2014 European Parliament election in Spain

An election was held in Spain on Sunday, 25 May 2014, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 8th European Parliament. All 54 seats allocated to the Spanish constituency as per the Treaty of Lisbon were up for election.

2014 European Parliament election in Spain

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All 54 Spanish seats in the European Parliament
Opinion polls
Registered	36,514,084 2.9%
Turnout	15,998,141 (43.8%) 1.1 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Miguel Arias Cañete Elena Valenciano Willy Meyer Party PP PSOE IP Alliance EPP S&D GUE/NGL Greens/EFA Leader since 9 April 2014 10 February 2014 8 May 2004 Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain Last election 24 seats, 42.1% 23 seats, 38.8% 2 seats, 3.7% Seats won 16 14 6 Seat change 8 9 4 Popular vote 4,098,339 3,614,232 1,575,308 Percentage 26.1% 23.0% 10.0% Swing 16.0 pp 15.8 pp 6.3 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Pablo Iglesias Francisco Sosa Wagner Ramon Tremosa Party Podemos UPyD CEU Alliance GUE/NGL ALDE ALDE EPP Leader since 3 April 2014 3 September 2008 24 January 2009 Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain Last election Did not contest 1 seat, 2.9% 3 seats, 4.8% Seats won 5 4 3 Seat change 5 3 0 Popular vote 1,253,837 1,022,232 851,971 Percentage 8.0% 6.5% 5.4% Swing New party 3.6 pp 0.6 pp
Vote winner strength by province Vote winner strength by autonomous community

The People's Party (PP) emerged as the largest party overall, albeit with its worst nationwide election result in 25 years with a mere 26.1% of the share and 16 seats, losing 2.6 million votes and 8 seats from its 2009 result. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) lost 9 seats and 2.5 million votes, obtaining just 23% of the total party vote and 14 seats. This would represent the party's worst election result in recent history until the 2015 general election, in which it scored a new low. Up to 8 additional political forces obtained representation. Pablo Iglesias' newly formed Podemos party (Spanish for "We can") turned into the election night surprise by winning 5 seats and 1,253,837 votes (8.0% of the share), an unprecedented result for a party only 4 months old and contesting an election for the first time. Podemos's surge and the extent of PP and PSOE collapse were not foreseen by opinion polls during the campaign, which had predicted higher support for the two dominant parties and a weaker performance of Podemos.

United Left's Plural Left coalition and Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) obtained some of their best historical results, with 10.0% and 6.5% of the vote and 6 and 4 seats, respectively. However, this was far from the major election breakthrough that polls had predicted throughout 2013 and in early 2014. From this point onwards both parties would lose support in opinion polls and in successive regional and local elections. The Citizens (C's) party of Albert Rivera, then marginalised as a Catalonia-only party and after several failed attempts to jump into national politics, managed to obtain 3.2% of the share and 2 seats. Just as Podemos, it would grow in support in the run up to the next general election and become a major political actor by 2015.

Electoral system

54 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Lisbon. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals and resident non-national European citizens over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for Spaniards abroad to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado).

All seats were elected in a single multi-member constituency—comprising the entire national territory—using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional voting system, with no electoral threshold being applied in order to be entitled to enter seat distribution. The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacated seats; instead, any vacancies that occurred after the proclamation of candidates and into the legislative term were to be covered by the successive candidates in the list and, when required, by the designated substitutes.

Outgoing delegation

Outgoing delegation in April 2014

Groups		Parties		MEPs
				Seats	Total
	European People's Party		PP	24	25
			UDC	1
	Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats		PSOE	23	23
	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe		CDC	1	2
			EAJ/PNV	1
	Greens–European Free Alliance		ICV	1	2
			Aralar	1
	European United Left–Nordic Green Left		IU	1	1
	Non-Inscrits		UPyD	1	1

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call. In order to be entitled to run, parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least 15,000 registered electors; this requirement could be lifted and replaced through the signature of at least 50 elected officials—deputies, senators, MEPs or members from the legislative assemblies of autonomous communities or from local city councils. Electors and elected officials were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.

