Basque regional election, 1980

Electoral system

The Basque Parliament was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of the Basque Country, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Basque Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a Lehendakari.^[1] Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in the Basque Country and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 60 members of the Basque Parliament were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of 3 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. Additionally, the use of the D'Hondt method might result in an effective threshold over three percent, depending on the district magnitude.^[2] Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Guipúzcoa. Each constituency was allocated a fixed number of 20 seats each, to provide for an equal representation of the three provinces in Parliament as required under the regional Statute of Autonomy.^[1] This meant that Álava was allocated the same number of seats as Biscay and Gipuzkoa, despite their populations being, as of 1 January 1980: 251,850, 1,179,666 and 690,009, respectively.^[3]

The electoral law provided that parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors were allowed to present lists of candidates. However, groupings of electors were required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of the electors registered in the constituency for which they sought election—needing to secure, in any case, the signature of 500 electors—. Electors were barred from signing for more than one list of candidates. Concurrently, parties and federations intending to enter in coalition to take part jointly at an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within fifteen days of the election being called.^[4]

Election date

The Basque General Council was required to call an election to the Basque Parliament within sixty days after the date of enactment of the Statute, with election day taking place within four months after the call.^[1] As a result, an election could not be held later than the 180th day from the date of enactment of the Statute of Autonomy. The Statute was published in the Official State Gazette on 22 December 1979, setting the latest possible election date for the Parliament on Tuesday, 20 May 1980.^[5][6] In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a Lehendakari within a sixty-day period from the Parliament re-assembly, the Parliament was to be dissolved and a snap election called.^[1]

Initially, 24 February or 2 March 1980 were considered as the most likely dates for the election to be held, but on 22 December 1979 it was announced that it would be called for 9 March.^[7][8][9]

Overall

Summary of the 9 March 1980 Basque Parliament election results →

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	349,102	37.95	n/a	25	n/a
	Popular Unity (HB)	151,636	16.48	n/a	11	n/a
	Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE)	130,221	14.16	n/a	9	n/a
	Basque Country Left (EE)	89,953	9.78	n/a	6	n/a
	Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD)	78,095	8.49	n/a	6	n/a
	People's Alliance (AP)	43,751	4.76	n/a	2	n/a
	Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK)	36,845	4.01	n/a	1	n/a
	Communist Movement of the Basque Country (EMK/MCE)	10,959	1.19	n/a	0	n/a
	Socialists' Unification of the Basque Country (ESEI)	6,280	0.68	n/a	0	n/a
	Revolutionary Communist League (LKI/LCR)	5,182	0.56	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Party of the Basque Country (ORT–PTE)	3,448	0.37	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historical) (PSOEh)	2,760	0.30	n/a	0	n/a
	Carlist Party (EKA/PC)	2,434	0.26	n/a	0	n/a
	Workers' Socialist Party (PST)	2,099	0.23	n/a	0	n/a
	Communist Unity (UC)	2,044	0.22	n/a	0	n/a
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)	1,466	0.16	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		3,570	0.39	n/a
Total		919,845			60	n/a
Valid votes		919,845	99.01	n/a
Invalid votes		9,206	0.99	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		929,051	59.76	n/a
Abstentions		625,476	40.24	n/a
Registered voters		1,554,527
Sources[10][11]

Distribution by constituency