# 1997 PSOE federal party congress

The 34th Federal Congress of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party was held in Madrid from 20 to 22 June 1997, to renovate the governing bodies of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and establish the party's main lines of action and strategy for the next leadership term. It saw Joaquín Almunia being elected unopposed as party secretary-general, with 74.7% of the delegate vote in the congress (681 votes) and 25.3% of blank ballots (231), following Felipe González's surprise announce in the congress opening that he would not be seeking re-election as party leader.

## Candidates

| Candidate | Age | Notable positions | Announced | Eliminated | Ref. |
| Elected |||||||
| Candidate elected as secretary-general. |||||||
| Joaquín Almunia | 48 | Spokesperson of the PSOE Group in the Congress of Deputies (since 1994) Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Madrid (since 1979) Minister for Public Administrations (1986–1991) Minister of Labour and Social Security (1982–1986) | 21 June 1997 | Y Elected | |
| Withdrew |||||||
| Candidates who withdrew before the secretary-general election in the party congress. |||||||
| Felipe González | 54 | Secretary-General of the PSOE (1974–1979 and since 1979) Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Madrid and Seville (since 1977) Prime Minister of Spain (1982–1996) President pro tempore of the Council of the European Union (1989 and 1995) Spokesperson of the PSOE Group in the Congress of Deputies (1977–1979) | 1 March 1997 | 20 June 1997 (withdrew) | [3] [4] |

### Declined

The individuals in this section were the subject of speculation about their possible candidacy, but publicly denied or recanted interest in running:
* Manuel Chaves
* José Bono
* Josep Borrell
* José Luis Corcuera
* Alfonso Guerra
* Joaquín Leguina
* Pasqual Maragall
* Fernando Morán
* Narcís Serra
* Javier Solana
* Carlos Solchaga
* Manuel Chaves (age 51) — Secretary General of the PSOE–A (since 1994); President of the Regional Government of Andalusia (since 1990); Deputy in the Parliament of Andalusia for Cádiz (since 1990); Minister of Labour and Social Security of Spain (1986–1990); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Cádiz (1977–1990).
* José Bono (age 46) — President of the PSCM–PSOE (since 1990); President of the Junta of Communities of Castilla–La Mancha (since 1983); Deputy in the Cortes of Castilla–La Mancha for Albacete and Toledo (since 1983); Secretary-General of the PSCM–PSOE (1988–1990); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Albacete and Toledo (1979–1983); Fourth Secretary of the Congress of Deputies (1979–1982).
* Josep Borrell (age 49) — Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Barcelona (since 1986); Minister of Public Works, Transport and Environment of Spain (1993–1996); Minister of Public Works and Urbanism of Spain (1991–1993); Secretary of State of Finance of Spain (1984–1991); Secretary-General of Budget and Public Expenditure of Spain (1982–1984); City Councillor of Majadahonda (1979–1983).
* José Luis Corcuera (age 51) — Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Biscay and Burgos (1982–1986 and 1993–1994); Minister of the Interior of Spain (1988–1993).
* Alfonso Guerra (age 56) — Deputy Secretary-General of the PSOE (since 1979); Deputy Prime Minister of Spain (1982–1991); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Seville (since 1977); Spokesperson of the PSOE Group in the Congress of Deputies (1979–1981); Secretary of Organization of the PSOE (1976–1979).
* Joaquín Leguina (age 55) — Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Madrid (1982–1983 and since 1996); President of the Community of Madrid (1983–1995); Deputy in the Assembly of Madrid (1983–1995); Secretary-General of the FSM–PSOE (1979–1991); Spokesperson of the PSOE Group in the City Council of Madrid (1982–1983); City Councillor of Madrid (1979–1983).
* Pasqual Maragall (age 56) — Mayor of Barcelona (since 1982); City Councillor of Barcelona (since 1979); Deputy in the Parliament of Catalonia for Barcelona (1988–1995); Deputy Mayor for Administrative Organization and Reform of Barcelona (1979–1982).
* Fernando Morán (age 70) — President of the PSOE Delegation in the European Parliament (since 1987); Member of the European Parliament for Spain (since 1987); Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain (1982–1985); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Jaén (1982–1986); Senator in the Cortes Generales for Asturias (1977–1982).
* Narcís Serra (age 53) — Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Barcelona (since 1986); Deputy Prime Minister of Spain (1991–1995); Minister of Defence of Spain (1982–1991); Mayor of Barcelona (1979–1982); City Councillor of Barcelona (1979–1982); Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Works of Catalonia (1977–1979).
* Javier Solana (age 54) — Secretary General of NATO (since 1995); Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain (1992–1995); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Madrid (1977–1995); Minister of Education and Science of Spain (1988–1992); Spokesperson of the Government of Spain (1985–1988); Minister of Culture of Spain (1982–1988).
* Carlos Solchaga (age 52) — Spokesperson of the PSOE Group in the Congress of Deputies (1993–1994); Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Álava and Navarre (1980–1994); Minister of Economy and Finance of Spain (1985–1993); Minister of Industry and Energy of Spain (1982–1985); Minister of Trade of the Basque Country (1979–1980).

## Opinion polls

Poll results are listed in the tables below in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first, and using the date the survey's fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. If such date is unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed in bold, and the background shaded in the candidate's colour. In the instance of a tie, the figures with the highest percentages are shaded.

### Spanish voters

| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | | Other /None | ? | Lead |
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Guerra | Serra | Corcuera | Solana | Solchaga | Chaves | Other /None | ? | Lead |
| Opina/La Vanguardia | 8–11 Apr 1994 | 2,000 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 16.4 | 66.2 | 0.8 |

## Results

Summary of the 21–22 June 1997 congress results :
| Candidate | Candidate | Secretary | Secretary | Executive | Executive |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Joaquín Almunia | Unopposed | Unopposed | 681 | 74.67 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | — | — | 231 | 25.33 |
| Total | Total | — | — | 912 | |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | — | — | 912 | 99.78 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | — | — | 2 | 0.22 |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | — | — | 914 | 96.72 |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | — | — | 31 | 3.28 |
| Total delegates | Total delegates | 945 | | 945 | |
| Sources ||||||
Vote by delegates
Almunia
74.67%
Blank ballots
25.33% :