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

Candidacy		Parties and alliances	Leading candidate		Ideology	Previous result		Ref.
						Vote %	Seats
	PP	List People's Party (PP)		Miguel Arias Cañete	Conservatism Christian democracy	42.1%	24
	PSOE	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)		Elena Valenciano	Social democracy	38.8%	23
	CEU	List Convergence and Union (CiU) Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) Canarian Coalition–Canarian Nationalist Party (CCa–PNC) Commitment to Galicia (CxG) Independence Rally (RI.cat)		Ramon Tremosa	Peripheral nationalism	4.8%	3
	IP	List United Left (IU) Initiative for Catalonia Greens–United and Alternative Left (ICV–EUiA) Galician Left Alternative (AGE) Left (I–E) The Greens (LV) Building the Left–Socialist Alternative (CLI–AS) Left Initiative–Awake (EKI–Iratzarri)		Willy Meyer	Socialism Communism	3.7%	2
	UPyD	List Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)		Francisco Sosa Wagner	Social liberalism Radical centrism	2.9%	1
	LPD	List Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu) Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) Andecha Astur (AA) Puyalón de Cuchas (Puyalón) Unity of the People (UP) Canarian Nationalist Alternative (ANC)		Josu Juaristi	Left-wing nationalism Socialism	2.1%	0
	EPDD	List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) New Catalan Left (NEC) Catalonia Yes (CatSí)		Josep Maria Terricabras	Catalan independence Social democracy	1.4%	1
	PE	List Commitment Coalition (Compromís) Equo (Equo) Aragonese Union (CHA) Participatory Democracy (Participa) Castilian Party (PCAS) For a Fairer World (PUM+J) Independent Socialists of Extremadura (SIEx) Caballas Coalition (Caballas)		Jordi Sebastià	Green politics Ecologism Eco-socialism	0.3%	0
	C's	List Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's)		Javier Nart	Social liberalism	0.1%	0
	Vox	List Vox (Vox)		Alejo Vidal-Quadras	Social conservatism Neoconservatism	—
	Podemos	List We Can (Podemos)		Pablo Iglesias	Left-wing populism Democratic socialism	—

Campaign

Party slogans

Party or alliance		Original slogan	English translation	Ref.
	PP	« Lo que está en juego es el futuro »	"What is at stake is the future"
	PSOE	« Tú mueves Europa »	"You move Europe"
	CEU CiU–RI.cat EAJ/PNV CCa–PNC CxG	CiU–RI.cat: « Guanyem-nos Europa » EAJ/PNV: « Euskadi gehiago, Europa berrian » / « Más Euskadi en otra Europa » CCa–PNC: « Exigente por Canarias » CxG: « A Europa que queremos »	CiU–RI.cat: "Let us win Europe for us" EAJ/PNV: "More Basque Country in another Europe" CCa–PNC: "Being demanding for the Canaries" CxG: "The Europe we want"
	IP	« El poder de la gente »	"The power of people"
	UPyD	« La unión hace la fuerza »	"In the union lies the strength"
	LPD EH Bildu BNG	EH Bildu: « Herriek erabaki » / « Los pueblos deciden » BNG: « Rebélate polos teus dereitos »	EH Bildu: "The peoples decide" BNG: "Rebel for your rights!"
	EPDD	« Comencem el nou país. Ara a Europa »	"Let us begin the new country. Now in Europe"
	PE	« La Europa de las personas » « Por fin, la Primavera »	"The Europe of people" "At last, the Spring"
	C's	« La fuerza de la unión »	"Strength lies in the union"
	Vox	« La solución es cambiar »	"The solution is to change"
	Podemos	« ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que votaste con ilusión? »	"When was the last time you voted with hope?"

Development

The electoral campaign started at 12:00 am on 9 May. However, a traffic accident in Badajoz the previous night resulting in the deaths of five people—one adult and four children—and 12 injured forced the suspension of the start of the campaign in Extremadura.

On Monday 12 May, Isabel Carrasco, president of the provincial government of Leon and member of the PP, was shot dead in the street. Policial investigation concluded that the crime's motive was score-settling, since the two women arrested for committing the crime, wife and daughter of the police chief inspector in the nearby town of Astorga, were PP members; one of them having been previously fired from the provincial deputation presided by Carrasco. This event forced another suspension of the campaign for 24 hours by most major political parties, except for some minoritary parties—such as EH Bildu and the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)—which chose not to stop their campaigns.

Election debates

2014 European Parliament election debates in Spain

Date	Organisers	Moderator(s)	P  Present    S  Surrogate    NI  Not invited   I  Invited    A  Absent invitee
			PP	PSOE	CEU	IP	UPyD	EPDD	Audience	Refs
15 May	RTVE	María Casado	P Cañete	P Valenciano	NI	NI	NI	NI	12.7% (2,445,000)
19 May	RTVE	María Casado	S G. Pons	S Jáuregui	P Tremosa	P Meyer	P S. Wagner	P Terricabras	4.2% (838,000)

Opinion polls

The tables below list opinion polling results in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a poll.

Voting intention estimates

The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font.

