# 2009 European Parliament election in Spain

The 2009 European Parliament election in Spain was held on Sunday, 7 June 2009, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 7th European Parliament. All 50 seats allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Nice—54 after the Treaty of Lisbon came into force on 1 December 2011—were up for election.
The election saw the first national victory for the People's Party (PP) since the 2000 Spanish general election, scoring 42.1% of the share in its best showing in a European Parliament election to date, as well as its third best in a national election overall. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), on the other hand, fell to second place with 38.8% of the votes after a cycle of electoral victories starting in 2004. As in the previous election, the result was close, as both parties came within three percentage points of each other. The Coalition for Europe (CEU), the alliance of regionalist and peripheral nationalist parties that came to succeed the late Galeusca–Peoples of Europe coalition, remained in third place with 5.1% of the votes, whereas United Left (IU)—which ran under The Left banner—saw its worst showing in a nationwide election up to that point, barely surpassing 3.7% of the share. On the other hand, the new Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) party had a strong performance by comfortably doubling its result from the 2008 Spanish general election, being the only national party that saw a net gain of votes compared to that electoral contest. The abertzale left-supported Internationalist Initiative–Solidarity among Peoples (II–SP) candidacy, which had been initially banned from running by the Supreme Court of Spain but later allowed by the Constitutional Court on the grounds that there was not enough evidence of its ties to the ETA terrorist group, scored 1.1% of the votes nationwide but failed to secure any parliamentary representation.
As the 2009 election was held under the provisions of the Treaty of Nice, Spain was allocated 50 MEP seats which, come Election Day, were distributed as follows: PP 23, PSOE 21, CEU 2, IU–ICV 2, UPyD 1 and EdP–V 1. After the Treaty of Lisbon came into force on 1 December 2011, Spain's delegation was increased to 54, granting additional seats to the PSOE (two) and to PP and CEU (one each) according to their June 2009 election results.

## Electoral system

50 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Nice. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals and resident non-national European citizens 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 2009 :
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Parties | MEPs | MEPs |
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Parties | Seats | Total |
| | Party of European Socialists | | PSOE | 24 | 24 |
| | European People's Party | | PP | 23 | 24 |
| | European People's Party | | UPN | 1 | 24 |
| | Greens–European Free Alliance | | ICV | 1 | 3 |
| | Greens–European Free Alliance | | EA | 1 | 3 |
| | Greens–European Free Alliance | | LVdE | 1 | 3 |
| | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe | | CDC | 1 | 2 |
| | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe | | EAJ/PNV | 1 | 2 |
| | European United Left–Nordic Green Left | | IU | 1 | 1 |

## 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) | | Juan Fernando López Aguilar | Social democracy | 43.46% | 25 | |
| | PP | List People's Party (PP) | | Jaime Mayor Oreja | Conservatism Christian democracy | 41.21% | 24 | [8] [9] |
| | CEU | List Convergence and Union (CiU) Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) Canarian Coalition (CC) Valencian Nationalist Bloc (Bloc) Majorcan Union (UM) Andalusian Party (PA) Menorcan Union (UMe) Democratic Convergence of La Franja (CDF) | | Ramon Tremosa | Peripheral nationalism | 5.22% | 2 | [10] [11] |
| | IU–ICV | List United Left (IU) Initiative for Catalonia Greens–United and Alternative Left (ICV–EUiA) Galician Left Alternative (AGE) Left (I–E) The Greens (LV) Building the Left–Socialist Alternative (CLI–AS) Left Initiative–Awake (EKI–Iratzarri) | | Willy Meyer | Socialism Communism | 4.15% | 2 | [12] [13] |
| | EdP–V | List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) Aralar (Aralar) The Greens (LV) Basque Solidarity (EA) Aragonese Union (CHA) Agreement for Majorca (ExM) Party of El Bierzo (PB) | | Oriol Junqueras | Peripheral nationalism | 3.44% | 1 | |
| | UPyD | List Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) | | Francisco Sosa Wagner | Social liberalism Radical centrism | Did not contest | Did not contest | |

## Campaign
### Party slogans

| Party or alliance | Original slogan | English translation | Ref. |
| PSOE | « Este partido se juega en Europa » | "This match plays out in Europe" | |
| PP | « Ahora soluciones. Ahora PP » | "Now, solutions. Now, PP" | |
| CEU CiU EAJ/PNV | CiU: « Ara » EAJ/PNV: « Europara, inoiz baino indar gehiagorekin » / « A Europa, con más fuerza que nunca » | CiU: "Now" EAJ/PNV: "To Europe, with more strength than ever" | |
| IU–ICV | « Izquierda Unida, tu voz en Europa » | "United Left, your voice in Europe" | |
| EdP–V ERC BNG Aralar–EA | ERC: « Pròxima estació, Europa » BNG: « Imos a Europa, ves? » Aralar–EA: « Langileen Europa » / « La Europa de los trabajadores » | ERC: "Next stop, Europe" BNG: "We are going to Europe, are you coming?" Aralar–EA: "The Europe of workers" | [20] [21] [22] |
| UPyD | « Una España fuerte en una Europa unida » | "A strong Spain within a united Europe" | |

