2007 Barcelona municipal election

2007 Barcelona municipal election

27 May 2007

All 41 seats in the City Council of Barcelona
21 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered1,234,368 Decrease 3.7%
Turnout612,509 (49.6%)
Decrease 9.6 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jordi Hereu Xavier Trias Alberto Fernández Díaz
Party PSC–PM CiU PP
Leader since 8 September 2006 17 May 2002 17 July 2002
Last election 15 seats, 33.6% 9 seats, 21.4% 7 seats, 16.1%
Seats won 14 12 7
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 3 Steady 0
Popular vote 182,216 155,101 95,083
Percentage 29.9% 25.5% 15.6%
Swing Decrease 3.7 pp Increase 4.1 pp Decrease 0.5 pp

  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Imma Mayol Jordi Portabella
Party ICV–EUiA–EPM ERC–AM
Leader since 1998 16 May 1998
Last election 5 seats, 12.1% 5 seats, 12.8%
Seats won 4 4
Seat change Decrease 1 Decrease 1
Popular vote 56,953 53,707
Percentage 9.3% 8.8%
Swing Decrease 2.8 pp Decrease 4.0 pp

Mayor before election

Jordi Hereu
PSC

Mayor after election

Jordi Hereu
PSC

A municipal election was held in Barcelona on 27 May 2007 to elect the 8th City Council of the municipality. All 41 seats in the City Council were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all across Spain.

Overview

Under the 1978 Constitution, the governance of municipalities in Spain—part of the country's local government system—was centered on the figure of city councils (Spanish: ayuntamientos), local corporations with independent legal personality composed of a mayor, a government council and an elected legislative assembly.[1] The mayor was indirectly elected by the local assembly, requiring an absolute majority; otherwise, the candidate from the most-voted party automatically became mayor (ties were resolved by drawing lots).[2] In the case of Barcelona, the top-tier administrative and governing body was the City Council of Barcelona.[3]

Date

The term of local assemblies in Spain expired four years after the date of their previous election, with election day being fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The election decree was required to be issued no later than 54 days before the scheduled election date and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE).[4] The previous local elections were held on 25 May 2003, setting the date for election day on the fourth Sunday of May four years later, which was 27 May 2007.

Local assemblies could not be dissolved before the expiration of their term, except in cases of mismanagement that seriously harmed the public interest and implied a breach of constitutional obligations, in which case the Council of Ministers could—optionally—decide to call a by-election.[5]

Elections to the assemblies of local entities were officially called on 3 April 2007 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 27 May.[6]

Electoral system

Voting for local assemblies was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality 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), as well as resident non-national European citizens, and those whose country of origin allowed reciprocal voting by virtue of a treaty.[7]

Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a five percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each municipality.[8] Each municipality was a multi-member constituency, with a number of seats based on the following scale:[9]

Population Councillors
<250 5
251–1,000 7
1,001–2,000 9
2,001–5,000 11
5,001–10,000 13
10,001–20,000 17
20,001–50,000 21
50,001–100,000 25
>100,001 +1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction
+1 if total is an even number

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.[10]

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 a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list. In the case of Barcelona, as its population was over 1,000,001, at least 8,000 signatures were required.[11] Amendments earlier in 2007 required a balanced composition of men and women in the electoral lists, so that candidates of either sex made up at least 40 percent of the total composition.[12]

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
PSC–PM
List
Jordi Hereu Social democracy 33.6% 15 Yes [13]
[14]
CiU Xavier Trias Catalan nationalism
Centrism
21.4% 9 No [15]
PP
List
Alberto Fernández Díaz Conservatism
Christian democracy
16.1% 7 No [16]
ERC–AM Jordi Portabella Catalan independence
Left-wing nationalism
Social democracy
12.8% 5 Yes [17]
ICV–
EUiA–EPM
Imma Mayol Regionalism
Eco-socialism
Green politics
12.1% 5 Yes [18]
[19]
C's Esperanza García Liberalism Did not contest No [20]
[21]

Incumbent Joan Clos had initially intended to run for re-election,[22] but his appointment as minister of Industry in the government of Spain under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero saw Jordi Hereu becoming new mayor in September 2006.[13][23]

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; 21 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Barcelona.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a municipal election taking place.

Victory likelihood

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a municipal election taking place.

Preferred Mayor

The table below lists opinion polling on leader preferences to become mayor of Barcelona.

All candidates
Hereu vs. Trias
Clos vs. Trias

Predicted Mayor

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood for each leader to become mayor.