Color key:

  Poll conducted after legal ban on opinion polls   Exit poll

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout												Lead
2014 EP election	25 May 2014	—	43.8	26.1 16	23.0 14	5.4 3	10.0 6	6.5 4	4.0 2	2.1 1	3.2 2	1.9 1	1.6 0	8.0 5	3.1
La Gaceta	25 May 2014	?	?	32.3 19/20	30.8 18/19	4.4 3	9.7 5/6	5.4 3/4	3.3 2	1.5 0/1	2.7 1/2	0.9 0	1.4 1	2.5 1/2	1.5
TNS Demoscopia	25 May 2014	?	?	? 18/20	? 15/17	? 1/2	? 7/8	? 3/4	? 2/3	? 0/1	? 1/2	? 0/1	? 0	? 1/2	?
COPE	25 May 2014	?	?	? 18/19	? 15/16	? 2	? 5	? 4/5	? 2	? 0	? 1	? 1	? 0/1	? 2/3	?
GAD3/ABC	23 May 2014	?	44.0	? 18/19	? 15	? 3	? 5	? 4	? 2	? 1	? 1/2	? 1	? 0/1	? 2/3	?
DYM/Libertad Digital	18 May 2014	?	45	33.5 19	25.7 15/16	7.9 3/4	12.2 6/7	7.0 3/4	3.5 2	? 0	1.7 0/1	0.3 0	2.0 1	2.4 1/2	7.8
NC Report/La Razón	8–17 May 2014	900	43.2	32.5 19/20	29.7 18/19	4.5 2	11.8 6/7	6.1 3	? 1/2	? 0/1	? 1	? 1	? 0	? 0/1	2.8
Celeste-Tel/eldiario.es	12–16 May 2014	1,100	39.7	31.5 19	30.5 18	4.2 2	9.9 6	6.0 3	2.7 1	2.1 1	3.5 2	2.3 1	1.4 0	2.1 1	1.0
Invymark/laSexta	12–16 May 2014	?	?	35.4 21/22	28.6 16/17	5.6 3	10.2 5/6	6.9 3/4	4.1 2	2.0 1	? 0	? 0	? 0	1.5 0/1	6.8
GAD3/ABC	12–16 May 2014	1,200	41.0	33.8 21/22	27.9 17/18	5.0 3	8.9 5	5.3 3	3.2 1/2	1.8 1	2.9 1/2	1.4 0/1	0.9 0	3.5 1/2	5.9
Sigma Dos/El Mundo	13–15 May 2014	1,111	?	33.8 21/22	25.7 15/16	5.2 3	10.3 6	6.2 3/4	2.8 1	1.6 0/1	2.9 1	1.5 0/1	1.3 0	3.1 1/2	8.1
Metroscopia/El País	8–13 May 2014	1,200	43	32.6 19	31.1 19	4.3 2	11.0 6	4.5 2	5.6 3	? 0	2.3 1	1.7 1	? 0	2.4 1	1.5
GESOCLAB	11 May 2014	?	?	31.0 20	28.8 19	5.4 3	10.5 5	6.3 4	4.4 2	1.5 1	1.3 0	1.1 0	0.6 0	1.5 0	2.2
NC Report/La Razón	11 May 2014	?	?	32.8 19/20	29.9 17/18	? 2/3	11.9 7/8	6.2 3/4	? 1/2	? 1	? 1	? 1	? 0	? 0/1	2.9
Celeste-Tel/eldiario.es	2–8 May 2014	1,100	39.9	31.7 19/20	30.8 18/19	4.2 2	10.1 6	6.1 3/4	2.5 1	2.0 1	2.8 1	2.5 1	1.6 0/1	2.0 1	0.9
Feedback/La Vanguardia	30 Apr–8 May 2014	1,500	48.5	33.1 20	29.8 18	5.6 3	10.3 6	6.3 3	3.4 2	1.8 1	2.9 1	? 0	? 0	? 0	3.3
Sigma Dos/El Mundo	28 Apr–8 May 2014	1,000	?	34.9 21/22	28.4 17/18	5.5 3	8.8 5	5.6 3	? 1	1.6 1	2.3 1	? 0	? 0	1.8 1	6.5
Sigma Dos/El Mundo	22–30 Apr 2014	1,000	?	34.3 21/22	29.7 18/19	4.9 3	8.5 5	5.9 3	2.8 1	? 0	1.7 1	? 0	? 0	1.6 1	4.6
Demoscopia Servicios/esRadio	22–30 Apr 2014	1,800	?	32.7 19	30.5 18	4.5 2	12.4 7	7.8 4	2.3 1	1.8 1	1.9 1	<1.0 0	1.8 1	<1.0 0	2.2
Sondea/Público	9–30 Apr 2014	1,995	45	28.7 17/19	24.8 14/16	3.9 1/2	13.5 8/9	7.6 4/5	4.1 2/3	1.2 0/1	3.6 1/2	2.2 0/1	1.0 0	4.7 2/3	3.9
Random EOMS/IU	22–28 Apr 2014	1,000	High	29.5 18/19	23.6 14/15	5.6 3	13.6 8/9	9.2 5	3.7 2	1.5 0	2.4 1	2.3 1	1.3 0	2.9 1	5.9
			Low	32.2 18/19	29.9 17/18	4.0 2	12.0 7/8	6.5 3	3.8 2	0.9 0	2.1 1	1.7 1	0.9 0	2.5 1	2.3
CIS	7–26 Apr 2014	4,737	?	33.7 20/21	31.0 18/19	5.5 3	9.3 5	5.3 3	3.7 2	2.1 1	1.2 0	1.2 0	0.5 0	1.8 1	2.7
