1996 Spanish general election

Following the victory of the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) at the 1993 general election, Felipe González was able to be re-elected as prime minister for a fourth term in office through an confidence and supply alliance with the Catalan nationalist Convergence and Union (CiU) and the support of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV).{{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}}{{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}}

The international economic crisis of 1992–1993 continued, with the newly-elected cabinet having to face the impact of unemployment growth, a large public deficit and recession.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} In an attempt to curb rising joblessness, the government passed a labour reform (legalizing temporary work agencies, introducing "junk contracts", easening employers' ability to modify working condition, reducing overtime and severance pays and making regulations on hiring and collective bargaining more flexible), which was met with a general strike on 27 January 1994.{{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}}{{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}}{{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 |access-date=17 March 2025}} Economic recovery started that year with a slow decrease of unemployment rates and a GDP growth of 2%,{{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}}{{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}} but the deficit in the social security system led to the Toledo Pact: a multi-party agreement to transfer all obligations arising from the health care system and social assistance benefits—which would henceforth be financed entirely by general taxes—to the General State Budget, while social security contributions would be maintained to fund pensions.{{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 |access-date=16 March 2025}}{{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}}

The terrorist group ETA maintained its activity during this period, including the López de Hoyos bombing in Madrid which killed seven amid the 1993 government negotiations,{{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}} the killing of PP local councillor in San Sebastián Gregorio Ordóñez,{{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}} an unsuccessful attempt to kill opposition leader José María Aznar in April 1995 with a car bomb detonated at the passing of his official car,{{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}} an attempted assassination plot of King Juan Carlos I in the summer of 1995,{{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}} a car bombing in Puente de Vallecas in December 1995 which killed six,{{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}} and the kidnapping of prison officer José Antonio Ortega Lara in January 1996,{{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}} among others.

File:Toma de posesion del director general de la Guardia Civil. Pool Moncloa. 5 de noviembre de 1986 (cropped).jpeg being sworn in as director general of the Civil Guard in 1986.]]

The 1993–1996 term was marked by the uncovering of numerous corruption scandals affecting the ruling party. In November 1993, Spanish daily Diario 16 unveiled that Civil Guard director general Luis Roldán had amassed a large fortune since assuming office in 1986, which he proved unable to legally justify.{{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}} In March 1994, El Mundo revealed that officers from the interior ministry had used money from the "reserved funds"—public funds destined to finance the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking and not subject to publicity, justification or external oversight{{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}}—to make bonus payments to high-ranking officers from the ministry, with Roldán's name appearing among the beneficiaries. In April that year, both media revealed that former president of Navarre Gabriel Urralburu had collected millions in kickbacks through the awarding of public works during his tenure, with Roldán having also benefitted from it.{{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}} Roldán fled the country to escape legal prosecution, forcing interior minister Antoni Asunción's resignation for failing to monitor him.{{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}} 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". 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.{{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}} Roldán would later be convicted for these crimes as well as fraud, forgery and tax evasion.{{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}}

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.{{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}}{{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}} The new revelations in the "Ibercorp case" forced the resignations of Carlos Solchaga (former economy minister and then PSOE spokesperson in Congress, who had backed Rubio in 1992){{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}}{{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}} and Vicente Albero (agriculture minister, who in May 1994 was discovered to own a secret account with undeclared money related to the scandal).{{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}}{{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}} 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.{{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}}

File:Símbolo GAL.png death squads.]]

On 16 December 1994, two policemen convicted in 1991 for participating in the Liberation Antiterrorist Groups (GAL)—death squads involved in a "dirty war" against ETA—confessed to judge Baltasar Garzón that a number of former police and Interior ministry officers were also involved and that the GAL had been financed through the reserved funds.{{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}} Among those were former interior minister José Barrionuevo, former state security directors Julián Sancristóbal and Rafael Vera, former Biscay PSOE secretary-general Ricardo García Damborenea and a number of police officers. 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. 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 in May 1994. 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).{{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}}{{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}} 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. Declassified CIA files in 2020 pointed to González having "agreed to the formation of a group of mercenaries, controlled by the Army, to combat the terrorists outside the law".{{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}}{{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}}

In June 1995, El Mundo revealed that the 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.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} This illegal espionage scandal led to the resignations of defence minister Julián García Vargas, under whose authority the CESID was responsible to, and deputy prime minister Narcís Serra, who had been Vargas's predecessor in the office between 1982 and 1991.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}}