Results

← Summary of the 27 May 2007 City Council of Barcelona election results →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
Socialists' Party of Catalonia–Municipal Progress (PSC–PM) 182,21629.91−3.69 14−1
Convergence and Union (CiU) 155,10125.46+4.05 12+3
People's Party (PP) 95,08315.61−0.51 7±0
Initiative–EUiA–Agreement for Municipal Progress (ICV–EUiA–EPM) 56,9539.35−2.72 4−1
Republican Left of Catalonia–Municipal Agreement (ERC–AM) 53,7078.81−3.99 4−1
Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) 23,6253.88New 0±0
The Greens–The Ecologist Alternative (EV–AE) 4,7540.78New 0±0
Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 3,0730.50New 0±0
Unsubmissive Seats–Alternative of Discontented Democrats (Ei–ADD) 2,2900.38+0.28 0±0
Catalan Republican Party (RC) 1,2140.20New 0±0
Communist Party of the Catalan People (PCPC) 9720.16New 0±0
Republican Left–Left Republican Party (IR–PRE) 8220.13New 0±0
For a Fairer World (PUM+J) 7170.12New 0±0
Barcelona for Self-determination (BxA–FIC) 6920.11New 0±0
Carmel/Blue Party (PAzul) 6180.10New 0±0
Citizen Force (FC's) 5910.10New 0±0
Family and Life Party (PFiV) 4630.08New 0±0
Humanist Party (PH) 4020.07±0.00 0±0
Platform for Catalonia (PxC) 3510.06+0.02 0±0
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 2700.04−0.03 0±0
Internationalist Struggle (LI (LIT–CI)) 2090.03±0.00 0±0
Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn) 1830.03New 0±0
Blank ballots 25,0024.10+2.42
Total 609,308 41±0
Valid votes 609,30899.48−0.17
Invalid votes 3,2010.52+0.17
Votes cast / turnout 612,50949.62−9.62
Abstentions 621,85950.38+9.62
Registered voters 1,234,368
Sources[24][25][26][27]
Popular vote
PSC–PM
 
29.91%
CiU
 
25.46%
PP
 
15.61%
ICV–EUiA–EPM
 
9.35%
ERC–AM
 
8.81%
C's
 
3.88%
Others
 
2.89%
Blank ballots
 
4.10%
Seats
PSC–PM
 
34.15%
CiU
 
29.27%
PP
 
17.07%
ICV–EUiA–EPM
 
9.76%
ERC–AM
 
9.76%

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture
Ballot → 16 June 2007
Required majority → 21 out of 41
18 / 41
check
12 / 41
X mark
7 / 41
X mark
4 / 41
X mark
Abstentions/Blank ballots
0 / 41
Absentees
0 / 41
Sources[24][28]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Does not include non-resident citizens.

References

Opinion poll sources

  1. 1 2 "Sondejos". Generalitat de Catalunya (in Catalan). Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "El PP se crece en Madrid y Valencia y el PSOE amarra Barcelona y Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). 21 May 2007.
  3. ↑ "El tripartito repite en Barcelona pese a un ligero avance de CiU". El País (in Spanish). 21 May 2007.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "El tripartito repite en Barcelona pese a un ligero avance de CiU" (PDF). El País (in Spanish). 21 May 2007.
  5. 1 2 3 "El PSC resiste el avance de CiU en Barcelona". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 19 May 2007.
  6. 1 2 "Ficha técnica de las encuestas. Barcelona". Ajuntament de Barcelona (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "El PSC encara la recta final 11 punts al davant de CiU" (PDF). El Periódico de Catalunya (in Catalan). 16 May 2007.
  8. ↑ "Elecciones 27-M / Sondeo El Mundo-Sigma Dos". El Mundo (in Spanish). 12 May 2007.
  9. ↑ "Hereu y Gallardón disienten sobre la seguridad en las grandes ciudades". El País (in Spanish). 8 May 2007.
  10. ↑ "Una encuesta augura que el tripartito repite en BCN". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 8 May 2007.
  11. ↑ "El PSC seguirá gobernando en Barcelona y mejora sus resultados". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 11 May 2007.
  12. 1 2 3 "INFORME BARCELONA CIUDAD. Mayo 2007". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 11 May 2007. Archived from the original on 13 May 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Preelectoral elecciones municipales, 2007. Ciudad de Barcelona (Estudio nº 2683. Abril-Mayo 2007)". CIS (in Spanish). 11 May 2007.
  14. 1 2 "Hereu hereda; Trias sube". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 16 May 2007.
  15. ↑ "Hereu y Trias empatarían en las elecciones municipales de Barcelona, según una encuesta de CiU". Europa Press (in Spanish). 9 October 2006.
  16. 1 2 "Una encuesta de CiU ve un empate Trias-Clos si ahora hubiera elecciones". ABC (in Spanish). 29 November 2005.
  17. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Març 2006" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 9 March 2006.
  18. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Desembre 2005" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 16 December 2005.
  19. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Octubre 2005" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 10 October 2005.
  20. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Juny 2005" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 8 June 2005.
  21. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Març 2005" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 16 March 2005.
  22. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Desembre 2004" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 3 December 2004.
  23. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Setembre 2004" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 10 September 2004.
  24. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Juny 2004" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 21 June 2004.
  25. ↑ "Baròmetre trimestral de Barcelona. Març 2004" (PDF). City Council of Barcelona (in Catalan). 31 March 2004.
  26. ↑ "Baròmetre Març 2009". CiU (in Catalan). 5 April 2009.
  27. 1 2 "Enquesta Trias CiU Desembre 2009". CiU (in Catalan). 13 January 2010.
  28. 1 2 3 4 "Hereu es consolida com a alcalde en només mig any" (PDF). El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 3 March 2007.
  29. 1 2 3 "Enquesta CiU Barcelona Maig 2010". CiU (in Catalan). 16 June 2010.

