2007 Madrid municipal election

2007 Madrid municipal election
27 May 2007
All 57 seats in the City Council of Madrid
29 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered2,404,697 3.2%
Turnout1,585,441 (65.9%)
3.0 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Miguel Sebastián Ángel Pérez
Party PP PSOE IUCM
Leader since 18 July 2002 18 November 2006 26 January 2007
Last election 30 seats, 51.3% 21 seats, 36.7% 4 seats, 7.2%
Seats won 34 18 5
Seat change 4 3 1
Popular vote 877,589 487,887 136,881
Percentage 55.6% 30.9% 8.7%
Swing 4.3 pp 5.8 pp 1.5 pp
Mayor before election

Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón
PP

Elected Mayor

Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón
PP

A municipal election was held in Madrid on Sunday, 27 May 2007, to elect the 8th City Council of the municipality. All 57 seats in the City Council were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all across Spain.

Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón's People's Party (PP) went on to win the largest victory achieved by a candidate in a municipal election in Madrid to date, with over 55% of the votes and nearly 60% of the seats. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) plummeted barely above 1995 levels, while United Left (IU) recovered from its negative result in 2003 and gained support for the first time since 1995.

Overview

Under the 1978 Constitution, the governance of municipalities in Spain—part of the country's local government system—was centered on the figure of city councils (Spanish: ayuntamientos), local corporations with independent legal personality composed of a mayor, a government council and an elected legislative assembly.[1][2] In the case of Madrid, the top-tier administrative and governing body was the City Council of Madrid.[3]

Electoral system

Voting for local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality of Madrid and in full enjoyment of their political rights (provided that they were not sentenced—by a final court ruling—to deprivation of the right to vote, nor being legally incapacitated), as well as resident non-national European citizens and those whose country of origin allowed Spanish nationals to vote in their own elections by virtue of a treaty.[2][4][5]

Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional voting system, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes (which included blank ballots) being applied in each municipality.[6] Each municipality constituted a multi-member constituency, entitled a number of seats based on the following scale:[7]

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

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill 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.[8]

The mayor was indirectly elected by the local assembly.[2] A legal clause required candidates to earn the vote of an absolute majority of councillors, or else the candidate of the most-voted party was to be automatically appointed to the post. In the event of a tie, the appointee was to be determined by lot.[9]

Election date

The term of city councils in Spain expired four years after the date of their previous election, with election day being fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years (as of 2025, this has been the year before a leap year). The election decree was required to be issued no later than the fifty-fifth day prior to the scheduled election date and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE).[10] The previous local elections were held on 25 May 2003, setting the date for election day on the fourth Sunday of May four years later, which was 27 May 2007.

Local councils could not be dissolved before the expiry of their term, except in cases of mismanagement that seriously harmed the public interest and implied a breach of constitutional obligations, in which case the Council of Ministers could—optionally—agree to call a by-election.[11]

Elections to local councils were officially called on 3 April 2007 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 27 May.[12]

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant electoral commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. In the case of Madrid, as its population was over 1,000,001, at least 8,000 signatures were required.[13] Amendments to the electoral law in 2007 introduced requirements for a balanced composition of men and women in the electoral lists, so that candidates of either sex made up at least 40 percent of the total composition.[14]

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

Candidacy Parties and
alliances 		Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Gov. Ref.
Vote % Seats
PP
List
 Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Conservatism
Christian democracy 		51.3% 30 [15]
PSOE
List
 Miguel Sebastián Social democracy 36.7% 21 [16]
[17]
IUCM
List
 Ángel Pérez Socialism
Communism 		7.2% 4 [18]
[19]
[20]

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; 29 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Madrid (28 in the 2003 election).

