1979 Spanish general election

1979 Spanish general election

1 March 1979
All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies and all 208 seats in the Senate 176 seats needed for a majority in the Congress of Deputies
Opinion polls
Registered	26,836,490 13.8%
Turnout	18,259,192 (68.0%) 10.8 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Adolfo Suárez Felipe González Santiago Carrillo Party UCD PSOE PCE Leader since 3 May 1977 13 October 1974 3 July 1960 Leader's seat Madrid Madrid Madrid Last election 165 seats, 34.4% 124 seats, 33.8%[b] 20 seats, 9.3% Seats won 168 121 23 Seat change 3 3 3 Popular vote 6,268,593 5,469,813 1,938,487 Percentage 34.8% 30.4% 10.8% Swing 0.4 pp 3.4 pp 1.5 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Manuel Fraga Jordi Pujol Xabier Arzalluz Party CD CiU EAJ/PNV Leader since 9 October 1976 17 November 1974 1977 Leader's seat Madrid Barcelona Guipúzcoa Last election 16 seats, 8.4%[c] 13 seats, 3.8%[d] 8 seats, 1.6% Seats won 9 8 7 Seat change 7 5 1 Popular vote 1,094,438 483,353 296,597 Percentage 6.1% 2.7% 1.6% Swing 2.3 pp 1.1 pp 0.0 pp
Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress) Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress)[a] Election results by constituency (Congress)
Prime Minister before election Adolfo Suárez UCD Prime Minister after election Adolfo Suárez UCD

A general election was held in Spain on 1 March 1979 to elect the members of the 1st Cortes Generales under the Spanish Constitution of 1978. All 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as all 208 seats in the Senate. This was the first election held under the new constitution that had been approved in a referendum on 6 December 1978 and which had lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, resulting in an increase of the electoral roll by three million people.

The Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) remained the largest party, winning 168 of the 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies and 119 of the 208 seats in the Senate. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which had merged with the People's Socialist Party (PSP) and was widely expected to make large gains—with some opinion polls predicting a narrow win—fell short of expectations and lost ground when compared to the combined totals for the PSOE–PSP alliance in the 1977 election. The Communist Party of Spain (PCE) obtained the best result in its history, whereas Manuel Fraga's Democratic Coalition (CD)—an electoral bloc formed by the People's Alliance (AP), the Liberal Citizens Action (ACL) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP)—lost nearly half of its seats. The election would also see the best showing of the far-right in Spain until the April 2019 election, as Blas Piñar-led National Union (UN) would secure one seat with 2.1% of the vote share.

As a result of the election, Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez went on to form a minority government, depending on support from the CD and other minor parties such as the Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA), the Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR) and the Navarrese People's Union (UPN).

Under the 1978 Constitution, the Spanish Cortes Generales were conceived as an imperfect bicameral system.^[1][2] The Congress of Deputies held greater legislative power than the Senate, having the ability to grant or withdraw confidence from a prime minister and to override Senate vetoes by an absolute majority.^[3] Nonetheless, the Senate retained a limited number of specific functions—such as ratifying international treaties, authorizing cooperation agreements between autonomous communities, enforcing direct rule, regulating interterritorial compensation funds, and taking part in constitutional amendments and in the appointment of members to the Constitutional Court and the General Council of the Judiciary—which were not subject to override by Congress.^[4] The electoral and procedural rules were the same as those used in the 1977 election.^[5]

The term of the Spanish Cortes elected in the 1977 election was not to be continued beyond 15 June 1981, in the event they were not dissolved earlier.^[6] The election decree was required to be issued after the expiration date of parliament, with election day taking place within from 55 to 60 days after the decree's publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE),^[7] setting the latest possible date for election day on 14 August 1981.

The prime minister had the prerogative to propose the monarch to dissolve both chambers at any given time—either jointly or separately—and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no state of emergency was in force and that dissolution did not occur before one year after a previous one.^[8] Additionally, both chambers were to be dissolved, and a new election called, if an investiture process failed to elect a prime minister within a two-month period from the first ballot.^[9] Barring this exception, there was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate.^[10] Still, as of 2026, there has been no precedent of separate elections taking place under the 1978 Constitution.

