21,350	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	League of Catalonia–Catalan Liberal Party (LC–PLC)	20,109	0.11	n/a	0	n/a
	National Association for the Study of Current Problems (ANEPA–CP)	18,113	0.10	n/a	0	n/a
	Navarrese Autonomist Union (PNV–ANV–ESB)	18,079	0.10	n/a	0	n/a
	United Canarian People (PCU)	17,717	0.10	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Independent Democrats (DIV)	15,505	0.08	n/a	0	n/a
	Balearic Autonomist Union (UAB)	11,914	0.07	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Navarrese Front (FNI)	10,606	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
	Canarian People's Party (PPCan)	9,650	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Social Christian Democracy of Catalonia (DSCC)	9,157	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Socialist Movement (MS)	8,741	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Montejurra–Federalism–Self-Management (MFA)	8,461	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Agrarian Social Action (ASA)	8,439	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	José Antonio Circles (CJA)	8,184	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Candidacy (INDEP)	6,472	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV)	6,435	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Congress Independent Candidacy for Girona (CICPG)	6,411	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	6,158	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Aragonese Christian Democracy (DCAR)	6,014	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Riojan Independent Candidacy (CIR)	5,682	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Socialist Party of Canaries (PSCan)	5,110	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Party of Madrid (PIM)	4,814	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Proverist Party (PPr)	4,590	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	4,530	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	United Canarian Left (ICU)	4,118	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Galician Democratic Party (PDG)	3,196	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Candidacy (INDEP)	2,737	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Labour Federation (FL)	2,631	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	2,622	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Riojan Independent Group (GIR)	2,399	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	2,347	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Valencia Socialist Radical Party (PRSV)	2,345	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Carlist Electors of the Valencian Country (ECPV)	2,252	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Candidacy (INDEP)	1,684	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	City and Country Independent Electoral Group (AEICC)	1,623	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Small Business Independent Candidates (CIPYE)	1,480	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Association of Ceuta Electors (ADEC)	1,099	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Group of Carlist Electors (ADC)	938	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Spanish Phalanx (FEI)	855	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Agrarian Party (PAE)	833	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Liberal Party (PLI)	805	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	492	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Left Andalusian Candidacy (CAI)	0	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		46,248	0.25	n/a
Total		18,324,333			350	n/a
Valid votes		18,324,333	98.57	n/a
Invalid votes		265,797	1.43	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		18,590,130	78.83	n/a
Abstentions		4,993,632	21.17	n/a
Registered voters		23,583,762
Sources[18][19]
Footnotes: 1 The Communist Movement did not contest the election under its label, but ran scattered across different candidacies instead.

Popular vote UCD   34.44% PSOE   29.32% PCE   9.33% AP   8.33% PSP–US   4.52% PDC   2.81% EDCEE   2.28% EAJ/PNV   1.62% EC–FED   0.79% EE–UNAI   0.47% CAIC   0.20% CIC   0.16% Others   5.48% Blank ballots   0.25%

Seats UCD   47.14% PSOE   33.71% PCE   5.71% AP   4.57% PDC   3.14% EAJ/PNV   2.29% PSP–US   1.71% EDCEE   0.57% EC–FED   0.29% EE–UNAI   0.29% CAIC   0.29% CIC   0.29%