Color key:

  Exit poll

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Victory preferences

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

Victory likelihood

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

Preferred Mayor

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

All candidates
Gallardón vs. Sebastián
Gallardón vs. Bono

Predicted Mayor

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

Results

← Summary of the 27 May 2007 City Council of Madrid election results →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
People's Party (PP) 877,589 55.65 +4.35 34 +4
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 487,887 30.94 −5.74 18 −3
United Left of the Community of Madrid (IUCM) 136,881 8.68 +1.46 5 +1
The Greens (LV, LVM, LVCM, LV–GV)1 14,011 0.89 −1.24 0 ±0
Spanish Alternative (AES) 6,140 0.39 New 0 ±0
Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 3,167 0.20 New 0 ±0
For a Fairer World (PUM+J) 2,501 0.16 New 0 ±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) 1,920 0.12 New 0 ±0
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 1,681 0.11 −0.02 0 ±0
National Democracy (DN) 1,571 0.10 New 0 ±0
Family and Life Party (PFyV) 1,390 0.09 −0.09 0 ±0
The Phalanx (FE) 1,353 0.09 −0.04 0 ±0
Republican Left (IR) 1,272 0.08 −0.13 0 ±0
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) 1,253 0.08 New 0 ±0
Madrid First (PM) 1,163 0.07 +0.02 0 ±0
Humanist Party (PH) 950 0.06 ±0.00 0 ±0
Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL) 834 0.05 New 0 ±0
Commoners' Land (TC) 821 0.05 ±0.00 0 ±0
Democratic Innovation (ID) 664 0.04 New 0 ±0
Authentic Phalanx (FA) 530 0.03 −0.01 0 ±0
Catholic Tercio of Political Action (TCAP) 461 0.03 New 0 ±0
Liberal Centrist Union (UCL) 318 0.02 New 0 ±0
Immigrants with Rights, Equality and Obligations (INDIO) 308 0.02 −0.01 0 ±0
Union for Leganés (ULEG) 188 0.01 New 0 ±0
European Ibero-American Alliance Party (PAIE) 151 0.01 New 0 ±0
Blank ballots 32,066 2.03 +0.43
Total 1,577,070 57 +2
Valid votes 1,577,070 99.47 −0.09
Invalid votes 8,371 0.53 +0.09
Votes cast / turnout 1,585,441 65.93 −2.97
Abstentions 819,256 34.07 +2.97
Registered voters 2,404,697
Sources[21][22][23][24]
Footnotes:
Popular vote
PP
 
 55.65%
PSOE
 
 30.94%
IUCM
 
 8.68%
Others
 
 2.70%
Blank ballots
 
 2.03%
Seats
PP
 
 59.65%
PSOE
 
 31.58%
IUCM
 
 8.77%

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture
Ballot → 16 June 2007
Required majority → 29 out of 57
  • • PP (34)
34 / 57
 Y
Pilar Gallego (PSOE)
18 / 57
 N
5 / 57
 N
Abstentions/Blank ballots
0 / 57
Absentees
0 / 57
Sources[21][25]

