2015 Barcelona City Council election

The 2015 Barcelona City Council election, also the 2015 Barcelona municipal election, was held on Sunday, 24 May 2015, to elect the 10th City Council of the municipality of Barcelona. All 41 seats in the City Council were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

2015 Barcelona City Council election

← 2011 24 May 2015 2019 →
All 41 seats in the City Council of Barcelona 21 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	1,161,140 0.2%
Turnout	703,590 (60.6%) 7.6 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Ada Colau Xavier Trias Carina Mejías Party BComú–E CiU C's Leader since 5 February 2015 25 April 2002 16 December 2014 Last election 5 seats, 10.4%[a] 14 seats, 28.7% 0 seats, 1.9% Seats won 11 10 5 Seat change 6 4 5 Popular vote 176,612 159,393 77,272 Percentage 25.2% 22.8% 11.0% Swing 14.8 pp 5.9 pp 9.1 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Alfred Bosch Jaume Collboni Alberto Fernández Díaz Party ERC–MES–BcnCO–A–AM PSC–CP PP Leader since 11 July 2014 5 May 2014 16 July 2002 Last election 2 seats, 5.6% 11 seats, 22.1% 9 seats, 17.2% Seats won 5 4 3 Seat change 3 7 6 Popular vote 77,120 67,489 61,004 Percentage 11.0% 9.6% 8.7% Swing 5.4 pp 12.5 pp 8.5 pp
Mayor before election Xavier Trias CiU Elected Mayor Ada Colau BComú

The election was won by the Barcelona en Comú (BComú) citizen platform, supported by Podemos, Initiative for Catalonia Greens–United and Alternative Left (ICV–EUiA) and Constituent Process (Procés Constituent) and led by Ada Colau popular activist and former spokeswoman of the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH). Incumbent mayor Xavier Trias of the Convergence and Union (CiU) federation, who had campaigned for a second consecutive term in office, saw his support reduced from 14 to 10 out of 41 seats in the council. Citizens (C's) became the third largest political force in the city, whereas Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) obtained its second best historical result. On the other hand, both the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) and the People's Party (PP) were severely mauled. The PSC, which had won every municipal election in Barcelona and had controlled the local government up until 2011, fell to fifth place and below 10% of the share, while the PP achieved its worst result since the People's Alliance (AP) result in the 1987 election. The Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) also entered the City Council for the first time in history, winning 3 seats and 7.4% of the votes.

Colau went on to become the first female mayor of Barcelona in history with the support of the BComú, ERC, the PSC and one of the CUP councillors.^[1]

Electoral system

The City Council of Barcelona (Catalan: Ajuntament de Barcelona, Spanish: Ayuntamiento de Barcelona) was the top-tier administrative and governing body of the municipality of Barcelona, composed of the mayor, the government council and the elected plenary assembly.^[2] Elections to the local councils in Spain were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years.^[3] Voting for the local assembly was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality of Barcelona and in full enjoyment of their political rights, as well as resident non-national European citizens and those whose country of origin allowed Spanish nationals to vote in their own elections by virtue of a treaty.

Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each local council.^[2][3] Councillors were allocated to municipal councils based on the following scale:

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 mayor was indirectly elected by the plenary assembly. A legal clause required that mayoral candidates earned the vote of an absolute majority of councillors, or else the candidate of the most-voted party in the assembly was to be automatically appointed to the post. In the event of a tie, the appointee would be determined by lot.^[2]

Parties and candidates

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 ten 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 of candidates. In the case of Barcelona, as its population was over 1,000,001, at least 8,000 signatures were required.^[3]

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

Candidacy		Parties and alliances	Leading candidate		Ideology	Previous result		Gov.	Ref.
						Vote %	Seats
	CiU	List Convergence and Union (CiU) – Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) – Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC)		Xavier Trias	Catalan nationalism Centrism	28.7%	14
	PSC–CP	List Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)		Jaume Collboni	Social democracy	22.1%	11
	PP	List People's Party (PP)		Alberto Fernández Díaz	Conservatism Christian democracy	17.2%	9
	BComú–E	List We Can (Podem) Initiative for Catalonia Greens (ICV) United and Alternative Left (EUiA) Equo (Equo) Constituent Process (Procés Constituent)		Ada Colau	Left-wing populism Participatory democracy	10.4% [a]	5
	ERC–MES– BcnCO–A–AM	List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) Left Movement (MES) Advance (Avancem)		Alfred Bosch	Catalan independence Left-wing nationalism Social democracy	5.6%	2
	CUP– Capgirem–PA	List Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) – Forward–Socialist Organization of National Liberation (Endavant–OSAN) – Free People (PL–PPCC) – Internationalist Struggle (LI–CI) – In Struggle (EL) – Red Current (CR) Let's Reverse (Capgirem)		María José Lecha	Catalan independence Anti-capitalism Socialism	2.0%	0
	C's	List Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's)		Carina Mejías	Liberalism	1.9%	0

Opinion polls

The table below lists voting intention estimates 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. 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.

