# 1989 European Parliament election in Spain

The 1989 European Parliament election in Spain was held on Thursday, 15 June 1989, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 3rd European Parliament. All 60 seats allocated to Spain as per the 1985 Treaty of Accession were up for election.
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) emerged as the largest party, followed by the newly amalgamated People's Party (PP) and Adolfo Suárez's Democratic and Social Centre—both of which scoring far below expectations—, as well as left-wing United Left (IU), which improved slightly on its 1987 performance. Ruiz-Mateos Group was the election surprise by winning two seats, with former Rumasa CEO and party leader José María Ruiz Mateos being elected as MEP—which granted him immunity from criminal prosecution, as he had been a fugitive from Spanish justice at the time of his election—. Registered turnout was a record low at the time for a nationwide election held in Spain, with abstention peaking at 45.3%.
The election was largely influenced by a recent string of PP–CDS agreements to vote no confidence motions on PSOE local governments, which included the Madrid city council and regional governments. This was said to have influenced the election's outcome, which had resulted in a sizeable PSOE win and a collapse in support for both the PP and CDS. His party's showing in this election was said to be one of the reasons that led Prime Minister Felipe González to call a snap general election for 29 October 1989.

## Electoral system

60 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the 1985 Treaty of Accession. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.
All seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with no electoral threshold being applied in order to be entitled to enter seat distribution. Seats were allocated to a single multi-member constituency comprising the entire national territory. The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.

## Outgoing delegation

Outgoing delegation in May 1989 :
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Parties | MEPs | MEPs |
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Parties | Seats | Total |
| | Socialist Group | | PSOE | 29 | 29 |
| | European Democrats | | PP | 17 | 17 |
| | Communist and Allies | | PCE | 1 | 3 |
| | Communist and Allies | | PASOC | 1 | 3 |
| | Communist and Allies | | PSUC | 1 | 3 |
| | Liberal and Democratic Reformist Group | | CDC | 2 | 2 |
| | European People's Party | | UDC | 1 | 1 |
| | Rainbow Group | | EA | 1 | 1 |
| | Non-Inscrits | | CDS | 6 | 7 |
| | Non-Inscrits | | HB | 1 | 7 |

## 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. In order to be entitled to run, parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least 15,000 registered electors; this requirement could be lifted and replaced through the signature of at least 50 elected officials—deputies, senators, MEPs or members from the legislative assemblies of autonomous communities or from local city councils. Electors and elected officials were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.
Below is a list of the main parties and electoral alliances which contested the election:
| Candidacy | Candidacy | Parties and alliances | Leading candidate | Leading candidate | Ideology | Previous result | Previous result | Ref. |
| Candidacy | Candidacy | Parties and alliances | Leading candidate | Leading candidate | Ideology | Votes (%) | Seats | Ref. |
| | PSOE | List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) | | Fernando Morán | Social democracy | 39.06% | 28 | [13] [14] |
| | PP | List People's Party (PP) Navarrese People's Union (UPN) Centrists of Galicia (CdG) | | Marcelino Oreja | Conservatism Christian democracy | 25.54% | 15 | |
| | CDS | List Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | | José Ramón Caso | Centrism Liberalism | 10.26% | 7 | |
| | IU | List Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Socialist Action Party (PASOC) Republican Left (IR) United Candidacy of Workers (CUT) Initiative for Catalonia (IC) – Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC) – Agreement of Left Nationalists (ENE) | | Fernando Pérez Royo | Socialism Communism | 5.25% | 3 | |
| | CiU | List Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) | | Carles Gasòliba | Catalan nationalism Centrism | 4.43% | 3 | |
| | HB | List Popular Unity (HB) – People's Socialist Revolutionary Party (HASI) – Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV) – Patriotic Socialist Committees (ASK) | | Txema Montero | Basque independence Abertzale left Revolutionary socialism | 1.87% | 1 | |
| | PEP | List Basque Solidarity (EA) Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) Galician Nationalist Party (PNG) | | Carlos Garaikoetxea | Left-wing nationalism | 1.70% | 1 | |
| | CN | List Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) Canarian Independent Groups (AIC) Galician Coalition (CG) Nationalist Party of Castile and León (PANCAL) | | Jon Gangoiti | Regionalism | 1.75% | 0 | |
| | IP | List Basque Country Left (EE) Galician Socialist Party–Galician Left (PSG–EG) Valencian People's Union (UPV) Agreement of Left Nationalists (ENE) Socialist Party of Majorca (PSM) Nationalist Canarian Assembly (ACN) Aragonese Union (UA–CHA) Socialist Party of Menorca (PSM) Asturianist Party (PAS) | | Juan María Bandrés | Left-wing nationalism | 1.36% | 0 | |
| | FPR | List Valencian Union (UV) Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) United Extremadura (EU) Progressive Riojan Party (PRP) Melillan People's Union (UPM) Regional Party of Madrid (PRM) Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) Union of Regionalist Parties of Castilla–La Mancha (UPRCLM) | | Héctor Villalba | Regionalism | 1.12% | 0 | |
| | PA | List Andalusian Party (PA) | | Pedro Pacheco | Andalusian nationalism Social democracy | 0.96% | 0 | |
| | Ruiz-Mateos | List Ruiz-Mateos Group (Ruiz-Mateos) | | José María Ruiz-Mateos | Right-wing populism | 0.61% | 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 given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font.