Senate

Summary of the 15 June 1977 Senate of Spain election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	15,472,170	29.88	n/a	106	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	5,714,036	11.04	n/a	35	n/a
	Democratic Senate (SD)	5,444,924	10.52	n/a	16	n/a
	Senators for Democracy (SpD)	2,819,791	5.45	n/a	3	n/a
	Democratic Senate (SD)	1,716,936	3.32	n/a	9	n/a
	Group of Electors for a Democratic Senate (AESD)	441,638	0.85	n/a	1	n/a
	Independents for a Democratic Senate (ISD)	339,396	0.66	n/a	2	n/a
	Democratic Union for the Senate (UDS)	127,163	0.25	n/a	1	n/a
	People's Alliance (AP)	4,749,232	9.17	n/a	2	n/a
	People's Alliance (AP)	4,688,480	9.05	n/a	2	n/a
	Navarrese Foral Alliance (AFN)	60,752	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	Agreement of the Catalans (Entesa)	4,701,586	9.08	n/a	12	n/a
	People's Socialist Party–Socialist Unity (PSP–US)	2,616,458	5.05	n/a	2	n/a
	Autonomous Front (FA)	1,711,591	3.31	n/a	10	n/a
	Independent Progressives and Socialists (PSI)	1,594,509	3.08	n/a	8	n/a
	Independent Progressives and Socialists (PSI)	1,059,831	2.05	n/a	5	n/a
	Democratic Forces for Santander (FDS)	231,382	0.45	n/a	1	n/a
	Independent Democratic Group of Almeria Electors (AEDIA)	170,338	0.33	n/a	1	n/a
	Democratic Riojan Association (ARD)	132,958	0.26	n/a	1	n/a
	Democracy and Catalonia (DiC)	1,322,341	2.55	n/a	2	n/a
	Communist Party of Spain (PCE)	1,014,272	1.96	n/a	0	n/a
	Christian Democratic Team of the Spanish State (EDCEE)	811,519	1.57	n/a	0	n/a
	Federation of Christian Democracy (FPD–ID)	649,293	1.25	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Christian Democracy (DCV)	147,880	0.29	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Union of the Balearic Islands (UDIB)	14,346	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Socialist Alliance (PSOEh–PSDE)	609,633	1.18	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Socialist Alliance (ASDCI)	456,291	0.88	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh)	127,887	0.25	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Democratic Socialist Party (PSDE)	25,455	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Galician Democratic Candidacy (CDG)	602,260	1.16	n/a	3	n/a
	Xirinacs Electoral Group (AE Xirinacs)	550,678	1.06	n/a	1	n/a
	Aragonese Candidacy of Democratic Unity (CAUD)	538,538	1.04	n/a	3	n/a
	National Alliance July 18 (AN18)	486,786	0.94	n/a	0	n/a
	National Alliance July 18 (AN18)	425,085	0.82	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)	47,465	0.09	n/a	0	n/a
	New Force (FN)	14,236	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	355,479	0.69	n/a	0	n/a
	Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy (CAIC)	311,429	0.60	n/a	1	n/a
	Spanish Social Reform (RSE)	254,805	0.49	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Country Left–Navarrese Left Union (EE–UNAI)	225,324	0.44	n/a	1	n/a
	Basque Country Left (EE)	124,204	0.24	n/a	1	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	101,120	0.20	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Electoral Group (AET)	215,968	0.42	n/a	0	n/a
	Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV)	189,440	0.37	n/a	0	n/a
	Galician National-Popular Bloc (BNPG)	167,385	0.32	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Left Front (FDI)	129,855	0.25	n/a	0	n/a
	Aragonese Christian Democracy (DCAR)	125,353	0.24	n/a	0	n/a
	League of Catalonia–Catalan Liberal Party (LC–PLC)	118,454	0.23	n/a	0	n/a
	Socialist Movement (MS)	103,373	0.20	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic Group of Albacete (ADA)	78,510	0.15	n/a	0	n/a
	Andalusian Regional Unity (URA)	77,593	0.15	n/a	0	n/a
	Independents of Soria (IDS)	75,080	0.15	n/a	4	n/a
	Centre Independent Candidacy (CIC)	74,202	0.14	n/a	0	n/a
	José Antonio Circles (CJA)	69,625	0.13	n/a	0	n/a
	National Association for the Study of Current Problems (ANEPA–CP)	69,578	0.13	n/a	0	n/a
	Liberal Alliance (AL)	68,463	0.13	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Socialist Party (ESB/PSV)	66,757	0.13	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Party of Madrid (PIM)	64,546	0.12	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Navarrese Front (FNI)	51,296	0.10	n/a	0	n/a
	Regionalist Unity (UR)	50,698	0.10	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	50,275	0.10	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	47,206	0.09	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Ecologist Party (PEE)	41,901	0.08	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	41,731	0.08	n/a	0	n/a
	Montejurra–Federalism–Self-Management (MFA)	36,219	0.07	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	32,919	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
	Navarre People's Group (APN)	32,861	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV)	31,534	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
	Group of Electors (AE)	30,119	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
	Galician Democratic Party (PDG)	28,073	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Labour Federation (FL)	26,680	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	26,516	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	24,935	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Canarian Independent Democracy (DIC)	24,864	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Basque Independent Democrats (DIV)	23,735	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	23,509	0.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Traditionalist Communion (CT)	21,641	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Lleidan Union (UL)	21,199	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Group of Electors (AE)	21,042	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Canarian People's Party (PPCan)	21,022	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	21,009	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	19,701	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	18,966	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Regionalist Socialist Party (PSR)	18,812	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	United Canarian People (PCU)	18,427	0.04	n/a	0	n/a
	Social Democratic Andalusian Party (PASD)	17,500	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Riojan Independent Candidacy (CIR)	16,540	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	16,130	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Balearic Autonomist Union (UAB)	14,402	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Electoral Group of Countryside and Town (AEICYU)	13,973	0.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	12,343	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	11,815	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Group of Electors (AE)	10,696	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	9,141	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Democratic Candidacy (CDI)	9,104	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent Liberal Party (PLI)	8,425	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	8,152	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Agrarian Party (PAE)	7,879	0.02	n/a	0	n/a
	Confederation of Conservative Parties (CPC)	7,093	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Autonomist Bloc (BA)	6,540	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	5,742	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Group of Electors (AE)	4,530	0.01	n/a	0	n/a
	Majorera Assembly (AM)	3,182	0.01	n/a	1	n/a
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (Authentic) (FE–JONS(A))	2,473	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Autonomous Movement (MAP)	1,880	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Independent (INDEP)	1,725	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
	Menorca Island and Regional Problems (MPIA)	1,354	0.00	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots[b]				n/a
Total		51,779,261			207	n/a
Valid votes				n/a
Invalid votes				n/a
Votes cast / turnout				n/a
Abstentions				n/a
Registered voters		23,583,762
Sources[18][19][20][21][22]