The Cortes Generales were officially dissolved on 1 January 1979 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 1 March.^[11] The Congress and the Senate were scheduled to reconvene on 23 and 27 March, respectively.^[12]

Voting for each chamber of the Cortes Generales was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age with full political rights.^[13][14]

The Congress of Deputies had a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 400 seats, with electoral provisions fixing its size at 350. Of these, 348 were elected in 50 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the provinces of Spain—each of which was assigned an initial minimum of two seats and the remaining 248 distributed in proportion to population, roughly one seat per 144,500 inhabitants or fraction above 70,000—using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a three percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency. The remaining two seats were allocated to Ceuta and Melilla as single-member districts elected by plurality voting.^[15] The use of this electoral method resulted in a higher effective threshold depending on district magnitude and vote distribution.^[16]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled to the following seats:^[17]

208 Senate seats were elected using open-list partial block voting: voters in constituencies electing four seats could choose up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, up to two; and in single-member districts, one. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces was allocated four seats, while in insular provinces—such as the Balearic and Canary Islands—the districts were the islands themselves, with the larger ones (Mallorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife) being allocated three seats each, and the smaller ones (Menorca, Ibiza–Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma) one each. Ceuta and Melilla elected two seats each. Additionally, autonomous communities could appoint at least one senator each and were entitled to one additional senator for every million inhabitants.^[18][19]

The law provided for by-elections to fill vacant seats in the Congress only when results in a constituency were annulled by a final sentence following an electoral petition; otherwise, 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. Additionally for the Senate, by-elections were required to fill any seat vacated within the first two years of the legislative term.^[20]

Spanish citizens with the right to vote could run for election. Causes of ineligibility applied to the following officials:^[21]

• Holders of a number of senior public or institutional posts, including the heads and members of higher courts and state institutions;^[e] the Ombudsman; high-ranking officials of government departments and other state agencies; government delegates in the autonomous communities and civil governors; members of electoral commissions; and the chairs of national trade unions;
• Judges and public prosecutors in active service;
• Members of the Armed Forces and law enforcement bodies in active service.

Other ineligibility provisions also applied to a number of territorial officials in these categories within their areas of jurisdiction.^[21]

Incompatibility rules included those of ineligibility (except for chairs of national trade unions), and also barred combining legislative roles (deputy and senator).^[22]

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 15 days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one permille—and, in any case, 500 signatures—of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list.^[23]

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.
						Congress		Senate
						Vote %	Seats	Vote %	Seats
	UCD	List Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)		Adolfo Suárez	Centrism	34.4%	165	29.9%	106
	PSOE	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)		Felipe González	Social democracy Democratic socialism Marxism	33.8% [b]	124	29.7% [f]	61		[24]
	PCE	List Communist Party of Spain (PCE) Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC)		Santiago Carrillo	Eurocommunism	9.3%	20	2.0%	0
	CD	List People's Alliance (AP) Liberal Citizens Action (ACL) Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Foral Union of the Basque Country (UFPV) – People's Alliance (AP) – Basque Independent Democrats (DIV)		Manuel Fraga	Conservatism	8.4% [c]	16	9.2% [g]	2
	CiU	List Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC)		Jordi Pujol	Catalan nationalism Centrism	3.8% [d]	13	2.6% [h]	2
	EAJ/PNV	List Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)		Xabier Arzalluz	Basque nationalism Christian democracy	1.6%	8	3.3% [i]	10
	ERC–FNC	List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) National Front of Catalonia (FNC) Social Democratic Party of Catalonia (PSDC)		Heribert Barrera	Catalan nationalism Left-wing nationalism Social democracy	0.8% [j]	1	—N/a[k]
	EE	List Basque Country Left–Left for Socialism (EE)		Juan María Bandrés	Basque nationalism Socialism	0.3%	1	0.2%	1
	PAR	List Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)		Hipólito Gómez de las Roces	Regionalism Conservatism	0.2% [l]	1	0.6% [l]	1
	UN	List New Force (FN) Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) José Antonio Circles (CJA) National Confederation of Veterans (CNE) Traditionalist Youth Group (AJT)		Blas Piñar	Ultranationalism National catholicism Francoism	0.6% [m]	0	1.1% [n]	0
	HB	List Basque Socialist Party (ESB/PSV) Revolutionary Patriotic Workers' Party (LAIA) People's Socialist Revolutionary Party (HASI) Basque Nationalist Action (EAE/ANV) Patriotic Socialist Committees (ASK)		Francisco Letamendia	Basque independence Abertzale left Revolutionary socialism	0.2% [o]	0	0.2% [p]	0
	PSC–ERC	List Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)		Josep Andreu	Catalanism Social democracy	—N/a		[k]	8
	PSUC–PTC	List Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC) Party of Labour of Catalonia (PTC)		Josep Benet	Communism Marxism-Leninism Republicanism	—N/a		[q]	4
	CDG	List Galician Democratic Candidacy (CDG)		Valentín Paz Andrade	Galicianism Progressivism	—N/a		1.2%	3
	AM	List Majorera Assembly (AM)		Miguel Cabrera	Insularism	—N/a		0.0%	1
	PSA–PA	List Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA)		Alejandro Rojas-Marcos	Andalusian nationalism Social democracy	Did not contest
	UPC	List United Canarian People (PCU) – Communist Party of the Canary Islands (provisional) (PCC(p)) – Communist Cells (CC) Party of Communist Unification in the Canaries (PUCC) Socialist Party of the Canary Islands (PSC)		Fernando Sagaseta	Canarian nationalism Socialism	Did not contest
	UPN	List Navarrese People's Union (UPN)		Jesús Aizpún	Navarrese regionalism Conservatism Christian democracy	Did not contest

