# 2021 PSOE federal party congress

The 40th Federal Congress of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party was held in Valencia from 15 October to 17 October 2021, 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.
A primary election to elect the new party secretary-general was initially scheduled for 26 September, but as a result of no opposing candidates running for election, Pedro Sánchez was proclaimed unopposed as party leader on 13 September.

## Background

Following the election of Pedro Sánchez as prime minister of Spain after a nine month-long government formation process, speculation emerged on the date of the next PSOE party congress; with the previous one having been held in June 2017, this meant a tentative date for the 40th congress of no later than June 2021. In late January 2020, online newspaper El Confidencial reported that Sánchez did not intend to convene the congress until autumn 2020 or early 2021, thus allowing him to focus in the organization of his coalition government and the negotiation of the budget laws.
With initial plans being redrawn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PSOE's executive committee voted on 11 January 2021 on a postponement to have the 40th congress held in October, with Valencia being selected as the host city on 15 March. with this being confirmed by the party's federal committee—the supreme decision-making body between congresses—on 3 July.

## Timetable

The key dates are listed below (all times are CET):
* 3 July: Official announcement of the congress.
* Primaries:
** 1 September: Submission of pre-candidacies and start of endorsement collection period.
** 10 September: End of endorsement collection period.
** 10–12 September: Proclamation of candidates.
** 13 September: Official start of internal information campaign.
** 25 September: Last day of internal information campaign.
* Congress delegations:
** 1 September: Start of pre-candidacy submission period.
** 3 September: End of pre-candidacy submission period and start of endorsement collection period.
** 13 September: End of endorsement collection period.
** 13–15 September: Proclamation of candidates.
** 16 September: Official start of internal information campaign.
** 25 September: Last day of internal information campaign.
* 26 September: Election of congress delegations and 1st round of primary election.
* 1–3 October: Pre-congress conventions.
* 3 October: 2nd round of primary election (if required).
* 15–17 October: Federal congress.

## Candidates

| Candidate | Age | Notable positions | Announced | Eliminated | Ref. |
| Elected |||||||
| Candidate elected as secretary-general. |||||||
| Pedro Sánchez | 49 | Prime Minister of Spain (since 2018) Secretary-General of the PSOE (2014–2016 and since 2017) Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Madrid (2009–2011, 2013–2016 and since 2019) Leader of the Opposition of Spain (2014–2016 and 2017–2018) City Councillor of Madrid (2004–2009) | 1 September 2021 | Y Elected | [1] [9] |

## Results

Summary of the 26 September–17 October 2021 PSOE congress results :
| Candidate | Candidate | Primary | Primary | Congress | Congress | Congress | Congress |
| Candidate | Candidate | Primary | Primary | Secretary | Secretary | Executive | Executive |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Pedro Sánchez | Cancelled | Cancelled | Unopposed | Unopposed | 975 | 94.94 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | Cancelled | Cancelled | — | — | 52 | 5.06 |
| Total | Total | | | — | — | 1,027 | |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Cancelled | Cancelled | — | — | 1,027 | 100.00 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Cancelled | Cancelled | — | — | 0 | 0.00 |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | Cancelled | Cancelled | — | — | 1,027 | 95.36 |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | Cancelled | Cancelled | — | — | 50 | 4.64 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | | | 1,077 | | 1,077 | |
| Sources ||||||||
Vote by delegates (Executive)
Sánchez
94.94%
Blank ballots
5.06% :