Catalan Parliament election, 2006
Encyclopedia
Elections to the Parliament
of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia
, Spain
, were held on November 1, 2006.
amended text, which has further expanded the authority of the Catalan Government
ever since it was passed in June 2006.
The Statute amendment was approved in a referendum on June 18, 2006 in which 73.24% of voters were in favour of the new Statute, 20.57% of the votes were against. This referendum was noted for its huge abstention
: only 48.85% of the electorate participated in it.
Since the 2003 elections a coalition of three left-wing parties, 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 i Mira
as President. However, in May 2006 ERC, following internal tensions, left the coalition due to its disagreement on the final draft of the Statute of Autonomy which themselves had partially redacted, thus leaving Maragall without a majority and forcing him to call for this early election. On June 21, 2006 Maragall announced his intention to personally step down at the upcoming election, arguably due to the political erosion his government had suffered after an uneasy relationship with ERC.
Besides the issue of Catalan nationalism, the main issues of the campaign were taxes, social security, housing and immigration.
Unlike the previous 2003 elections, when Convergence and Union (CiU) achieved a plurality of seats in the autonomous Parliament but did not get the highest number of votes (PSC achieved a narrow lead in votes, the discrepancy between votes number and seats being explained by the electoral law) in this occasion CiU won the elections both in seats and votes numbers. Still those weren't enough to have an absolute majority. Then, after coalition negotiations, the PSC, ERC and ICV-EUiA agreed to renew the three-party coalition that had been in power, which made PSC's leader José Montilla
President.
This elections saw a new party (Ciutadans - Partido de la Ciudadanía) entering the autonomous parliament, which has increased the already high diversity of this parliament from five political parties with representation to now six, which contrasts with the increasingly bipartisan Spanish -and European in general- politic scenario.
Parliament of Catalonia
The Parliament of Catalonia is the unicameral legislature of Catalonia. It is formed by 135 members , who are elected every four years in ordinary period, or extraordinarily upon dissolution and call of elections by the President of Catalonia, by universal suffrage in proportional lists with four...
of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, were held on November 1, 2006.
Background
The November 2006 Catalan parliament election was an early one (the original election date was due for the Fall of 2007, roughly one year after the actual early election took place). This was mostly a result of the uneasy and controversial redaction of the Statute of Autonomy of CataloniaStatute of Autonomy of Catalonia
The Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia provides Catalonia's basic institutional regulations. It defines the rights and obligations of the citizens of Catalonia , the political institutions of the Catalan nationality, their competences and relations with the rest of Spain, and the financing of the...
amended text, which has further expanded the authority of the Catalan Government
Generalitat de Catalunya
The Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
ever since it was passed in June 2006.
The Statute amendment was approved in a referendum on June 18, 2006 in which 73.24% of voters were in favour of the new Statute, 20.57% of the votes were against. This referendum was noted for its huge abstention
Abstention
Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not go to vote or, in parliamentary procedure, is present during the vote, but does not cast a ballot. Abstention must be contrasted with "blank vote", in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by...
: only 48.85% of the electorate participated in it.
Since the 2003 elections a coalition of three left-wing parties, Socialists' Party of Catalonia
Socialists' Party of Catalonia
The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is...
(PSC), Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Initiative for Catalonia Greens
Initiative for Catalonia Greens
Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia...
-United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left ....
(ICV-EUiA) had been in power, with Pasqual Maragall i Mira
Pasqual Maragall i Mira
Pasqual Maragall i Mira is a Catalan politician and was the 127th President of Generalitat de Catalunya . He had previously been Mayor of Barcelona, from 1982 to 1997, and helped run the city's successful Olympic bid....
as President. However, in May 2006 ERC, following internal tensions, left the coalition due to its disagreement on the final draft of the Statute of Autonomy which themselves had partially redacted, thus leaving Maragall without a majority and forcing him to call for this early election. On June 21, 2006 Maragall announced his intention to personally step down at the upcoming election, arguably due to the political erosion his government had suffered after an uneasy relationship with ERC.
Besides the issue of Catalan nationalism, the main issues of the campaign were taxes, social security, housing and immigration.
