1988 Catalan regional election

1988 Catalan regional election
29 May 1988
All 135 seats in the Parliament of Catalonia
68 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered4,564,389 Increase 1.6%
Turnout2,709,685 (59.4%)
Decrease 5.0 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jordi Pujol Raimon Obiols Rafael Ribó
Party CiU PSC–PSOE IC
Leader since 17 November 1974 12 July 1983 23 February 1987
Leader's seat Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona
Last election 72 seats, 46.8% 41 seats, 30.1% 6 seats, 9.2%[a]
Seats won 69 42 9
Seat change Decrease 3 Increase 1 Increase 3
Popular vote 1,232,514 802,828 209,211
Percentage 45.7% 29.8% 7.8%
Swing Decrease 1.1 pp Decrease 0.3 pp Decrease 1.4 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Jorge Fernández Díaz Joan Hortalà Antoni Fernández Teixidó
Party AP ERC CDS
Leader since 1985 1987 1988
Leader's seat Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona
Last election 11 seats, 7.7%[b] 5 seats, 4.4% Did not contest
Seats won 6 6 3
Seat change Decrease 5 Increase 1 Increase 3
Popular vote 143,241 111,647 103,351
Percentage 5.3% 4.1% 3.8%
Swing Decrease 2.4 pp Decrease 0.3 pp New party
President before election

Jordi Pujol
CDC (CiU)

 President after election

Jordi Pujol
CDC (CiU)

A regional election was held in Catalonia on 29 May 1988 to elect the 3rd Parliament of the autonomous community. All 135 seats in the Parliament were up for election.

Overview

Under the 1979 Statute of Autonomy, the Parliament of Catalonia was the unicameral legislature of the homonymous autonomous community, having legislative power in devolved matters, as well as the ability to grant or withdraw confidence from a regional president.[1] The electoral and procedural rules were supplemented by national law provisions.[2]

Date

The term of the Parliament of Catalonia expired four years after the date of its previous election, unless it was dissolved earlier. The election was required to be called no later than 15 days before the scheduled expiration date of parliament, with election day taking place within 60 days from the call.[3] The previous election was held on 29 April 1984, which meant that the chamber's term would have expired on 29 April 1988. The election was required to be called no later than 14 April 1988, setting the latest possible date for election day on 13 June 1988.

Amendments in 1985 granted the regional president the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Catalonia at any given time and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process and that dissolution did not occur before one year after a previous one under this procedure.[4] 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.[5]

The Parliament of Catalonia was officially dissolved on 4 April 1988 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia (DOGC), setting election day for 29 May.[6][7]

Electoral system

Voting for the Parliament was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Catalonia and with full political rights, provided that they had not been deprived of the right to vote by a final sentence, nor were legally incapacitated.[8]

The Parliament of Catalonia had a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 150 seats, with electoral provisions fixing its size at 135. All were elected in four multi-member constituencies—corresponding to the provinces of Barcelona, Gerona, Lérida and Tarragona, each of which was assigned a fixed number of seats—using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a three percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency.[9] The use of this electoral method resulted in a higher effective threshold depending on district magnitude and vote distribution.[10]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Parliament constituency was entitled the following seats:[11]

Seats Constituencies
85 Barcelona
18 Tarragona
17 Gerona
15 Lérida

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacant seats; instead, any vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term were filled by the next candidates on the party lists or, when required, by designated substitutes.[12]

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance were required to inform the relevant electoral commission within 10 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.[13]

Below is a list of the main parties and alliances which contested the election:

Candidacy Parties and
alliances		 Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Gov. Ref.
Vote % Seats
CiU Jordi Pujol Catalan nationalism
Centrism		 46.8% 72 Yes
PSC–PSOE
List
 Raimon Obiols Social democracy 30.1% 41 No
AP
List
 Jorge Fernández Díaz Conservatism
National conservatism
7.7%
[b]		 11 No
IC Rafael Ribó Eco-socialism
Green politics
9.2%
[a]		 6 No
ERC Joan Hortalà Catalan nationalism
Left-wing nationalism
Social democracy		 4.4% 5 No
CDS Antoni Fernández Teixidó Centrism
Liberalism		 Did not contest No

