1977 Spanish general election

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%
Election results by Congress of Deputies constituency
Prime Minister before election Adolfo Suárez UCD Prime Minister after election Adolfo Suárez UCD

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

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 coalition created to serve as Suárez's political platform in government, emerged as the largest party 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]}

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 Houses would convene as a single legislative body in order to resolve on the issue by an absolute majority. ^[3] 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. ^[4]

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. ^{[3] [5]} The use of the D'Hondt method might result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude. ^[6]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats: ^{[5] [7]}

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. The law also provided for by-elections to fill seats vacated up to two years into the legislature. Additionally, the King could appoint senators in a number not higher than one-fifth of the elected seats. ^{[3] [5]}

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. ^[8] 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. ^{[9] [10]} 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.

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 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. ^[5]

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	Y
	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	N
	PCE	List Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)		Santiago Carrillo	Eurocommunism	N
	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	N
	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	N
	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	N
	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	N
	EAJ/PNV	List Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)		Xabier Arzalluz	Basque nationalism Christian democracy Conservative liberalism	N
	EC–FED	List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) Party of Labour of Catalonia (PTC) Catalan State (EC)		Heribert Barrera	Left-wing nationalism Socialism	N
	ASDCI	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh) Spanish Democratic Socialist Party (PSDE)		José Prat	Democratic socialism Social democracy	N
	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	N
	AN18	List New Force (FN) Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) Traditionalist Communion (CT)		Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta	Francoism Neofascism National catholicism	N
	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	N
	CAIC	List Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy (CAIC)		Hipólito Gómez de las Roces	Regionalism Conservatism	N

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; 176 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Congress of Deputies.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout								PNV	EC	ASD	FDI			ESB	Lead
1977 general election	15 Jun 1977	—	78.8	34.4 165	29.3 118	9.3 20	8.3 16	4.5 6	2.8 11	2.3 2	1.6 8	0.8 1	0.7 0	0.7 0	0.6 0	0.3 1	0.2 0	5.1
ANA/Europa Press [p 1]	14 Jun 1977	1,825	80	31.4 143	26.0 104	8.1 20	9.5 32	6.6 14	1.7 6	6.4 17	2.4 8	–	–	–	–	–	–	5.4
ICSA–Gallup/Ya [lower-alpha 1] [p 2]	14 Jun 1977	1,200	91.8	28.9	32.6	6.5	6.4	5.4	2.7	4.4	2.0	–	0.7	3.4	0.6	–	–	3.7
Tecnia/Informaciones [p 3]	11–12 Jun 1977	1,500	64.8	29.5	27.3	9.5	6.5	7.7	2.9	6.1	1.8	–	1.2	1.2	0.7	1.1	0.2	2.2
Alef/Cuadernos para el Diálogo [p 4]	11 Jun 1977	?	?	33.7	20.0	10.8	11.3	8.0	–	11.4	–	–	–	3.0	1.8	–	–	13.7
Sofemasa/El País [lower-alpha 1] [p 5] [p 6] [p 7]	6–8 Jun 1977	15,875	91.7	34.0 141	27.0 121	8.1 28	9.2 25	5.4 11	1.5 10	2.6 3	1.0 6	? 1	1.0 1	0.7 0	0.7 0	? 1	? 2	7.0
ANA/Europa Press [p 8] [p 9] [p 4]	28 May–2 Jun 1977	5,100	?	30.0 130/153	20.7 81/99	7.2 14/20	11.3 42/58	6.2 10/17	2.3 6/10	6.8 13/27	1.3 5/8	–	2.3 1/4	1.5 1/2	–	0.4 2	–	9.3
Metra Seis/La Vanguardia [p 10]	28 May–1 Jun 1977	1,700	83.1	34.4	24.2	9.7	4.9	6.8	–	3.1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10.2
Metra Seis/Diario 16 [p 11]	28 May–1 Jun 1977	1,700	76.8	40.5	20.7	7.8	8.3	6.1	3.1	5.6	1.4	–	–	3.5	–	–	–	19.8
Sofemasa/El País [lower-alpha 1] [p 12]	18–19 May 1977	1,638	85.2	33.8	22.5	9.7	9.6	6.6	–	5.0	2.7	–	2.9	2.4	1.2	–	–	11.3
Sofemasa/El País [lower-alpha 1] [p 13]	4–5 May 1977	1,595	85.1	33.5	21.9	8.8	7.9	9.0	–	1.8	2.5	–	0.5	1.4	0.4	–	–	11.6

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size								PNV	EC	ASD	FDI		?	N	Lead
1977 general election	15 Jun 1977	—	26.8	22.8	7.3	6.4	3.5	2.2	1.8	1.3	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	—	21.2	4.0
ICSA–Gallup/Ya [p 2]	14 Jun 1977	1,200	23.5	26.5	5.3	5.2	4.4	2.2	3.6	1.7	–	0.6	2.8	0.5	16.1	2.5	3.0
Sofemasa/El País [p 5]	6–8 Jun 1977	15,875	27.7	22.0	6.6	7.5	4.4	1.2	2.1	0.8	0.6	0.8	–	0.6	15.0	3.6	5.7
CIS [p 14]	1 Jun 1977	27,260	12.9	12.6	4.3	4.1	2.7	1.8	2.4	0.8	0.4	–	–	–	36.5	6.3	0.3
Sofemasa/El País [p 12]	18–19 May 1977	1,638	20.1	13.4	5.8	5.7	3.9	–	3.0	1.6	–	1.7	–	0.7	34.9	5.6	6.7
Sofemasa/El País [p 13]	4–5 May 1977	1,595	19.0	12.4	5.0	4.5	5.1	–	1.0	1.4	–	0.3	–	0.2	38.8	4.5	6.6