Unlike the previous 2003 elections, when Convergence and Union (CiU) achieved a plurality of seats in the autonomous Parliament but did not get the highest number of votes (PSC achieved a narrow lead in votes, the discrepancy between votes number and seats being explained by the electoral law) in this occasion CiU won the elections both in seats and votes numbers. Still those weren't enough to have an absolute majority. Then, after coalition negotiations, the PSC, ERC and ICV-EUiA agreed to renew the three-party coalition that had been in power, which made PSC's leader José Montilla
José Montilla
José Montilla Aguilera was the 128th President of Generalitat de Catalunya. He became the First Secretary of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia on 18 June 2000, and a member of the Federal Executive Committee and the Federal Committee of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party on 23 July 2000...
President.
This elections saw a new party (Ciutadans - Partido de la Ciudadanía) entering the autonomous parliament, which has increased the already high diversity of this parliament from five political parties with representation to now six, which contrasts with the increasingly bipartisan Spanish -and European in general- politic scenario.
Parties
- Convergència i Unió (CiU, Convergence and Unity). Presidential candidate: Artur Mas i Gavarró|Artur Mas]. Union of the Catalan nationalist, fiscally liberal Democratic Convergence of CataloniaDemocratic Convergence of CataloniaThe Democratic Convergence of Catalonia is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. Together with Democratic Union of Catalonia, it forms part of the Convergence and Union coalition. It is affiliated with the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party and with the Liberal International...
and the conservative Democratic Union of CataloniaDemocratic Union of CataloniaThe Democratic Union of Catalonia is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. Together with the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, it is part of the Convergence and Union coalition.It describes itself as Catalan nationalist and Christian Democrat....
.
- Socialists' Party of CataloniaSocialists' Party of CataloniaThe Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is...
(PSC-PSOE). Presidential candidate: José MontillaJosé MontillaJosé Montilla Aguilera was the 128th President of Generalitat de Catalunya. He became the First Secretary of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia on 18 June 2000, and a member of the Federal Executive Committee and the Federal Committee of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party on 23 July 2000...
. Social democratic. Affiliated to the Spanish Socialist Workers' PartySpanish Socialist Workers' PartyThe Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSOE).
- Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya]] (ERC, Republican Left of Catalonia). Presidential candidate: Josep-Lluís Carod-RoviraJosep-Lluís Carod-RoviraJosep-Lluís Carod-Rovira was the Vice-president of the Catalan Government from 2006 to 2010. From 1996 to 2008 he was the leader of ERC Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya ....
. Catalan republican and independentist, left-wing.
- People's PartyPeople's Party (Spain)The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
(PP). Presidential candidate: Josep PiquéJosep Piqué i CampsJosep Piqué is a Spanish Catalan politician of the right-wing Spanish People's Party who represented Barcelona. Pique was initially a member of the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia but left the grouping and subsequently joined the Union of the Democratic Centre...
. The main party of the centre-right in SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
- Initiative for Catalonia GreensInitiative for Catalonia GreensInitiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia...
-United and Alternative LeftUnited and Alternative LeftUnited and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left ....
(ICV-EUiA). Presidential candidate: Joan SauraJoan Saura i LaportaJoan Saura i Laporta is a Green ICV politician in Spain. He was born in Barcelona, Catalonia, in 1950. He studied at the Escola d'Enginyeria Tècnica , where he specialized in Industrial Chemistry...
. Green (eco-socialist) and radical left.
- Citizens' Party (Ciutadans - Partido de la Ciudadanía). Presidential candidate: Albert RiveraAlbert RiveraAlbert Rivera Díaz is a Spanish lawyer and politician of Catalan and Andalusian ancestry. He is currently the leader of the Citizens' Party., after having been a member of the conservative People's Party from 2002 to 2006. Albert Rivera quit PP just three months before running for elections with...
. Social democratic, social liberalist and non nationalist party.