← Summary of the 1 March 1979 Congress of Deputies election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	6,268,593	34.84	+0.40	168	+3
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)1	5,469,813	30.40	−3.44	121	−3
	Communist Party of Spain (PCE)	1,938,487	10.77	+1.44	23	+3
	Democratic Coalition (CD)	1,094,438	6.08	−2.33	9	−7
	Democratic Coalition (CD)2	1,060,330	5.89	−2.05	9	−6
	Foral Union of the Basque Country (UFPV)3	34,108	0.19	−0.29	0	−1
	Convergence and Union (CiU)4	483,353	2.69	−1.06	8	−5
	National Union (UN)5	378,964	2.11	+1.54	1	+1
	Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA)	325,842	1.81	New	5	+5
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	296,597	1.65	+0.03	7	−1
	Party of Labour of Spain (PTE)6	192,798	1.07	+0.40	0	±0
	Popular Unity (HB)7	172,110	0.96	+0.72	3	+3
	Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT)	138,487	0.77	+0.22	0	±0
	Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT)8	127,517	0.71	+0.29	0	±0
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	10,970	0.06	−0.07	0	±0
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh)9	133,869	0.74	+0.05	0	±0
	Republican Left of Catalonia–National Front of Catalonia (ERC–FNC)10	123,452	0.69	−0.10	1	±0
	Basque Country Left (EE)	85,677	0.48	+0.14	1	±0
	Communist Movement–Organization of Communist Left (MC–OIC)	84,856	0.47	+0.28	0	±0
	Galician National-Popular Bloc (BNPG)	60,889	0.34	+0.22	0	±0
	Canarian People's Union (UPC)	58,953	0.33	New	1	+1
	Left Bloc for National Liberation (BEAN)	56,582	0.31	New	0	±0
	Galician Unity (PG–POG–PSG)11	55,555	0.31	+0.16	0	±0
	Republican Left (IR)	55,384	0.31	New	0	±0
	Carlist Party (PC)	50,552	0.28	+0.23	0	±0
	Communist Organization–Communist Unification (OCEBR–UCE)	47,937	0.27	New	0	±0
	Workers' Communist Party (PCT)	47,896	0.27	New	0	±0
	Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)12	38,042	0.21	+0.01	1	±0
	Revolutionary Communist League (LCR)13	36,662	0.20	−0.02	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (Authentic) (FE–JONS(A))	30,252	0.17	−0.08	0	±0
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	28,248	0.16	New	1	+1
	Coalition for Aragon (PSAr–PSDA)	19,220	0.11	New	0	±0
	Nationalist Party of Castile and León (PANCAL)	16,016	0.09	New	0	±0
	Liberal Party (PL)	15,774	0.09	New	0	±0
	Valencian Regional Union (URV)	15,694	0.09	New	0	±0
	Nationalist Party of the Valencian Country (PNPV)	13,828	0.08	New	0	±0
	Spanish Ruralist Party (PRE)	10,324	0.06	New	0	±0
	Party of the Canarian Country (PPC)	10,099	0.06	New	0	±0
	Socialists of Majorca and Menorca (SMiM)	10,022	0.06	New	0	±0
	Syndicalist Party (PSIN)	9,777	0.05	New	0	±0
	Union for the Freedom of Speech (ULE)	7,126	0.04	New	0	±0
	Catalan State (EC)	6,328	0.04	New	0	±0
	Cantonal Party (PCAN)	6,290	0.03	New	0	±0
	Independent Candidacy of the Countryside (CIC)	6,115	0.03	New	0	±0
	Social Christian Democracy of Catalonia (DSCC)	4,976	0.03	−0.02	0	±0
	Proverist Party (PPr)	4,939	0.03	±0.00	0	±0
	Spanish Democratic Republican Action (ARDE)	4,826	0.03	New	0	±0
	Communist League (LC)	3,614	0.02	New	0	±0
	Asturian Nationalist Council (CNA)	3,049	0.02	New	0	±0
	Authentic Spanish Phalanx (FEA)	2,736	0.02	New	0	±0
	Pro-Austerity Policy Political Party (PIPPA)	2,409	0.01	New	0	±0
	Workers and Peasants Party (POC)	2,314	0.01	New	0	±0
	Independent Candidates of Melilla (CIME)	1,820	0.01	New	0	±0
	Falangist Unity–Independent Spanish Phalanx (UF–FI–AT)	1,188	0.01	New	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx–Falangist Unity (FE–UF)	876	0.00	New	0	±0
	Centre Independent Candidacy (CIC)	n/a	n/a	−0.16	0	−1
Blank ballots		57,267	0.32	+0.07
Total		17,990,915			350	±0
Valid votes		17,990,915	98.53	−0.04
Invalid votes		268,277	1.47	+0.04
Votes cast / turnout		18,259,192	68.04	−10.79
Abstentions		8,577,298	31.96	+10.79
Registered voters		26,836,490
Sources[25][26]
Footnotes: 1 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party results are compared to the combined totals of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and People's Socialist Party–Socialist Unity in the 1977 election. 2 Democratic Coalition results are compared to People's Alliance totals in the 1977 election, not including results in the Basque Country. 3 Foral Union of the Basque Country results are compared to the combined totals of People's Alliance in the Basque Country and Basque Independent Democrats in the 1977 election. 4 Convergence and Union results are compared to the combined totals of Democratic Pact for Catalonia and Union of the Centre and Christian Democracy of Catalonia in the 1977 election. 5 National Union results are compared to the combined totals of National Alliance July 18 and José Antonio Circles in the 1977 election. 6 Party of Labour of Spain results are compared to Democratic Left Front totals in the 1977 election. 7 Popular Unity results are compared to the combined totals of the Basque Socialist Party and Basque Nationalist Action in the 1977 election. 8 Workers' Revolutionary Organization results are compared to Workers' Electoral Group totals in the 1977 election. 9 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) results are compared to Democratic Socialist Alliance totals in the 1977 election. 10 Republican Left of Catalonia–National Front of Catalonia results are compared to Left of Catalonia–Democratic Electoral Front totals in the 1977 election. 11 Galician Unity results are compared to Galician Socialist Party totals in the 1977 election. 12 Regionalist Aragonese Party results are compared to Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy totals in the 1977 election. 13 Revolutionary Communist League results are compared to Front for Workers' Unity totals in the 1977 election.