### Election debates

2009 European Parliament election debates in Spain :
| Date | Organisers | Moderator(s) | P Present  S Surrogate  NI Not invited  A Absent invitee | P Present  S Surrogate  NI Not invited  A Absent invitee | P Present  S Surrogate  NI Not invited  A Absent invitee | P Present  S Surrogate  NI Not invited  A Absent invitee | P Present  S Surrogate  NI Not invited  A Absent invitee | P Present  S Surrogate  NI Not invited  A Absent invitee | P Present  S Surrogate  NI Not invited  A Absent invitee |
| Date | Organisers | Moderator(s) | PSOE | PP | CEU | IU–ICV | EdP–V | Audience | Refs |
| 25 May | RTVE | Ana Blanco | P L. Aguilar | P M. Oreja | NI | NI | NI | 13.9% (2,653,000) | [24] [25] |
| 1 June | Antena 3 | Gloria Lomana | P L. Aguilar | P M. Oreja | NI | NI | NI | 10.9% (1,864,000) | [24] [25] |
| 3 June | RTVE | Pepa Bueno | S Jáuregui | S De Grandes | P Tremosa | P Meyer | P Junqueras | 8.3% (1,461,000) | [24][25] [26] |

## 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.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout | | | CEU | | EdPV | | | Lead |
| 2009 EP election | 7 Jun 2009 | — | 44.9 | 38.8 21 | 42.1 23 | 5.1 2 | 3.7 2 | 2.5 1 | 2.9 1 | 1.1 0 | 3.3 |
| PSOE | 5 Jun 2009 | ? | 45–50 | 42.4 23 | 42.7 23 | – | 3.6 1 | – | – | – | 0.3 |
| TNS Demoscopia/Antena 3 | 28 May 2009 | ? | ? | 39.7 21/22 | 42.4 22/23 | 4.8 2 | 3.9 2 | 2.4 1 | 3.1 1 | 0.8 0 | 2.7 |
| Metroscopia/El País | 27–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | 45 | 39.3 21 | 43.0 22 | 5.0 2 | 4.1 2 | 3.9 2 | 3.0 1 | – | 3.7 |
| NC Report/La Razón | 26–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | ? | 40.2 21 | 43.2 23 | 4.7 2 | 3.9 2 | 2.3 1 | 3.0 1 | – | 3.0 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo | 26–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | 39–44 | 40.6 21/22 | 42.8 23/24 | 4.0 2 | 3.4 1 | 2.7 1 | 2.6 1 | – | 2.2 |
| DYM/ABC | 25–28 May 2009 | 1,040 | ? | 38.7 21 | 40.9 23 | 5.4 2 | 3.3 1 | 1.8 1 | 2.2 1 | – | 2.2 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 25–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | ? | 42.5 23 | 40.9 22 | 4.9 2 | 3.2 1 | 2.2 1 | 3.3 1 | – | 1.6 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 11–27 May 2009 | 2,402 | ? | 40.0 21 | 42.6 23 | 3.8 2 | 4.0 2 | 2.7 1 | 2.8 1 | 0.9 0 | 2.6 |
| PSOE | 25 May 2009 | 2,500 | 45–48 | 42.7 23 | 42.5 23 | – | ? 1/2 | – | ? 0 | – | 0.2 |
| NC Report/La Razón | 18–21 May 2009 | 1,000 | 40.1 | 41.0 21/22 | 43.7 23 | 4.5 2 | 3.7 1/2 | 2.0 1 | 2.9 1 | – | 2.7 |
| CIS | 29 Apr–17 May 2009 | 4,692 | ? | 42.8 23 | 42.2 23 | 5.1 2 | 3.1 1 | 3.6 1 | 1.3 0 | – | 0.6 |
| GESOP/El Periódico | 11–15 May 2009 | 1,500 | ? | 39.0 21 | 43.0 23 | 4.2 2 | 4.7 2 | 3.6 1 | 2.6 1 | – | 4.0 |
| INVESOP/COPE | 8 May 2009 | 1,700 | 58 | 40.7 22 | 44.0 23 | ? 2 | ? 1 | ? 1 | ? 1 | – | 3.3 |
| INVESOP/COPE | 8 May 2009 | 1,700 | 40 | 41.1 22 | 45.1 24 | ? 2 | ? 1 | ? 0 | ? 1 | – | 4.0 |
| NC Report/La Razón | 4–8 May 2009 | 1,000 | 42.9 | 40.0 21 | 42.8 22/23 | 4.6 2 | 5.1 2 | 2.2 1 | 3.4 1/2 | – | 2.8 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 14 Apr–8 May 2009 | ? | ? | 40.0 21/22 | 44.0 23/24 | 4.0 2 | 3.5 1 | 1.7 0 | 3.7 1/2 | – | 4.0 |
| NC Report/La Razón | 20 Apr 2009 | ? | 42.5 | 39.0 21 | 43.3 23 | 4.8 2 | 5.3 2 | 2.2 1 | 3.2 1 | – | 4.3 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo | 3–8 Apr 2009 | 900 | ? | 37.9 20/21 | 42.3 22/23 | 4.3 2 | 5.0 2 | 2.2 1 | 4.4 2 | – | 4.4 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 10 Mar–2 Apr 2009 | 3,204 | ? | 39.0 21 | 43.5 23 | 4.8 2 | 4.9 2 | 1.9 1 | 3.2 1 | – | 4.5 |
| 2004 EP election | 13 Jun 2004 | — | 45.1 | 43.5 25 | 41.2 24 | 5.1 2 | 4.1 2 | 2.5 1 | – | – | 2.3 |

### Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | CEU | | EdPV | | ? | N | Lead |
| 2009 EP election | 7 Jun 2009 | — | 17.6 | 19.3 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.3 | — | 54.0 | 1.7 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 25–27 May 2009 | ? | 21.8 | 18.8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3.0 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 18–20 May 2009 | ? | 21.6 | 18.9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2.7 |
| CIS | 29 Apr–17 May 2009 | 4,692 | 30.7 | 23.7 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 22.3 | 13.8 | 7.0 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 11–13 May 2009 | ? | 20.3 | 20.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.2 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 14 Apr–8 May 2009 | ? | 21.4 | 19.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 36.6 | 15.7 | 2.1 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 10 Mar–2 Apr 2009 | 3,204 | 21.6 | 20.6 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 33.3 | 16.3 | 1.0 |
| 2004 EP election | 13 Jun 2004 | — | 19.7 | 18.8 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.1 | – | — | 54.1 | 0.9 |

### Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a European Parliament election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | CEU | | EdPV | | Other/ None | ? | Lead |
| Metroscopia/El País | 27–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | 45.0 | 32.0 | – | – | – | – | 23.0 | 23.0 | 13.0 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 25–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | 42.0 | 33.0 | – | – | – | – | 25.0 | 25.0 | 9.0 |
| PSOE | 25 May 2009 | 2,500 | 34.8 | 34.7 | – | – | – | – | 30.5 | 30.5 | 0.1 |
| CIS | 29 Apr–17 May 2009 | 4,692 | 37.8 | 27.4 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 8.4 | 18.5 | 10.4 |

### Victory likelihood

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a European Parliament election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | Other/ None | ? | Lead |
| Metroscopia/El País | 27–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | 35.0 | 36.0 | 29.0 | 29.0 | 1.0 |
| Noxa/La Vanguardia | 25–28 May 2009 | 1,000 | 39.0 | 38.0 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 1.0 |
| PSOE | 25 May 2009 | 2,500 | 33.5 | 33.3 | 33.2 | 33.2 | 0.2 |
| CIS | 29 Apr–17 May 2009 | 4,692 | 30.9 | 31.5 | 2.2 | 35.4 | 0.6 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 14 Apr–8 May 2009 | ? | 18.3 | 29.5 | 0.1 | 52.4 | 11.2 |
| Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público | 10 Mar–2 Apr 2009 | 3,204 | 21.3 | 22.0 | 0.3 | 56.4 | 0.7 |