General
| Party | Party List votes | Vote percentage (change) | Total Seats (change) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Convergence and Union (Convergència i Unió) (CiU)
|
935,756 | 31.5% | +0.6% | 48 | +2 | |
| Socialists' Party of Catalonia Socialists' Party of Catalonia The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is... (Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya) (PSC) |
796,173 | 26.8% | -4.4% | 37 | -5 | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya) (ERC) | 416,355 | 14.0% | -2.4% | 21 | -2 | |
| People's Party of Catalonia People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... (Partit Popular de Catalunya) (PPC) |
316,222 | 10.7% | -1.2% | 14 | -1 | |
| Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia... -United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left .... (Iniciativa per Catalunya i Verds - Esquerra Unida i Alternativa) (ICV-EUiA) |
282,693 | 9.5% | +2.2% | 12 | +3 | |
| Citizens – Party of the Citizenry Citizens – Party of the Citizenry The Citizens – Party of the Citizenry is a Spanish political party which describes itself as centre-left and non-nationalist... (Ciutadans) (C's) |
89,840 | 3.0% | +3.0% | 3 | +3 | |
| All Others | 71,251 | 2.3% | 0 | |||
| Totals | 2,908,290 | 100.0% | 135 | |||
Barcelona
| Party | Party List votes | Vote percentage (change) | Total Seats (change) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Convergence and Union (CiU)
|
664,723 | 29.9% | +1.2% | 27 | +2 | |
| Socialists' Party of Catalonia Socialists' Party of Catalonia The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is... (PSC) |
620,601 | 27.9% | -5.2% | 25 | -4 | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 280,566 | 12.6% | -2.5% | 11 | -2 | |
| People's Party of Catalonia People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... (PPC) |
248,165 | 11.1% | -1.4% | 10 | -1 | |
| Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia... -United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left .... (ICV-EUiA) |
230,968 | 10.3% | +2.3% | 9 | +2 | |
| Citizens – Party of the Citizenry Citizens – Party of the Citizenry The Citizens – Party of the Citizenry is a Spanish political party which describes itself as centre-left and non-nationalist... (C's) |
78,525 | 3.5% | +3.5% | 3 | +3 | |
| All Others | 55,013 | 2,0% | 0 | |||
| Totals | 2,178,561 | 100.0% | 85 | |||
Girona
| Party | Party List votes | Vote percentage (change) | Total Seats (change) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Convergence and Union (CiU)
|
104,840 | 38.1% | -0.5% | 7 | = | |
| Socialists' Party of Catalonia Socialists' Party of Catalonia The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is... (PSC) |
60,755 | 22.1% | -1.5% | 4 | = | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 52,799 | 19.2% | -2.7% | 4 | = | |
| Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia... -United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left .... (ICV-EUiA) |
20,798 | 7.6% | +2.3% | 1 | = | |
| People's Party of Catalonia People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... (PPC) |
19,808 | 7.2% | -0.8% | 1 | = | |
| Citizens – Party of the Citizenry Citizens – Party of the Citizenry The Citizens – Party of the Citizenry is a Spanish political party which describes itself as centre-left and non-nationalist... (C's) |
2,584 | 0.9% | +0.9% | 0 | new | |
| All Others | 7,229 | 1.9% | 0 | |||
| Totals | 268,993 | 100.0% | 17 | |||
Lleida
| Party | Party List votes | Vote percentage (change) | Total Seats (change) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Convergence and Union (CiU)
|
72,916 | 39.9% | -1.5% | 7 | = | |
| Socialists' Party of Catalonia Socialists' Party of Catalonia The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is... (PSC) |
40,097 | 21.9% | -0.5% | 3 | -1 | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 32,304 | 17.7% | -2.2% | 3 | = | |
| People's Party of Catalonia People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... (PPC) |
16,605 | 9.1% | -0.5% | 1 | = | |
| Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia... -United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left .... (ICV-EUiA) |
12,018 | 6.5% | +2.2% | 1 | +1 | |
| Citizens – Party of the Citizenry Citizens – Party of the Citizenry The Citizens – Party of the Citizenry is a Spanish political party which describes itself as centre-left and non-nationalist... (C's) |
1,761 | 0.9% | +0.9% | 0 | new | |
| All Others | 2,456 | 0.9% | 0 | |||
| Totals | 178,157 | 100.0% | 15 | |||
Tarragona
| Party | Party List votes | Vote percentage (change) | Total Seats (change) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Convergence and Union (CiU)
|
93,277 | 32.4% | -1.3% | 7 | = | |
| Socialists' Party of Catalonia Socialists' Party of Catalonia The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is... (PSC) |
74,720 | 25.9% | -2.3% | 5 | = | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) | 50,686 | 17.6% | -1.4% | 3 | = | |
| People's Party of Catalonia People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... (PPC) |
31,644 | 11.0% | -0.7% | 2 | = | |
| Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia... -United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left .... (ICV-EUiA) |
18,729 | 6.5% | +1.3% | 1 | = | |
| Citizens – Party of the Citizenry Citizens – Party of the Citizenry The Citizens – Party of the Citizenry is a Spanish political party which describes itself as centre-left and non-nationalist... (C's) |
6,970 | 2.4% | +2.4% | 0 | new | |
| All Others | 6,553 | 1.7% | 0 | |||
| Totals | 282,579 | 100.0% | 18 | |||