Color key:

  Poll conducted after legal ban on opinion polls   Exit poll

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout										Lead
2015 municipal election	24 May 2015	—	60.6	22.8 10	9.6 4	8.7 3	[b]	11.0 5	7.4 3	11.0 5	[b]	25.2 11	2.4
TNS Demoscopia/RTVE–FORTA[p 1][4]	24 May 2015	?	?	21.3 9/11	11.0 4/5	10.1 4/5	[b]	9.6 3/4	8.8 3/4	10.2 4/5	[b]	23.6 10/12	2.3
GESOP/El Periòdic[p 2]	21–23 May 2015	1,100	?	24.4 10/11	12.3 5	10.4 4/5	[b]	9.0 4	6.2 2/3	9.9 4	[b]	24.0 10/11	0.4
GESOP/El Periòdic[p 3]	20–22 May 2015	1,000	?	24.6 10/11	11.9 5	11.5 5	[b]	9.1 4	6.2 2/3	8.6 3/4	[b]	23.5 10/11	1.1
GAD3/Antena 3[p 4]	11–22 May 2015	?	?	? 11/12	? 5/6	? 4/5	[b]	? 3/4	? 2	? 3/4	[b]	? 10/11	?
GESOP/El Periòdic[p 5]	19–21 May 2015	800	?	24.5 10/11	11.9 5	11.5 5	[b]	9.5 4	6.2 2/3	9.5 4	[b]	22.0 9/10	2.5
GESOP/El Periòdic[p 6]	19–20 May 2015	700	?	24.5 11	11.2 5	11.5 5	[b]	10.0 4/5	5.6 2	10.3 4/5	[b]	21.4 9/10	3.1
GESOP/El Periòdic[p 7]	18–19 May 2015	600	?	23.7 11	11.7 5	11.9 5	[b]	10.3 4/5	5.6 2	10.9 4/5	[b]	20.5 9/10	3.2
GESOP/El Periòdic[p 8]	17–18 May 2015	400	?	23.0 10/11	11.7 5/6	11.9 5/6	[b]	10.5 4/5	5.0 0/2	11.5 5/6	[b]	21.0 9/10	2.0
Metroscopia/El País[p 9][p 10][p 11]	8–13 May 2015	1,000	65	22.0 10	8.2 3	5.1 2	[b]	12.0 5	8.3 3	13.9 6	[b]	27.0 12	5.0
MyWord/Cadena SER[p 12][p 13]	6–13 May 2015	800	?	22.3 10/11	11.0 5	8.4 4	[b]	10.7 4/5	7.0 3	13.3 6	[b]	20.3 9/10	2.0
JM&A/Público[p 14]	12 May 2015	?	?	? 10	? 5	? 4	[b]	? 5	? 2	? 7	[b]	? 8	?
Encuestamos[p 15]	1–12 May 2015	?	?	21.3 9/10	12.8 5/6	9.9 3/4	[b]	12.0 4/5	–	14.7 6/7	[b]	24.1 10/11	2.7
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 16][p 17]	8–11 May 2015	800	?	22.7 10/11	13.0 6	10.6 4/5	[b]	9.8 4	5.1 0/2	13.6 6	[b]	20.6 9	2.1
GESOP/El Periódico[p 18][p 19]	7–8 May 2015	800	?	22.6 10/11	14.6 6/7	12.5 5/6	[b]	10.2 4/5	5.0 0/2	12.1 5/6	[b]	18.9 8/9	3.7
GAD3/ABC[p 20]	20 Apr–4 May 2015	508	?	23.9 11/12	11.1 5/6	10.2 4/5	[b]	11.5 5/6	4.3 0	15.3 6/7	[b]	17.5 8/9	6.4
JM&A/Público[p 21][p 22]	3 May 2015	?	?	21.7 10	11.5 5	9.8 4	[b]	10.2 4	5.4 2	13.6 6	[b]	21.1 10	0.6
Feedback/La Vanguardia[p 23]	24–28 Apr 2015	700	?	24.2 10/11	13.5 5/6	11.1 4/5	[b]	11.4 5	5.4 2	14.2 6	[b]	17.1 7	7.1
CIS[p 24][p 25]	23 Mar–19 Apr 2015	993	?	18.5 8	11.6 5	9.1 4	[b]	10.1 4	7.1 3	13.8 6	[b]	25.9 11	7.4
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 26][p 27]	24–25 Mar 2015	800	?	21.4 9/10	13.2 5/6	10.3 4	[b]	12.5 5/6	2.7 0	14.6 6/7	[b]	22.3 10	0.9
M2015[p 28]	6 Mar 2015	530	?	20.5 9	13.4 6	13.2 6	[b]	16.1 7	5.8 2	7.8 3	[b]	18.1 8	2.4
8TV[p 21][p 29]	21 Feb 2015	?	?	23.2 11	19.0 9	10.6 5	[b]	8.4 4	2.1 0	6.3 3	[b]	19.0 9	4.2
Feedback/La Vanguardia[p 30]	16–19 Feb 2015	700	55.1	25.3 11/12	10.7 5	13.7 6	[b]	10.3 4/5	4.2 0/2	8.1 3	[b]	21.4 10	3.9
Llorente & Cuenca[p 31]	31 Oct 2014	?	?	? 10/12	? 8/10	? 6/7	[b]	? 4/5	? 1/2	–	[b]	? 3/5	?
GESOP/El Periódico[p 32][p 33]	15–18 Jul 2014	800	?	22.3 10/11	13.0 6	14.0 6/7	7.9 3/4	14.2 7/8	? 0	6.3 2/3	? 0	7.6 3/4	8.1
2014 EP election[5]	25 May 2014	—	51.0	20.9 (10)	12.2 (6)	12.0 (6)	12.6 (6)	21.8 (10)	–	7.0 (3)	4.7 (0)	–	0.9
Feedback/La Vanguardia[p 34]	14–17 Oct 2013	800	56.7	24.9 11	12.9 6	14.7 6	13.3 6	14.8 6	5.8 2	8.5 4	–	–	10.1
GESOP/El Periódico[p 35]	13–15 May 2013	800	?	24.1 11/12	14.2 6/7	12.0 5/6	14.2 6/7	10.2 4/5	9.0 4	9.2 4	–	–	9.9
2012 regional election[6]	25 Nov 2012	—	70.9	29.4 (14)	12.2 (5)	14.9 (7)	12.0 (5)	13.1 (6)	4.0 (0)	8.2 (4)	–	–	14.5
GESOP/El Periódico[p 36]	4–7 Jun 2012	800	?	27.5 14	20.0 10	13.3 7	12.2 6	8.0 4	–	–	–	–	7.5
2011 general election[7]	20 Nov 2011	—	68.1	27.7 (12)	25.7 (12)	21.3 (10)	10.0 (4)	7.2 (3)	–	–	–	–	2.0
2011 municipal election	22 May 2011	—	53.0	28.7 14	22.1 11	17.2 9	10.4 5	5.6 2	2.0 0	1.9 0	–	–	6.6