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 (PP) in the 1994 European Parliament election,{{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}} and the 1995 local and 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.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} This materialized in the 1996 General State Budget being voted down by the Congress of Deputies on 25 October 1995.{{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}}{{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}} As a result, González was forced to call a snap election for early 1996, fifteen months ahead of schedule.{{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}}{{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}}

The Spanish {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} were envisaged as an imperfect bicameral system. The Congress of Deputies had greater legislative power than the Senate, having the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a prime minister and to override Senate vetoes by an absolute majority of votes. Nonetheless, the Senate possessed a few exclusive (yet limited in number) functions—such as its role in constitutional amendment—which were not subject to the Congress' override.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 66}}.{{cite web |url=https://app.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/sinopsis/sinopsis.jsp?art=66&tipo=2 |title=Sinopsis artículo 66 |language=es |publisher=Congress of Deputies |access-date=12 September 2020 |postscript=,}} summarizing {{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 66}}. Voting for the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. I, art. 2}}.{{sfn|Carreras de Odriozola|Tafunell Sambola|2005|p=1077}}

For the Congress of Deputies, 348 seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Spain, with each being allocated an initial minimum of two seats and the remaining 248 being distributed in proportion to their populations. Ceuta and Melilla were allocated the two remaining seats, which were elected using plurality voting.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 68}}.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. II, ch. III, art. 162–164}}. The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.{{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 |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}}

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats:{{cite journal |journal=Boletín Oficial del Estado |issue=8 |date=9 January 1996 |pages=502–503 |issn=0212-033X |title=Real Decreto 1/1996, de 8 de enero, de disolución del Congreso de los Diputados y del Senado y de convocatoria de elecciones |url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1996/01/09/pdfs/A00502-00503.pdf |language=es}}

For the Senate, 208 seats were elected using an open list partial block voting system, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties. In constituencies electing four seats, electors could vote for up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, for up to two candidates; and for one candidate in single-member districts. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces was allocated four seats, whereas for insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, districts were the islands themselves, with the larger—Majorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife—being allocated three seats each, and the smaller—Menorca, Ibiza–Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma—one each. Ceuta and Melilla elected two seats each. Additionally, autonomous communities could appoint at least one senator each and were entitled to one additional senator per each million inhabitants.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 69}}.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. II, ch. III, art. 162 & 165–166}}.

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 legislature's term were to be covered by the successive candidates in the list and, when needed, by the designated substitutes, of which the list was required to include three.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. VI, art. 46 & 48}}.

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 dissolved earlier. The election decree was required to be issued no later than the twenty-fifth day prior to the date of expiry of parliament and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE), with election day taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. V, art. 42}}. The previous election was held on 6 June 1993, which meant that the legislature's term would expire on 6 June 1997. The election decree was required to be published in the BOE no later than 13 May 1997, with the election taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication, setting the latest possible election date for the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} on Sunday, 6 July 1997.

The prime minister had the prerogative to propose the monarch to dissolve both chambers at any given time—either jointly or separately—and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no state of emergency was in force and that dissolution did not occur before one year had elapsed since the previous one.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. IV, art. 115–116}}. 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.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. IV, art. 99}}. Barred this exception, there was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate. 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,{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} but the opposition PP had insisted on a snap election being held as soon as possible.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} CiU leader and Catalan president, Jordi Pujol, sought to secure a balance between his party's preference for the 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.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} 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.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} While González resisted,{{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}}{{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}} he did no longer rule out an early electoral call in 1996.{{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}} 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.{{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}}{{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}}

In September, CiU U-turned and announced that it would reject the 1996 General State Budget to trigger an earlier general election,{{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}} but González's refusal to alter the agreed electoral calendar forced Pujol to advance the Catalan election to November.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} The State Budget was voted down by the Congress of Deputies on 25 October, Pujol and his party lost their absolute majority in Catalonia in the 19 November regional election,{{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}} and González announced the parliament's dissolution—and the end of the 5th Cortes Generales—on 28 December.

The {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} were officially dissolved on 9 January 1996 after the publication of the dissolution decree in the BOE, setting the election date for 3 March and scheduling for both chambers to reconvene on 27 March.