GAD3/ABC	21–25 Apr 2014	1,007	41.2	33.2 21	28.6 18	4.9 3	10.7 6	6.7 4	2.3 1	2.2 1	1.4 0/1	1.3 0/1	0.7 0	1.0 0	4.6
Metroscopia/El País	21–24 Apr 2014	1,200	43	32.6 20	32.2 19	4.7 2	12.0 7	4.6 2	4.2 2	? 0	2.1 1	1.8 1	? 0	? 0	0.4
Sigma Dos/El Mundo	10–24 Apr 2014	1,000	?	33.8 21/22	30.3 18/19	? 2	9.6 6	7.0 4	3.0 1	? 0	? 1	? 0	? 0	? 0	3.5
Sigma Dos/El Mundo	10–15 Apr 2014	1,000	?	33.1 20/21	30.2 18/19	4.2 2	10.4 6	7.2 4	3.2 2	1.3 0	2.3 1	1.1 0	1.1 0	1.2 0	2.9
Invymark/laSexta	7–11 Apr 2014	?	?	32.8	30.4	–	13.0	9.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	2.4
NC Report/La Razón	17–22 Mar 2014	900	42.0	30.4 18/19	28.3 16/17	4.5 2/3	12.1 7/8	7.3 4/5	3.9 2	–	2.8 1	3.2 1/2	2.2 1	–	2.1
Invymark/laSexta	17–21 Mar 2014	?	?	32.6	30.9	–	13.2	9.2	–	–	–	–	–	–	1.7
Metroscopia/El País	11–19 Mar 2014	1,600	40	25.7 16	29.0 18	4.0 2	14.1 9	8.4 5	4.5 2	1.8 1	2.0 1	1.2 0	0.9 0	0.8 0	3.3
Metroscopia/El País	12–20 Feb 2014	1,200	46	26.3 16	28.1 18	5.1 3	14.5 9	8.1 5	3.3 2	–	1.7 1	–	–	–	1.8
Sondeos R.A.	13–15 Feb 2014	400	48.5	28.3 17/18	29.0 18/19	5.0 2/3	12.6 7/8	8.7 4/5	3.2 1/2	–	3.5 0/2	–	–	–	0.7
GAD3/ABC	5–13 Feb 2014	1,000	41.0	31.2 20	29.2 18	5.1 3	11.1 7	7.7 4	3.4 2	–	1.3 0	–	1.4 0	–	2.0
DYM/El Confidencial	27 Jan–10 Feb 2014	1,165	50	28.2 17	30.3 19	3.0 1	13.5 7	6.3 3	4.8 2	–	–	–	–	–	2.1
Demoscopia Servicios/esRadio	9 Feb 2014	?	?	30.1 19	27.3 17	–	13.7 8	? 4	–	–	? 1	–	3.8 1/2	–	2.8
Invymark/laSexta	3–7 Feb 2014	?	?	33.3	30.0	–	12.7	9.4	–	–	–	–	–	–	3.3
NC Report/La Razón	27–31 Jan 2014	900	41.6	30.1 18/19	28.1 17/18	4.6 2/3	12.4 7/8	7.7 4/5	4.2 2	–	2.7 1	3.1 1/2	2.2 1	–	2.0
GESOP/El Periódico	20–23 Jan 2014	1,000	?	31.6 19	28.0 17	5.2 3	11.5 7	9.3 5	3.4 2	–	3.1 1	–	–	–	3.6
Metroscopia/El País	17–23 Jan 2014	1,200	46	26.4 16	28.0 17	5.3 3	14.5 9	8.0 5	5.1 3	–	2.0 1	–	–	–	1.6
Invymark/laSexta	16–20 Dec 2013	?	42.4	34.5	31.7	–	12.4	9.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	2.8
GESOP/El Periódico	25–28 Nov 2013	1,000	?	32.4 20/21	27.9 17/18	4.8 2	9.9 6/7	8.3 4/5	4.8 2	–	3.5 1/2	–	–	–	4.5
Metroscopia/El País	7 Oct–14 Nov 2013	3,600	46	29.0 18	27.9 17	4.3 2	14.3 9	8.2 5	5.5 3	–	–	–	–	–	1.1
NC Report/La Razón	28–31 Oct 2013	?	41.5	32.0 19/20	27.9 16/17	5.0 2/3	12.7 7/8	8.9 5/6	4.8 2/3	–	–	2.8 1/2	–	–	4.1
GESOP/El Periódico	25–28 Jun 2013	1,000	?	32.1 20/21	28.5 17/18	3.5 1/2	12.4 7/8	9.0 5/6	4.0 2	–	–	–	–	–	3.6
DYM/ZoomNews	12–25 Jun 2013	1,051	?	31.6 19	27.9 16	6.0 3	18.1 10	5.5 3	5.9 3	–	–	–	–	–	3.7
Simple Lógica	3–11 Jun 2013	1,018	41.6	33.6	25.9	5.5	11.6	11.1	4.4	–	–	–	–	–	7.7
Metroscopia/El País	5–6 Jun 2013	1,000	50–52	27.2 17	26.0 16	4.8 3	14.7 9	10.3 6	5.1 3	–	–	–	–	–	1.2
JM&A/La Voz de Galicia	19 Apr 2013	?	37.4	29.6 17	26.7 16	–	11.0 6	9.0 5	–	–	–	–	–	–	2.9
2009 EP election	7 Jun 2009	—	44.9	42.1 24	38.8 23	5.1 3	3.7 2	2.9 1	2.5 1	1.1 0	0.1 0	–	–	–	3.3