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 [11] [12]
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)	15,215,167	29.38	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
	National Alliance July 18 (AN18)	743,789	1.44	n/a	0	n/a
	National Alliance July 18 (AN18)	682,088	1.32	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
	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
	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 [lower-alpha 2]				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 [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Popular vote UCD   29.38% 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% AN18   1.44% 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   6.23% 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%

Bibliography

• Carreras de Odriozola, Albert; Tafunell Sambola, Xavier (2005) [1989]. Estadísticas históricas de España, siglos XIX-XX (PDF) (in Spanish). Vol. 1 (II ed.). Bilbao: Fundación BBVA. pp. 1072–1097. ISBN   84-96515-00-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015.
• Juliá Díaz, Santos (1999). Un siglo de España. Política y sociedad (in Spanish). Madrid: Marcial Pons. ISBN   84-9537903-1.
• Martínez Martín, Jesús (1998). Historia de España. Siglo XX (1939-1996) (in Spanish). Madrid: Cátedra. ISBN   9788437617039.
• Preston, Paul (2003). Juan Carlos, el rey de un pueblo (in Spanish). Vol. 2. Hospitalet: ABC, S.L. pp. 362–415. ISBN   84-413-2063-2.
• Ruiz González, David (2002). La España democrática (1975-2000). Política y sociedad (in Spanish). Madrid: Síntesis. pp. 1072–1097. ISBN   84-9756-015-9.
• Tusell Gómez, Javier (1997). La transición española. La recuperación de las libertades (in Spanish). Madrid: Historia 16-Temas de Hoy. ISBN   84-7679-327-8.

Notes

1. Undecided and/or abstentionists excluded.
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.

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "La Unión de Centro Democrático y el PSOE, a gran distancia de los demás grupos políticos" (PDF). Informaciones (in Spanish). 15 June 1977.
2. "El PSOE, en cabeza" (PDF). Pueblo (in Spanish). 14 June 1977.
3. "La tercera parte de los españoles, indecisos" (PDF). Informaciones (in Spanish). 14 June 1977.
4. "Aprendiendo a votar". Diario 16 (in Spanish). 15 June 1977. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
5. "Fuerte avance de la izquierda". El País (in Spanish). 12 June 1977.
6. "Centristas y socialistas, al copo en el Congreso" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 12 June 1977.
7. "La participación electoral será masiva" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 12 June 1977.
8. "Según una nueva encuesta, 147 escaños serían para el centro" (PDF). Ya (in Spanish). 12 June 1977.
9. "Gana el Centro, seguido del PSOE" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 13 June 1977.
10. "El Centro es favorito". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 10 June 1977.
11. "El Centro es favorito". Diario 16 (in Spanish). 9 June 1977. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
12. "Confirmada la ventaja de UCD y PSOE". El País (in Spanish). 24 May 1977.
13. "Ventaja del centro y los socialistas en la carrera electoral". El País (in Spanish). 10 May 1977.
14. "Preelectoral elecciones generales 1977 (III) (Estudio nº 1135. Junio 1977)" (PDF). CIS (in Spanish). 1 June 1977.

Other

1. "15-J. Elecciones en libertad y sin ira". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 15 June 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
2. Julve, Rafa (15 June 2017). "Curiosidades de las primeras elecciones tras la dictadura franquista en el 40º aniversario". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2017.
3. "Ley 1/1977, de 4 de enero, para la Reforma Política". Fundamental Law No. 1 of 4 January 1977 (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 December 2016.
4. Carreras de Odriozola & Tafunell Sambola 2005, pp. 1077.
5. "Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales". Royal Decree-Law No. 20 of 18 March 1977 (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 December 2016.
6. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
7. "Real Decreto 679/1977, de 15 de abril, por el que se convocan elecciones generales a las Cortes Españolas" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (92): 8345. 18 April 1977. ISSN   0212-033X.
8. Landaluce, Emilia; Manso, Joaquín (20 November 2016). "Así se gestó la ley que puso fin al franquismo hace 40 años". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 July 2017.
9. López Burniol, Juan-José (11 February 2017). "De la ley a la ley". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 July 2017.
10. Fernández-Miranda, Juan (9 June 2017). "Fernández-Miranda: de la ley a la ley". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 July 2017.
11. "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales". Ministry of the Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2022.
12. "Elecciones Generales 15 de junio de 1977". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
13. "Elecciones al Senado 1977". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2017.
14. "Composición del Senado 1977-2024". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 October 2021.
15. "Elecciones al Senado 15 de junio de 1977". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2017.