1979 Navarrese foral election

The 1979 Navarrese foral election was held on Tuesday, 3 April 1979, to elect the Foral Parliament of Navarre. All 70 seats in the Parliament were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with local elections all throughout Spain.

1979 Navarrese foral election

3 April 1979
All 70 seats in the Foral Parliament of Navarre 36 seats needed for a majority
Registered	365,080
Turnout	258,319 (70.8%)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Jaime Ignacio del Burgo Jesús Malón Jesús Aizpún Party UCD PSOE UPN Leader since 1979 1979 3 January 1979 Leader's seat Pamplona (capital) Tudela Pamplona (capital) Seats won 20 15 13 Popular vote 68,040 48,289 40,764 Percentage 26.7% 18.9% 16.0%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Ángel García de Dios Jesús Bueno Manuel de Irujo Party HB Amaiur PNV–EE–ESEI Leader since 1979 1979 1978 Leader's seat Pamplona (rest) Sangüesa Pamplona (capital) Seats won 9 7 3 Popular vote 28,244 17,282 12,845 Percentage 11.1% 6.8% 5.0%
Elected President Jaime Ignacio del Burgo UCD

Overview

Electoral system

Voting for the Foral Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in Navarre and in full enjoyment of their civil and political rights. The 70 members of the Foral Parliament of Navarre were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the historical merindades of Estella, Pamplona—which was sub-divided into two districts, one comprising the capital and another one for the remaining territory—, Sangüesa, Tafalla–Olite and Tudela, with each being allocated an initial minimum of five seats and the remaining 40 allocated among the constituencies in proportion to their populations (provided that no district was allocated more than 1/3 of the forty seats up for distribution).[1][2][3]

The use of the D'Hondt method might result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.[4]

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 fifteen days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one-thousandth of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election—with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.[1]

Election date

The foral election was fixed to be held concurrently with the nationwide 1979 local elections.[3]

Results

Overall

Summary of the 3 April 1979 Foral Parliament of Navarre election results →

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	68,040	26.69	n/a	20	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	48,289	18.94	n/a	15	n/a
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	40,764	15.99	n/a	13	n/a
	Popular Unity (HB)	28,244	11.08	n/a	9	n/a
	Electoral Groups of Merindad (Amaiur)	17,282	6.78	n/a	7	n/a
	Basque Nationalists (PNV–EE–ESEI)	12,845	5.04	n/a	3	n/a
	Carlist Party (PC)	12,165	4.77	n/a	1	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	7,419	2.91	n/a	1	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	6,231	2.44	n/a	0	n/a
	Navarrese Foral Independents (IFN)	3,729	1.46	n/a	1	n/a
	Left Navarrese Assembly (ANIZ)	3,725	1.46	n/a	0	n/a
	Left Local Councils Navarrese Association (ANAI)	3,165	1.24	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Party of Spain (PTE)	1,979	0.78	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		1,043	0.41	n/a
Total		254,920			70	n/a
Valid votes		254,920	98.68	n/a
Invalid votes		3,399	1.32	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		258,319	70.76	n/a
Abstentions		106,761	29.24	n/a
Registered voters		365,080
Sources[5][6]

Popular vote UCD   26.69% PSOE   18.94% UPN   15.99% HB   11.08% Amaiur   6.78% PNV–EE–ESEI   5.04% PC   4.77% UNAI   2.91% PCE/EPK   2.44% IFN   1.46% ANIZ   1.46% ANAI   1.24% PTE   0.78% Blank ballots   0.41%

Seats UCD   28.57% PSOE   21.43% UPN   18.57% HB   12.86% Amaiur   10.00% PNV–EE–ESEI   4.29% PC   1.43% UNAI   1.43% IFN   1.43%

Distribution by constituency

Constituency	UCD		PSOE		UPN		HB		Amaiur		PNV–EE		PC		UNAI		IFN
	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S
Estella	30.5	3	18.3	2	19.0	2			17.6	2			7.9	1	2.1	−
Pamplona (capital)	24.6	5	17.3	4	15.3	3	22.4	5			7.8	1	3.6	−
Pamplona (rest)	22.1	3	13.3	2	15.0	2	23.7	4			15.0	2	4.7	−	3.0	−
Sangüesa	21.3	2	11.3	1	17.6	2			23.5	3			5.3	−	3.8	−	14.7	1
Tafalla–Olite	21.3	3	20.8	2	17.4	2			19.1	2			5.1	−	2.9	−
Tudela	31.8	4	31.5	4	14.1	2							3.9	−	8.2	1
Total	26.7	20	18.9	15	16.0	13	11.1	9	6.8	7	5.0	3	4.8	1	2.9	1	1.5	1

Estella

Summary of the 3 April 1979 Foral Parliament of Navarre election results in Estella

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	11,103	30.53	n/a	3	n/a
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	6,902	18.98	n/a	2	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	6,670	18.34	n/a	2	n/a
	Electoral Group of Estella Land (AETE)	6,407	17.62	n/a	2	n/a
	Carlist Party (PC)	2,861	7.87	n/a	1	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	1,407	3.87	n/a	0	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	767	2.11	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		246	0.68	n/a
Total		36,363			10	n/a
Valid votes		36,363	98.75	n/a
Invalid votes		461	1.25	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		36,824	74.87	n/a
Abstentions		12,357	25.13	n/a
Registered voters		49,181
Sources[7][6]