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size												?	N	Lead
2014 EP election	25 May 2014	—	11.7	10.4	2.4	4.5	2.9	1.8	0.9	1.4	0.9	0.7	3.6	—	54.2	1.3
Metroscopia/El País	8–13 May 2014	1,200	12.6	12.3	1.8	7.6	3.1	2.7	0.9	1.4	1.0	0.7	1.2	32.1	15.1	0.3
Random EOMS/IU	22–28 Apr 2014	1,000	15.7	12.1	–	9.1	6.1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3.6
CIS	7–26 Apr 2014	4,737	14.2	14.1	2.6	5.2	3.0	2.4	1.0	0.6	0.6	0.3	0.8	25.9	23.8	0.1
Metroscopia/El País	21–24 Apr 2014	1,200	15.8	12.1	1.9	6.7	3.3	1.7	0.8	1.0	1.2	0.3	1.1	34.2	12.1	3.7
Metroscopia/El País	11–19 Mar 2014	1,600	11.6	13.2	1.7	6.4	4.0	2.0	0.8	0.7	0.5	0.6	0.3	39.3	12.3	1.6
Metroscopia/El País	12–20 Feb 2014	1,200	11.6	12.8	2.4	8.3	4.1	1.7	0.5	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.4	34.3	15.8	1.2
GESOP/El Periódico	20–23 Jan 2014	1,000	15.5	13.8	2.7	6.3	4.6	1.1	0.5	1.5	0.3	–	–	32.9	13.6	1.7
Metroscopia/El País	17–23 Jan 2014	1,200	11.3	11.3	2.8	6.2	3.0	1.8	0.5	0.7	0.6	0.2	0.2	38.8	16.3	Tie
GESOP/El Periódico	25–28 Nov 2013	1,000	13.7	15.4	1.8	6.5	3.9	1.6	0.7	1.8	0.6	–	–	29.7	15.7	1.7
Metroscopia/El País	7 Oct–14 Nov 2013	3,600	12.5	11.2	1.4	6.5	3.2	2.2	–	–	–	–	–	40.1	14.2	1.3
GESOP/El Periódico	25–28 Jun 2013	1,000	14.0	14.4	1.2	6.0	3.8	1.2	0.6	–	0.4	–	–	30.3	18.8	0.4
Simple Lógica	3–11 Jun 2013	1,018	12.2	8.3	2.3	5.4	4.2	2.2	–	–	–	–	–	24.1	36.5	3.9
2009 EP election	7 Jun 2009	—	19.3	17.6	2.3	1.7	1.3	1.1	0.5	0.1	–	–	–	—	54.0	1.7

Victory preferences

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

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None	?	Lead
Feedback/La Vanguardia	30 Apr–8 May 2014	1,500	25.1	37.4	26.9	10.6	12.3
Metroscopia/El País	11–19 Mar 2014	1,600	20.0	38.0	21.0	21.0	18.0

Victory likelihood

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

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size												Other/ None	?	Lead
Sigma Dos/El Mundo	13–15 May 2014	1,111	53.2	13.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	33.2	39.7
Feedback/La Vanguardia	30 Apr–8 May 2014	1,500	54.8	19.1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3.9	22.2	35.7
CIS	7–26 Apr 2014	4,737	45.3	13.7	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.1	1.5	37.9	31.6

