1996 Spanish general election

{{Short description|none}}  {{use dmy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox election | election_name = 1996 Spanish general election | country = Spain | type = parliamentary | ongoing = no | previous_election = 1993 Spanish general election | previous_year = 1993 | next_election = 2000 Spanish general election | next_year = 2000 | outgoing_members = | elected_members = | seats_for_election = All 350 seats in the [[Congress of Deputies]] and 208 (of 257) seats in the [[Senate of Spain|Senate]] 176 seats needed for a majority in the Congress of Deputies | opinion_polls = Opinion polling for the 1996 Spanish general election | registered = 32,531,833 {{increase|size=10px}} 4.8% | turnout = 25,172,058 (77.4%) {{increase|size=10px}} 1.0 [[Percentage point|pp]] | election_date = 3 March 1996

| image1 = [[File:José María Aznar 1996 (cropped).jpg|170x170px]] | leader1 = [[José María Aznar]] | party1 = People's Party (Spain) | leader_since1 = 2 September 1989 | leaders_seat1 = [[Madrid (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Madrid]] | last_election1 = 142 seats, 35.4%{{efn|name="PP+PAR"|Results for [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]] (34.8%, 141 deputies) and [[Aragonese Party|PAR]] (0.6%, 1 deputy) in the 1993 Congress election.}} | seats1 = 156 | seat_change1 = {{increase|size=10px}} 14 | popular_vote1 = 9,716,006 | percentage1 = 38.8% | swing1 = {{increase|size=10px}} 3.4 [[Percentage point|pp]]

| image2 = [[File:Felipe González 1995 (cropped).jpg|170x170px]] | leader2 = [[Felipe González]] | party2 = Spanish Socialist Workers' Party | leader_since2 = 28 September 1979 | leaders_seat2 = [[Madrid (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Madrid]] | last_election2 = 159 seats, 38.8% | seats2 = 141 | seat_change2 = {{decrease|size=10px}} 18 | popular_vote2 = 9,425,678 | percentage2 = 37.6% | swing2 = {{decrease|size=10px}} 1.2 [[Percentage point|pp]]

| image3 = [[File:Julio Anguita 1996 (cropped).jpg|170x170px]] | leader3 = [[Julio Anguita]] | party3 = United Left (Spain) | leader_since3 = 12 February 1989 | leaders_seat3 = [[Madrid (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Madrid]] | last_election3 = 18 seats, 9.6% | seats3 = 21 | seat_change3 = {{increase|size=10px}} 3 | popular_vote3 = 2,639,774 | percentage3 = 10.5% | swing3 = {{increase|size=10px}} 0.9 [[Percentage point|pp]]

| image4 = [[File:Joaquim Molins 2014 (cropped).jpg|170x170px]] | leader4 = [[Joaquim Molins]] | party4 = Convergence and Union | leader_since4 = 1 February 1995 | leaders_seat4 = [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]] | last_election4 = 17 seats, 4.9% | seats4 = 16 | seat_change4 = {{decrease|size=10px}} 1 | popular_vote4 = 1,151,633 | percentage4 = 4.6% | swing4 = {{decrease|size=10px}} 0.3 [[Percentage point|pp]]

| image5 = [[File:2007 02 Inaki Anasagasti-2.jpg|170x170px]] | leader5 = [[Iñaki Anasagasti]] | party5 = Basque Nationalist Party | leader_since5 = 1986 | leaders_seat5 = [[Biscay (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Biscay]] | last_election5 = 5 seats, 1.2% | seats5 = 5 | seat_change5 = {{steady|size=10px}} 0 | popular_vote5 = 318,951 | percentage5 = 1.3% | swing5 = {{increase|size=10px}} 0.1 [[Percentage point|pp]]

| image6 = [[File:Portrait placeholder.svg|170x170px]] | leader6 = [[José Carlos Mauricio]] | party6 = Canarian Coalition | leader_since6 = 1996 | leaders_seat6 = [[Las Palmas (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Las Palmas]] | last_election6 = 4 seats, 0.9% | seats6 = 4 | seat_change6 = {{steady|size=10px}} 0 | popular_vote6 = 220,418 | percentage6 = 0.9% | swing6 = {{steady|size=10px}} 0.0 [[Percentage point|pp]]

| map = {{Switcher | [[File:1996 Spanish election - Results.svg|x315px|Map of Spain showcasing winning party's strength by constituency]] | Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress) | [[File:1996 Spanish election - AC results.svg|x315px|Map of Spain showcasing winning party's strength by autonomous community]] | Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress) | [[File:1996 Spanish general election map.svg|x315px|Map of Spain showcasing seat distribution by Congress of Deputies constituency]] | Election results by constituency (Congress) }}

| title = [[Prime Minister of Spain|Prime Minister]] | posttitle = Prime Minister after election | before_election = [[Felipe González]] | before_party = Spanish Socialist Workers' Party | after_election = [[José María Aznar]] | after_party = People's Party (Spain) }} A [[General elections in Spain|general election]] was held in [[Spain]] on 3 March 1996 to elect the members of the 6th {{lang|es|[[Cortes Generales]]|italic=no}} under the [[Spanish Constitution of 1978]]. All 350 seats in the [[Congress of Deputies]] were up for election, as well as 208 of 257 seats in the [[Senate of Spain|Senate]]. It was held concurrently with a [[1996 Andalusian regional election|regional election in Andalusia]].

Ever since forming a [[minority government]] after its victory in the [[1993 Spanish general election|1993 election]], the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) had to deal with the impact of the [[early 1990s recession]] in the [[Spanish economy]], amid soaring [[unemployment]], an increase in [[public deficit]] and [[Recession|GDP contraction]]. The [[Fourth government of Felipe González|cabinet]] of [[Prime Minister of Spain|Prime Minister]] [[Felipe González]] was also rocked by the unveiling of a string of [[Political scandal|scandals]], including accusations of funding [[state terrorism]] through the [[GAL (paramilitary group)|GAL]], the [[Embezzlement|misuse of public funds]] to pay for undeclared bonuses to high-ranking officials, [[tax evasion]] by former and current cabinet members and illegal [[espionage]] by the [[Centro Superior de Información de la Defensa|CESID]], the Spanish intelligence agency. A [[snap election]] was triggered after [[Convergence and Union]] (CiU) withdrew its [[confidence and supply]] support from the government in mid 1995 and helped vote down the 1996 [[General State Budget]] in October that year.

The election resulted in the first PSOE defeat in a general election since [[1979 Spanish general election|1979]], but predictions of a [[landslide victory]] by the opposition [[José María Aznar]]'s [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] (PP)—which had achieved resounding wins in the [[1994 European Parliament election in Spain|European Parliament]], [[1995 Spanish local elections|local]] and [[1995 Spanish regional elections|regional]] elections held in 1994 and 1995, and was predicted by [[Opinion polling for the 1996 Spanish general election|opinion polls]] to secure an outright [[overall majority]] or come short of it by few seats—failed to materialize. Instead, the election turned into the closest result between the two major parties in the Spanish democratic period to date; a PSOE comeback, fueled by a strong 77.4% [[voter turnout]] (the highest scored ever since) left the PP leading by just 1.2 percentage points and 290,000 votes, falling 20 seats short of an absolute majority. [[Julio Anguita]]'s [[United Left (Spain)|United Left]]—which had hoped to come close or even surpass the PSOE, in the so-called ''sorpasso''—also failed to meet expectations, despite scoring over 10% in their best overall result in a general election since the [[Communist Party of Spain]] in [[1979 Spanish general election|1979]].

At 156 seats, this would be the worst performance for a winning party in the democratic period until the [[2015 Spanish general election|2015 election]]. The results forced Aznar to tone down his attacks on [[Catalan nationalism|Catalan]] and [[Basque nationalism|Basque]] nationalists in order to garner their support for his investiture. After two months of negotiations, agreements were reached with CiU—the [[Majestic Pact]]—the [[Basque Nationalist Party]] and [[Canarian Coalition]], enabling José María Aznar to become prime minister of a centre-right [[First government of José María Aznar|minority cabinet]] and marking the end of over 13 years of Socialist government.

==Background== Following the victory of the ruling [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) at the [[1993 Spanish general election|1993 general election]], [[Felipe González]] was able to be re-elected as [[Prime Minister of Spain|prime minister]] for a fourth term in office through a [[confidence and supply]] alliance with the [[Catalan nationalist]] [[Convergence and Union]] (CiU) and the support of the [[Basque Nationalist Party]] (PNV).<ref>{{cite news |date=3 July 1993 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1993/07/03/portada/741650401_850215.html |title=CiU garantizará la investidura de González sin contrapartidas |language=es |newspaper=[[El País]] |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first=Luis |date=5 July 1993 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1993/07/05/espana/741823214_850215.html |title=El PNV decide apoyar la investidura de González y continúa negociando su entrada en el Gobierno |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref>

The [[Early 1990s recession|international economic crisis of 1992–1993]] continued, with the [[Fourth government of Felipe González|newly-elected cabinet]] having to face the impact of [[unemployment]] growth, a large [[public deficit]] and [[recession]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Arancibia |first=Salvador |date=25 November 1993 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1993/11/25/economia/754182024_850215.html |title=El déficit público hasta octubre, 2,7 billones de pesetas, duplica al del año anterior |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Parra |first=Carmen |date=19 February 1994 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/02/19/economia/761612428_850215.html |title=422.450 empleos se destruyeron en el año 1993 |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=5 July 1993 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/03/04/economia/762735606_850215.html |title=España sufrió en 1993 la peor recesión económica registrada en los últimos 30 años |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> In an attempt to curb rising joblessness, the government passed a [[labour reform]] (legalizing [[Temporary work|temporary work agencies]], introducing "junk contracts", easening employers' ability to modify working condition, reducing [[overtime]] and [[Severance package|severance]] pays and making regulations on hiring and [[collective bargaining]] more flexible), which was met with a [[List of strikes in Spain|general strike on 27 January 1994]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Parra |first=Carmen |date=28 January 1994 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/01/28/espana/759711618_850215.html |title=Gutiérrez y Redondo esperan que no se ignore la masiva protesta |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=10 February 2012 |url=https://www.20minutos.es/lainformacion/economia/asi-fueron-las-principales-reformas-laborales-acuerdos-sociales-democracia-2088346/ |title=Así fueron las principales reformas laborales y acuerdos sociales de la democracia |language=es |newspaper=[[20 minutos]] |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Cañada |first=Manuel |date=1 May 1994 |url=https://www.elsaltodiario.com/lucha-obrera/olvidos-hablan-huelga-general-del-94-marchas-dignidad |title=Olvidos que hablan: la huelga general del 94 y las Marchas de la Dignidad |language=es |newspaper=[[El Salto (newspaper)|El Salto]] |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> Economic recovery started that year with a slow decrease of unemployment rates and a GDP growth of 2%,<ref>{{cite news |last=Arancibia |first=Salvador |date=4 February 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/02/04/economia/791852401_850215.html |title=El impulso de la inversión eleva al 2% el crecimiento de la economía española en 1994 |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Parra |first=Carmen |date=18 February 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/02/18/economia/793062017_850215.html |title=La creación de 46.570 empleos en 1994 rompe la senda de destrucción iniciada hace tres años |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> but the deficit in the [[Social security in Spain|social security system]] led to the [[Toledo Pact]]: a multi-party agreement to transfer all obligations arising from the [[Health care in Spain|health care system]] and [[Social protection|social assistance benefits]]—which would henceforth be financed entirely by general taxes—to the [[General State Budget (Spain)|General State Budget]], while social security contributions would be maintained to fund [[Pensions in Spain|pensions]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Irazusta |first1=María |last2=Sierra |first2=Antonio |date=2 June 1996 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/sudinero/noticias/act-33-5.html |title=Las Recetas del Pacto de Toledo |language=es |newspaper=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]] |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Barea |first=José |date=14 February 2009 |url=https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2009/02/14/economia/1234727744_850215.html |title=Déficit en las pensiones |language=es |newspaper=[[Cinco Días]] |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref>

