Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Spain Formally Calls Early General Election for November


(MENAFN) Spain has formally set an early general election for Nov. 29 after the country’s Official State Gazette published a royal decree on Tuesday dissolving the existing parliament and calling voters to the polls. The decree officially ends the current legislative term ahead of schedule and launches the electoral process.

The measure was signed by King Felipe VI following a proposal from Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and deliberation by the Cabinet. It dissolves both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate elected in 2023 and calls for elections to both chambers on the same day.

The early vote will take place roughly eight months before the previously expected election date. Under Spain’s electoral rules, the publication of the dissolution decree marks the beginning of a 54-day electoral timetable leading to election day.

The official campaign period will last 15 days, starting at midnight on Nov. 13 and ending at midnight on Nov. 27, two days before voters cast their ballots.

Voters will choose all 350 members of the Congress of Deputies across Spain’s 52 electoral constituencies. These include the country’s 50 provinces as well as the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla.

Madrid will have the largest representation in the lower chamber with 38 deputies, while Barcelona will elect 32 and Valencia 16. The distribution reflects the number of parliamentary seats assigned to each constituency under the electoral system.

The election will also determine directly elected members of the Senate. Provincial constituencies will each elect four senators, while Gran Canaria, Mallorca and Tenerife will each choose three.

Several island constituencies will elect one senator each, including Ibiza, Formentera, Menorca, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma. Ceuta and Melilla will each elect two senators.

The newly elected Congress and Senate are scheduled to convene for their constitutive sessions on Dec. 23, marking the formal start of the new parliamentary term following the election.

The publication of the decree in the Official State Gazette gives legal effect to the dissolution of the current chambers and formally sets the country on the path toward the early nationwide vote.

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