References

Opinion poll sources
  1. ^ "Madrid: el PP revalidaría la mayoría en Asamblea y Ayuntamiento". Expansión (in Spanish). 27 May 2007.
  2. ^ "27-M. 22:00h. Cierre de colegios, primeros sondeos". Es por Madrid (in Spanish). 27 May 2007.
  3. ^ "El 62% de ciudadanos cree que la pregunta a Gallardón sobre 'Malaya' perjudica a Sebastián". El Mundo (in Spanish). 20 May 2007.
  4. ^ "Gallardón y Aguirre ampliarían su victoria en Madrid con más del 52% de los votos". ABC (in Spanish). 20 May 2007.
  5. ^ "El PP se crece en Madrid y Valencia y el PSOE amarra Barcelona y Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). 21 May 2007.
  6. ^ a b "Gallardón aumenta su apoyo en Madrid tras un mandato de obras". El País (in Spanish). 21 May 2007.
  7. ^ "La campaña por Madrid echa a andar con todas las encuestas favorables al PP". ABC (in Spanish). 10 May 2007.
  8. ^ "Elecciones 27-M / Sondeo El Mundo-Sigma Dos". El Mundo (in Spanish). 12 May 2007.
  9. ^ "El PP revalidaría la mayoría en el Ayuntamiento y la Comunidad de Madrid". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 11 May 2007.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Pulsómetro 11/05/2007". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 11 May 2007. Archived from the original on 13 May 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ a b c d e "Preelectoral elecciones municipales, 2007. Ciudad de Madrid (Estudio nº 2704. Mayo 2007)". CIS (in Spanish). 11 May 2007.
  12. ^ a b c "Gallardón mantiene la mayoría absoluta". El País (in Spanish). 26 March 2007.
  13. ^ "Gallardón mantiene la mayoría absoluta del PP en Madrid". El País (in Spanish). 26 March 2007.
  14. ^ "Blanco asegura que "Gallardón está muy tocado" y atribuye más "tirón" a Aguirre". ABC (in Spanish). 1 March 2007.
  15. ^ "El PP de Aguirre y Gallardón se distancia de un PSOE estancado". ABC (in Spanish). 12 March 2007.
  16. ^ "Aguirre y Gallardón ganan a sus rivales en valoración y arrasan en intención de voto". ABC (in Spanish). 12 March 2007.
  17. ^ "El PP espera ganar por goleada". El Mundo (in Spanish). 28 March 2007.
  18. ^ "El alcalde de las obras crece en votos". El Mundo (in Spanish). 27 November 2006.
  19. ^ "Aguirre y Gallardón aumentan su ventaja según una encuesta de SIGMA DOS-El Mundo". 20 minutos (in Spanish). 27 November 2006.
  20. ^ "Suspiro de alivio en Génova con la última encuesta de Madrid". Semanal Digital (in Spanish). 17 September 2006.
  21. ^ "Rajoy saca peor nota que Zapatero en los bastiones electorales del PP". El País (in Spanish). 2 May 2006.
  22. ^ a b c "Informe Encuesta Comunidad y Ayuntamiento de Madrid. Abril 2006" (PDF). Instituto Opina (in Spanish). 2 May 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 January 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Aguirre pierde la mayoría absoluta, según una macroencuesta encargada por el PSOE". El País (in Spanish). 15 May 2005.
  24. ^ "Los sondeos animan al PSOE a pedir a Bono que dispute la alcaldía de Madrid". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 10 October 2006.
Other
  1. ^ Constitution (1978), art. 140.
  2. ^ a b c LBRL (1985), art. 19.
  3. ^ LBRL (1985), arts. 121–132.
  4. ^ Constitution (1978), art. 13.
  5. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 2–3 & 176.
  6. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 163 & 180.
  7. ^ LOREG (1985), art. 179.
  8. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 46, 48 & 182.
  9. ^ LOREG (1985), art. 196.
  10. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 42 & 194.
  11. ^ LBRL (1985), art. 61.
  12. ^ Real Decreto 444/2007, de 2 de abril, por el que se convocan elecciones locales y a las Asambleas de Ceuta y Melilla, para el 27 de mayo de 2007 (PDF) (Royal Decree 444/2007). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). 2 April 2007. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  13. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 44 & 187.
  14. ^ LOREG (1985), art. 44 bis.
  15. ^ "El Comité Electoral del PP ratifica a Gallardón como candidato a la Alcaldía". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. EFE. 20 September 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Miguel Sebastián será el candidato del PSOE a la alcaldía de Madrid". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 25 October 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  17. ^ "Sebastián será ratificado mañana como candidato, comenzará a trabajar el lunes y será presentado por Zapatero el día 26" (in Spanish). Madrid: Europa Press. 17 November 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  18. ^ "IU aprueba sus listas electorales a la Asamblea y al Ayuntamiento". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. EFE. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  19. ^ "La Comisión Federal de IU anula la candidatura de Pérez a la Alcaldía". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Agencias. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  20. ^ "Inés Sabanés y Ángel Pérez, cabezas de lista de IU para la Comunidad y el Ayuntamiento de Madrid". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  21. ^ a b Lozano, Carles. "Elecciones Municipales en Madrid (desde 1979)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  22. ^ "Resultados generales elecciones al Ayuntamiento de Madrid y Asamblea de Madrid de 27 de mayo de 2007" (PDF). City Council of Madrid (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  23. ^ "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales" (in Spanish). Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  24. ^ "Acuerdo de 6 de julio de 2007, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se procede a la publicación del resumen de los resultados de las elecciones locales convocadas por Real Decreto 444/2007, de 2 de abril, y celebradas el 27 de mayo de 2007, según los datos que figuran en las actas de proclamación remitidas por cada una de las Juntas Electorales de Zona" (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish) (162 (Supplement)): 1–623. 7 July 2007. ISSN 0212-033X. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  25. ^ "27-M.- Gallardón, reelegido alcalde de Madrid con los votos de los 34 ediles del PP, que mantiene su mayoría absoluta" (in Spanish). Madrid: Europa Press. 16 June 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2025.

Bibliography

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