The Basque separatist group [[ETA (separatist group)|ETA]] maintained its activity during this period, including the [[1993 Madrid bombings|López de Hoyos bombing in Madrid]] which killed seven amid the 1993 government negotiations,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hart |first1=Robert |last2=Hayley |first2=Julia |date=21 June 1993 |title=Rush-hour car bombs kill seven in Madrid |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/europe/rushhour-car-bombs-kill-seven-in-madrid-explosions-thought-to-be-eta-s-response-to-the-jailing-of-its-leaders-and-the-failure-of-its-political-wing-at-the-polls-1493097.html |language=en |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> the killing of PP local councillor in [[San Sebastián]] [[Gregorio Ordóñez]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Intxausti |first=Aurora |date=24 January 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/01/24/espana/790902018_850215.html |title=ETA asesina de un tiro en la nuca a Gregorio Ordóñez |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=San Sebastián |access-date=19 March 2025}}</ref> an unsuccessful attempt to kill [[Leader of the Opposition (Spain)|opposition leader]] [[José María Aznar]] in April 1995 with a [[car bomb]] detonated at the passing of his official car,<ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=20 April 1995 |title=Spain Opposition Leader Survives Assassination Bid |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-20-mn-56856-story.html |language=en |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> an [[Attempted assassination of Juan Carlos I|attempted assassination plot]] of [[King Juan Carlos I]] in the summer of 1995,<ref>{{cite news |last=Manresa |first=Andreu |date=30 June 1996 |title=La Casa del Rey extrema la seguridad a un año del abortado atentado de ETA |url=https://www1.udel.edu/leipzig/texts/ela30066.html |language=es |publisher=[[University of Delaware]] |location=Palma de Mallorca |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> a [[1995 Vallecas bombing|car bombing in Puente de Vallecas]] in December 1995 which killed six,<ref>{{cite news |last=Lázaro |first=Fernando |date=29 May 2006 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2006/05/29/comunicacion/1148919765.html |title=La matanza de Vallecas: 10 años sin olvido |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> and the kidnapping of prison officer [[José Antonio Ortega Lara]] in January 1996,<ref>{{cite news |date=1 July 1997 |title=La Guardia Civil libera a Ortega Lara, el secuestrado que más tiempo retuvo ETA |url=https://www1.udel.edu/leipzig/texts2/ela01077.htm |language=es |newspaper=El País |publisher=University of Delaware |location=San Sebastián |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> [[List of ETA attacks|among others]].

[[File:Toma de posesion del director general de la Guardia Civil. Pool Moncloa. 5 de noviembre de 1986 (cropped).jpeg|165px|thumb|left|alt=Close-up photo of Luis Roldán|[[Luis Roldán]] served as [[List of directors general of the Civil Guard (Spain)|director general of the Civil Guard]] from 1986 to 1993.]] The 1993–1996 period was marked by the uncovering of numerous [[Political scandal|corruption scandals]] affecting the ruling party. In November 1993, Spanish daily ''[[Diario 16]]'' unveiled that the [[Civil Guard (Spain)|Civil Guard]] [[List of directors general of the Civil Guard (Spain)|director general]], [[Luis Roldán]], had amassed a large fortune since assuming office in 1986, which he proved unable to legally justify.<ref name="EM270298">{{cite news |date=27 February 1998 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/1998/febrero/27/nacional/cronologia.html |title=Cronología del escándalo más sonado de la democracia |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> In March 1994, ''[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]'' revealed that officers from the [[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|interior ministry]] had used money from the "reserved funds"—government [[slush fund]]s originally intended to finance operations against [[Basque conflict|terrorism]] and [[Illegal drug trade|drug trafficking]] and not subject to publicity, justification or external oversight<ref>{{cite news |date=1 September 2001 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/especiales/2001/09/nacional/fondosreservados/fondos.html |title=¿Qué son los fondos reservados? |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref>—to make bonus payments to high-ranking officers from the ministry, with Roldán's name appearing among the beneficiaries.<ref name="EM270298"/> In April that year, both media revealed that former [[Navarrese president]] [[Gabriel Urralburu]] had collected millions in [[Kickback (bribery)|kickbacks]] through the awarding of public works during his tenure, with Roldán having also benefitted from it.<ref>{{cite news |last=Saiz |first=Rodrigo |date=7 September 2023 |url=https://www.eldiario.es/navarra/25-anos-condena-socialista-urralburu-primer-presidente-autonomico-encarcelado-cobro-comisiones_1_10494636.html |title=25 años de la condena al socialista Urralburu, el primer presidente autonómico encarcelado por el cobro de comisiones |language=es |newspaper=[[elDiario.es]] |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> Roldán fled the country to escape legal prosecution, forcing interior minister [[Antoni Asunción]]'s resignation for failing to monitor him.<ref name="EM270298"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Duva |first1=Jesús |last2=Valdecantos |first2=Camilo |date=5 May 1994 |title=Asunción se va sin explicar al Parlamento la fuga de Roldán |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/05/05/espana/768088821_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> During his time on the run, Roldán admitted to having been paid bonuses from the reserved funds together with other high-ranking Interior ministry (including former minister [[José Luis Corcuera]]) and that he was told that prime minister González was "aware of everything".<ref name="EM270298"/> Roldán was captured on 27 February 1995 in [[Laos]] amidst claims that he had reached an agreement with the PSOE government (in what would be coined as the "Laos papers") to charge the former with just two crimes—[[bribery]] and [[embezzlement]]—in exchange for his voluntary surrender, a claim rejected by the Spanish government.<ref name="EM270298"/><ref>{{cite news |date=27 February 1998 |url=http://www.elmundo.es/1998/02/27/espana/27N0019.html |title=El escándalo por corrupción más sonado de la democracia |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=8 July 2020 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010621002233/http://www.elmundo.es/1998/02/27/espana/27N0019.html |archive-date=21 June 2001}}</ref> Roldán would later be convicted for these crimes as well as [[fraud]], [[forgery]] and [[tax evasion]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Irujo |first=José María |date=13 July 2013 |url=https://elpais.com/politica/2013/07/13/actualidad/1373744179_938788.html |title=Chantajistas, pero condenados |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref>

Concurrently, it was revealed in April 1994 that former [[governor of the Bank of Spain]] [[Mariano Rubio]] had 130 million Ptas of undeclared money in a secret [[bank account]] in the Ibercorp [[investment bank]], which had been intervened by the [[Bank of Spain]] during Rubio's tenure in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Noceda |first1=Miguel Ángel |last2=Ayuso |first2=Javier |date=16 February 1992 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1992/02/16/economia/698194808_850215.html |title=El Banco de España prestó más de 2.000 millones a Ibercorp para mantener su liquidez |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=18 March 2025}}</ref><ref name="EM181007">{{cite news |last=Justicia |first=Francisco |date=18 October 2007 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/especiales/2007/10/comunicacion/18elmundo/ibercop.html |title=La corrupción del poder económico y sus amigos |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> The new revelations in the "Ibercorp case" forced the resignations of [[Carlos Solchaga]] (former [[Ministry of Economy (Spain)|economy minister]] and then PSOE spokesperson in [[Congress of Deputies|Congress]], who had backed Rubio in 1992)<ref>{{cite news |date=5 May 1994 |title=Solchaga dimite para que el Gobierno tenga un mayor margen de maniobra en la actual situación de crispación política |url=https://www.servimedia.es/noticias/solchaga-dimite-para-gobierno-tenga-mayor-margen-maniobra-actual-situacion-crispacion-politica/1410837461 |language=es |publisher=Servimedia |location=Madrid |access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Arancibia |first=Salvador |date=16 June 1994 |title=Rubio mintió al Parlamento en 1992 y Solchaga fue informado sobre Ibercorp |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/06/16/espana/771717629_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref> and [[Vicente Albero]] ([[Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Spain)|agriculture minister]], who in May 1994 was discovered to own a secret account with undeclared money related to the scandal).<ref name="EM181007"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Rivera |first=Jorge |date=5 May 1994 |title=Albero se va para "dañar lo menos posible al Gobierno" |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/05/05/espana/768088817_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=18 October 2013 |url=http://www.teinteresa.es/politica/Caso-Ibercorp-politica-enredadas-sociedades_0_1013300420.html |title=Caso Ibercorp (1994): La alta política, el papel couché y las sociedades fantasma |language=es |publisher=teinteresa.es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208095647/http://www.teinteresa.es/politica/Caso-Ibercorp-politica-enredadas-sociedades_0_1013300420.html |access-date=16 March 2025 |archive-date=8 December 2021}}</ref> This scandal would serve as a symbol of the connections between the PSOE government and the so-called "beautiful people": businessmen and ''[[nouveau riche]]'' who had emerged during the Socialist era.<ref name="EM181007"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Yoldi |first=José |date=6 May 1994 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/05/06/espana/768175213_850215.html |title=Rubio, Preysler y Boyer, inculpados por el 'caso Ibercorp' |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref>

[[File:Símbolo GAL.png|150px|thumb|alt=Logo of the GAL|Symbol used by the [[GAL (paramilitary group)|GAL]] death squads.]] In December 1994, two policemen convicted in 1991 for participating in the [[GAL (paramilitary group)|Liberation Antiterrorist Groups]] (GAL)—[[death squad]]s involved in a "[[State terrorism|dirty war]]" against ETA—confessed to judge [[Baltasar Garzón]] that a number of former [[National Police Corps|police]] and Interior ministry officers were involved and that the GAL had been financed through the reserved funds.<ref name="EM010601">{{cite news |date=1 June 2001 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2001/05/31/espana/991332870.html |title=Cronología del 'caso Marey', la historia de un secuestro |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> Among those were former interior minister [[José Barrionuevo]], former [[Secretary of State for Security (Spain)|state security directors]] Julián Sancristóbal and Rafael Vera, former [[Biscay]] PSOE secretary-general Ricardo García Damborenea and a number of police officers.<ref name="EM010601"/> Throughout early 1995, those accused except for Barrionuevo were arrested and court-questioned, leading to the "GAL case" being re-opened by the [[Spanish National Court]] on 20 February.<ref name="EM010601"/> Barrionuevo argued that Garzón, who had contested the 1993 general election in the PSOE's electoral lists, was acting out of personal revenge against the party after political differences leading to his resignation as [[Deputy (legislator)|deputy]] in May 1994.<ref name="EM010601"/> Some defendants accused Felipe González of "knowing and allowing such activities", even pointing out that he could have been the person establishing and financing the GAL (the "Mr. X" person who was attributed leadership over the GAL network).<ref>{{cite news |last=Yoldi |first=José |date=21 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/21/espana/806277614_850215.html |title=Damborenea acusa a González de autorizar los GAL |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Yoldi |first=José |date=29 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/29/espana/806968818_850215.html |title=Garzón imputa a González un delito de fundación de la banda armada GAL y otro de malversación |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> Barrionuevo, Vera and Sancristóbal were convicted for the scandal, but the [[Spanish Supreme Court]] concluded in 1996 that there was not proof of González's involvement and that the accusations were based on mere suspicions.<ref name="EM010601"/> Declassified [[CIA]] files in 2020 pointed to González having "agreed to the formation of a group of [[mercenaries]], controlled by the [[Spanish Army|Army]], to combat the terrorists outside the law".<ref>{{cite news |date=15 June 2020 |url=https://www.catalannews.com/politics/item/cia-documents-link-former-spanish-president-with-mercenaries-hired-to-kill-eta-members |title=CIA documents link former Spanish president with mercenaries hired to kill ETA members |language=en |publisher=[[Catalan News]] |location=Barcelona |access-date=20 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=23 June 2020 |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/cuenta-cia-felipe-gonzalez-gal_1_6060054.html |title=Lo que cuenta y lo que no dice el informe de la CIA sobre Felipe González y el GAL |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=20 March 2025}}</ref>