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

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 29 May 1988 Parliament of Catalonia election results →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
Convergence and Union (CiU) 1,232,51445.72−1.08 69−3
Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE)1 802,82829.78−0.36 42+1
Initiative for Catalonia (IC)2 209,2117.76−1.46 9+3
People's Alliance (AP)3 143,2415.31−2.39 6−5
Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) 111,6474.14−0.27 6+1
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 103,3513.83New 3+3
Green Alternative–Ecologist Movement of Catalonia (AV–MEC) 16,3460.61New 0±0
The Ecologist Greens (EVE) 8,7300.32New 0±0
The Greens (EV) 8,1050.30New 0±0
Ecologist Party of Catalonia–VERDE (PEC–VERDE) 5,9270.22−0.08 0±0
Andalusian Party of Catalonia (PAC) 5,8150.22New 0±0
Workers' Socialist Party (PST) 5,7940.21+0.02 0±0
Social Democratic Party of Catalonia (PSDC) 5,1560.19−0.05 0±0
Spanish Juntas (JJEE) 4,5240.17New 0±0
Communist Unification of Spain (UCE) 3,3580.12New 0±0
Revolutionary Workers' Party of Spain (PORE) 2,7270.10+0.01 0±0
Communist Workers' League (LOC) 2,2280.08New 0±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) 2,2020.08New 0±0
Humanist Party of Catalonia (PHC) 2,1950.08New 0±0
Alliance for the Republic (AxR)4 1,1190.04−0.08 0±0
Republican Popular Unity (UPR)5 1,0660.04−0.02 0±0
Centrist Unity–Democratic Spanish Party (PED) 9050.03New 0±0
Blank ballots 16,9460.63+0.13
Total 2,695,935 135±0
Valid votes 2,695,93599.49+0.01
Invalid votes 13,7500.51−0.01
Votes cast / turnout 2,709,68559.37−4.99
Abstentions 1,854,70440.63+4.99
Registered voters 4,564,389
Sources[14][15][16][17]
Footnotes:
Popular vote
CiU
 
 45.72%
PSC–PSOE
 
 29.78%
IC
 
 7.76%
AP
 
 5.31%
ERC
 
 4.14%
CDS
 
 3.83%
Others
 
 2.83%
Blank ballots
 
 0.63%
Seats
CiU
 
 51.11%
PSC–PSOE
 
 31.11%
IC
 
 6.67%
AP
 
 4.44%
ERC
 
 4.44%
CDS
 
 2.22%

Distribution by constituency

Constituency CiU PSC IC AP ERC CDS
% S % S % S % S % S % S
Barcelona 43.6 39 31.4 28 8.8 8 5.2 4 3.7 3 3.8 3
Gerona 56.3 11 23.6 5 3.9 − 3.7 − 5.5 1 3.2 −
Lérida 53.8 9 23.1 4 3.6 − 6.2 1 5.9 1 4.3 −
Tarragona 47.6 10 27.0 5 5.5 1 7.1 1 5.3 1 4.0 −
Total 45.7 69 29.8 42 7.8 9 5.3 6 4.1 6 3.8 3
Sources[14][15][16][17]

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture
Nomination of Jordi Pujol (CDC)
Ballot → 22 June 1988
Required majority → 68 out of 135 check
Yes
69 / 135
No
56 / 135
Abstentions
9 / 135
Absentees
1 / 135
Sources[14][18]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Results for PSUC (5.6%, 6 seats), PCC (2.4%, 0 seats) and EEC (1.2%, 0 seats) in the 1984 election.
  2. 1 2 Results for AP–PDP–UL in the 1984 election.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Within IC.
  4. ↑ Within UEC.
  5. 1 2 3 Within AP–PDP–PL.
  6. ↑ Results for UEC in the 1986 general election.