Pamplona (capital)

Summary of the 3 April 1979 Foral Parliament of Navarre election results in Pamplona (capital)

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	19,320	24.57	n/a	5	n/a
	Popular Unity (HB)	17,606	22.39	n/a	5	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	13,581	17.27	n/a	4	n/a
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	12,000	15.26	n/a	3	n/a
	Basque Nationalists (PNV–EE–ESEI)	6,118	7.78	n/a	1	n/a
	Left Navarrese Assembly (ANIZ)	3,725	4.74	n/a	0	n/a
	Carlist Party (PC)	2,828	3.60	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Party of Spain (PTE)	1,979	2.52	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	1,281	1.63	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		208	0.26	n/a
Total		78,646			18	n/a
Valid votes		78,646	98.77	n/a
Invalid votes		982	1.23	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		79,628	65.54	n/a
Abstentions		41,862	34.46	n/a
Registered voters		121,490
Sources[7][6]

Pamplona (rest)

Summary of the 3 April 1979 Foral Parliament of Navarre election results in Pamplona (rest)

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Popular Unity (HB)	10,638	23.71	n/a	4	n/a
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	9,917	22.10	n/a	3	n/a
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	6,728	14.99	n/a	2	n/a
	Basque Nationalists (PNV–EE–ESEI)	6,727	14.99	n/a	2	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	5,966	13.30	n/a	2	n/a
	Carlist Party (PC)	2,127	4.74	n/a	0	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	1,360	3.03	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	994	2.22	n/a	0	n/a
	Left Local Councils Navarrese Association (ANAI)	212	0.47	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		203	0.45	n/a
Total		44,872			13	n/a
Valid votes		44,872	97.97	n/a
Invalid votes		930	2.03	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		45,802	68.50	n/a
Abstentions		21,064	31.50	n/a
Registered voters		66,866
Sources[7][6]

Sangüesa

Summary of the 3 April 1979 Foral Parliament of Navarre election results in Sangüesa

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Mount Ohry (Orhi Mendi)	5,954	23.50	n/a	3	n/a
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	5,393	21.29	n/a	2	n/a
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	4,467	17.63	n/a	2	n/a
	Navarrese Foral Independents (IFN)	3,729	14.72	n/a	1	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	2,852	11.26	n/a	1	n/a
	Carlist Party (PC)	1,335	5.27	n/a	0	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	953	3.76	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	459	1.81	n/a	0	n/a
	Left Local Councils Navarrese Association (ANAI)	117	0.46	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		77	0.30	n/a
Total		25,336			9	n/a
Valid votes		25,336	98.67	n/a
Invalid votes		342	1.33	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		25,678	70.56	n/a
Abstentions		10,715	29.44	n/a
Registered voters		36,393
Sources[7][6]

Tafalla–Olite

Summary of the 3 April 1979 Foral Parliament of Navarre election results in Tafalla–Olite

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	8,337	21.29	n/a	3	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	5,344	20.78	n/a	2	n/a
	People's Electoral Group of the Merindad (AEPM)	4,921	19.14	n/a	2	n/a
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	4,462	17.35	n/a	2	n/a
	Carlist Party (PC)	1,299	5.05	n/a	0	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	746	2.90	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	510	1.98	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		96	0.37	n/a
Total		25,715			9	n/a
Valid votes		25,715	98.85	n/a
Invalid votes		298	1.15	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		26,013	79.10	n/a
Abstentions		6,872	20.90	n/a
Registered voters		32,885
Sources[7][6]

Tudela

Summary of the 3 April 1979 Foral Parliament of Navarre election results in Tudela

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	13,970	31.76	n/a	4	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	13,876	31.54	n/a	4	n/a
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	6,205	14.11	n/a	2	n/a
	Navarrese Left Union (UNAI)	3,593	8.17	n/a	1	n/a
	Left Local Councils Navarrese Association (ANAI)	2,836	6.45	n/a	0	n/a
	Carlist Party (PC)	1,715	3.90	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	1,580	3.59	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		213	0.48	n/a
Total		43,988			11	n/a
Valid votes		43,988	99.13	n/a
Invalid votes		386	0.87	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		44,374	76.16	n/a
Abstentions		13,891	23.84	n/a
Registered voters		58,265
Sources[7][6]

References

1. "Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales". Royal Decree-Law No. 20 of 18 March 1977. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2019.
2. "Ley 39/1978, de 17 de julio, de elecciones locales". Law No. 39 of 17 July 1978. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 August 2017.
3. "Real Decreto 121/1979, de 26 de enero, sobre elecciones locales y ordenación de las Instituciones Forales de Navarra". Royal Decree No. 121 of 26 January 1979. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2017.
4. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
5. "Foral Parliament (1979-1983)". parlamentodenavarra.es (in Spanish). Parliament of Navarre. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
6. "Parliament of Navarre elections since 1979". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Electoral History. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
7. "1979 Parliament of Navarre Election". administracionelectronica.navarra.es (in Spanish). Nafarroako Estatistika Erakundea. Insitituo de Estadística de Navarra. Retrieved 19 August 2019.