In June 1995, ''El Mundo'' revealed that the [[Centro Superior de Información de la Defensa|Superior Center of Defense Information]] (CESID), the main Spanish [[intelligence agency]] at the time, had been recording and keeping the taped telephone conversations of dozens of prominent public figures for years, including politicians, businessmen, journalists and [[King Juan Carlos I]] himself, apparently without the cabinet's knowledge.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nash |first=Elizabeth |date=22 June 1995 |title=Bugging scandal threatens Gonzalez |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/bugging-scandal-threatens-gonzalez-1587676.html |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |location=Madrid |access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Galiacho |first=Juan Luis |date=18 October 2007 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/especiales/2007/10/comunicacion/18elmundo/cesid.html |title=Los espías del gobierno grababan hasta al rey |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Galiacho |first=Juan Luis |date=10 May 2017 |url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2017/05/10/59119d72268e3e85668b459d.html |title=Así reveló EL MUNDO que el Cesid espiaba a políticos, empresarios e incluso al Rey Juan Carlos |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> This illegal [[espionage]] scandal led to the resignations of [[Ministry of Defence (Spain)|defence minister]] [[Julián García Vargas]], under whose authority the CESID was responsible to, and [[Deputy Prime Minister of Spain|deputy prime minister]] [[Narcís Serra]], who had been Vargas's predecessor in the office between 1982 and 1991.<ref>{{cite news |date=18 June 1995 |title=Serra presentó su dimisión el martes |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/06/18/portada/803426402_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first1=Luis |last2=Díez |first2=Anabel |date=29 June 1995 |title=Unos relevos de larga digestión |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/06/29/espana/804376802_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=29 June 1995 |title=16 días en el disparadero |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/06/29/espana/804376801_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref>

The mounting scandals and the impact of the economic crisis took their toll on González's party: it suffered its first-ever nationwide defeat to the opposition [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] (PP) in the [[1994 European Parliament election in Spain|1994 European Parliament election]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Yárnoz |first=Carlos |date=13 June 1994 |title=Aznar gana con claridad a González |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/06/13/espana/771458433_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> and the 1995 [[1995 Spanish local elections|local]] and [[1995 Spanish regional elections|regional]] elections brought about the loss of many Socialist governments throughout Spain and a decline in [[Catalonia]] for PSOE's parliamentary partner, CiU, which withdrew its [[confidence and supply]] support in July 1995.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pastor |first=Carles |date=18 July 1995 |title=CiU recupera la "libertad de acción" y pide elecciones al acabar la presidencia europea |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/18/espana/806018436_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=13 February 2019 |title=El Congreso devuelve los presupuestos al Gobierno por segunda vez en la historia |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20190213/congreso-devuelve-presupuestos-gobierno-por-segunda-vez-historia/1883526.shtml |language=es |publisher=[[RTVE]] |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mira |first=Nieves |date=29 January 2016 |url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-cuando-gonzalez-y-aznar-tuvieron-pactar-investiduras-201601290201_noticia.html |title=Cuando González y Aznar tuvieron que pactar sus investiduras |language=es |newspaper=ABC |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> This materialized in the 1996 General State Budget being voted down by the Congress of Deputies on 25 October 1995.<ref name="EP130995">{{cite news |last=Mauri |first=Luis |date=13 September 1995 |title=CiU rechaza los Presupuestos para forzar elecciones |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/09/13/espana/810943213_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref name="EP261095">{{cite news |last=Díez |first=Anabel |date=26 October 1995 |title=La oposición devuelve los Presupuestos y exige elecciones |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/10/26/espana/814662020_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> As a result, González was forced to call a [[snap election]] for early 1996, fifteen months ahead of schedule.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Díez |first1=Anabel |last2=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first2=Luis |date=21 September 1995 |title=Las elecciones generales serán en marzo |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/09/21/espana/811634401_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref><ref name="EP291295">{{cite news |last=Díez |first=Anabel |date=29 December 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/12/29/espana/820191610_850215.html |title=González confirma las elecciones para el 3 de marzo y se ofrece a gobernar en coalición |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref>

==Overview== Under the [[Spanish Constitution of 1978|1978 Constitution]], the Spanish {{lang|es|[[Cortes Generales]]|italic=no}} were conceived as an [[imperfect bicameral]] system.<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 66}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://app.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/sinopsis/sinopsis.jsp?art=66&tipo=2 |title=Constitución española. Título III. De las Cortes Generales. Sinopsis artículo 66 |language=es |publisher=[[Congress of Deputies]] |access-date=11 October 2025 |postscript=,}} summarizing {{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 66}}.</ref> The [[Congress of Deputies]] held greater legislative power than the [[Senate of Spain|Senate]], having the ability to grant or withdraw confidence from a [[Prime Minister of Spain|prime minister]] and to override Senate [[veto]]es by an [[absolute majority]].<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=arts. 90 & 99}}.</ref> Nonetheless, the Senate retained a limited number of specific functions—such as [[ratifying]] international treaties, authorizing cooperation agreements between [[Autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous communities]], enforcing [[direct rule]], regulating interterritorial compensation funds, and taking part in [[constitutional amendment]]s and in the appointment of members to the [[Constitutional Court of Spain|Constitutional Court]] and the [[General Council of the Judiciary]]—which were not subject to override by Congress.<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=arts. 74, 94, 122, 145, 155, 158–159 & 166–167}}.</ref>

===Date=== The term of each chamber of the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}}—the Congress and the Senate—expired four years from the date of their previous election, unless they were [[Dissolution of parliament|dissolved]] earlier.<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=arts. 68–69}}.</ref> The election [[decree]] was required to be issued no later than 25 days before the scheduled expiration date of parliament and published on the following day in the [[Official State Gazette]] (BOE), with [[election day]] taking place 54 days after the decree's publication.<ref>{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 42 & 167}}.</ref> The [[1993 Spanish general election|previous election]] was held on 6 June 1993, which meant that the chambers' terms would have expired on 6 June 1997. The election decree was required to be published in the BOE no later than 13 May 1997, setting the latest possible date for election day on 6 July 1997.

The prime minister had the prerogative to propose the [[Monarchy of Spain|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.<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=arts. 115–116}}.</ref> 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.<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 99}}.</ref> Barring this exception, there was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://app.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/sinopsis/sinopsis.jsp?art=115&tipo=2 |title=Constitución española. Título V. De las relaciones entre el Gobierno y las Cortes Generales. Sinopsis artículo 115 |language=es |publisher=[[Congress of Deputies]] |access-date=31 October 2025 |postscript=,}} summarizing {{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 115}}.</ref> Still, as of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, there has been no precedent of separate elections taking place under the 1978 Constitution.

Felipe González's government had been intent on ending the legislative term in 1997,<ref>{{cite news |last=Moreno |first=Marife |date=13 November 1994 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/11/13/espana/784681203_850215.html |title=Serra descarta un posible adelanto de elecciones generales |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=León |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=9 February 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/02/09/espana/792284425_850215.html |title="Soy partidario de cumplir los mandatos" |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=25 May 1995 |url=https://www.servimedia.es/noticias/gonzalez-anuncia-convocara-elecciones-ano-97-para-volver-ganar/1410876904 |title=González anuncia que convocará elecciones en el año 97 para "volver a ganar" |language=es |publisher=Servimedia |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> but the opposition PP had insisted on a snap election being held as soon as possible.<ref>{{cite news |last=González Ibáñez |first=Juan |date=20 June 1994 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/06/20/espana/772063202_850215.html |title=El PP exigirá el anticipo de las elecciones si el Gobierno le margina |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Casqueiro |first=Javier |date=9 February 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/02/09/espana/792284431_850215.html |title=Aznar propone un pacto para celebrar en mayo las elecciones legislativas, autonómicas y municipales |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pastor |first=Carles |date=21 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/21/espana/806277618_850215.html |title=Aznar exige elecciones inmediatas para superar una crisis "insostenible" |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> CiU leader and [[Catalan president]], [[Jordi Pujol]], sought to secure a balance between his party's preference for the [[1995 Catalan regional election|next Catalan regional election]]—initially scheduled for March or April 1996—being held ahead of the general election, and the belief that González could not politically survive the mounting scandals.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pastor |first=Carles |date=3 February 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/02/03/espana/791766003_850215.html |title=Pujol admite que prevé un adelanto electoral |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=14 March 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/03/14/opinion/795135601_850215.html |title=La fecha electoral |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Company, Enric |date=11 June 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/06/11/espana/802821601_850215.html |title=La carta del anticipo electoral |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> Following the local and regional elections on 28 May 1995, Pujol opted to hold the Catalan election in the autumn and force a general election for February or March 1996.<ref>{{cite news |last=Parra |first=Carmen |date=22 June 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/06/22/espana/803772006_850215.html |title=Pujol y Durán optan por que autonómicas y legislativas se celebren antes de abril |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Company, Enric |last2=Pastor |first2=Carles |date=26 June 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/06/26/espana/804117603_850215.html |title=Perspectivas de adelanto para las elecciones catalanas |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pastor |first=Carles |date=30 June 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/06/30/espana/804463223_850215.html |title=Pujol espera que González anuncie el martes en el Congreso que en marzo habrá elecciones anticipadas |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Badia |first=Enric |date=9 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/09/espana/805240813_850215.html |title=Pujol exige a González que disuelva las Cortes el 31 de diciembre |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Sant Feliu Sasserra |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> While González resisted,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cembrero |first1=Ignacio |last2=Díez |first2=Anabel |date=4 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/04/espana/804808823_850215.html |title=González hace oídos sordos a Pujol y se niega a poner fecha a las elecciones generales |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first=Luis |date=10 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/10/espana/805327214_850215.html |title=Los socialistas califican de "intromisión inaceptable" que Pujol fije las elecciones |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> he did no longer rule out an early electoral call in 1996.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first=Luis |date=7 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/07/espana/805068017_850215.html |title=González abre la puerta a unas elecciones en 1996 |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> On 14 July, González and Pujol agreed for the Catalan election to be held in November and the general election in March, certifying the end of CiU's support to the government.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mauri |first=Luis |date=7 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/07/espana/805068002_850215.html |title=CiU romperá con el PSOE el 17-J y exigirá elecciones a primeros de año |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=30 November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Pastor |first1=Carles |last2=Díez |first2=Anabel |date=14 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/14/espana/805672823_850215.html |title=González y Pujol preparan elecciones para marzo |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first1=Luis |last2=Pastor |first2=Carles |date=10 September 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/09/10/espana/810684011_850215.html |title=Pujol hace firme la ruptura con González, pero se reserva su posición ante los presupuestos |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref>

In September, CiU [[U-turn (politics)|U-turned]] and announced that it would reject the 1996 General State Budget to trigger an earlier general election,<ref name="EP130995"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Pastor |first=Carles |date=8 September 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/09/08/espana/810511206_850215.html |title=Pujol planteará mañana a González un cambio de calendario electoral |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> but González's refusal to alter the agreed electoral calendar forced Pujol to advance the Catalan election to November.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Díez |first1=Anabel |last2=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first2=Luis |date=9 September 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/09/09/espana/810597615_850215.html |title=González rechazará la sugerencia de Pujol de celebrar las elecciones antes de marzo |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pastor |first=Carles |date=12 September 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/09/12/espana/810856802_850215.html |title=Pujol convocará para noviembre si González persiste en sus tesis |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=25 September 1995 |url=https://www.servimedia.es/noticias/pujol-convoca-elecciones-catalanas-para-19-noviembre-critica-falta-credibilidad-gobierno-gonzalez/1410890442 |title=Pujol convoca elecciones catalanas para el 19 de noviembre y critica la falta de "credibilidad" del Gobierno González |language=es |publisher=Servimedia |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> The State Budget was voted down by the Congress of Deputies on 25 October,<ref name="EP261095"/> Pujol and his party lost their absolute majority in Catalonia in the 19 November regional election,<ref>{{cite news |last=Serrano |first=Sebastián |date=20 November 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/11/20/espana/816822014_850215.html |title=Pujol tendrá que gobernar con apoyos |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Barcelona |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> and González announced the parliament's dissolution—and the end of the 5th Cortes Generales—on 28 December.<ref name="EP291295"/>

The {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} were officially dissolved on 9 January 1996 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 3 March and scheduling for both chambers to reconvene on 27 March.<ref>{{harvp|Royal Decree 1/1996|1996|loc=arts. 1–2 & 5}}.</ref>