Results

← Summary of the 24 May 2015 City Council of Barcelona election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Barcelona in Common (Let's Win Barcelona)–Agreement (BComú–E)1	176,612	25.21	+14.82	11	+6
	Convergence and Union (CiU)	159,393	22.75	–5.98	10	–4
	Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's)	77,272	11.03	+9.09	5	+5
	ERC–MES–Barcelona Open City–Advance–AM (ERC–MES–BcnCO–A–AM)	77,120	11.01	+5.42	5	+3
	Socialists' Party of Catalonia–Progress Candidacy (PSC–CP)	67,489	9.63	–12.51	4	–7
	People's Party (PP)	61,004	8.71	–8.53	3	–6
	Popular Unity Candidacy–Let's Reverse Barcelona (CUP–Capgirem–PA)	51,945	7.42	+5.47	3	+3
	Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA)	5,720	0.82	+0.11	0	±0
	The Greens–The Ecologist Alternative (EV–AE)	5,684	0.81	New	0	±0
	Better Barcelona (RI.cat–SI)2	2,626	0.37	–0.76	0	±0
	Blank Seats (EB)	1,957	0.28	–1.39	0	±0
	Platform for Catalonia (PxC)	1,617	0.23	–0.34	0	±0
	Vox–Family and Life Party (Vox–PFiV)3	1,520	0.22	+0.13	0	±0
	United Free Citizens (CILUS)	989	0.14	New	0	±0
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	811	0.12	–0.12	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Catalan People (PCPC)	656	0.09	–0.07	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)	455	0.07	+0.01	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	439	0.06	–0.04	0	±0
	United for Declaring Catalan Independence (UPDIC)	286	0.04	New	0	±0
	Libertarian Party (P–LIB)	273	0.04	New	0	±0
	Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn)	166	0.02	–0.02	0	±0
	The National Coalition (LCN)	99	0.01	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		6,363	0.91	–3.56
Total		700,496			41	±0
Valid votes		700,496	99.56	+1.26
Invalid votes		3,094	0.44	–1.26
Votes cast / turnout		703,590	60.59	+7.60
Abstentions		457,550	39.41	–7.60
Registered voters		1,161,140
Sources[8][9][10][11]
Footnotes: 1 Barcelona in Common (Let's Win Barcelona)–Agreement results are compared to Initiative for Catalonia Greens–EUiA–Agreement totals in the 2011 election. 2 Better Barcelona results are compared to Catalan Solidarity for Independence totals in the 2011 election. 3 Vox–Family and Life Party results are compared to Family and Life Party totals in the 2011 election.

Popular vote BComú–E   25.21% CiU   22.75% C's   11.03% ERC–BcnCO–AM   11.01% PSC–CP   9.63% PP   8.71% CUP–Capgirem   7.42% Others   3.33% Blank ballots   0.91%

Seats BComú–Entesa   26.83% CiU   24.39% C's   12.20% ERC–BcnCO–AM   12.20% PSC–CP   9.76% PP   7.32% CUP–Capgirem   7.32%

Notes

1. Results for ICV–EUiA–E in the 2011 election.
2. Within BComú.