### Color key

Exit poll
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout | | | | | | | PEP | IP | CN | | | | ARM | LV | | Lead |
| 1989 EP election | 15 Jun 1989 | — | 54.7 | 39.6 27 | | 7.1 5 | 6.1 4 | 4.2 2 | 1.7 1 | 1.5 1 | 1.8 1 | 1.9 1 | 1.2 0 | 1.9 1 | | 3.8 2 | 1.0 0 | 21.4 15 | 18.2 |
| PSOE | 15 Jun 1989 | 39,000 | 54 | 39.3 27/28 | | 7.2 4/5 | 6.4 4 | 4.5 3 | 1.6 1 | 1.5 1 | 1.7 1 | 1.5 1 | – | 2.2 1 | | 3.6 2 | – | 21.1 14 | 18.2 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia | 15 Jun 1989 | ? | 54.4 | 38.0– 39.0 26/27 | | 7.0 5 | 6.4 4/5 | 4.4 3 | 1.8 1 | 1.5 1 | 1.7 1 | 1.9 1 | 1.3 0/1 | 1.9 1 | | 4.0 2 | 1.2 0/1 | 21.0– 22.0 14/16 | 17.0 |
| Sigma Dos/COPE | 15 Jun 1989 | ? | ? | 35.0– 37.0 25/26 | | 7.0– 8.0 5 | 7.0– 7.5 5 | 4.3– 4.8 3 | 1.8– 2.0 1 | 1.4– 1.6 1 | 1.7– 1.9 1 | 1.4– 1.6 1 | – | 2.0– 2.2 1 | | 2.5– 3.0 1/2 | – | 22.5– 23.5 15/16 | 12.5– 13.5 |
| Demoscopia/Cadena SER | 15 Jun 1989 | ? | ? | 36.4 24/26 | | 7.9 5/6 | 6.7 4/5 | 5.1 3 | 2.3 1 | 1.6 1 | ? 1 | ? 1 | – | ? 1 | | 4.0 1/2 | – | 19.4 15/16 | 17.0 |
| Metra Seis/RNE | 15 Jun 1989 | ? | ? | 36.0– 38.0 24/26 | | 8.5– 10.0 5/7 | 5.5– 7.0 4/5 | 4.5– 5.0 3 | 1.3– 1.8 0/1 | 1.5– 2.0 0/1 | 2.0– 2.5 1 | 1.5– 2.0 0/1 | – | 2.0– 2.5 1 | | 2.0– 3.0 1/2 | – | 24.0– 26.0 16/18 | 12.0 |
| OTR–IS/Interviú | 9 Jun 1989 | ? | ? | ? 26/28 | | ? 7/8 | ? 3/4 | ? 3 | ? 1/2 | – | – | – | – | – | | – | – | ? 15/17 | ? |
| Opina/La Vanguardia | 5–8 Jun 1989 | 1,800 | 50 | 37.8 25/26 | | 9.7 6/7 | 6.3 4 | 6.1 4 | – | 1.9 1 | 1.6 1 | ? 1 | – | – | | – | – | 25.5 17 | 12.3 |
| Demoscopia/El País | 1–5 Jun 1989 | 2,500 | 50 | 35.3 23/25 | | 10.4 6/7 | 6.8 4 | 3.6 2/3 | 1.9 1 | 1.9 1 | 2.5 1/2 | 1.7 1 | – | 2.7 1/2 | | 1.5 0/1 | ? 0/1 | 27.7 17/18 | 7.6 |