===Electoral system=== Voting for each chamber of the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} was based on [[universal suffrage]], comprising all [[Spanish national]]s over 18 years of age with full [[political rights]], provided that they had not been [[Disfranchisement|deprived of the right to vote]] by a final [[Sentence (law)|sentence]], nor were [[Capacity (law)|legally incapacitated]].<ref>{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 2–3}}.</ref>{{sfn|Carreras de Odriozola|Tafunell Sambola|2005|p=1077}}

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 district|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—using the [[D'Hondt method]] and [[closed-list]] [[proportional voting]], with a three percent-[[Electoral threshold|threshold]] of valid votes (including [[blank ballot]]s) in each constituency. The remaining two seats were allocated to [[Ceuta]] and [[Melilla]] as [[single-member district]]s elected by [[plurality voting]].<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 68}}; {{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 162–164}}.</ref> The use of this electoral method resulted in a higher [[Electoral threshold#Natural threshold|effective threshold]] depending on [[district magnitude]] and vote distribution.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Michael |date=30 July 2012 |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |title=Effective threshold in electoral systems |publisher=[[Trinity College Dublin]] |location=Dublin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730092518/http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |access-date=22 July 2017 |archive-date=30 July 2017}}</ref>

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats:<ref>{{harvp|Royal Decree 1/1996|1996|loc=art. 3}}.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |- ! width="50"| Seats ! width="600"| Constituencies |- | align="center"| '''34''' | [[Madrid (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Madrid]] |- | align="center"| '''31''' | [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]]{{font color|red|(–1)}} |- | align="center"| '''16''' | [[Valencia (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Valencia]] |- | align="center"| '''13''' | [[Seville (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Seville]]{{font color|green|(+1)}} |- | align="center"| '''11''' | [[Alicante (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Alicante]]{{font color|green|(+1)}} |- | align="center"| '''10''' | [[Málaga (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Málaga]] |- | align="center"| '''9''' | [[Asturias (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Asturias]], [[Biscay (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Biscay]], [[Cádiz (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Cádiz]], [[A Coruña (Congress of Deputies constituency)|La Coruña]], [[Murcia (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Murcia]] |- | align="center"| '''8''' | [[Pontevedra (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Pontevedra]] |- | align="center"| '''7''' | [[Balearic Islands (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Balearics]], [[Córdoba (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Córdoba]], [[Granada (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Granada]], [[Las Palmas (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Las Palmas]], [[Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Santa Cruz de Tenerife]], [[Zaragoza (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Zaragoza]] |- | align="center"| '''6''' | [[Badajoz (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Badajoz]], [[Gipuzkoa (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Guipúzcoa]], [[Jaén (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Jaén]], [[Tarragona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Tarragona]] |- | align="center"| '''5''' | [[Almería (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Almería]], [[Cáceres (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Cáceres]], [[Cantabria (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Cantabria]], [[Castellón (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Castellón]], [[Ciudad Real (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Ciudad Real]], [[Girona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Girona]], [[Huelva (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Huelva]], [[León (Congress of Deputies constituency)|León]], [[Navarre (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Navarre]], [[Toledo (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Toledo]], [[Valladolid (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Valladolid]] |- | align="center"| '''4''' | [[Álava (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Álava]], [[Albacete (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Albacete]], [[Burgos (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Burgos]], [[La Rioja (Congress of Deputies constituency)|La Rioja]], [[Lleida (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Lleida]], [[Lugo (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Lugo]]{{font color|red|(–1)}}, [[Ourense (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Orense]], [[Salamanca (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Salamanca]] |- | align="center"| '''3''' | [[Ávila (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Ávila]], [[Cuenca (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Cuenca]], [[Guadalajara (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Guadalajara]], [[Huesca (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Huesca]], [[Palencia (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Palencia]], [[Segovia (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Segovia]], [[Soria (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Soria]], [[Teruel (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Teruel]], [[Zamora (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Zamora]] |}

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 Islands|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 seat per million inhabitants.<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 69}}; {{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 162 & 165–166}}.</ref>{{sfn|Carreras de Odriozola|Tafunell Sambola|2005|p=1083}}

The law did not provide for [[by-election]]s to fill [[Casual vacancy|vacant seats]]; instead, any vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term were filled by the next candidates on the [[Electoral list|party lists]] or, when required, by designated [[Substitute (elections)|substitutes]].<ref>{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 46, 48, 164, 166 & 170–171}}.</ref>

===Outgoing parliament=== The tables below show the composition of the [[parliamentary group]]s in both chambers at the time of dissolution.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lozano |first=Carles |url=https://www.historiaelectoral.com/grups.html |title=Grupos Parlamentarios en el Congreso de los Diputados y el Senado |language=es |website=Historia Electoral.com |access-date=25 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="HESenate">{{cite web |last=Lozano |first=Carles |url=https://www.historiaelectoral.com/senado7.html |title=Composición del Senado 1977-{{year}} |language=es |website=Historia Electoral.com |access-date=25 August 2025}}</ref>

{{col-begin|width=auto}} {{col-break}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |+ Parliamentary composition in January 1996<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.congreso.es/web/guest/grupos/composicion-en-la-legislatura |title=Grupos parlamentarios |language=es |website=[[Congress of Deputies]] |access-date=7 December 2020}}</ref> |- ! colspan="6"| Congress of Deputies |- ! rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Groups ! rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Parties ! colspan="2"| Deputies |- ! Seats ! Total |- | width="1" rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | rowspan="2"| Socialist Group of the Congress | width="1" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]] | 141 | rowspan="2"| '''159''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialists' Party of Catalonia}}"| | [[Socialists' Party of Catalonia|PSC]] | 18 |- | rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | rowspan="2"| People's Parliamentary Group in the Congress | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]] | 138 | rowspan="2"| '''141''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Navarrese People's Union}}"| | [[Navarrese People's Union|UPN]] | 3 |- | rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}"| | rowspan="2"| United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Federal Parliamentary Group | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}"| | [[United Left (Spain)|IU]] | 15 | rowspan="2"| '''18''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Initiative for Catalonia}}"| | [[Initiative for Catalonia|IC]] | 3 |- | rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence and Union}}"| | rowspan="2"| Catalan Parliamentary Group (Convergence and Union) | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Convergence of Catalonia}}"| | [[Democratic Convergence of Catalonia|CDC]] | 12 | rowspan="2"| '''17''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Union of Catalonia}}"| | [[Democratic Union of Catalonia|UDC]] | 5 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}"| | Basque Group (PNV) | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}"| | [[Basque Nationalist Party|EAJ/PNV]] | 5 | '''5''' |- | rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}"| | rowspan="3"| Canarian Coalition's Parliamentary Group | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Canarian Independent Groups}}"| | [[Canarian Independent Groups|AIC]] | 2 | rowspan="3"| '''4''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nationalist Canarian Initiative}}"| | [[Nationalist Canarian Initiative|ICAN]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nationalist Canarian Centre}}"| | [[Nationalist Canarian Centre|CCN]] | 1 |- | rowspan="5" bgcolor="gray"| | rowspan="5"| Mixed Parliamentary Group | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}"| | [[Herri Batasuna|HB]] | 2 | rowspan="5"| '''6''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}"| | [[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}"| | [[Eusko Alkartasuna|EA]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian Union}}"| | [[Valencian Union|UV]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Aragonese Party}}"| | [[Aragonese Party|PAR]] | 1 |} {{col-break|gap=1em}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |+ Parliamentary composition in January 1996<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senado.es/web/composicionorganizacion/gruposparlamentarios/gruposparlamentariosdesde1977/index.html |title=Grupos Parlamentarios desde 1977 |language=es |website=[[Senate of Spain]] |access-date=8 July 2020}}</ref> |- ! colspan="6"| Senate |- ! rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Groups ! rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Parties ! colspan="2"| Senators |- ! Seats ! Total |- | width="1" rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | rowspan="2"| People's Parliamentary Group in the Senate | width="1" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]] | 111 | rowspan="2"| '''114''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Navarrese People's Union}}"| | [[Navarrese People's Union|UPN]] | 3 |- | rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | rowspan="2"| Socialist Parliamentary Group | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]] | 103 | rowspan="2"| '''111''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialists' Party of Catalonia}}"| | [[Socialists' Party of Catalonia|PSC]] | 8 |- | rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence and Union}}"| | rowspan="2"| Convergence and Union's Catalan Parliamentary Group in the Senate | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Convergence of Catalonia}}"| | [[Democratic Convergence of Catalonia|CDC]] | 9 | rowspan="2"| '''13''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Union of Catalonia}}"| | [[Democratic Union of Catalonia|UDC]] | 4 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}"| | Basque Nationalist Senators' Parliamentary Group | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}"| | [[Basque Nationalist Party|EAJ/PNV]] | 5 | '''5''' |- | rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}"| | rowspan="4"| Canarian Coalition's Parliamentary Group in the Senate | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Canarian Independent Groups}}"| | [[Canarian Independent Groups|AIC]] | 2 | rowspan="4"| '''5''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nationalist Canarian Initiative}}"| | [[Nationalist Canarian Initiative|ICAN]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Majorera Assembly}}"| | [[Majorera Assembly|AM]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent Herrenian Group}}"| | [[Independent Herrenian Group|AHI]] | 1 |- | rowspan="7" bgcolor="gray"| | rowspan="7"| Mixed Parliamentary Group | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}"| | [[United Left (Spain)|IU]] | 2 | rowspan="7"| '''8''' |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}"| | [[Herri Batasuna|HB]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}"| | [[Eusko Alkartasuna|EA]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}"| | [[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian Union}}"| | [[Valencian Union|UV]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence of Democrats of Navarre}}"| | [[Convergence of Democrats of Navarre|CDN]] | 1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Lanzarote Independents Party}}"| | [[Lanzarote Independents Party|PIL]] | 1 |} {{col-end}}

==Candidates== ===Nomination rules=== Spanish citizens with the [[right to vote]] could [[Nomination rules|run for election]], provided that they had not been criminally [[imprisoned]] by a final sentence or [[convicted]]—whether final or not—of offences that involved loss of eligibility or disqualification from public office (such as [[rebellion]] or [[terrorism]], when involving crimes [[Homicide|against life]], [[Battery (crime)|physical integrity]] or [[Kidnapping|personal freedom]]). Additional causes of ineligibility applied to the following officials:<ref name="CEArt70LOREGArt6">{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 70}}; {{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 6 & 154}}.</ref> *Members of the [[Spanish royal family]] and their spouses; *Holders of a number of senior public or institutional posts, including the heads and members of higher courts and state institutions;{{efn|These comprised the [[Constitutional Court of Spain|Constitutional Court]], the [[General Council of the Judiciary]], the [[Supreme Court of Spain|Supreme Court]], the [[Spanish Council of State|Council of State]], the [[Court of Auditors (Spain)|Court of Auditors]] and the [[Economic and Social Council (Spain)|Economic and Social Council]].}} the [[Spanish Ombudsman|Ombudsman]]; the [[Spanish Attorney General|State's Attorney General]]; high-ranking officials of [[Spanish government departments|government departments]], the [[Office of the Prime Minister (Spain)|Office of the Prime Minister]] and other [[List of agencies in Spain|state agencies]]; [[Government Delegation (Spain)|government delegates in the autonomous communities and civil governors]]; the [[chair of RTVE|director-general of RTVE]]; the director of the Electoral Register Office; the [[Governor of the Bank of Spain|governor]] and deputy governor of the [[Bank of Spain]]; the heads of [[Official Credit Institute|official credit institutions]]; and members of [[electoral commission]]s and of the [[Nuclear Safety Council (Spain)|Nuclear Safety Council]]; *Heads of [[List of diplomatic missions of Spain|diplomatic missions]] abroad; *[[Judiciary of Spain|Judges]] and [[Prosecution Ministry|public prosecutors]] in active service; *Members of the [[Spanish Armed Forces|Armed Forces]] and [[Law enforcement in Spain|law enforcement bodies]] in active service.

