# 2006 Catalan regional election

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
The 2006 Catalan regional election was held on Wednesday, 1 November 2006, to elect the 8th Parliament of the autonomous community of Catalonia. All 135 seats in the Parliament were up for election.
This was a snap election, called roughly one year before the scheduled end of the legislature as a result of the uneasy and controversial drafting of the 2006 Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia, which further expanded the authority of the Catalan Government. The statutory amendment had been ratified in a referendum on 18 June 2006 after being approved in the Cortes Generales, with roughly 74% of voters in favour of the new Statute and 21% against. The referendum was noted for its low turnout, as only 48.9% of all registered voters had cast a vote.
Since the 2003 election a left-of-centre coalition of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC), Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Initiative for Catalonia Greens–United and Alternative Left (ICV–EUiA) had been in power, with Pasqual Maragall as Catalan president. In May 2006, ERC had left the coalition after internal tensions due to its disagreement on the final draft of the Statute of Autonomy approved by the Spanish parliament, thus leaving Maragall without a majority and precipitating the early election call. On 21 June 2006 Maragall announced his will not to seek re-election, arguably due to the political erosion his government had suffered after their uneasy relationship with ERC, as well as his political differences with Spanish Prime Minister and PSOE Secretary-General José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
Unlike the previous elections in 1999 and 2003, when Convergence and Union (CiU) had achieved a plurality of seats in the autonomous Parliament despite narrowly losing it out in the popular vote to the PSC, in the 2006 election CiU emerged as the most popular party both in votes and seats, but fell far short of an absolute majority. After coalition negotiations, the PSC, ERC and ICV–EUiA agreed to renew the three-party coalition that had been in power in the 2003–2006 period, this time under the leadership of the new PSC leader, José Montilla. The election also saw a new party, Citizens (C's) entering the autonomous parliament, resulting in six political parties achieving parliamentary representation in the Catalan parliament for the first time since 1988.

## Overview
### Electoral system

The Parliament of Catalonia was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Catalonia, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president. As a result of no regional electoral law having been approved since the re-establishment of Catalan autonomy, the electoral procedure came regulated under Transitory Provision Fourth of the 1979 Statute, supplemented by the provisions within the national electoral law. Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Catalonia and in full enjoyment of their political rights.
The 135 members of the Parliament of Catalonia were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, with each being allocated a fixed number of seats:
| Seats | Constituencies |
| 85 | Barcelona |
| 18 | Tarragona |
| 17 | Girona |
| 15 | Lleida |
In smaller constituencies, the use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.

### Election date

The term of the Parliament of Catalonia expired four years after the date of its previous election, unless it was dissolved earlier. The regional president was required to call an election fifteen days prior to the date of expiry of parliament, with election day taking place within from forty to sixty days after the call. The previous election was held on 16 November 2003, which meant that the legislature's term would have expired on 16 November 2007. The election was required to be called no later than 1 November 2007, with it taking place up to the sixtieth day from the call, setting the latest possible election date for the Parliament on Monday, 31 December 2007.
The president had the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Catalonia and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process and that dissolution did not occur before one year had elapsed since a previous one under this procedure. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Parliament was to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called.

## Parliamentary composition

The Parliament of Catalonia was officially dissolved on 8 September 2006, after the publication of the dissolution decree in the Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia. The table below shows the composition of the parliamentary groups in the chamber at the time of dissolution.
Parliamentary composition in September 2006 :
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Parties | Legislators | Legislators |
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Parties | Seats | Total |
| | Convergence and Union's Parliamentary Group | | CDC | 33 | 46 |
| | Convergence and Union's Parliamentary Group | | UDC | 13 | 46 |
| | Socialists–Citizens for Change Parliamentary Group | | PSC | 32 | 42 |
| | Socialists–Citizens for Change Parliamentary Group | | CpC | 10 | 42 |
| | Republican Left of Catalonia's Parliamentary Group | | ERC | 23 | 23 |
| | People's Party of Catalonia's Parliamentary Group | | PP | 15 | 15 |
| | Initiative for Catalonia Greens–Alternative Left's Parliamentary Group | | ICV | 8 | 9 |
| | Initiative for Catalonia Greens–Alternative Left's Parliamentary Group | | EUiA | 1 | 9 |