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 25 May 2014 European Parliament election results in Spain →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	4,098,339	26.09	−16.03	16	−8
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	3,614,232	23.01	−15.77	14	−9
	Plural Left (IP)^1	1,575,308	10.03	+6.32	6	+4
	We Can (Podemos)	1,253,837	7.98	New	5	+5
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	1,022,232	6.51	+3.66	4	+3
	Coalition for Europe (CEU)^2	851,971	5.42	+0.60	3	±0
	The Left for the Right to Decide (EPDD)^3	630,072	4.01	+2.60	2	+1
	Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's)^4	497,146	3.16	+3.02	2	+2
	The Peoples Decide (LPD)^5	326,464	2.08	−0.06	1	+1
	European Spring (PE)^6	302,266	1.92	+1.56	1	+1
	Vox (Vox)	246,833	1.57	New	0	±0
	Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA)	177,499	1.13	+0.87	0	±0
	Blank Seats (EB)	115,682	0.74	New	0	±0
	Citizens' Democratic Renewal Movement (RED)	105,666	0.67	New	0	±0
	X Party, Party of the Future (Partido X)	100,561	0.64	New	0	±0
	Andalusian Party (PA)^7	49,523	0.32	+0.15	0	±0
	Pirate Confederation–European Pirates (Piratas)	38,690	0.25	New	0	±0
	Asturias Forum (FAC)	32,962	0.21	New	0	±0
	Electors' Group for the Disabled and Rare Diseases (DER)	32,833	0.21	New	0	±0
	Zero Cuts (Recortes Cero)	30,827	0.20	New	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE)	29,324	0.19	+0.09	0	±0
	Feminist Initiative (IFem)	23,140	0.15	+0.09	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)	21,687	0.14	+0.08	0	±0
	United Free Citizens (CILUS)	18,287	0.12	New	0	±0
	Social Impulse (Impulso Social)^8	17,879	0.11	−0.08	0	±0
	Spain on the Move (LEM)	17,035	0.11	New	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	14,896	0.09	+0.05	0	±0
	National Democracy (DN)	13,079	0.08	+0.02	0	±0
	Europe Project (ACNV–BAR–PRAO–REPO–UNIO)	11,502	0.07	New	0	±0
	Land Party (PT)	9,940	0.06	New	0	±0
	Individual Freedom Party (P–LIB)	9,670	0.06	New	0	±0
	Republican Social Movement (MSR)	8,909	0.06	+0.02	0	±0
	United Extremadura (EU)	8,821	0.06	+0.03	0	±0
	Republican Alternative (ALTER)	8,593	0.05	New	0	±0
	For the Republic, for the Rupture with the European Union (RRUE)^9	8,309	0.05	−0.03	0	±0
	Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn)	6,929	0.04	±0.00	0	±0
	Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL)	6,759	0.04	+0.01	0	±0
	Extremadurans for Europe (IPEx–PREx–CREx)	5,967	0.04	New	0	±0
	Red Current Movement (MCR)	4,980	0.03	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		361,567	2.30	+0.91
Total		15,710,216			54	±0
Valid votes		15,710,216	98.20	−1.18
Invalid votes		287,925	1.80	+1.18
Votes cast / turnout		15,998,141	43.81	−1.09
Abstentions		20,515,943	56.19	+1.09
Registered voters		36,514,084
Sources
Footnotes: ^1 Plural Left results are compared to United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Greens: The Left totals in the 2009 election. ^2 Coalition for Europe (2014) results are compared to Coalition for Europe (2009) totals in the 2009 election, not including results in Andalusia and the Valencian Community. ^3 The Left for the Right to Decide results are compared to Europe of the Peoples–Greens totals in the 2009 election, not including results in Aragon, the Basque Country, Galicia and Navarre. ^4 Citizens–Party of the Citizenry results are compared to Libertas–Citizens of Spain totals in the 2009 election. ^5 The Peoples Decide results are compared to the combined totals of Internationalist Initiative–Solidarity among Peoples, Europe of the Peoples–Greens in the Basque Country, Galicia and Navarre and Andecha Astur in the 2009 election. ^6 European Spring results are compared to the combined totals of Coalition for Europe in the Valencian Community, Europe of the Peoples–Greens in Aragon, and For a Fairer World in the 2009 election. ^7 Andalusian Party results are compared to Coalition for Europe totals in Andalusia in the 2009 election. ^8 Social Impulse results are compared to the combined totals of Spanish Alternative and Family and Life Party in the 2009 election. ^9 For the Republic, for the Rupture with the European Union results are compared to Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party totals in the 2009 election.