## Results
### Overall

← Summary of the 7 June 2009 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 | +/− |
| | People's Party (PP)$^1$ | 6,670,377 | 42.12 | +0.91 | 24 | ±0 |
| | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)$^1$ | 6,141,784 | 38.78 | –4.68 | 23 | –2 |
| | Coalition for Europe (CEU)$^1$ $^2$ | 808,246 | 5.10 | –0.12 | 3 | +1 |
| | United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Greens: The Left (IU–ICV) | 588,248 | 3.71 | –0.44 | 2 | ±0 |
| | Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) | 451,866 | 2.85 | New | 1 | +1 |
| | Europe of the Peoples–Greens (EdP–V)$^3$ | 394,938 | 2.49 | –0.95 | 1 | ±0 |
| | Internationalist Initiative–Solidarity among Peoples (II–SP) | 178,121 | 1.12 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | The Greens–European Green Group (LV–GVE) | 89,147 | 0.56 | +0.12 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) | 41,913 | 0.26 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | For a Fairer World (PUM+J) | 24,507 | 0.15 | +0.09 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Libertas–Citizens of Spain (Libertas) | 22,903 | 0.14 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Anti-capitalist Left–Global Revolt (IzAn–RG) | 19,735 | 0.12 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Spanish Alternative (AES) | 19,583 | 0.12 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) | 15,221 | 0.10 | +0.07 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Socialist Party of Andalusia (PSA)$^4$ | 13,993 | 0.09 | +0.05 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI) | 12,344 | 0.08 | +0.03 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Family and Life Party (PFyV) | 10,456 | 0.07 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 10,144 | 0.06 | –0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) | 10,031 | 0.06 | +0.03 | 0 | ±0 |
| | National Democracy (DN) | 9,950 | 0.06 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Feminist Initiative (IFem) | 9,721 | 0.06 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | National Front (FrN) | 7,970 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Catalan Republican Party (RC) | 7,547 | 0.05 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Humanist Party (PH) | 7,009 | 0.04 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Valencian Union (UV)$^5$ | 6,072 | 0.04 | –0.01 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Republican Social Movement (MSR) | 6,009 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn) | 5,877 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL) | 5,733 | 0.04 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Authentic Phalanx (FA) | 5,165 | 0.03 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | United Extremadura (EU)$^6$ | 5,007 | 0.03 | +0.02 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) | 4,767 | 0.03 | +0.01 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Communist Unification of Spain (UCE) | 3,483 | 0.02 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Asturian Nationalist Unity (UNA) | 3,183 | 0.02 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Andecha Astur (AA) | 2,255 | 0.01 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Liberal Centrist Union (UCL) | 1,991 | 0.01 | ±0.00 | 0 | ±0 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 220,471 | 1.39 | +0.78 | | |
| Total$^1$ | Total$^1$ | 15,835,767 | | | 54 | ±0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 15,835,767 | 99.38 | +0.36 | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 99,380 | 0.62 | –0.36 | | |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | 15,935,147 | 44.90 | –0.24 | | |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | 19,557,420 | 55.10 | +0.24 | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 35,492,567 | | | | |
| Sources |||||||
| Footnotes: $^1$ Initially, Spain was allocated 50 seats, which were distributed as follows: PP (23), PSOE (21), CEU (2), IU–ICV (2), UPyD (1) and EdP–V (1). However, as a result of the Treaty of Lisbon, Spain's MEP delegation grew to 54, with the additional 4 seats being allocated to PP (1), PSOE (2) and CEU (1).$^2$ Coalition for Europe results are compared to the combined totals of Galeusca–Peoples of Europe—not including results in the Balearic Islands and Galicia—and European Coalition in Andalusia, Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands in the 2004 election.$^3$ Europe of the Peoples–Greens results are compared to the combined totals of Europe of the Peoples—not including results in Andalusia and Asturias—, Galeusca–Peoples of Europe in Galicia and Aralar in the 2004 election.$^4$ Socialist Party of Andalusia results are compared to Europe of the Peoples totals in Andalusia in the 2004 election.$^5$ Valencian Union results are compared to European Coalition totals in the Valencian Community in the 2004 election.$^6$ United Extremadura results are compared to European Coalition totals in Extremadura in the 2004 election. |||||||
Popular vote
PP
42.12%
PSOE
38.78%
CEU
5.10%
IU–ICV
3.71%
UPyD
2.85%
EdP–V
2.49%
II–SP
1.12%
Others
2.41%
Blank ballots
1.39% :
Seats
PP
44.44%
PSOE
42.59%
CEU
5.56%
IU–ICV
3.70%
UPyD
1.85%
EdP–V
1.85% :

### Maps

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

### Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 7th European Parliament (2009–2014) :
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Seats | Total | % |
| | European People's Party (EPP) | People's Party (PP) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) | 24 1 | 25 | 46.30 |
| | Party of European Socialists (PES) | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 23 | 23 | 42.59 |
| | Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) | Initiative for Catalonia Greens (ICV) Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 1 1 | 2 | 3.70 |
| | European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) | Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | 1 1 | 2 | 3.70 |
| | European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) | United Left (IU) | 1 | 1 | 1.85 |
| | Non-Inscrits (NI) | Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) | 1 | 1 | 1.85 |
| Total | Total | Total | 54 | 54 | 100.00 |