Other

  1. ↑ Constitution (1978), art. 140; LBRL (1985), art. 19.
  2. ↑ LBRL (1985), art. 19; LOREG (1985), art. 196.
  3. ↑ LBRL (1985), arts. 121–132.
  4. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 42 & 194.
  5. ↑ LBRL (1985), art. 61.
  6. ↑ Royal Decree 444/2007 (2007), art. 1.
  7. ↑ Constitution (1978), art. 13; LBRL (1985), art. 19; LOREG (1985), arts. 2–3 & 176.
  8. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 163 & 180.
  9. ↑ LOREG (1985), art. 179.
  10. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 46, 48 & 182.
  11. ↑ LOREG (1985), arts. 44 & 187.
  12. ↑ LOREG (1985), art. 44 bis.
  13. 1 2 "Jordi Hereu, nuevo alcalde de Barcelona". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "El PSC designará este mes a Hereu candidato a la alcaldía de Barcelona". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 7 January 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "CiU designa a Trias como candidato para las municipales de 2007". El País (in Spanish). 6 November 2005. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  16. ↑ "Fernández Díaz promete una Barcelona de "ley y orden y sin 'okupas"". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. 4 March 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "ERC elige a Jordi Portabella candidato a la Alcaldía de Barcelona". El Mundo (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 22 April 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "ICV elige a Inma Mayol 'alcaldable' por Barcelona con el 92,85% de los votos". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 30 January 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  19. ↑ "Mayol, elegida candidata". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 31 January 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "Una abogada lidera la lista de Ciutadans por Barcelona". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 19 March 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  21. ↑ "Ciutadans ratifica a Esperanza García como alcaldable de su lista municipal por Barcelona". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Europa Press. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "El PSC confirma a Clos como candidato a la reelección". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. 20 July 2005. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  23. ↑ Cols, Carles (30 August 2006). "Clos releva a Montilla en Industria y cede paso a Hereu como alcalde". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  24. 1 2 Lozano, Carles. "Eleccions municipals a Barcelona (des de 1979)". Historia Electoral.com (in Catalan). Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  25. ↑ "Resultats electorals. Eleccions Municipals 2007. Barcelona (Municipi)" (in Catalan). Government of Catalonia. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  26. ↑ "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales" (in Spanish). Ministry of the Interior. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  27. ↑ "Acuerdo de 6 de julio de 2007, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se procede a la publicación del resumen de los resultados de las elecciones locales convocadas por Real Decreto 444/2007, de 2 de abril, y celebradas el 27 de mayo de 2007, según los datos que figuran en las actas de proclamación remitidas por cada una de las Juntas Electorales de Zona" (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish) (162 (Supplement)): 1–623. 7 July 2007. ISSN 0212-033X. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  28. ↑ Cia, Blanca; Bauzà, Jaume (17 June 2007). "Hereu estrena gobierno bajo el síndrome de la minoría y se compromete a buscar pactos". El País. Barcelona. Retrieved 9 November 2025.

Bibliography