## 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, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors 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 | Gov. | Ref. |
| Candidacy | Candidacy | Parties and alliances | Leading candidate | Leading candidate | Ideology | Votes (%) | Seats | Gov. | Ref. |
| | CiU | List Convergence and Union (CiU) – Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) – Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) | | Artur Mas | Catalan nationalism Centrism | 30.94% | 46 | N | |
| | PSC–CpC | List Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) Citizens for Change (CpC) | | José Montilla | Social democracy | 31.16% | 42 | Y | |
| | ERC | List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | | Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira | Catalan independence Left-wing nationalism Social democracy | 16.44% | 23 | N | [15] [16] |
| | PP | List People's Party (PP) | | Josep Piqué | Conservatism Christian democracy | 11.89% | 15 | N | |
| | ICV–EUiA | List Initiative for Catalonia Greens (ICV) United and Alternative Left (EUiA) | | Joan Saura | Regionalism Eco-socialism Green politics | 7.28% | 9 | Y | |
| | C's | List Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) | | Albert Rivera | Social liberalism | New party | New party | N | |

## Opinion polls

The tables below list opinion polling results 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 poll.

### Voting intention estimates

The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 68 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Catalonia.

#### Color key

Exit poll
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout | | | | | | | Lead |
| 2006 regional election | 1 Nov 2006 | — | 56.0 | 26.8 37 | 31.5 48 | 14.0 21 | 10.7 14 | 9.5 12 | 3.0 3 | 4.7 |
| Ipsos–Eco/CCRTV | 1 Nov 2006 | 30,000 | 57.7 | 26.7 37/40 | 31.5 45/48 | 15.2 21/24 | 10.0 13/15 | 9.0 10/12 | 2.7 0/2 | 4.8 |
| CiU | 1 Nov 2006 | ? | ? | ? 37/39 | ? 46/48 | ? 23/24 | ? 11/12 | ? 12/13 | ? 0/3 | ? |
| TNS Demoscopia/ADN | 25 Oct 2006 | ? | ? | ? 39/40 | ? 48/49 | ? 20/21 | ? 14/15 | ? 12 | – | ? |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 23–24 Oct 2006 | 1,200 | ? | 30.0 42/43 | 30.5 43/47 | 13.0 19/22 | 10.0 13/14 | 10.0 13/14 | – | 0.5 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 19–23 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 28.4 38/40 | 34.0 50/52 | 12.5 17/19 | 10.2 13 | 10.9 13/15 | – | 5.6 |
| Infortécnica | 22 Oct 2006 | 2,000 | ? | ? 39/40 | ? 56/58 | ? 16/17 | ? 13/14 | ? 8/10 | – | ? |
| Opina/El País | 22 Oct 2006 | 1,500 | ? | 30.0 42/43 | 30.0 45 | 13.0 20 | 10.5 14 | 10.5 13/14 | – | Tie |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 19–21 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 29.0 39/41 | 32.0 47/49 | 13.2 19/20 | 11.3 14/15 | 10.5 12/13 | – | 3.0 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 18–20 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 52.7 | 25.9 35/37 | 35.5 52/54 | 14.9 20/21 | 11.9 14/15 | 9.8 10/13 | – | 9.6 |
| Iberconsulta/La Razón | 17–19 Oct 2006 | 1,200 | 61.6 | 29.9 40/41 | 33.5 47/49 | 14.8 20/22 | 12.1 14/15 | 8.4 10/11 | – | 5.6 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 16 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 31.5 43 | 29.3 43 | 15.5 23/24 | 10.7 13/14 | 9.0 12 | – | 2.2 |
| DEP/Actual | 5–16 Oct 2006 | 1,237 | ? | 29.3 38/39 | 31.8 49/50 | 14.6 20/21 | 12.1 15 | 8.7 10/11 | – | 2.5 |
| CIS | 2–15 Oct 2006 | 1,986 | ? | 27.8 39 | 33.7 50/52 | 14.8 21 | 10.2 13/14 | 8.9 10/11 | – | 5.9 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 10–13 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 54.4 | 27.4 37 | 35.9 53/54 | 15.0 20 | 10.1 13/14 | 9.1 11 | – | 8.5 |
| Celeste-Tel/Terra | 10 Oct 2006 | ? | 61.9 | 30.5 41/42 | 34.0 47/49 | 13.8 19/20 | 11.6 15 | 8.1 11 | – | 3.5 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo | 6–9 Oct 2006 | 800 | ? | 30.5 42/43 | 32.8 49/52 | 13.7 19/21 | 11.0 14/15 | 6.9 8 | 2.3 0 | 2.3 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 5–9 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 29.0 38/40 | 35.5 52/54 | 12.1 16/18 | 10.5 13 | 10.4 12/13 | – | 6.5 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 5–7 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 29.9 40/41 | 34.9 52/53 | 12.4 18/19 | 10.1 12/13 | 9.1 10/11 | – | 5.0 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 3–6 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 55.7 | 27.0 37 | 35.4 52 | 15.0 20/21 | 10.4 13/14 | 9.5 12/13 | – | 8.4 |