Other ineligibility provisions also applied to a number of territorial officials in these categories within their [[Jurisdiction (area)|areas of jurisdiction]], as well as to employees of foreign states and members of regional governments.<ref name="CEArt70LOREGArt6"/>

[[Incompatibility rule]]s included those of ineligibility, and also barred running in multiple constituencies or lists, and combining legislative roles (deputy, senator, and regional lawmaker) with each other or with:<ref>{{harvp|Constitution|1978|loc=art. 67}}; {{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 46 & 155–159}}.</ref> *A number of senior public or institutional posts, including the presidency of the [[National Commission on Markets and Competition|Competition Defence Court]]; and leadership positions in RTVE, government offices, public authorities (such as [[port authorities]], hydrographic confederations, or [[Highways in Spain|highway concessionary companies]]), public entities and state-owned or publicly funded companies; *Any other paid [[Public sector|public]] or [[Private sector|private]] position, except [[University professor|university teaching]].

===Parties and lists=== {{See also|List of political parties in Spain}} The electoral law allowed for [[Political party|parties]] and [[Political alliance|federations]] registered in the [[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|interior ministry]], [[Electoral alliance|alliances]] and [[Grouping of electors (Spain)|groupings of electors]] to present [[Electoral list|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.<ref>{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=arts. 44 & 169}}.</ref>

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

{| class="wikitable" style="line-height:1.35em; text-align:left;" |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="3"| Candidacy ! rowspan="3"| Parties and alliances ! colspan="2" rowspan="3"| Leading candidate ! rowspan="3"| Ideology ! colspan="4"| Previous result ! rowspan="3"| {{abbr|Gov.|Government}} ! rowspan="3"| {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |- ! colspan="2"| Congress ! colspan="2"| Senate |- ! Vote % ! Seats ! Vote % ! Seats |- | width="1" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) | [[Socialists' Party of Catalonia]] (PSC) }} | [[File:Felipe González 1995 (cropped).jpg|50px]] | [[Felipe González]] | [[Social democracy]] | align="center"| 38.8% | {{big|'''159'''}} | align="center"| 39.0% {{efn|name="Ibiza"|Results in the 1993 Senate election, not including Ibiza–Formentera.}} | {{big|'''96'''}} | {{ya|15}} | <ref name="EP191295">{{cite news |last1=Díez |first1=Anabel |last2=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first2=Luis |date=19 December 1995 |title=González será candidato por séptima vez |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/12/19/espana/819327609_850215.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |last1=Díez |first1=Anabel |last2=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first2=Luis |date=23 December 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/12/23/espana/819673206_850215.html |title=El comité federal del PSOE proclama candidato a Felipe González sin ningún voto en contra |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | align="center"| '''[[People's Party (Spain)|PP]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] (PP) | [[Navarrese People's Union]] (UPN) | [[Aragonese Party]] (PAR) }} | [[File:José María Aznar 1996 (cropped).jpg|50px]] | [[José María Aznar]] | [[Conservatism]] [[Christian democracy]] | align="center"| 35.4% {{efn|name="PP+PAR"}} | {{big|'''142'''}} | align="center"| 35.2% {{efn|Results for [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]] (34.5%, 93 senators) and [[Aragonese Party|PAR]] (0.7%, 0 senators) in the 1993 Senate election.}} | {{big|'''93'''}} | {{na|15}} | <ref>{{cite news |date=19 January 1996 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1996/01/19/espana/822006003_850215.html |title=PP y Par se alían para asegurar la mayoría absoluta en Aragón |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=19 March 2019}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |date=27 February 1996 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1996/02/27/espana/825375614_850215.html |title=Aznar rebaña votos de los regionalistas para rentabilizar el reparto de escaños |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=19 March 2019}}</ref> |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}"| | align="center"| '''[[United Left (Spain)|IU]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[United Left (Spain)|United Left]] (IU) {{smaller|– [[Communist Party of Spain]] (PCE) – [[Socialist Action Party (Spain)|Socialist Action Party]] (PASOC) – [[Republican Left (Spain, 1977)|Republican Left]] (IR) – [[Unitarian Candidacy of Workers|Collectives for the Unity of Workers]] (CUT)}} | [[Initiative for Catalonia]]–[[The Greens–Ecologist Confederation of Catalonia|The Greens]] (IC–EV) {{smaller|– [[Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia]] (PSUC) – [[Party of the Communists of Catalonia]] (PCC) – [[The Greens–Ecologist Confederation of Catalonia]] (EV–CEC)}} | [[Confederation of the Greens|The Greens]] (LV){{efn|Only in Andalusia, Extremadura and Murcia.}} }} | [[File:Julio Anguita 1996 (cropped).jpg|50px]] | [[Julio Anguita]] | [[Socialism]] [[Communism]] | align="center"| 9.6% | {{big|'''18'''}} | align="center"| 9.5% {{efn|name="Ibiza"}} | {{big|'''0'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence and Union}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Convergence and Union|CiU]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Democratic Convergence of Catalonia]] (CDC) | [[Democratic Union of Catalonia]] (UDC) }} | [[File:Joaquim Molins 2014 (cropped).jpg|50px]] | [[Joaquim Molins]] | [[Catalan nationalism]] [[Centrism]] | align="center"| 4.9% | {{big|'''17'''}} | align="center"| 5.3% | {{big|'''10'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Basque Nationalist Party|EAJ/PNV]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Basque Nationalist Party]] (EAJ/PNV) }} | [[File:2007 02 Inaki Anasagasti-2.jpg|50px]] | [[Iñaki Anasagasti]] | [[Basque nationalism]] [[Christian democracy]] | align="center"| 1.2% | {{big|'''5'''}} | align="center"| 1.3% | {{big|'''3'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Canarian Coalition|CC]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Canarian Independent Groups]] (AIC) {{smaller|– [[Tenerife Group of Independents]] (ATI) – La Palma Group of Independents (API) – Gomera Group of Independents (AGI)}} | [[Nationalist Canarian Initiative]] (ICAN) | [[Nationalist Canarian Centre]] (CCN) | [[Canarian Nationalist Party]] (PNC) | [[Independent Herrenian Group]] (AHI) | [[Majorera Assembly]] (AM) }} | [[File:Portrait placeholder.svg|50px]] | José Carlos Mauricio | [[Regionalism (politics)|Regionalism]] [[Canarian nationalism]] [[Centrism]] | align="center"| 0.9% | {{big|'''4'''}} | align="center"| 0.6% | {{big|'''5'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Herri Batasuna|HB]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Herri Batasuna|Popular Unity]] (HB) {{smaller|– [[Basque Nationalist Action]] (EAE/ANV)}} }} | [[File:Portrait placeholder.svg|50px]] | — | [[Basque independence]] [[Abertzale left]] [[Revolutionary socialism]] | align="center"| 0.9% | {{big|'''2'''}} | align="center"| 0.9% | {{big|'''1'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Republican Left of Catalonia]] (ERC) }} | [[File:Pilar Rahola (cropped).jpg|50px]] | [[Pilar Rahola]] | [[Catalan independence]] [[Left-wing nationalism]] [[Social democracy]] | align="center"| 0.8% | {{big|'''1'''}} | align="center"| 0.4% {{efn|name="Ibiza"}} | {{big|'''0'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Eusko Alkartasuna|EA]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Eusko Alkartasuna|Basque Solidarity]] (EA) }} | [[File:Begoña Lasagabaster 2023 (cropped).jpg|50px]] | Begoña Lasagabaster | [[Basque nationalism]] [[Social democracy]] | align="center"| 0.5% | {{big|'''1'''}} | align="center"| 0.6% | {{big|'''0'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian Union}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Valencian Union|UV]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Valencian Union]] (UV) }} | [[File:José María Chiquillo 2016 (cropped).jpg|50px]] | [[José María Chiquillo]] | [[Blaverism]] [[Conservatism]] | align="center"| 0.5% | {{big|'''1'''}} | align="center"| 0.5% | {{big|'''0'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Galician Nationalist Bloc|BNG]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Galician Nationalist Bloc]] (BNG) {{smaller|– [[Galician People's Union]] (UPG) – [[Socialist Collective]] (CS) – [[Galician Nationalist Party–Galicianist Party]] (PNG–PG) – [[Nationalist Left]] (EN) – [[Inzar]] (Inzar) – [[Galician Unity (1991)|Galician Unity]] (UG)}} }} | [[File:Francisco Rodríguez Sánchez (AELG)-1.jpg|50px]] | Francisco Rodríguez | [[Galician nationalism]] [[Left-wing nationalism]] | align="center"| 0.5% | {{big|'''0'''}} | align="center"| 0.5% | {{big|'''0'''}} | {{na|15}} | |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Pacte Progressista|EFS]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) | [[United Left of the Balearic Islands|United Left]] (EU) | [[Entesa Nacionalista i Ecologista|Nationalist and Ecologist Agreement]] (ENE) | [[Republican Left of Catalonia]] (ERC) | [[Confederation of the Greens|The Greens of Ibiza]] (EV–Eiv) }} | [[File:Pilar Costa 2017 (cropped).jpg|50px]] | Pilar Costa | [[Progressivism]] | colspan="2" {{n/a}} | align="center"| 0.0% {{efn|Results for [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]] (0.0%, 0 senators), [[United Left (Spain)|IU]] (0.0%, 0 senators), [[Confederation of the Greens|EVIB]] (0.0%, 0 senators), [[Nationalist Left of the Balearic Islands Federation|PSM–ENE]] (0.0%, 0 senators) and [[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]] (0.0%, 0 senators) in the 1993 Senate election in Ibiza–Formentera.}} | {{big|'''0'''}} | {{na|15}} | <ref name="EEIF">{{cite web |url=http://www.eeif.es/veus/Eivissa-i-Formentera-al-Senat/ |title=Eivissa i Formentera al Senat |language=ca |website=eeif.es |publisher=L'Enciclopèdia d'Eivissa i Formentera |access-date=19 March 2019}}</ref> |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Lanzarote Independents Party}}"| | align="center"| '''[[Lanzarote Independents Party|PIL]]''' | {{Collapsible list | title = List | bullets = on | [[Lanzarote Independents Party]] (PIL) }} | [[File:Portrait placeholder.svg|50px]] | Cándido Armas | [[Regionalism (politics)|Insularism]] [[Canarian nationalism]] | colspan="4" {{n/a|{{small|Did not contest}}}} | {{na|15}} | |} There was speculation on whether prime minister Felipe González would run as PSOE's candidate for a fifth term in office, which he initially confirmed "if his party asked him to",<ref>{{cite news |date=25 February 1994 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/02/25/espana/762130820_850215.html |title=González asegura que está dispuesto a luchar por un quinto mandato como presidente del Gobierno |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=20 October 1994 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1994/10/20/espana/782607617_850215.html |title=El jefe de Gobierno dice que será candidato en 1997, aunque tiene "dos o tres" sucesores |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> being re-elected as PSOE leader in the [[1994 PSOE federal party congress|party's 1994 congress]].<ref>{{cite news |date=20 March 1994 |url=https://www.servimedia.es/noticias/psoe-gonzalez-abandono-congreso-saludar-guerra/1410870529 |title=PSOE. González abandonó el congreso sin saludar a Guerra |language=es |publisher=Servimedia |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> However, the judicial probe into the GAL case and political weariness made him reconsider,<ref>{{cite news |date=21 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/21/espana/806277612_850215.html |title=Ciscar confirma que el PSOE elegirá al sucesor de González en septiembre |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Díez |first=Anabel |date=7 August 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/08/07/espana/807746410_850215.html |title=González confirmará en otoño a su partido que no volverá a ser candidato a la presidencia |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> and by the second half of 1995 he was said to have taken the decision not to continue.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first1=Luis |last2=Díez |first2=Anabel |date=8 October 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/10/08/espana/813106804_850215.html |title=Los íntimos de Felipe González le ven resuelto a no presentarse |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Galán |first1=Lola |last2=Díez |first2=Anabel |last3=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first3=Luis |date=7 December 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/12/07/espana/818290814_850215.html |title=González admite en público que ahora puede ser un "problema" y no "la solución" para su partido |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> The election of [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Foreign Affairs minister]] [[Javier Solana]]—widely seen as González's most likely successor—as [[NATO secretary-general]] in December 1995 thwarted González's plans to retire,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Díez |first1=Anabel |last2=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first2=Luis |date=22 November 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/11/22/espana/816994824_850215.html |title=La candidatura de Solana a la OTAN condiciona los planes de González de renunciar a la reelección |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Díez |first1=Anabel |last2=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first2=Luis |date=2 December 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/12/02/espana/817858824_850215.html |title=Borrell gana espacio como candidato y arrecian las presiones sobre González |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref> with him confirming a new run following overwhelming support from his party.<ref name="EP191295"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Díez |first1=Anabel |last2=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first2=Luis |date=31 July 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/07/31/espana/807141603_850215.html |title=El PSOE se moviliza para que González vuelva a encabezar su candidatura |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodríguez Aizpeolea |first1=Luis |last2=Díez |first2=Anabel |date=1 October 1995 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/10/01/espana/812502017_850215.html |title=El PSOE presiona a González para que opte a la reeleccion por temor a un descalabro en las urnas |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref>