| PP | 3 Jun 1989 | ? | ? | ? 25 | | ? 7 | ? 4 | ? 3/4 | ? 1 | ? 1 | ? 1 | – | ? 0/1 | – | | – | – | ? 17 | ? |
| ICP–Research/Diario 16 | 30 May–3 Jun 1989 | 2,400 | 70 | 37.6 24/27 | | 8.3 6/8 | 7.7 5/7 | 4.6 3 | 2.2 1 | 0.7 0/1 | 2.2 1 | 1.1 0/1 | ? 1 | 1.9 1 | | – | ? 1 | 19.7 15/18 | 17.9 |
| Gruppo/Colpisa | 2 Jun 1989 | 1,000 | 57–62 | 33.4 23/24 | | 10.5 7 | 7.2 5 | 4.4 3 | 1.8 1 | 1.5 1 | 1.5 0/1 | 1.7 1 | – | 1.3 0/1 | | – | – | 26.5 18/19 | 6.9 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia | 15–26 May 1989 | 1,800 | 50 | 36.1 25/26 | | 12.4 8/9 | 5.7 4 | 6.1 3/4 | 2.0 1 | ? 0/1 | 2.3 1 | ? 0/1 | ? 0/1 | – | | – | – | 22.4 16/17 | 13.7 |
| Demoscopia/El País | 17–21 May 1989 | 2,500 | 55 | 37.8 25 | | 11.1 7 | 7.1 4 | 3.7 2 | 1.7 1 | 2.2 1 | 1.5 1 | 3.0 1 | – | 2.6 1 | | – | – | 25.5 17 | 12.3 |
| CIS | 9–11 May 1989 | 4,459 | ? | 41.6 28 | | 12.1 8 | 6.6 4 | 5.2 3 | – | – | – | 1.2 0 | – | – | | – | – | 26.1 17 | 15.5 |
| Gruppo/Colpisa | 26 Apr 1989 | 1,000 | 60–69 | 34.5 23/24 | | 11.7 7/8 | 8.4 5 | 4.2 2/3 | 1.8 1 | 1.6 1 | 1.6 1 | 1.7 1 | – | – | | – | – | 26.2 17/18 | 8.3 |
| CIS | 22–24 Apr 1989 | 2,499 | ? | 42.0 | | 6.0– 9.0 | 5.0– 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | – | – | 25.0– 28.0 | 14.0– 17.0 |
| Opina/La Vanguardia | 7–10 Apr 1989 | 1,610 | ? | 34.8 | | 15.0 | 5.9 | 6.7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | | – | – | 27.6 | 7.2 |
| CIS | 6–10 Apr 1989 | 2,951 | ? | 40.0– 42.0 | | 9.0– 11.0 | 6.0– 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | – | – | 23.0– 25.0 | 17.0 |
| Gallup/EE | 7 Mar 1989 | ? | ? | ? 22 | | ? 7 | ? 5 | ? 3 | ? 0 | ? 1 | ? 1 | ? 0 | – | ? 1 | | – | – | ? 20 | ? |
| 1987 EP election | 10 Jun 1987 | — | 68.5 | 39.1 28 | 24.6 17 | 10.3 7 | 5.3 3 | 4.4 3 | 1.9 1 | 1.7 1 | 1.4 0 | 1.2 0 | 1.2 0 | 1.0 0 | 0.9 0 | 0.6 0 | 0.6 0 | – | 14.5 |