| TNS Demoscopia/Antena 3 | 2–3 Oct 2006 | 1,200 | 59.2 | 29.1 40/41 | 32.1 47/48 | 14.9 20/22 | 11.6 14/15 | 8.8 10/12 | – | 3.0 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 2 Oct 2006 | ? | ? | 27.8 38 | 35.9 52 | 14.7 20 | 9.6 12 | 9.6 13 | – | 8.1 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 20–22 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | 53.9 | 27.7 37 | 36.4 53 | 14.6 20 | 9.5 12 | 9.6 13 | – | 8.7 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 18–21 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 29.3 40 | 33.4 50/51 | 13.8 19/20 | 10.4 13 | 9.5 12 | – | 4.1 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 14–16 Sep 2006 | 800 | ? | 29.5 40/41 | 34.5 51/52 | 13.3 19/20 | 10.5 13/14 | 9.0 10/11 | – | 5.0 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 12–15 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | 54.1 | 27.6 37 | 36.6 53 | 14.8 21 | 9.3 12 | 9.5 12 | – | 9.0 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 13 Sep 2006 | ? | ? | 27.7 37 | 36.4 52 | 14.8 21 | 9.2 12 | 9.6 13 | – | 8.7 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 17–19 Jul 2006 | 800 | ? | 32.4 44 | 34.2 51 | 12.3 17 | 10.2 13 | 8.3 10 | – | 1.8 |
| Opina/El País | 7–8 Jun 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 33.5 46 | 30.5 45 | 15.0 22 | 10.5 12 | 7.5 10 | – | 3.0 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 6–7 Jun 2006 | 600 | ? | 31.0 | 35.0 | 13.0 | 10.5 | 7.0 | – | 4.0 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 30 May 2006 | 1,000 | ? | 33.8 48 | 31.2 46 | 13.1 20 | 9.8 12 | 8.9 9 | – | 2.6 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 15–16 May 2006 | 600 | ? | 32.0 | 32.0 | 15.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | – | Tie |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 17–19 Apr 2006 | 800 | ? | 31.0 42 | 32.0 48/49 | 16.0 22/23 | 10.3 13 | 7.4 8/9 | – | 1.0 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 27–30 Mar 2006 | 850 | ? | 35.0 47/48 | 31.1 45/46 | 16.5 22/23 | 8.4 10/11 | 6.6 8/9 | – | 3.9 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 2–4 Feb 2006 | 800 | ? | 30.7 | 31.5 | 14.8 | 12.9 | 7.5 | – | 0.8 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 12–15 Dec 2005 | 850 | ? | 31.7 42/44 | 32.8 47/48 | 16.3 23/24 | 9.6 11/13 | 8.9 10 | – | 1.1 |
| CiU | 3 Dec 2005 | ? | ? | ? 40 | ? 48 | ? 22 | ? 15 | ? 10 | – | ? |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 7–11 Nov 2005 | 400 | ? | 33.2 46 | 27.3 39/40 | 16.7 23/24 | 13.7 17/18 | 7.1 8/9 | – | 5.9 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 3–6 Oct 2005 | 1,000 | ? | 32.5 44 | 29.2 43 | 16.0 23 | 12.7 15 | 8.9 10 | – | 3.3 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 3–5 Oct 2005 | 800 | ? | 32.0 | 32.0 | 15.3 | 10.8 | 7.5 | – | Tie |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 18–21 Jul 2005 | 1,000 | ? | 33.5 46 | 28.9 41 | 16.3 22 | 12.9 18 | 7.2 8 | – | 4.6 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 30 Jun–3 Jul 2005 | 800 | ? | 31.5 | 31.5 | 15.5 | 11.3 | 7.5 | – | Tie |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 20–22 Apr 2005 | 805 | ? | 30.3 | 30.3 | 16.2 | 12.6 | 7.8 | – | Tie |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 7–10 Mar 2005 | 850 | ? | 34.2 45/47 | 29.2 43/44 | 15.0 21/22 | 10.8 14 | 9.3 10/11 | – | 5.0 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 16–18 Jan 2005 | 800 | ? | 34.7 | 31.6 | 13.9 | 10.4 | 7.0 | – | 3.1 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 10–12 Nov 2004 | 850 | ? | 32.4 44 | 28.9 43 | 16.8 23 | 10.8 14 | 9.6 11 | – | 3.5 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 28–29 Sep 2004 | 802 | ? | 33.5 | 30.7 | 15.2 | 11.5 | 6.7 | – | 2.8 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 30 Jun–1 Jul 2004 | 800 | ? | 34.0 | 30.5 | 15.7 | 9.8 | 7.5 | – | 3.5 |
| 2004 EP election | 13 Jun 2004 | — | 39.8 | 42.9 (60) | 17.4 (25) | 11.8 (17) | 17.8 (24) | 7.2 (9) | – | 25.1 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 14–15 Apr 2004 | 801 | ? | 33.0 | 32.0 | 16.4 | 9.9 | 6.1 | – | 1.0 |
| 2004 general election | 14 Mar 2004 | — | 76.0 | 39.5 (55) | 20.8 (31) | 15.9 (23) | 15.6 (21) | 5.8 (5) | – | 18.7 |
| 2003 regional election | 16 Nov 2003 | — | 62.5 | 31.2 42 | 30.9 46 | 16.4 23 | 11.9 15 | 7.3 9 | – | 0.3 |

### Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | ? | N | Lead |
| 2006 regional election | 1 Nov 2006 | — | 15.2 | 17.8 | 7.9 | 6.0 | 5.4 | — | 43.2 | 2.6 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 19–21 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 24.7 | 23.6 | 11.4 | 4.1 | 8.2 | 17.7 | 4.4 | 1.1 |
| CIS | 2–15 Oct 2006 | 1,986 | 21.9 | 21.6 | 11.4 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 18.0 | 12.6 | 0.3 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 5–7 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 25.0 | 26.5 | 11.9 | 4.1 | 7.2 | 15.3 | 4.7 | 1.5 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 14–16 Sep 2006 | 800 | 27.8 | 25.3 | 12.4 | 4.6 | 7.3 | 22.7 | 22.7 | 2.5 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 6–7 Jun 2006 | 600 | 27.2 | 21.0 | 11.8 | 4.5 | 5.8 | 28.6 | 28.6 | 6.2 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 15–16 May 2006 | 600 | 31.0 | 21.8 | 12.2 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 21.9 | 21.9 | 9.2 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 17–19 Apr 2006 | 800 | 28.6 | 25.5 | 15.5 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 18.6 | 18.6 | 3.1 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 2–4 Feb 2006 | 800 | 28.8 | 23.9 | 13.5 | 7.4 | 6.0 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 4.9 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 3–5 Oct 2005 | 800 | 31.5 | 22.3 | 15.0 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 19.2 | 19.2 | 9.2 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 30 Jun–3 Jul 2005 | 800 | 29.3 | 21.8 | 15.8 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 7.5 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 20–22 Apr 2005 | 805 | 29.2 | 22.0 | 15.5 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 13.9 | 7.0 | 7.2 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 16–18 Jan 2005 | 800 | 34.4 | 20.3 | 11.9 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 13.3 | 6.1 | 14.1 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 28–29 Sep 2004 | 802 | 34.7 | 18.6 | 14.1 | 7.5 | 6.1 | 10.8 | 6.1 | 16.1 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 30 Jun–1 Jul 2004 | 800 | 35.5 | 17.0 | 14.0 | 4.8 | 6.0 | 11.2 | 4.9 | 18.5 |
| 2004 EP election | 13 Jun 2004 | — | 17.2 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 7.2 | 2.9 | — | 59.7 | 10.0 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 14–15 Apr 2004 | 801 | 32.1 | 24.5 | 15.5 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 11.2 | 4.9 | 7.6 |
| 2004 general election | 14 Mar 2004 | — | 30.3 | 15.9 | 12.2 | 11.9 | 4.5 | — | 23.0 | 14.4 |
| 2003 regional election | 16 Nov 2003 | — | 19.7 | 19.6 | 10.4 | 7.5 | 4.6 | — | 36.6 | 0.1 |

### Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | Other/ None | ? | Lead |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 23–24 Oct 2006 | 1,200 | 28.3 | 26.6 | 11.2 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 15.0 | 1.7 |
| Opina/El País | 22 Oct 2006 | 1,500 | 29.6 | 30.1 | – | – | – | 40.3 | 40.3 | 0.5 |
| CIS | 2–15 Oct 2006 | 1,986 | 27.6 | 27.1 | 13.2 | 4.5 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 20.1 | 0.5 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 11 Oct 2006 | ? | 28.4 | 30.7 | 11.5 | 4.8 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 11.3 | 2.3 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 5–9 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 29.0 | 33.0 | 11.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 4.0 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 18–21 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | 34.0 | 27.0 | 13.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 7.0 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 17–19 Jul 2006 | 800 | 41.0 | 27.0 | 12.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 14.0 |
| Opina/El País | 7–8 Jun 2006 | 1,000 | 32.8 | 25.2 | 10.8 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 19.5 | 7.6 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 30 May 2006 | 1,000 | 29.3 | 26.2 | 9.6 | 7.1 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 21.7 | 3.1 |

### Victory likelihood

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | Other/ None | ? | Lead |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 23–24 Oct 2006 | 1,200 | 23.5 | 51.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.1 | – | 22.6 | 11.5 |
| CIS | 2–15 Oct 2006 | 1,986 | 30.1 | 41.6 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 25.5 | 11.5 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 11 Oct 2006 | ? | 26.6 | 48.8 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 0.4 | – | 20.1 | 22.2 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 5–9 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 32.0 | 46.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | – | 18.0 | 18.0 | 14.0 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 18–21 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | 35.0 | 38.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | – | 23.0 | 23.0 | 3.0 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 17–19 Jul 2006 | 800 | 41.0 | 37.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 4.0 |
| Opina/El País | 7–8 Jun 2006 | 1,000 | 36.6 | 33.2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 24.7 | 3.4 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 30 May 2006 | 1,000 | 30.6 | 35.9 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 27.7 | 5.3 |

### Preferred President

The table below lists opinion polling on leader preferences to become president of the Government of Catalonia.

#### All candidates

| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Maragall PSC | Montilla PSC | Mas CiU | Carod ERC | Piqué PP | Saura ICV–EUiA | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 23–24 Oct 2006 | 1,200 | – | 27.2 | 27.4 | 10.8 | 5.9 | 5.2 | 8.5 | 15.0 | 0.2 |
| Opina/El País | 22 Oct 2006 | 1,500 | – | 28.6 | 30.8 | – | – | – | 40.6 | 40.6 | 2.2 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 19–21 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | – | 23.8 | 25.1 | 9.1 | 0.9 | 5.6 | 10.1 | 25.4 | 1.3 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 16 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | – | 26.9 | 31.2 | – | – | – | 41.9 | 41.9 | 4.3 |
| CIS | 2–15 Oct 2006 | 1,986 | – | 20.2 | 28.3 | 12.5 | 4.9 | 6.8 | 5.5 | 21.7 | 8.1 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 11 Oct 2006 | ? | – | 26.9 | 31.2 | 9.0 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 9.0 | 14.0 | 4.3 |
| Celeste-Tel/Terra | 10 Oct 2006 | ? | – | 26.7 | 27.5 | 8.2 | 7.2 | 3.4 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 0.8 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 5–7 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | – | 22.6 | 29.7 | 8.4 | 0.4 | 5.6 | 12.8 | 20.5 | 7.1 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 14–16 Sep 2006 | 800 | – | 19.9 | 29.6 | 8.9 | 1.3 | 6.3 | 10.4 | 23.6 | 9.7 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 15–16 May 2006 | 600 | 31.7 | – | 24.8 | 10.5 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 6.9 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 17–19 Apr 2006 | 800 | 29.8 | – | 25.6 | 12.8 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 4.2 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 2–4 Feb 2006 | 800 | 32.4 | – | 27.1 | 10.1 | 7.3 | 6.0 | 17.1 | 17.1 | 5.3 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 3–5 Oct 2005 | 800 | 35.0 | – | 24.2 | 12.4 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 10.8 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 30 Jun–3 Jul 2005 | 800 | 32.3 | – | 22.5 | 10.9 | 7.8 | 8.5 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 9.8 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 20–22 Apr 2005 | 805 | 32.8 | – | 20.4 | 14.5 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 12.4 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 16–18 Jan 2005 | 800 | 41.5 | – | 19.6 | 10.8 | 7.4 | 6.6 | 8.5 | 5.8 | 21.9 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 28–29 Sep 2004 | 802 | 39.0 | – | 19.8 | 14.0 | 7.5 | 6.2 | 12.4 | 1.0 | 19.2 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 30 Jun–1 Jul 2004 | 800 | 39.8 | – | 15.9 | 13.0 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 17.2 | 2.5 | 23.9 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 14–15 Apr 2004 | 801 | 40.2 | – | 20.7 | 13.6 | 6.2 | 4.2 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 19.5 |