← Summary of the 1 March 1979 Senate of Spain election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	16,691,333	33.23	+3.35	119	+13
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)1	12,762,128	25.41	−4.28	60	−1
	Communist Party of Spain (PCE)	4,407,905	8.78	+6.82	0	±0
	Democratic Coalition (CD)	2,897,073	5.77	−3.45	3	+1
	Democratic Coalition (CD)2	2,851,366	5.68	−3.02	3	+1
	Foral Union of the Basque Country (UFPV)3	45,707	0.09	−0.43	0	±0
	New Agreement (PSC–ERC)4	2,708,504	5.39	n/a	10	+2
	For the Agreement (PSUC–PTC)4	1,832,941	3.65	n/a	1	−3
	Convergence and Union (CiU)5	1,387,176	2.76	+0.21	1	−1
	National Union (UN)6	1,089,883	2.17	+1.10	0	±0
	Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Party (PSA–PA)	1,026,345	2.04	New	0	±0
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)7	843,452	1.68	−1.63	8	−2
	Popular Unity (HB)8	465,852	0.93	+0.74	1	+1
	Party of Labour of Spain (PTE)9	412,782	0.82	+0.57	0	±0
	Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT)	290,967	0.58	−0.04	0	±0
	Workers' Revolutionary Organization (ORT)10	276,457	0.55	+0.13	0	±0
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	14,510	0.03	−0.17	0	±0
	Communist Movement–Organization of Communist Left (MC–OIC)	257,830	0.51	New	0	±0
	Basque Country Left (EE)	209,107	0.42	+0.18	0	−1
	Republican Left (IR)	205,512	0.41	New	0	±0
	Galician National-Popular Bloc (BNPG)	196,920	0.39	+0.07	0	±0
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh)11	179,519	0.36	−0.82	0	±0
	Galician Unity (PG–POG–PSG)	177,549	0.35	New	0	±0
	Navarrese Unity (UNA)	137,275	0.27	New	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx–Falangist Unity (FE–UF)	130,616	0.26	New	0	±0
	Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)12	117,150	0.23	−0.37	0	−1
	Valencian Regional Union (URV)	116,386	0.23	New	0	±0
	Canarian People's Union (UPC)	115,878	0.23	New	0	±0
	Liberal Party (PL)	110,347	0.22	New	0	±0
	Revolutionary Communist League (LCR)	109,118	0.22	New	0	±0
	Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)	90,065	0.18	New	0	±0
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	84,289	0.17	New	0	±0
	Carlist Party (PC)	84,028	0.17	+0.10	0	±0
	Spanish Democratic Republican Action (ARDE)	73,308	0.15	New	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (Authentic) (FE–JONS(A))	70,659	0.14	+0.14	0	±0
	Group of Independent Electors (ADEI)13	63,257	0.13	−0.02	3	−1
	Left Bloc for National Liberation (BEAN)	54,055	0.11	New	0	±0
	Authentic Spanish Phalanx (FEA)	49,190	0.10	New	0	±0
	Coalition for Aragon (PSAr–PSDA)	48,031	0.10	New	0	±0
	Communist Organization–Communist Unification (OCEBR–UCE)	41,656	0.08	New	0	±0
	Spanish Ruralist Party (PRE)	40,086	0.08	New	0	±0
	Union for the Freedom of Speech (ULE)	38,968	0.08	New	0	±0
	Pro-Austerity Policy Political Party (PIPPA)	36,280	0.07	New	0	±0
	Independent (INDEP)	32,055	0.06	New	0	±0
	Social Christian Democracy of Catalonia (DSCC)	29,367	0.06	New	0	±0
	Galician Democratic Candidacy (CDG)	26,426	0.05	−1.11	0	−3
	Party of the Canarian Country (PPC)	25,960	0.05	New	0	±0
	Independent (INDEP)	21,891	0.04	New	1	+1
	Socialist Party of Majorca (PSM)	19,753	0.04	New	0	±0
	Workers' Communist Party (PCT)	17,888	0.04	New	0	±0