The PSOE, [[United Left (Spain)|United Left]] (IU), [[Confederation of the Greens|The Greens]] (LV), [[Entesa Nacionalista i Ecologista|Nationalist and Ecologist Agreement]] (ENE) and [[Republican Left of Catalonia]] (ERC) formed the [[Pacte Progressista|Ibiza and Formentera in the Senate]] alliance for the Senate election.<ref name="EEIF"/>

==Campaign== ===Party slogans=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Party or alliance ! Original slogan ! English translation ! {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |- | width="1" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]] | « España en positivo » | "Spain in positive" | <ref name="Slogans">{{cite web |date=8 November 2011 |url=https://ciudadanosencrisis.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/los-lemas-que-ganaron-elecciones/ |title=Los lemas que ganaron elecciones |language=es |publisher=Ciudadanos en crisis |access-date=24 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Valenzuela |first=Javier |date=19 February 1996 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1996/02/19/espana/824684424_850215.html |title=El PSOE asegura que su vídeo es legal y responde a tres años de "ataques brutales" del PP |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref> |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]] | « Con la nueva mayoría » | "With the new majority" | <ref name="Slogans"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Casqueiro |first=Javier |date=12 February 1996 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1996/02/12/espana/824079604_850215.html |title=Aznar "¡Quiero el programa ya! |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Julve |first=Rafa |date=14 December 2015 |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20151214/carteles-electorales-partido-popular-elecciones-generales-fraga-aznar-rajoy-4740802 |title=Los carteles del PP y AP para las elecciones generales desde 1982 |language=es |newspaper=El Periódico de Catalunya |location=Barcelona |access-date=19 February 2019}}</ref> |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}"| | [[United Left (Spain)|IU]] | « IU decide » | "IU decides" | rowspan="2"| <ref name="Slogans"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Serrano |first=Rodolfo |date=9 February 1996 |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1996/02/09/espana/823820410_850215.html |title=La campaña metafísica de Anguita |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref> |}

==Opinion polls== {{Main|Opinion polling for the 1996 Spanish general election}} {{wide image|OpinionPollingSpainGeneralElection1996.svg|750px|[[Local regression]] trend line of poll results from 6 June 1993 to 3 March 1996, with each line corresponding to a political party.}}

==Results== ===Congress of Deputies=== {{For|results by autonomous community/constituency|Results breakdown of the 1996 Spanish general election (Congress)}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;" |+ [[1993 Spanish general election#Congress of Deputies|←]] Summary of the 3 March 1996 [[Congress of Deputies]] election results [[2000 Spanish general election#Congress of Deputies|→]] |- | colspan="7"| [[File:SpainCongressDiagram1996.svg|center|400px]] |- ! style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2" colspan="2" width="525"| Parties and alliances ! colspan="3"| Popular vote ! colspan="2"| Seats |- ! width="75"| Votes ! width="45"| % ! width="45"| ±[[Percentage point|pp]] ! width="35"| Total ! width="35"| +/− |- | width="1" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] (PP)1 | 9,716,006 || 38.79 || style="color:green;"| +3.42 | '''156''' || style="color:green;"| +14 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) | 9,425,678 || 37.63 || style="color:red;"| −1.15 | '''141''' || style="color:red;"| −18 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[United Left (Spain)|United Left]] (IU) | 2,639,774 || 10.54 || style="color:green;"| +0.99 | '''21''' || style="color:green;"| +3 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence and Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Convergence and Union]] (CiU) | 1,151,633 || 4.60 || style="color:red;"| −0.34 | '''16''' || style="color:red;"| −1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Basque Nationalist Party]] (EAJ/PNV) | 318,951 || 1.27 || style="color:green;"| +0.03 | '''5''' || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}"| | align="left"| [[Canarian Coalition]] (CC) | 220,418 || 0.88 || ±0.00 | '''4''' || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}"| | align="left"| [[Galician Nationalist Bloc]] (BNG) | 220,147 || 0.88 || style="color:green;"| +0.34 | '''2''' || style="color:green;"| +2 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}"| | align="left"| [[Herri Batasuna|Popular Unity]] (HB) | 181,304 || 0.72 || style="color:red;"| −0.16 | '''2''' || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}"| | align="left"| [[Republican Left of Catalonia]] (ERC) | 167,641 || 0.67 || style="color:red;"| −0.13 | '''1''' || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Andalusian Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Andalusian Party]] (PA)2 | 134,800 || 0.54 || style="color:red;"| −0.05 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}"| | align="left"| [[Eusko Alkartasuna|Basque Solidarity]] (EA) | 115,861 || 0.46 || style="color:red;"| −0.09 | '''1''' || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Valencian Union]] (UV) | 91,575 || 0.37 || style="color:red;"| −0.11 | '''1''' || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Confederation of the Greens}}"| | align="left"| [[Confederation of the Greens|The European Greens]] (LVE) | 61,689 || 0.25 || style="color:red;"| −0.54 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Chunta Aragonesista}}"| | align="left"| [[Chunta Aragonesista|Aragonese Union]] (CHA) | 49,739 || 0.20 || style="color:green;"| +0.17 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic and Social Centre (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Democratic and Social Centre (Spain)|Centrist Union]] (UC) | 44,771 || 0.18 || style="color:red;"| −1.58 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian People's Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Valencian People's Union]]–[[Nationalist Valencian Party|Nationalist Bloc]] (UPV–BN) | 26,777 || 0.11 || style="color:red;"| −0.06 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nationalist Left of the Balearic Islands Federation}}"| | align="left"| [[Nationalist Left of the Balearic Islands Federation|Nationalists of the Balearic Islands]] (PSM–ENE) | 24,644 || 0.10 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|The Greens–Green Group}}"| | align="left"| [[The Greens–Green Group]] (LV–GV) | 17,177 || 0.07 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence of Democrats of Navarre}}"| | align="left"| [[Convergence of Democrats of Navarre]] (CDN) | 17,020 || 0.07 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Workers' Revolutionary Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Workers' Revolutionary Party (Spain)|Workers' Revolutionary Party]] (PRT)3 | 14,854 || 0.06 || style="color:red;"| −0.07 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain}}"| | align="left"| [[Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain]] (PCPE) | 14,513 || 0.06 || style="color:green;"| +0.02 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Humanist Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Humanist Party (Spain)|Humanist Party]] (PH) | 13,482 || 0.05 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Partíu Asturianista}}"| | align="left"| [[Partíu Asturianista|Asturianist Party]] (PAS) | 12,213 || 0.05 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Falange Española Auténtica}}"| | align="left"| [[Falange Española Auténtica|Authentic Spanish Phalanx]] (FEA) | 12,114 || 0.05 || style="color:green;"| +0.05 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Leonese People's Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Leonese People's Union]] (UPL) | 12,049 || 0.05 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Citizen Initiative}}"| | align="left"| Basque Citizen Initiative (ICV–Gorordo) | 11,833 || 0.05 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|The Greens of the Community of Madrid}}"| | align="left"| [[The Greens of the Community of Madrid|The Greens of Madrid]] (LVM) | 8,483 || 0.03 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Extremaduran Coalition}}"| | align="left"| [[Extremaduran Coalition]] (CEx)4 | 7,312 || 0.03 || style="color:red;"| −0.03 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Majorcan Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Majorcan Union]] (UM) | 6,943 || 0.03 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Commoners' Land}}"| | align="left"| [[Commoners' Land|Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party]] (TC–PNC) | 6,206 || 0.02 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Riojan Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Riojan Party]] (PR) | 6,065 || 0.02 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Ecologist Party of Catalonia}}"| | align="left"| Ecologist Party of Catalonia (PEC) | 4,305 || 0.02 || style="color:red;"| −0.02 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Unity of Castile and León}}"| | align="left"| [[Regionalist Unity of Castile and León]] (URCL) | 4,061 || 0.02 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Andalusian Nation}}"| | align="left"| [[Andalusian Nation]] (NA) | 3,505 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|National Alliance (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[National Alliance (Spain)|Alliance for National Unity]] (AUN) | 3,397 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country}}"| | align="left"| [[Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country|Salamanca–Zamora–León–PREPAL]] (PREPAL) | 2,762 || 0.01 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|SOS Nature}}"| | align="left"| SOS Nature (SOS) | 2,753 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Republican Coalition (Spain, 1996)}}"| | align="left"| [[Republican Coalition (Spain, 1996)|Republican Coalition]] (CR)5 | 2,744 || 0.01 || style="color:red;"| −0.02 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Popular Front of the Canary Islands}}"| | align="left"| [[Popular Front of the Canary Islands]] (FREPIC) | 2,567 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialist Party of the People of Ceuta}}"| | align="left"| [[Socialist Party of the People of Ceuta]] (PSPC) | 2,365 || 0.01 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Party of Castilla-La Mancha}}"| | align="left"| Regionalist Party of Castilla-La Mancha (PRCM) | 2,279 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Galician People's Front}}"| | align="left"| [[Galician People's Front]] (FPG) | 2,065 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent Socialists of Extremadura}}"| | align="left"| [[Independent Socialists of Extremadura]] (SIEx) | 1,678 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Madrilenian Independent Regional Party}}"| | align="left"| Madrilenian Independent Regional Party (PRIM) | 1,671 || 0.01 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Red–Green Party (PRV) | 1,656 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Falange Española Independiente}}"| | align="left"| [[Falange Española Independiente|Independent Spanish Phalanx]] (FEI) | 1,550 || 0.01 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|New Region}}"| | align="left"| New Region (NR) | 1,452 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Democratic Republican Action}}"| | align="left"| Republican Action (AR) | 1,237 || 0.00 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Platform of Independents of Spain}}"| | align="left"| Citizen Independent Platform of Catalonia (PICC) | 1,229 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian Nationalist Left}}"| | align="left"| [[Valencian Nationalist Left]] (ENV) | 1,023 || 0.00 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Party of El Bierzo}}"| | align="left"| Party of El Bierzo (PB) | 1,000 || 0.00 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Nationalist Canarian Party (PCN) | 722 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Alicantine Provincial Union (UPRA) | 651 || 0.00 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Democratic Andalusian Unity (UAD) | 627 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Citizen Democratic Action (ADEC) | 598 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Voice of the Andalusian People}}"| | align="left"| Voice of the Andalusian People (VDPA) | 529 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|European Nation State}}"| | align="left"| [[European Nation State]] (N) | 495 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Social and Autonomist Liberal Group (ALAS) | 402 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Balearic Alliance}}"| | align="left"| Balearic Alliance (ABA) | 379 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Party of Guadalajara}}"| | align="left"| [[Regionalist Party of Guadalajara]] (PRGU) | 338 || 0.00 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Spanish Autonomous League (LAE) | 296 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Aragonese Social Dynamic (DSA) | 265 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Party of The People (LG) | 243 || 0.00 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Inter-Zamoran Party (PIZ) | 215 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Nationalist Party of Melilla}}"| | align="left"| Nationalist Party of Melilla (PNM) | 200 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Centrists of the Valencian Community}}"| | align="left"| Centrists of the Valencian Community (CCV) | 0 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Revolutionary Workers' Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Revolutionary Workers' Party (Spain)|Revolutionary Workers' Party]] (POR) | 0 || 0.00 || style="color:red;"| −0.03 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Party of Self-employed, Retirees and Widows}}"| | align="left"| Party of Self-employed of Spain (PAE) | 0 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Tenerife Independent Familiar Groups (AFIT) | 0 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Blank ballots | 243,345 || 0.97 || style="color:green;"| +0.17 | bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2"| |- | colspan="7" bgcolor="#E9E9E9"| |- style="font-weight:bold;" | align="left" colspan="2"| Total | 25,046,276 || bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2"| | 350 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" bgcolor="#E9E9E9"| |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Valid votes | 25,046,276 || 99.50 || style="color:green;"| +0.04 | bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2" rowspan="5"| |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Invalid votes | 125,782 || 0.50 || style="color:red;"| −0.04 |- style="font-weight:bold;" | align="left" colspan="2"| Votes cast / turnout | 25,172,058 || 77.38 || style="color:green;"| +0.94 |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Abstentions | 7,359,775 || 22.62 || style="color:red;"| −0.94 |- style="font-weight:bold;" | align="left" colspan="2"| Registered voters | 32,531,833 || bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2"| |- | colspan="7" bgcolor="#E9E9E9"| |- | align="left" colspan="7"| Sources<ref name="InfoE">{{cite web |url=https://infoelectoral.interior.gob.es/es/elecciones-celebradas/resultados-electorales/ |title=Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales |language=es |publisher=[[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|Ministry of the Interior]] |access-date=15 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="HE">{{cite web |last=Lozano |first=Carles |url=https://www.historiaelectoral.com/e1996.html |title=Elecciones Generales 3 de marzo de 1996 |language=es |website=Historia Electoral.com |access-date=25 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="Results">{{cite journal |date=27 March 1996 |title=Acuerdo de 25 de marzo de 1996, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se ordena la publicación del resumen de los resultados de las elecciones para el Congreso de los Diputados y el Senado, convocadas por Real Decreto 1/1996, de 8 de enero, y celebradas el 3 de marzo de 1996, conforme a las actas de escrutinio general remitidas por las distintas Juntas Electorales Provinciales y las Juntas Electorales de Ceuta y Melilla |url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1996/03/27/pdfs/A11749-11774.pdf |language=es |journal=[[Official State Gazette]] |issue=75 |issn=0212-033X |pages=11749–11774 |access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=11 May 1996 |title=Acuerdo de 30 de abril de 1996, de la Junta Electoral Central, de publicación de corrección de errores del resumen de los resultados de las elecciones para el Congreso de los Diputados convocadas por Real Decreto 1/1996 de 8 de enero, y celebradas el 3 de marzo de 1996, según los datos que figuran en las actas de escrutinio general remitidas por cada una de las Juntas Electorales Provinciales |url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1996/05/11/pdfs/A16606-16606.pdf |language=es |journal=[[Official State Gazette]] |issue=115 |issn=0212-033X |page=16606 |access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref> |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left; max-width:790px;"| {{hidden|ta1=left|title=Footnotes:|content={{ubl | 1 [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] results are compared to the combined totals of the People's Party and the [[Aragonese Party]] in the 1993 election. | 2 [[Andalusian Party]] results are compared to the combined totals of Andalusian Party and [[Andalusian Progress Party]] in the 1993 election. | 3 [[Workers' Revolutionary Party (Spain)|Workers' Revolutionary Party]] results are compared to [[Workers' Socialist Party (Spain)|Workers' Socialist Party]] totals in the 1993 election. | 4 [[Extremaduran Coalition]] results are compared to the combined totals of [[United Extremadura]] and Extremaduran Regionalist Party in the 1993 election. | 5 [[Republican Coalition (Spain, 1996)|Republican Coalition]] results are compared to [[Coalition for a New Socialist Party]] totals in the 1993 election.}}}} |}