#### Montilla vs. Mas

| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Montilla PSC | Mas CiU | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 19–21 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 37.6 | 44.1 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 6.5 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 18–20 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 33.5 | 46.3 | 13.4 | 6.8 | 12.8 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 10–13 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 36.0 | 45.6 | 11.6 | 6.8 | 9.6 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 5–9 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 34.0 | 50.0 | 10.0 | 6.0 | 16.0 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 5–7 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 36.1 | 45.6 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 9.5 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 3–6 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 38.8 | 44.7 | 9.9 | 6.5 | 5.9 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 20–22 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | 35.7 | 44.9 | 10.5 | 8.8 | 9.2 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 14–16 Sep 2006 | 800 | 33.6 | 48.3 | 18.1 | 18.1 | 14.7 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 18–21 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | 36.0 | 43.0 | 12.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 |
| Feedback/RAC 1 | 12–15 Sep 2006 | 1,000 | 33.6 | 47.7 | 10.9 | 7.8 | 14.1 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 17–19 Jul 2006 | 800 | 36.0 | 39.0 | 16.0 | 9.0 | 3.0 |

#### Maragall vs. Mas

| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Maragall PSC | Mas CiU | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 2–4 Feb 2006 | 800 | 49.9 | 39.1 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.8 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 3–5 Oct 2005 | 800 | 53.8 | 34.5 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 19.3 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 30 Jun–3 Jul 2005 | 800 | 52.9 | 35.4 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 17.5 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 20–22 Apr 2005 | 805 | 53.5 | 33.0 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 20.5 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 16–18 Jan 2005 | 800 | 59.4 | 31.1 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 28.3 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 28–29 Sep 2004 | 802 | 59.6 | 28.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 30.9 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 30 Jun–1 Jul 2004 | 800 | 59.9 | 26.4 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 33.5 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | 14–15 Apr 2004 | 801 | 58.3 | 32.0 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 26.3 |
| Vox Pública/El Periódico | Jan 2004 | ? | 52.7 | 34.2 | 13.1 | 13.1 | 18.5 |

### Predicted President

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood for each leader to become president of the Government of Catalonia.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Montilla PSC | Mas CiU | Carod ERC | Piqué PP | Saura ICV–EUiA | Other/ None/ Not care | ? | Lead |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 23–24 Oct 2006 | 1,200 | 21.6 | 49.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 25.0 | 27.8 |
| Opina/El País | 22 Oct 2006 | 1,500 | 23.7 | 48.9 | – | – | – | 27.4 | 27.4 | 25.2 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 16 Oct 2006 | 1,000 | 23.3 | 48.8 | – | – | – | 27.9 | 27.9 | 25.5 |
| Opina/Cadena SER | 11 Oct 2006 | ? | 23.3 | 48.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 22.1 | 25.2 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 17–19 Jul 2006 | 800 | 35.0 | 53.0 | – | – | – | 1.0 | 11.0 | 18.0 |