Popular vote

PP			26.09%
PSOE			23.01%
IP			10.03%
Podemos			7.98%
UPyD			6.51%
CEU			5.42%
EPDD			4.01%
C's			3.16%
LPD			2.08%
PE			1.92%
Vox			1.57%
PACMA			1.13%
Others			4.79%
Blank ballots			2.30%

Seats

PP			29.63%
PSOE			25.93%
IP			11.11%
Podemos			9.26%
UPyD			7.41%
CEU			5.56%
EPDD			3.70%
C's			3.70%
LPD			1.85%
PE			1.85%

Maps

Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 8th European Parliament (2014–2019)

Groups		Parties	Seats	Total	%
	European People's Party (EPP)	People's Party (PP) Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC)	16 1	17	31.48
	Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	14	14	25.93
	European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)	We Can (Podemos) United Left (IU) Renewal–Nationalist Brotherhood (Anova) Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu)	5 4 1 1	11	20.37
	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (C's) Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	4 2 1 1	8	14.81
	Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)	Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) New Catalan Left (NECat) Initiative for Catalonia Greens (ICV) Commitment Coalition (Compromís)	1 1 1 1	4	7.41
Total			54	54	100.00

Elected legislators

The following table lists the elected legislators:

Elected legislators
#	Name	List
1	Miguel Arias Cañete		PP
2	Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco		PSOE
3	Esteban González Pons		PP
4	Ramón Jáuregui Atondo		PSOE
5	Willy Enrique Meyer Pleite		IP
6	María Teresa Jiménez Becerril Barrio		PP
7	Pablo Iglesias Turrión		Podemos
8	Soledad Cabezón Ruiz		PSOE
9	Luis de Grandes Pascual		PP
10	Francisco Sosa Wagner		UPyD
11	Juan Fernando López Aguilar		PSOE
12	Ramón Tremosa i Balcells		CEU
13	Pilar del Castillo Vera		PP
14	Paloma López Bermejo		IP
15	Iratxe García Pérez		PSOE
16	Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso		PP
17	Josep Maria Terricabras i Nogueras		EPDD
18	María Teresa Rodríguez-Rubio Vázquez		Podemos
19	Javier López Fernández		PSOE
20	María Rosa Estarás Ferragut		PP
21	Ernest Urtasun Domenech		IP
22	Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández		PSOE
23	Francisco José Millán Mon		PP
24	María Teresa Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz		UPyD
25	Javier Nart Peñalver		C's
26	Pablo Zalba Bidegain		PP
27	Enrique Guerrero Salom		PSOE
28	Izaskun Bilbao Barandica		CEU
29	Carlos Jiménez Villarejo		Podemos
30	Verónica Lope Fontagne		PP
31	Eider Gardiazábal Rubial		PSOE
32	Marina Albiol Guzmán		IP
33	Antonio López-Istúriz White		PP
34	José Blanco López		PSOE
35	Santiago Fisas Ayxelà		PP
36	Fernando Maura Barandiarán		UPyD
37	Clara Eugenia Aguilera García		PSOE
38	Iosu Mirena Juaristi Abaunz		LPD
39	Gabriel Mato Adrover		PP
40	Ernest Maragall i Mira		EPDD
41	Maria Lidia Senra Rodríguez		IP
42	María Dolores "Lola" Sánchez Caldentey		Podemos
43	Jordi Sebastià Talavera		PE
44	Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto		PSOE
45	María del Pilar Ayuso González		PP
46	Francesc de Paula Gambús i Millet		CEU
47	Inés Ayala Sender		PSOE
48	María Esther Herranz García		PP
49	Ángela Rosa Vallina de la Noval		IP
50	Jonás Fernández Álvarez		PSOE
51	Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra		PP
52	Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea		UPyD
53	Pablo Echenique Robba		Podemos
54	Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal		C's

Aftermath

Outcome

The election resulted in a massive loss of support for the two main political parties of Spain, which together fell from a combined total of 80.9% in the previous European election to a record-low 49.1% of the vote (a net total of −31.8 pp, about −16.0 each one). Podemos, a party founded four months previously running on an anti-austerity platform, won an unprecedented 8.0% of the vote and 5 out of 54 seats to the European Parliament; the best result ever scored in Spain by a newly created party in its first electoral test.

The People's Party (PP) came out on top in most autonomous communities except in Andalusia, Asturias and Extremadura, where the PSOE won; the Basque Country, where the PNV prevailed; and Catalonia, where ERC scored first place for the first time in 80 years. In these last two communities the PP polled in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Significant were, however, their results in Madrid, Valencian Community and Murcia; in the first two it polled below the 30% mark for the first time in 25 years, while in the latter it experienced a spectacular drop in support, falling from the 60% mark it had maintained since the 2000 general election to below 40% of the vote. Also, except for the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, it didn't surpass the 40% mark in any region, not even its strongholds of Galicia (where it polled a mere 35%), Castile and León or Castile-La Mancha (38% in both of them).