{{bar box |title=Popular vote |titlebar=#ddd |width=550px |barwidth=500px |bars= {{bar percent|[[People's Party (Spain)|PP]]|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|38.79}} {{bar percent|[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|37.63}} {{bar percent|[[United Left (Spain)|IU]]|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}|10.54}} {{bar percent|[[Convergence and Union|CiU]]|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|4.60}} {{bar percent|[[Basque Nationalist Party|EAJ/PNV]]|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.27}} {{bar percent|[[Canarian Coalition|CC]]|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.88}} {{bar percent|[[Galician Nationalist Bloc|BNG]]|{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}|0.88}} {{bar percent|[[Herri Batasuna|HB]]|{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}|0.72}} {{bar percent|[[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]]|{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}|0.67}} {{bar percent|[[Eusko Alkartasuna|EA]]|{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}|0.46}} {{bar percent|[[Valencian Union|UV]]|{{party color|Valencian Union}}|0.37}} {{bar percent|Others|#777777|2.21}} {{bar percent|Blank ballots|#DDDDDD|0.97}} }} {{bar box |title=Seats |titlebar=#ddd |width=550px |barwidth=500px |bars= {{bar percent|[[People's Party (Spain)|PP]]|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|44.57}} {{bar percent|[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|40.29}} {{bar percent|[[United Left (Spain)|IU]]|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}|6.00}} {{bar percent|[[Convergence and Union|CiU]]|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|4.57}} {{bar percent|[[Basque Nationalist Party|EAJ/PNV]]|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.43}} {{bar percent|[[Canarian Coalition|CC]]|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|1.14}} {{bar percent|[[Galician Nationalist Bloc|BNG]]|{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}|0.57}} {{bar percent|[[Herri Batasuna|HB]]|{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}|0.57}} {{bar percent|[[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]]|{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}|0.29}} {{bar percent|[[Eusko Alkartasuna|EA]]|{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}|0.29}} {{bar percent|[[Valencian Union|UV]]|{{party color|Valencian Union}}|0.29}} }}