## Results
### Overall

← Summary of the 1 November 2006 Parliament of Catalonia election results → :
| Parties and alliances | Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote | Seats | Seats |
| Parties and alliances | Parties and alliances | Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− |
| | Convergence and Union (CiU) | 935,756 | 31.52 | +0.58 | 48 | +2 |
| | Socialists' Party of Catalonia–Citizens for Change (PSC–CpC) | 796,173 | 26.82 | –4.34 | 37 | –5 |
| | Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 416,355 | 14.03 | –2.41 | 21 | –2 |
| | People's Party (PP) | 316,222 | 10.65 | –1.24 | 14 | –1 |
| | Initiative for Catalonia Greens–United and Alternative Left (ICV–EUiA) | 282,693 | 9.52 | +2.24 | 12 | +3 |
| | Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) | 89,840 | 3.03 | New | 3 | +3 |
| | The Greens–Ecologists and Greens of Catalonia (EV–EVC) | 17,900 | 0.60 | +0.04 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) | 13,730 | 0.46 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Unsubmissive Seats–Alternative of Discontented Democrats (Ei–ADD) | 6,922 | 0.23 | +0.16 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Catalan Republican Party (RC) | 6,024 | 0.20 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI) | 5,632 | 0.19 | +0.06 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Communist Party of the Catalan People (PCPC) | 4,798 | 0.16 | +0.08 | 0 | ±0 |
| | The Greens–Green Alternative (EV–AV) | 3,228 | 0.11 | +0.05 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Family and Life Party (PFiV) | 2,776 | 0.09 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Forward Catalonia Platform (AES–DN) | 2,735 | 0.09 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Humanist Party of Catalonia (PHC) | 2,608 | 0.09 | +0.04 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Republican Social Movement (MSR) | 1,096 | 0.04 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Carmel/Blue Party (PAzul) | 1,039 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | For a Fairer World (PUM+J) | 945 | 0.03 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Catalonia Decides (Decideix.cat) | 668 | 0.02 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Citizens for Blank Votes (CenB) | 626 | 0.02 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Republican Left–Left Republican Party (IR–PRE) | 524 | 0.02 | –0.03 | 0 | ±0 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 60,244 | 2.03 | +1.12 | | |
| Total | Total | 2,968,534 | | | 135 | ±0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,968,534 | 99.54 | –0.20 | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 13,574 | 0.46 | +0.20 | | |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | 2,982,108 | 56.04 | –6.50 | | |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | 2,339,166 | 43.96 | +6.50 | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 5,321,274 | | | | |
| Sources |||||||
Popular vote
CiU
31.52%
PSC–CpC
26.82%
ERC
14.03%
PP
10.65%
ICV–EUiA
9.52%
C's
3.03%
Others
2.40%
Blank ballots
2.03% :
Seats
CiU
35.56%
PSC–CpC
27.41%
ERC
15.56%
PP
10.37%
ICV–EUiA
8.89%
C's
2.22% :

### Distribution by constituency

| Constituency | CiU | CiU | PSC–CpC | PSC–CpC | ERC | ERC | PP | PP | ICV–EUiA | ICV–EUiA | C's | C's |
| Constituency | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S |
| Barcelona | 29.9 | 27 | 27.9 | 25 | 12.6 | 11 | 11.2 | 10 | 10.4 | 9 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Girona | 38.2 | 7 | 22.1 | 4 | 19.2 | 4 | 7.2 | 1 | 7.6 | 1 | 0.9 | − |
| Lleida | 40.0 | 7 | 22.0 | 3 | 17.7 | 3 | 9.1 | 1 | 6.6 | 1 | 1.0 | − |
| Tarragona | 32.4 | 7 | 26.0 | 5 | 17.6 | 3 | 11.0 | 2 | 6.5 | 1 | 2.4 | − |
| Total | 31.5 | 48 | 26.8 | 37 | 14.0 | 21 | 10.7 | 14 | 9.5 | 12 | 3.0 | 3 |
| Sources |||||||||||||

## Aftermath

Investiture José Montilla (PSC) :
| Ballot → | Ballot → | 24 November 2006 |
| Required majority → | Required majority → | 68 out of 135 Y |
| | Yes • PSC–CpC (37) • ERC (21) • ICV–EUiA (12) | 70 / 135 |
| | No • CiU (48) • PP (14) • C's (3) | 65 / 135 |
| | Abstentions | 0 / 135 |
| | Absentees | 0 / 135 |
| Sources |||