## Results
### Overall

← Summary of the 15 June 1989 European Parliament election results in Spain → :
| Parties and alliances | Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote | Seats | Seats |
| Parties and alliances | Parties and alliances | Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− |
| | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 6,275,552 | 39.57 | +0.51 | 27 | –1 |
| | People's Party (PP)$^1$ | 3,395,015 | 21.41 | –4.13 | 15 | –2 |
| | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 1,133,429 | 7.15 | –3.11 | 5 | –2 |
| | United Left (IU) | 961,742 | 6.06 | +0.81 | 4 | +1 |
| | Convergence and Union (CiU) | 666,602 | 4.20 | –0.23 | 2 | –1 |
| | Ruiz-Mateos Group (Ruiz-Mateos)$^2$ | 608,560 | 3.84 | +3.23 | 2 | +2 |
| | Nationalist Coalition (CN)$^3$ | 303,038 | 1.91 | +0.16 | 1 | +1 |
| | Andalusian Party (PA) | 295,047 | 1.86 | +0.90 | 1 | +1 |
| | Left of the Peoples (IP)$^4$ | 290,286 | 1.83 | +0.47 | 1 | +1 |
| | Popular Unity (HB) | 269,094 | 1.70 | –0.17 | 1 | ±0 |
| | For the Europe of the Peoples (PEP)$^5$ | 238,909 | 1.51 | –0.19 | 1 | ±0 |
| | Workers' Party of Spain–Communist Unity (PTE–UC) | 197,095 | 1.24 | +0.08 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Green List (Adhered to the European Greens) (LV)$^6$ | 164,524 | 1.04 | +0.14 | 0 | ±0 |
| | The Ecologist Greens (LVE) | 161,903 | 1.02 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Federation of Regional Parties (FPR)$^7$ | 151,835 | 0.96 | –0.16 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain–PCC (PCPE–PCC) | 79,970 | 0.50 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | National Front (FN) | 60,672 | 0.38 | –0.26 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Spanish Vertex Ecological Development Revindication (VERDE) | 58,686 | 0.37 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Social Democratic Coalition (CSD) | 52,577 | 0.33 | +0.20 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Green Alternative–Ecologist Movement of Catalonia (AV–MEC) | 47,250 | 0.30 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) | 46,052 | 0.29 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Workers' Socialist Party–Revolutionary Workers' Party (PST–PORE)$^8$ | 38,683 | 0.24 | –0.32 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Europe for Life (EPV) | 30,252 | 0.19 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) | 24,340 | 0.15 | +0.03 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Free Catalonia (CLL) | 19,774 | 0.12 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Humanist Party (PH) | 19,356 | 0.12 | ±0.00 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Alliance for the Republic (AxR)$^9$ | 17,189 | 0.11 | –0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Asturian Nationalist Unity (UNA) | 13,165 | 0.08 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Centrist Unity–Democratic Spanish Party (PED) | 10,392 | 0.07 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Andalusian Liberation (LA) | 9,421 | 0.06 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Initiative for a European Democracy (IDE) | 8,789 | 0.06 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Carlist Party (PC) | 8,477 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | BACTERIA Electors' Group (BACTERIA) | 0 | 0.00 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 200,794 | 1.27 | +0.28 | | |
| Total | Total | 15,858,470 | | | 60 | ±0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 15,858,470 | 98.98 | +0.17 | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 163,806 | 1.02 | –0.17 | | |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | 16,022,276 | 54.71 | –13.81 | | |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | 13,261,706 | 45.29 | +13.81 | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 29,283,982 | | | | |
| Sources |||||||
| Footnotes: $^1$ People's Party results are compared to the combined totals of People's Alliance and People's Democratic Party in the 1987 election.$^2$ Ruiz-Mateos Group results are compared to Social Action totals in the 1987 election.$^3$ Nationalist Coalition results are compared to the combined totals of Europeanist Union, Canarian Independent Groups and Nationalist Party of Castile and León in the 1987 election.$^4$ Left of the Peoples (1989) results are compared to Left of the Peoples (1987) totals in the 1987 election.$^5$ For the Europe of the Peoples results are compared to Coalition for the Europe of the Peoples totals in the 1987 election.$^6$ Green List (Adhered to the European Greens) results are compared to the combined totals of The Greens and Confederation of the Greens in the 1987 election.$^7$ Federation of Regional Parties results are compared to the combined totals of Valencian Union, United Extremadura and Regionalist Party of Cantabria in the 1987 election.$^8$ Workers' Socialist Party–Revolutionary Workers' Party results are compared to the combined totals of Workers' Socialist Party and Revolutionary Workers' Party of Spain in the 1987 election.$^9$ Alliance for the Republic results are compared to Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party totals in the 1987 election. |||||||
Popular vote
PSOE
39.57%
PP
21.41%
CDS
7.15%
IU
6.06%
CiU
4.20%
Ruiz-Mateos
3.84%
CN
1.91%
PA
1.86%
IP
1.83%
HB
1.70%
PEP
1.51%
PTE–UC
1.24%
LV
1.04%
LVE
1.02%
Others
4.39%
Blank ballots
1.27% :
Seats
PSOE
45.00%
PP
25.00%
CDS
8.33%
IU
6.67%
CiU
3.33%
Ruiz-Mateos
3.33%
CN
1.67%
PA
1.67%
IP
1.67%
HB
1.67%
PEP
1.67% :

### Maps

* Vote winner strength by province.
* Vote winner strength by autonomous community.

### Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 3rd European Parliament (1989–1994) :
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Seats | Total | % |
| | Socialist Group (SOC) | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 27 | 27 | 45.00 |
| | European People's Party (EPP) | People's Party (PP) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) | 15 1 | 16 | 26.67 |
| | Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (LDR) | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) | 5 1 | 6 | 10.00 |
| | European United Left (EUL) | Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Initiative for Catalonia (IC) Socialist Action Party (PASOC) | 2 1 1 | 4 | 6.67 |
| | Rainbow Group (RBW) | Basque Solidarity (EA) Andalusian Party (PA) | 1 1 | 2 | 3.33 |
| | The Green Group in the European Parliament (G) | Basque Country Left (EE) | 1 | 1 | 1.67 |
| | Non-Inscrits (NI) | Ruiz-Mateos Group (Ruiz-Mateos) Popular Unity (HB) Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | 2 1 1 | 4 | 6.67 |
| Total | Total | Total | 60 | 60 | 100.00 |