1980 Basque regional election

1980 Basque regional election

9 March 1980

All 60 seats in the Basque Parliament
31 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered1,554,527
Turnout929,051 (59.8%)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Carlos Garaikoetxea Francisco Letamendia Txiki Benegas
Party EAJ/PNV HB PSE–PSOE
Leader since April 1977 27 January 1980 26 February 1978
Leader's seat Guipúzcoa Biscay Guipúzcoa
Seats won 25 11 9
Popular vote 349,102 151,636 130,221
Percentage 38.0% 16.5% 14.2%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Juan María Bandrés Jesús María Viana Florencio Aróstegui
Party EE UCD AP
Leader since 1979 1978 1980
Leader's seat Guipúzcoa Álava Biscay
Seats won 6 6 2
Popular vote 89,953 78,095 43,751
Percentage 9.8% 8.5% 4.8%


Lehendakari before election

Carlos Garaikoetxea
EAJ/PNV

Elected Lehendakari

Carlos Garaikoetxea
EAJ/PNV

A regional election was held in the Basque Country on Sunday, 9 March 1980, to elect the 1st Parliament of the autonomous community. All 60 seats in the Parliament were up for election.

The Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) emerged as the largest party with 25 seats, followed by People's Unity (HB) with 11 seats and the Socialist Party of the Basque Country (PSE–PSOE) with nine seats. Basque Country Left (EE) and the ruling party in Spain, the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), secured six seats each, with other parties securing parliamentary representation including the right-wing People's Alliance (AP), with two seats, and the Communist Party of the Basque Country (PCE/EPK) with one seat. No party secured an absolute majority in parliament. Voter turnout was 929,051 (59.8%) from an electorate of 1,554,527.

Following the election, the newly elected parliament proceeded to re-elect Carlos Garaikoetxea as lehendakari.