===Senate=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;" |+ [[1993 Spanish general election#Senate|←]] Summary of the 3 March 1996 [[Senate of Spain]] election results [[2000 Spanish general election#Senate|→]] |- | colspan="7"| [[File:SpainSenateDiagram1996.svg|center|375px]] |- ! style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2" colspan="2" width="525"| Parties and alliances ! colspan="3"| Popular vote ! colspan="2"| Seats |- ! width="75"| Votes ! width="45"| % ! width="45"| ±[[Percentage point|pp]] ! width="35"| Total ! width="35"| +/− |- | width="1" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] (PP)1 | 26,788,282 || 39.04 || style="color:green;"| +3.87 | '''112''' || style="color:green;"| +19 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) | 25,865,206 || 37.70 || style="color:red;"| −1.32 | '''81''' || style="color:red;"| −15 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[United Left (Spain)|United Left]] (IU) | 6,851,023 || 9.99 || style="color:green;"| +0.52 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence and Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Convergence and Union]] (CiU) | 3,338,737 || 4.87 || style="color:red;"| −0.43 | '''8''' || style="color:red;"| −2 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Basque Nationalist Party]] (EAJ/PNV) | 918,692 || 1.34 || style="color:green;"| +0.04 | '''4''' || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}"| | align="left"| [[Galician Nationalist Bloc]] (BNG) | 670,346 || 0.98 || style="color:green;"| +0.36 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}"| | align="left"| [[Herri Batasuna|Popular Unity]] (HB) | 516,007 || 0.75 || style="color:red;"| −0.17 | 0 || style="color:red;"| −1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}"| | align="left"| [[Republican Left of Catalonia]] (ERC) | 493,480 || 0.72 || style="color:green;"| +0.35 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Andalusian Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Andalusian Party]] (PA)2 | 415,676 || 0.61 || style="color:red;"| −0.07 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}"| | align="left"| [[Canarian Coalition]] (CC) | 388,366 || 0.57 || style="color:red;"| −0.04 | '''1''' || style="color:red;"| −4 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}"| | align="left"| [[Eusko Alkartasuna|Basque Solidarity]] (EA) | 337,911 || 0.49 || style="color:red;"| −0.09 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Valencian Union]] (UV) | 280,383 || 0.41 || style="color:red;"| −0.12 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Chunta Aragonesista}}"| | align="left"| [[Chunta Aragonesista|Aragonese Union]] (CHA) | 136,157 || 0.20 || style="color:green;"| +0.16 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic and Social Centre (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Democratic and Social Centre (Spain)|Centrist Union]] (UC) | 129,432 || 0.19 || style="color:red;"| −1.63 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Confederation of the Greens}}"| | align="left"| [[Confederation of the Greens|The European Greens]] (LVE) | 127,576 || 0.19 || style="color:red;"| −0.69 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian People's Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Valencian People's Union]]–[[Nationalist Valencian Party|Nationalist Bloc]] (UPV–BN) | 93,337 || 0.14 || style="color:red;"| −0.07 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|The Greens–Green Group}}"| | align="left"| [[The Greens–Green Group]] (LV–GV) | 67,439 || 0.10 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Convergence of Democrats of Navarre}}"| | align="left"| [[Convergence of Democrats of Navarre]] (CDN) | 54,016 || 0.08 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nationalist Left of the Balearic Islands Federation}}"| | align="left"| [[Nationalist Left of the Balearic Islands Federation|Nationalists of the Balearic Islands]] (PSM–ENE) | 50,928 || 0.07 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Leonese People's Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Leonese People's Union]] (UPL) | 48,214 || 0.07 || style="color:red;"| −0.02 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Partíu Asturianista}}"| | align="left"| [[Partíu Asturianista|Asturianist Party]] (PAS) | 41,127 || 0.06 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain}}"| | align="left"| [[Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain]] (PCPE) | 34,495 || 0.05 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|National Alliance (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[National Alliance (Spain)|Alliance for National Unity]] (AUN) | 32,451 || 0.05 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Basque Citizen Initiative}}"| | align="left"| Basque Citizen Initiative (ICV–Gorordo) | 31,632 || 0.05 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Extremaduran Coalition}}"| | align="left"| [[Extremaduran Coalition]] (CEx)3 | 30,213 || 0.04 || style="color:red;"| −0.05 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Falange Española Auténtica}}"| | align="left"| [[Falange Española Auténtica|Authentic Spanish Phalanx]] (FEA) | 27,999 || 0.04 || style="color:green;"| +0.03 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Ecologist Party of Catalonia}}"| | align="left"| Ecologist Party of Catalonia (PEC) | 24,662 || 0.04 || style="color:red;"| −0.04 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Humanist Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Humanist Party (Spain)|Humanist Party]] (PH) | 24,149 || 0.04 || style="color:green;"| +0.02 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}"| | align="left"| [[Pacte Progressista|Ibiza and Formentera in the Senate]] ([[Socialist Party of the Balearic Islands|PSOE]]–[[United Left of the Balearic Islands|EU]]–[[Entesa Nacionalista i Ecologista|ENE]]–[[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]]–[[Confederation of the Greens|EV–Eiv]]) | 21,365 || 0.03 || ''New'' | '''1''' || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Riojan Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Riojan Party]] (PR) | 20,172 || 0.03 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Commoners' Land}}"| | align="left"| [[Commoners' Land|Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party]] (TC–PNC) | 20,119 || 0.03 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Majorcan Union}}"| | align="left"| [[Majorcan Union]] (UM) | 18,944 || 0.03 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country}}"| | align="left"| [[Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country|Salamanca–Zamora–León–PREPAL]] (PREPAL) | 17,024 || 0.02 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Republican Coalition (Spain, 1996)}}"| | align="left"| [[Republican Coalition (Spain, 1996)|Republican Coalition]] (CR)4 | 15,958 || 0.02 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Falange Española Independiente}}"| | align="left"| [[Falange Española Independiente|Independent Spanish Phalanx]] (FEI) | 14,963 || 0.02 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Workers' Revolutionary Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Workers' Revolutionary Party (Spain)|Workers' Revolutionary Party]] (PRT)5 | 14,618 || 0.02 || style="color:red;"| −0.05 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Unity of Castile and León}}"| | align="left"| [[Regionalist Unity of Castile and León]] (URCL) | 14,362 || 0.02 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Lanzarote Independents Party}}"| | align="left"| [[Lanzarote Independents Party]] (PIL) | 13,161 || 0.02 || ''New'' | '''1''' || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|The Greens of the Community of Madrid}}"| | align="left"| [[The Greens of the Community of Madrid|The Greens of Madrid]] (LVM) | 13,080 || 0.02 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Andalusian Nation}}"| | align="left"| [[Andalusian Nation]] (NA) | 12,803 || 0.02 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nationalist Party of Castile and León}}"| | align="left"| [[Nationalist Party of Castile and León]] (PANCAL) | 10,268 || 0.01 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Party of El Bierzo}}"| | align="left"| Party of El Bierzo (PB) | 8,641 || 0.01 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent Socialists of Extremadura}}"| | align="left"| [[Independent Socialists of Extremadura]] (SIEx) | 8,018 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Madrilenian Independent Regional Party}}"| | align="left"| Madrilenian Independent Regional Party (PRIM) | 6,409 || 0.01 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Democratic Republican Action}}"| | align="left"| Republican Action (AR) | 6,398 || 0.01 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Red–Green Party (PRV) | 6,232 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|SOS Nature}}"| | align="left"| SOS Nature (SOS) | 6,149 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Party of Castilla-La Mancha}}"| | align="left"| Regionalist Party of Castilla-La Mancha (PRCM) | 6,106 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Democratic Party of the People (PDEP) | 6,061 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Popular Front of the Canary Islands}}"| | align="left"| [[Popular Front of the Canary Islands]] (FREPIC) | 4,764 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialist Party of the People of Ceuta}}"| | align="left"| [[Socialist Party of the People of Ceuta]] (PSPC) | 4,107 || 0.01 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Natural Culture}}"| | align="left"| Natural Culture (CN) | 3,986 || 0.01 || style="color:green;"| +0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Galician People's Front}}"| | align="left"| [[Galician People's Front]] (FPG) | 3,727 || 0.01 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Platform of Independents of Spain}}"| | align="left"| Citizen Independent Platform of Catalonia (PICC) | 3,408 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent Candidacy (Castile and León)}}"| | align="left"| Independent Candidacy of Valladolid (CIV) | 3,270 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Join Action}}"| | align="left"| Join Action (AY) | 2,573 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Alicantine Provincial Union (UPRA) | 2,536 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Voice of the Andalusian People}}"| | align="left"| Voice of the Andalusian People (VDPA) | 2,352 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Aragonese Unity (UA) | 2,305 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Valencian Nationalist Left}}"| | align="left"| [[Valencian Nationalist Left]] (ENV) | 2,080 || 0.00 || style="color:red;"| −0.01 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|National Workers' Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[National Workers' Party (Spain)|National Workers' Party]] (PNT) | 1,788 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|New Region}}"| | align="left"| New Region (NR) | 1,754 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Revolutionary Workers' Party (Spain)}}"| | align="left"| [[Revolutionary Workers' Party (Spain)|Revolutionary Workers' Party]] (POR) | 1,438 || 0.00 || style="color:red;"| −0.02 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Regionalist Party of Guadalajara}}"| | align="left"| [[Regionalist Party of Guadalajara]] (PRGU) | 1,305 || 0.00 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Citizen Democratic Action (ADEC) | 1,187 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Social and Autonomist Liberal Group (ALAS) | 1,099 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Nationalist Canarian Party (PCN) | 934 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Inter-Zamoran Party (PIZ) | 912 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Iberian Unity (UI) | 883 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|European Nation State}}"| | align="left"| [[European Nation State]] (N) | 816 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Democratic Andalusian Unity (UAD) | 783 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Spanish Autonomous League (LAE) | 610 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Spanish Nationalist Party of Melilla}}"| | align="left"| Nationalist Party of Melilla (PNM) | 595 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Aragonese Social Dynamic (DSA) | 581 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independents of Menorca}}"| | align="left"| Independents of Menorca (INME) | 558 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Proverist Party}}"| | align="left"| Proverist Party (PPr) | 373 || 0.00 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Spanish Action (AE) | 256 || 0.00 || ±0.00 | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Clean Hands Project (PML) | 231 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Party of The People (LG) | 125 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:white"| | align="left"| Tenerife Independent Familiar Groups (AFIT) | 0 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Centrists of the Valencian Community}}"| | align="left"| Centrists of the Valencian Community (CCV) | 0 || 0.00 || ''New'' | 0 || ±0 |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Blank ballots{{efn|The percentage of blank ballots is calculated over the official number of valid votes cast, irrespective of the total number of votes shown as a result of adding up the individual results for each party.}} | 482,601 || 1.97 || style="color:green;"| +0.34 | bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2"| |- | colspan="7" bgcolor="#E9E9E9"| |- style="font-weight:bold;" | align="left" colspan="2"| Total | 68,612,724 || bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2"| | 208 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" bgcolor="#E9E9E9"| |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Valid votes | 24,502,854 || 97.41 || style="color:red;"| −0.29 | bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2" rowspan="5"| |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Invalid votes | 652,656 || 2.59 || style="color:green;"| +0.29 |- style="font-weight:bold;" | align="left" colspan="2"| Votes cast / turnout | 25,155,510 || 77.33 || style="color:green;"| +0.84 |- | align="left" colspan="2"| Abstentions | 7,376,323 || 22.67 || style="color:red;"| −0.84 |- style="font-weight:bold;" | align="left" colspan="2"| Registered voters | 32,531,833 || bgcolor="#E9E9E9" colspan="2"| |- | colspan="7" bgcolor="#E9E9E9"| |- | align="left" colspan="7"| Sources<ref name="HESenate"/><ref name="InfoE"/><ref name="HE"/><ref name="Results"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Lozano |first=Carles |url=https://www.historiaelectoral.com/e1996comp.html#s |title=Elecciones al Senado 1996 |language=es |website=Historia Electoral.com |access-date=25 August 2025}}</ref> |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left; max-width:790px;"| {{hidden|ta1=left|title=Footnotes:|content={{ubl | 1 [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] results are compared to the combined totals of the People's Party and the [[Aragonese Party]] in the 1993 election. | 2 [[Andalusian Party]] results are compared to the combined totals of Andalusian Party and [[Andalusian Progress Party]] in the 1993 election. | 3 [[Extremaduran Coalition]] results are compared to the combined totals of [[United Extremadura]] and Extremaduran Regionalist Party in the 1993 election. | 4 [[Republican Coalition (Spain, 1996)|Republican Coalition]] results are compared to [[Coalition for a New Socialist Party]] totals in the 1993 election. | 5 [[Workers' Revolutionary Party (Spain)|Workers' Revolutionary Party]] results are compared to [[Workers' Socialist Party (Spain)|Workers' Socialist Party]] totals in the 1993 election.}}}} |}

{{bar box |title=Popular vote |titlebar=#ddd |width=550px |barwidth=500px |bars= {{bar percent|[[People's Party (Spain)|PP]]|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|39.04}} {{bar percent|[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|37.70}} {{bar percent|[[United Left (Spain)|IU]]|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}|9.99}} {{bar percent|[[Convergence and Union|CiU]]|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|4.87}} {{bar percent|[[Basque Nationalist Party|EAJ/PNV]]|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.34}} {{bar percent|[[Canarian Coalition|CC]]|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.57}} {{bar percent|[[Pacte Progressista|EFS]]|{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}|0.03}} {{bar percent|[[Lanzarote Independents Party|PIL]]|{{party color|Lanzarote Independents Party}}|0.02}} {{bar percent|Others|#777777|5.75}} {{bar percent|''Blank ballots''|#DDDDDD|1.97}} }} {{bar box |title=Seats |titlebar=#ddd |width=550px |barwidth=500px |bars= {{bar percent|[[People's Party (Spain)|PP]]|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|53.85}} {{bar percent|[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|38.94}} {{bar percent|[[Convergence and Union|CiU]]|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|3.85}} {{bar percent|[[Basque Nationalist Party|EAJ/PNV]]|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.92}} {{bar percent|[[Canarian Coalition|CC]]|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.48}} {{bar percent|[[Pacte Progressista|EFS]]|{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}|0.48}} {{bar percent|[[Lanzarote Independents Party|PIL]]|{{party color|Lanzarote Independents Party}}|0.48}} }}

===Maps=== <gallery mode="packed" heights="250"> File:1996 Spanish general election map.svg|Election results by constituency (Congress). File:1996 Spanish election - Results.svg|Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress). File:1996 Spanish election - AC results.svg|Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress). </gallery>

==Aftermath== ===Government formation=== {{Further|1996 Spanish government formation|First government of José María Aznar}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- | colspan="3"| '''Investiture''' [[Congress of Deputies]] {{small|Nomination of [[José María Aznar]] ([[People's Party (Spain)|PP]])}} |- ! colspan="2" width="150px"| Ballot → ! 4 May 1996 |- ! colspan="2"| Required majority → | 176 out of 350 {{tick|15}} |- ! style="width:1px; color:inherit;background:green;"| | style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = Yes | • [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]] (156) | • [[Convergence and Union|CiU]] (16) | • [[Basque Nationalist Party|PNV]] (5) | • [[Canarian Coalition|CC]] (4) }} | {{Composition bar|181|350|green|width=125px}} |- ! style="color:inherit;background:red;"| | style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = No | • [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]] (141) | • [[United Left (Spain)|IU]]–[[Initiative for Catalonia|IC]] (21) | • [[Galician Nationalist Bloc|BNG]] (2) | • [[Republican Left of Catalonia|ERC]] (1) | • [[Eusko Alkartasuna|EA]] (1) }} | {{Composition bar|166|350|red|width=125px}} |- ! style="color:inherit;background:gray;"| | style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = Abstentions | • [[Valencian Union|UV]] (1) }} | {{Composition bar|1|350|gray|width=125px}} |- ! style="color:inherit;background:black;"| | style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = Absentees | • [[Herri Batasuna|HB]] (2) }} | {{Composition bar|2|350|black|width=125px}} |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan="3"| Sources<ref name="HECongressVotes">{{cite web |last=Lozano |first=Carles |url=https://www.historiaelectoral.com/congresovota.html |title=Congreso de los Diputados: Votaciones más importantes |language=es |website=Historia Electoral.com |access-date=25 August 2025}}</ref> |}

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography== '''Legislation''' {{refbegin}} *{{cite act |italics=y |title=Constitución Española |type=Constitution |date=27 December 1978 |orig-date=version as of 28 August 1992 |reporter=[[Official State Gazette]] |id=BOE-A-1978-31229 |language=es |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1978-31229&tn=1&p=19920828 |access-date=27 December 2016 |ref={{harvid|Constitution|1978}}}} *{{cite act |italics=y |title=Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General |type=Organic Law |number=5/1985 |date=19 June 1985 |orig-date=version as of 24 November 1995 |reporter=[[Official State Gazette]] |id=BOE-A-1985-11672 |language=es |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1985-11672&tn=1&p=19951124 |access-date=28 December 2016 |ref={{harvid|LOREG|1985}}}} *{{cite act |italics=y |title=Real Decreto 1/1996, de 8 de enero, de disolución del Congreso de los Diputados y del Senado y de convocatoria de elecciones |type=Royal Decree |number=1/1996 |date=8 January 1996 |reporter=[[Official State Gazette]] |id=BOE-A-1996-508 |language=es |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1996-508 |access-date=1 April 2026 |ref={{harvid|Royal Decree 1/1996|1996}}}} {{refend}}

'''Other''' {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |last1=Carreras de Odriozola |first1=Albert |last2=Tafunell Sambola |first2=Xavier |year=2005 |orig-year=1989 |title=Estadísticas históricas de España, siglos XIX-XX |url=http://www.fbbva.es/TLFU/dat/autores.pdf |language=es |volume=1 |location=Bilbao |publisher=Fundación BBVA |pages=1072–1097 |edition=II |isbn=84-96515-00-1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924010950/http://www.fbbva.es/TLFU/dat/autores.pdf |archive-date=24 September 2015 |df=dmy-all}} {{refend}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:General election in Spain, 1996}} [[Category:1996 elections in Spain]] [[Category:General elections in Spain|1996]] [[Category:March 1996 in Spain]]