The results saw few changes overall; most incumbent governments retained their majority, with only a few exceptions. The PP government in the Balearics fell, and a coalition led by PSOE took power. While the elections were seen as a first indication of how the 2008 Spanish general election might turn out, the results proved to be inconclusive. In 2003, the PSOE had a slight edge with 34.8 against the PP's 34.3; in this election, the PP had 35.6 to the PSOE's 34.9. Turnout was slightly lower, with 63.8 instead of 67.7 four years earlier.
Electoral system
Municipal elections
Municipalities in Spain were local corporations with independent legal personality. They had a governing body, the municipal council or corporation, composed of the mayor, the government council and the elected plenary assembly.[3] Elections to the local councils in Spain were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years.[4]
Voting for the local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered and residing in the corresponding municipality 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 listproportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each local council. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution. Councillors were allocated to municipal councils based on the following scale:
Population
Councillors
<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
Councillors of municipalities with populations between 100 and 250 inhabitants were elected under an open listpartial block voting, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties and for up to four candidates. Additionally, in municipalities with populations below 100 inhabitants, as well as for those that made it advisable as a result of their geographical location or the convenience of a better management of municipal interests or other circumstances, were to be organized through the open council system (Spanish: régimen de concejo abierto), in which voters would directly elect the local major.[3][4]
The mayor was indirectly elected by the plenary assembly. A legal clause required that mayoral candidates earn 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, a toss-up would determine the appointee.
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:
At least one percent of the electors in municipalities with a population below 5,000 inhabitants, provided that the number of signers was more than double that of councillors at stake.
At least 100 signatures in municipalities with a population between 5,001 and 10,000.
At least 500 signatures in municipalities with a population between 10,001 and 50,000.
At least 1,500 signatures in municipalities with a population between 50,001 and 150,000.
At least 3,000 signatures in municipalities with a population between 150,001 and 300,000.
At least 5,000 signatures in municipalities with a population between 300,001 and 1,000,000.
At least 8,000 signatures in municipalities with a population over 1,000,001.
Electors were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.[4]
Most deputations were indirectly elected by local councillors from municipalities in each judicial district. Seats were allocated to provincial deputations based on the following scale:
Population
Seats
<500,000
25
500,001–1,000,000
27
1,000,001–3,500,000
31
>3,500,001
51
Island councils and foral deputations were elected directly by electors under their own, specific electoral regulations.[4]
1People's Party does not include results in Extremadura.
2 People's Party–United Extremadura results are compared to the combined totals of People's Party in Extremadura and United Extremadura in the 2003 elections.
4United Left does not include results in the Basque Country, Ceuta, Ibiza and Majorca.
5United Left–Greens–Aralar–Stand up results are compared to the combined totals of United Left and Aralar in the Basque Country totals in the 2003 elections.
6 Ceutan Democratic Union–United Left results are compared to the combined totals of Ceutan Democratic Union and United Left in Ceuta in the 2003 elections.
9Basque Nationalist Action results are compared to Meeting Point for Self-Determination totals in the 2003 elections.
10 The Supreme Court annulled 133 of the 256 lists of Basque Nationalist Action due to them being a continuation of the outlawed Unity party. Results for EAE/ANV refer only to the 123 lists which were not invalidated.
11 The Greens does not include results in the Balearic Islands.
15Leonese People's Union–United Zamora results are compared to the combined totals of Leonese People's Union and United Zamora in the 2003 elections.
16Asturian Renewal Union–Asturianist Party results are compared to the combined totals of Asturian Renewal Union and Asturianist Party in the 2003 elections.
The following table lists party control in provincial capitals, as well as in municipalities above or around 75,000.[7] Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
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