The tables below show the composition of the parliamentary groups in both chambers at the time of dissolution.{{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=29 October 2022}}{{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=29 October 2022}}

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Spanish citizens of age and with the legal capacity to vote could run for election, provided that they were not sentenced to imprisonment by a final court's decision nor convicted by a judgement, even if not yet final, which imposed a penalty of forfeiture of eligibility or of specific disqualification or suspension from public office under specific offences: rebellion and terrorism when involving crimes against life, physical integrity or freedom of persons. Other general causes of ineligibility were imposed on members of the Spanish royal family; the president and members of the Constitutional Court, the General Council of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court, the Council of State, the Court of Auditors and the Economic and Social Council; the Ombudsman; the State's Attorney General; high-ranking members—undersecretaries, secretaries-general, directors-general and chiefs of staff—of Spanish government departments, the Prime Minister's Office, government delegations, the Social Security and other government agencies; heads of diplomatic missions in foreign states or international organizations; judges and public prosecutors in active service; Armed Forces and police corps personnel in active service; members of electoral commissions; the chair of RTVE; the director of the Electoral Register Office; the governor and deputy governor of the Bank of Spain; the chairs of the Official Credit Institute and other official credit institutions; and members of the Nuclear Safety Council; as well as a number of territorial-level officers in the aforementioned government bodies and institutions being barred from running, during their tenure of office, in constituencies within the whole or part of their respective area of jurisdiction.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 70}}.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. II, art. 6}}. Disqualification provisions for the Cortes Generales extended to any employee of a foreign state and to members of regional governments, as well as the impossibility of running simultaneously as candidate for both the Congress and Senate.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. II, ch. I, art. 154}}.

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, 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 of candidates.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. VI, art. 44 & tit. II, ch. V, art. 169}}.

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

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",{{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}}{{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}} being re-elected as PSOE leader in the party's 1994 congress.{{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}} However, the judicial probe into the GAL case and political weariness made him reconsider,{{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}}{{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}} and by the second half of 1995 he was said to have taken the decision not to continue.{{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}}{{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}} The election of 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,{{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}}{{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}} with him confirming a new run following overwhelming support from his party.{{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}}{{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}}

The PSOE, United Left (IU), The Greens (LV), Nationalist and Ecologist Agreement (ENE) and Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) formed the Ibiza and Formentera in the Senate alliance for the Senate election.

{{Main|Opinion polling for the 1996 Spanish general election}}

{{Opinion polling for the 1996 Spanish general election (Graphical summary)}}

{{For|results by autonomous community/constituency|Results breakdown of the 1996 Spanish general election (Congress)}}

{{bar box

|title=Popular vote

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=550px

|barwidth=500px

|bars=

{{bar percent|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|38.79}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|37.63}}

{{bar percent|IU|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}|10.54}}

{{bar percent|CiU|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|4.60}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.27}}

{{bar percent|CC|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.88}}

{{bar percent|BNG|{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}|0.88}}

{{bar percent|HB|{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}|0.72}}

{{bar percent|ERC|{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}|0.67}}

{{bar percent|EA|{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}|0.46}}

{{bar percent|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|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|44.57}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|40.29}}

{{bar percent|IU|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}|6.00}}

{{bar percent|CiU|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|4.57}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.43}}

{{bar percent|CC|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|1.14}}

{{bar percent|BNG|{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}|0.57}}

{{bar percent|HB|{{party color|Herri Batasuna}}|0.57}}

{{bar percent|ERC|{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}|0.29}}

{{bar percent|EA|{{party color|Eusko Alkartasuna}}|0.29}}

{{bar percent|UV|{{party color|Valencian Union}}|0.29}}

}}

{{bar box

|title=Popular vote

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=550px

|barwidth=500px

|bars=

{{bar percent|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|39.04}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|37.70}}

{{bar percent|IU|{{party color|United Left (Spain)}}|9.99}}

{{bar percent|CiU|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|4.87}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.34}}

{{bar percent|CC|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.57}}

{{bar percent|EFS|{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}|0.03}}

{{bar percent|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|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|53.85}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|38.94}}

{{bar percent|CiU|{{party color|Convergence and Union}}|3.85}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.92}}

{{bar percent|CC|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.48}}

{{bar percent|EFS|{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}|0.48}}

{{bar percent|PIL|{{party color|Lanzarote Independents Party}}|0.48}}

}}

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).

{{Further|1996 Spanish government formation|First government of José María Aznar}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite act |italics=y |title=Constitución Española |type=Spanish Constitution |date=29 December 1978 |orig-date=version as of 28 August 1992 |reporter=Boletín Oficial del Estado |volume=311 |issn=0212-033X |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|Const. Esp.|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=Boletín Oficial del Estado |volume=147 |issn=0212-033X |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 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}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Spanish elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:General election in Spain, 1996}}

Category:1996 elections in Spain

1996

Category:March 1996 in Spain