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), except for those communities where it won, experienced a significant drop in support. It suffered most notably in Catalonia and the Basque Country (where it finished in third place). In Catalonia in particular, the PSOE's sister party, the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC), had previously won all general and European elections held in the region—except for those of 1994 and 2011, where it polled second just behind Convergence and Union.

Other parties benefiting from the collapse in support for the PP and PSOE parties were United Left-led Plural Left (IP) coalition, which with a 10.0% obtained its best results nationally since 1996, and Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD), whose 6.5% would remain the highest the party would win in a nationwide election before their decline throughout 2015. The Citizens party (C's) entered the European Parliament with 2 seats and 3.2% of the vote.

Bipartisanship crisis

The election backlash had immediate consequences on the Socialist party (PSOE), which scored its worst result ever in an election held at a nationwide scale: a bare 23.0% of the vote, compared to the already disappointing results the party had obtained in the general election of 2011, with 28.8%. Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, which had won the party's leadership on a 2012 party federal congress, announced his intention to resign from his post after his party holds an extraordinary federal congress on 19–20 July to elect a new leadership. Rubalcaba also announced his intention not to run in the primaries that would elect the party's candidate for the next general election. Several regional party leaders followed suit and announced their intention to hold regional extraordinary party congresses as well.

On the other hand, People's Party (PP) leaders refused to publicly acknowledge the negative results of the party in the election, despite losing 40% of its 2009 vote and scoring the worst result the party has obtained in a national election since 1989, instead opting to highlight the fact that "they had won the election". Despite this, the party had to cancel the victory celebration that was to be held in their national headquarters in Madrid due to the poor affluence of party supporters which went to the place, an evidence of worse than expected election results. Concerns arose among party regional leaders on the prospects of such electoral results being displayed at the local and regional level in the May 2015 elections, something which could potentially force the PP out from the government of party strongholds' such as Madrid and Valencia.

On 26 May El País ran the headline "Harsh punishment to PP and PSOE", whilst El Mundo declared that "bipartisanship crumbles". International media focused instead on the rise of Podemos party, with the BBC headlining that "Spain's 'we can' party proves it can" or "Spain's Podemos party challenges system", while others stated how the final election results "stunned analysts and pollsters".

Abdication of King Juan Carlos I

One week after the election, Spanish King Juan Carlos I announced his intention to abdicate in favour of his son, Felipe. Allegedly, the election results had no influence in the King's abdication. Rather, the elderly monarch had taken the decision the day of his 76th birthday in January and had spoken about it with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on 31 March and with opposition leader Rubalcaba three days later, but it was not until after the election that he announced it in order not to affect the electoral process. However, abdication was not regulated under the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and thus required the approval of an Organic Law on the matter. PP, PSOE, UPyD, Canarian Coalition (CC), Asturias Forum (FAC) and the Navarrese People's Union (UPN) all pledged their support to the law's approval. Attention then turned to the PSOE leader Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba as rumours spread about him not resigning right away the day after the election to keep controlling the party so as to ensure the affirmative vote of its parliamentary group on the law. This was received with criticism from several of the party's regional federations but also from its members and the Socialist Youth, openly republican, who demanded the party ask for a referendum on the monarchy issue.

Furthermore, there was speculation on the opportunity of the King abdicating at the time he did. In fact, due to the crisis of the bipartisanship self-evidenced by the European election results, the idea of the King announcing his decision before the 2015 general election, when the election results could translate into PP and PSOE losing a host of seats in the Congress of Deputies, making the building of large majorities more difficult, became extended among public opinion. The fact that the future of the PSOE's position on the monarchy, as well as the future of the party itself, looked uncertain after the debacle in the European election and Rubalcaba's resignation seemed to have also played a key part in precipitating the King's decision. Prime Minister Rajoy said, on the day the King announced he would abdicate, that "This is the best time [for it to happen], within a short time the Prince shall be proclaimed King".

Bibliography

• Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General (Organic Law 5/1985). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Vol. 147. 19 June 1985 [version as of 16 July 2011]. ISSN 0212-033X. BOE-A-1985-11672. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
• Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community (2007/C 306/01). Official Journal of the European Union. Vol. 50. 17 December 2007. ISSN 1725-2423. 12007L/TXT. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
• European Council Decision (EU) establishing the composition of the European Parliament (European Council Decision (EU) 2013/312). Official Journal of the European Union. Vol. 56. 28 June 2013. ISSN 1725-2423. 32013D0312. Retrieved 12 July 2024.