	Salamancan Regionalist Candidacy (CRS)	17,019	0.03	New	0	±0
	Independent (INDEP)	14,758	0.03	New	0	±0
	Menorcan Progressive Candidacy (PSM–PSOE–PCIB–PTI)	11,745	0.02	New	1	+1
	Independent Candidacy of the Countryside (CIC)	10,333	0.02	New	0	±0
	Nationalist Party of Castile and León (PANCAL)	8,795	0.02	New	0	±0
	Asturian Nationalist Council (CNA)	8,309	0.02	New	0	±0
	Entirely Anti-Partisan (EA)	7,931	0.02	New	0	±0
	Independent Progressive Candidacy (CPI)	7,763	0.02	New	0	±0
	Independent (INDEP)	7,266	0.01	New	0	±0
	New National Left (NIN)	7,053	0.01	New	0	±0
	Catalan State (EC)	6,998	0.01	New	0	±0
	Riojan Autonomy (AR)	6,835	0.01	New	0	±0
	Independent (INDEP)	5,263	0.01	New	0	±0
	Zamorans for Zamora–Independent Candidacy (ZZ)	5,125	0.01	New	0	±0
	National Front of Catalonia (FNC)	4,566	0.01	New	0	±0
	Majorera Assembly (AM)	4,458	0.01	±0.00	0	−1
	Spanish Communist Workers' Party (PCOE)	3,431	0.01	New	0	±0
	Independent (INDEP)	3,416	0.01	New	0	±0
	Canarian Nationalist Party (PNC)	3,141	0.01	New	0	±0
	Independent (INDEP)	1,698	0.00	New	0	±0
	Proverist Party (PPr)	242	0.00	New	0	±0
	Xirinacs Electoral Group (AE Xirinacs)	n/a	n/a	−1.06	0	−1
	Aragonese Candidacy of Democratic Unity (CAUD)	n/a	n/a	−1.04	0	−3
Blank ballots[r]		259,613	1.48
Total		50,232,518			208	+1
Valid votes		17,588,988	97.20
Invalid votes		507,434	2.80
Votes cast / turnout		18,096,422	67.43
Abstentions		8,740,068	32.57
Registered voters		23,583,762
Sources[25][26][27][28]
Footnotes: 1 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party results are compared to the combined totals of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, Democratic Senate, People's Socialist Party–Socialist Unity and Independent Progressives and Socialists in the 1977 election. 2 Democratic Coalition results are compared to People's Alliance totals in the 1977 election, not including results in the Basque Country. 3 Foral Union of the Basque Country results are compared to the combined totals of People's Alliance in the Basque Country and Basque Independent Democrats in the 1977 election. 4 Within the Agreement of the Catalans alliance in the 1977 election. 5 Convergence and Union results are compared to Democracy and Catalonia totals in the 1977 election. 6 National Union results are compared to the combined totals of National Alliance July 18 and José Antonio Circles in the 1977 election. 7 Basque Nationalist Party results are compared to Autonomous Front totals in the 1977 election. 8 Popular Unity results are compared to the combined totals of the Basque Socialist Party and Basque Nationalist Action in the 1977 election. 9 Party of Labour of Spain results are compared to Democratic Left Front totals in the 1977 election. 10 Workers' Revolutionary Organization results are compared to Workers' Electoral Group totals in the 1977 election. 11 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) results are compared to Democratic Socialist Alliance totals in the 1977 election. 12 Regionalist Aragonese Party results are compared to Centre Independent Aragonese Candidacy totals in the 1977 election. 13 Group of Independent Electors results are compared to Independents of Soria totals in the 1977 election.

