Spanish general election, 2015
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A general election will be held in Spain on or before 17 January 2016, as provided by the current Spanish constitution.[4]
The elections will be for 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies, and the 208 directly elected seats in the upper house, the Senate, determining the Prime Minister of Spain. The governing People's Party, led by current Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, will battle to seek re-election.
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Overview
The Congress of Deputies is composed of 350 members of Congress, who are elected in 50 multi-member electoral districts using the D'Hondt voting distribution system with the two autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla electing one member each using plurality voting.
176 seats will give an absolute majority in the Congress, and thus in the government, for any party, though it is not required to win an election. Traditionally, should an election result in a hung parliament, the largest party will form a minority government rather than seek a coalition with other parties, instead relying on ad hoc pacts and alliances in order to pass legislation through the Congress of Deputies.
Candidates
The following galleries feature individuals who have been the subject of media speculation as being possible prime ministerial candidates in the 2015 general election. Individuals listed below have been mentioned as potential 2015 leading candidates for their parties.
People's Party
As a first-term Prime Minister, it is natural that Mariano Rajoy would like to seek re-election for, at least, a second term in office. However, should he choose not to seek re-election, there are a few well-positioned people within his party that have been mentioned as potential contenders in a future election.
- Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, Deputy Prime Minister
- Alberto Núñez Feijóo, President of Galicia
- María Dolores de Cospedal, President of Castile-La Mancha and Secretary-General of the People's Party
- Esperanza Aguirre, former President of Madrid
- Alberto Ruíz Gallardón, former Mayor of Madrid and Minister of Justice
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- Former Prime Minister José María Aznar said in an Antena 3 interview on 21 May 2013 that he wasn't discarding a return to active politics, at the same time that he criticized Rajoy's performance as Prime Minister.[6]
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Former Prime Minister José María Aznar
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
- Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, former Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party[7][8]
- Patxi López, former Lehendakari of the Basque Country[8][9]
- Carme Chacón, former Minister of Defence[8][9]
- Emiliano García-Page, mayor of Toledo[8]
- Eduardo Madina, Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party's Parliamentary Group in the Congress of Deputies[8][9]
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Secretary-General of the PSOE's Parliamentary Group in the Congress of Deputies Eduardo Madina
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Mayor of Toledo Emiliano García-Page
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Former Minister of Defence Carme Chacón
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United Left
- Cayo Lara, General Coordinator of United Left
Union, Progress and Democracy
- Rosa Díez, leader of Union, Progress and Democracy.
Opinion polls
Latest possible date
The next general election cannot be held later than Sunday 17 January 2016. This date is determined as follows:
| Law | Requirement | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Constitution: Article 68.4[10] | The Congress of Deputies has a maximum term of four years, starting on election day | 2011 election was held on 20 November 2011. Four years after 20 November 2011 is 20 November 2015 |
| Constitution: Article 68.4[10] | Elections must take place within at least 30 and no more than 60 days of the expiry of the Congress' term | 60 days after 20 November 2015 is 19 January 2016 |
| Election day must be a Sunday (while this is not required by Spanish law, from 1986 onwards Sunday has been chosen as the most prefered day for election day to be hold, and has since become an unwritten rule for all Spanish elections) | The Sunday prior to 19 January 2016 is 17 January 2016 |
References
- ^ "Rajoy asume el legado de Aznar tras ser ratificado como candidato del PP a La Moncloa". El País. 2 September 2003.
- ^ "Rubalcaba dice adiós a las ideas y el estilo de Zapatero". La Vanguardia. 10 July 2011.
- ^ "Iñaki Antigüedad abandonará su escaño en el Congreso al resultar incompatible con su labor como profesor de la Universidad del País Vasco". El Mundo. 18 April 2012.
- ^ Article 68 of the Spanish Constitution of 1978
- ^ a b c d e f Un frenazo para el mejor colocado, El País. April 1, 2013
- ^ El expresidente no descarta volver a la política y exige que Rajoy baje impuestos, El País. May 22, 2013
- ^ Rubalcaba optará a candidato del PSOE en las próximas generales. Ha transmitido a Patxi López que su futuro está en Madrid pero con un puesto en su Gobierno, El Confidencial Digital. July 23, 2012
- ^ a b c d e El 'establishment’ del PSOE apuesta por Patxi López como recambio de Rubalcaba, El Confidencial. November 12, 2012
- ^ a b c Page da por seguras las candidaturas de Chacón y Patxi López a las primarias, El Mundo. December 6, 2012
- ^ a b "Constitución española de 1978; Título III. De las Cortes Generales, Capítulo primero. De las Cámaras.". congreso.es. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
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