Popular vote UCD   29.88% PSOE   11.04% SD   10.52% AP   9.17% Entesa   9.08% PSP–US   5.05% FA   3.31% PSI   3.08% DiC   2.55% PCE   1.96% EDCEE   1.57% ASDCI   1.18% CDG   1.16% AE Xirinacs   1.06% CAUD   1.04% CAIC   0.60% EE–UNAI   0.44% IDS   0.15% AM   0.01% Others   7.17% Blank ballots   0.00%

Seats UCD   51.21% PSOE   16.91% SD   7.73% Entesa   5.80% FA   4.83% PSI   3.86% IDS   1.93% CDG   1.45% CAUD   1.45% AP   0.97% PSP–US   0.97% DiC   0.97% AE Xirinacs   0.48% CAIC   0.48% EE–UNAI   0.48% AM   0.48%

Maps

• 
  Election results by constituency (Congress).
• 
  Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress).
• 
  Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress).^[a]

Notes

1. This territorial division is based on the autonomic system established under the Spanish Constitution of 1978, as opposed to the regional division established in 1833. Most autonomous communities would be constituted by the time of the 1982 election, with the rest being established in early 1983. The autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla would not be constituted as independent administrative entities until 1995.
2. The percentage of blank ballots is calculated over the official number of valid votes cast, irrespective of the total number of votes shown as a result of adding up the individual results for each party.