• 
  Election results by constituency (Congress).
• 
  Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress).
• 
  Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress).^[a]

Investiture Congress of Deputies Nomination of Adolfo Suárez (UCD)
Ballot →		30 March 1979
Required majority →		176 out of 350 Y
	Yes • UCD (168) • CD (8) • PSA–PA (5) • PAR (1) • UPN (1)	183 / 350
	No • PSOE (94) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (16) • PNV (6) • PSE (6) • UN (1) • ERC (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1)	149 / 350
	Abstentions • CiU (8)	8 / 350
	Absentees • PSOE (4) • HB (3) • PSC (1) • CD (1) • PNV (1)	10 / 350
Sources[29]

Motion of no confidence Congress of Deputies Nomination of Felipe González (PSOE)
Ballot →		30 May 1980
Required majority →		176 out of 350 N
	Yes • PSOE (97) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (17) • PSE (6) • PSA–PA (5) • ERC (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1) • Independent (1)	152 / 350
	No • UCD (166)	166 / 350
	Abstentions • CD (9) • CiU (7) • Independents (2) • FN (1) • PAR (1) • UPN (1)	21 / 350
	Absentees • PNV (7) • HB (3) • CiU (1)	11 / 350
Sources[29]

Motion of confidence Congress of Deputies General Policy Statement (Prime Minister)
Ballot →		18 September 1980
Required majority →		Simple Y
	Yes • UCD (165) • CiU (8) • PSA–PA (5) • Independents (2)	180 / 350
	No • PSOE (97) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (16) • CD (9) • PNV (7) • PSE (6) • FN (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1) • PAR (1) • UPN (1) • Independent (1)	164 / 350
	Abstentions • ERC (1) • Independent (1)	2 / 350
	Absentees • HB (3) • PSC (1)	4 / 350
Sources[29]

Investiture Congress of Deputies Nomination of Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo (UCD)
Ballot →		21 February 1981	23 February 1981	25 February 1981
Required majority →		176 out of 350 N	Simple	Simple Y
	Yes • UCD (165) • CD (9) (3 on 21 Feb) • CiU (9) (on 25 Feb) • PAR (1) (on 25 Feb) • UPN (1) • UA (1) (on 25 Feb)	169 / 350	Cancelled (as a result of a coup attempt)	186 / 350
	No • PSOE (95) • PCE–PSUC (23) • PSC (16) • PNV (7) • PSE (6) • PSA–PA (4) • Independents (3) • FN (1) • ERC (1) • EE (1) • UPC (1)	158 / 350		158 / 350
	Abstentions • CiU (9) (on 21 Feb) • CD (6) (on 21 Feb) • PAR (1) (on 21 Feb) • UA (1) (on 21 Feb)	17 / 350		0 / 350
	Absentees • HB (3) • PSOE (2) (1 on 21 Feb) • PSC (1) • PSA–PA (1) (on 21 Feb)	6 / 350		6 / 350
Sources[29]

Legislation

Other

• Media related to Spanish general election, 1979 at Wikimedia Commons