References

Opinion poll sources

  1. ↑ "Euforia de Obiols al mantener posiciones". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 30 May 1988.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "TV3 atribuyó a CiU el resultado más bajo de todos los sondeos difundidos ayer tarde". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 30 May 1988.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Sondejos". Generalitat de Catalunya (in Catalan). Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Los candidatos, entre el escepticismo y la confianza tras la publicación de las encuestas". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 23 May 1988.
  5. 1 2 3 "Los institutos de opinión achacan a la abstención, "que afectó sobre todo a CiU", sus fallos de cálcul". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 5 June 1988.
  6. ↑ "Jordi Pujol ampliará su mayoría absoluta". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 20 May 1988.
  7. ↑ "Jordi Pujol consolidará su mayoría absoluta en el Parlamento catalán". El País (in Spanish). 22 May 1988.
  8. ↑ "Ficha técnica". El País (in Spanish). 22 May 1988.
  9. ↑ "Las encuestas coinciden en la mayoría de CiU y el ascenso del CDS". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 14 May 1988.
  10. ↑ "Convergència i Unió revalida la mayoría absoluta mientras se produce un descenso de los socialistas". El País (in Spanish). 8 May 1988.
  11. ↑ "Ficha técnica". El País (in Spanish). 8 May 1988.
  12. 1 2 "El CIS también concede la mayoría absoluta CiU". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 4 May 1988.
  13. ↑ "Jordi Pujol mantendrá la mayoría absoluta". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 26 April 1988.
  14. 1 2 "Descenso de Pujol y auge del CDS en Cataluña, según una encuesta del CIS". El País (in Spanish). 24 February 1988.
  15. ↑ "Convergència i Unió consolida su primacía política en las elecciones catalanas". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 December 1985.

Other

  1. ↑ Statute (1979), arts. 30 & 33–34.
  2. ↑ Statute (1979), trans. prov. 4; Decree 64/1988 (1988), add. prov.
  3. ↑ Statute (1979), art. 31; LPPCEG (1982), arts. 7 & 47.
  4. ↑ LPPCEG (1982), art. 46 (am. by LPPCEG (1985), single art.).
  5. ↑ LPPCEG (1982), arts. 46 & 54.
  6. ↑ Decree 64/1988 (1988), arts. 1–2.
  7. ↑ "Pujol firmará el domingo el decreto de convocatoria de las elecciones". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. 29 March 1988. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  8. ↑ Statute (1979), art. 31 & trans. prov. 4 (suppl. by LOREG (1985), arts. 2–3).
  9. ↑ Statute (1979), art. 31 & trans. prov. 4 (suppl. by LOREG (1985), arts. 162–164); LPPCEG (1982), art. 3.
  10. ↑ Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Dublin: Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  11. ↑ Statute (1979), trans. prov. 4; Decree 64/1988 (1988), art. 3.
  12. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 46 & 48.
  13. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 44 & 169.
  14. 1 2 3 Lozano, Carles. "Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya (des de 1980)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  15. 1 2 "Resultats electorals. Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya 1988. Catalunya" (in Catalan). Government of Catalonia. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  16. 1 2 "Edictos de 9 de junio de 1988, por los que se hacen públicos los resultados correspondientes a la proclamación de electos al Parlamento de Cataluña, de las circunscripciones de Lleida, Tarragona y Girona" (PDF). Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia (in Spanish) (1012): 2823–2824. 4 July 1988. ISSN 1988-298X. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Edicto de 15 de junio de 1988, por el que se hacen públicos los resultados correspondientes a la proclamación de electos al Parlamento de Cataluña, de la circunscripción de Barcelona" (PDF). Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia (in Spanish) (1012): 2825. 4 July 1988. ISSN 1988-298X. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  18. ↑ Company, Enric; Antich, José (23 June 1988). "La oposición consigue poner en dificultades a Pujol en el debate de su investidura". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 17 February 2026.

Bibliography

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