1997 PSOE federal party congress

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) held its 34th federal congress in Madrid from 20 to 22 June 1997, to renovate its governing bodies and establish the party's main lines of action and strategy until the next congress.

Felipe González, who had led the PSOE since 1974 and had been prime minister of Spain between 1982 and 1996, announced in the first day of congress that he would not be seeking re-election as party leader, a move that caught everyone by surprise. This move was seen as a way to facilitate the party's renovation, but also to put an end to tensions over the continuity of his former colleague and now rival, deputy secretary-general Alfonso Guerra, who was forced to step down as a result.

Amid fears of an internal struggle over party succession, with possible contenders including former public works minister Josep Borrell, regional party leaders and González himself backed former several times minister Joaquín Almunia as the latter's replacement. Almunia would be elected unopposed as new secretary-general, securing 74.7% of the delegate vote in the congress for his executive, with 25.3% casting blank ballots.

Background

Initially scheduled for 1998, the leadership of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) announced that it would hold the party's congress one year earlier, in June 1997, in order to better organize themselves as the opposition to the incumbent government of the People's Party (PP) under prime minister José María Aznar.

The congress had been initially expected to focus on the continuity of deputy secretary-general Alfonso Guerra—whose support had dwindled internally—in the party's executive, as well as various proposals to renovate the party's image and structure (including a proposal for drastically reducing the executive body's size and move the party's regional leaders to a separate political body having been brought forward by PSOE leader Felipe González). González's leadership of the party was not in question, despite his previous plans in 1995 to renounce as its prime ministerial candidate ahead of the 1996 Spanish general election in favour of then-foreign affairs minister Javier Solana—a plan thwarted by Solana's election as NATO secretary-general in December 1995—and González's own announcement in May 1997 that he did not wish to run for the post of prime minister again. Overall, it was assumed that González would remain at the helm of the party's transition towards its renovation.

As the congress date came closer, the political focus centered on Guerra's position, with a majority of PSOE regional leaders pushing for his removal. Guerra himself threatened to entrench himself in the post with the support of party delegates, while denouncing a "conspiracy" against him. Tensions rose further when, in the week preceding the congress, the PSOE leadership dared Guerra to challenge González's list. In the hours previous to the congress' start, it emerged that González would be addressing the process for his succession in his opening remarks in order to move the focus from the internal struggle around Guerra's future.

Candidates

Declined

The individuals in this section were the subject of speculation about their possible candidacy, but publicly denied or recanted interest in running:

Manuel Chaves (age 51) — Secretary-General of the PSOE–A (since 1994); President of the Regional Government of Andalusia (since 1990); Member of the Parliament of Andalusia for Cádiz (since 1990); Member of the PSOE Executive Committee (1981–1984 and since 1990); Minister of Labour and Social Security of Spain (1986–1990); Member of the Congress of Deputies for Cádiz (1977–1990); Secretary of Economy of the PSOE (1984–1988).
José Bono (age 46) — President of the PSCM–PSOE (since 1990); Member of the PSOE Executive Committee (since 1990); Member of the Cortes of Castilla–La Mancha for Toledo (since 1987); President of the Regional Government of Castilla–La Mancha (since 1983); Secretary-General of the PSCM–PSOE (1988–1990); Member of the Cortes of Castilla–La Mancha for Albacete (1983–1987); Member of the Congress of Deputies for Albacete (1979–1983); Fourth Secretary of the Congress of Deputies (1979–1982).
Josep Borrell (age 50) — Member of the Congress of Deputies for Barcelona (since 1986); Minister of Public Works, Transport and Environment of Spain (1993–1996); Minister of Public Works and Urbanism of Spain (1991–1993); Secretary of State of Finance of Spain (1984–1991); Secretary-General of Budget and Public Expenditure of Spain (1982–1984); City Councillor of Majadahonda (1979–1983).
Felipe González (age 55) – Leader of the Opposition of Spain (since 1996); Secretary-General of the PSOE (1974–1979 and since 1979); Member of the Congress of Deputies for Madrid (since 1977); Prime Minister of Spain (1982–1996); President pro tempore of the Council of the European Union (1989 and 1995); Spokesperson of the Congress Socialist Parliamentary Group (1977–1979).
Ramón Jáuregui (age 48) — Minister of Justice, Labour and Social Security of the Basque Country (since 1995); Member of the Basque Parliament for Gipuzkoa (1980–1983 and since 1990); Secretary-General of the PSE–PSOE/PSE–EE (PSOE) (since 1988); Vice Lehendakari (1987–1991); President of the PSE–PSOE (1985–1988); Delegate of the Government of Spain in the Basque Country (1983–1987); City Councillor of San Sebastián (1979–1980); President of the Caretaker Committee of the City Council of San Sebastián (1978–1979).
Pasqual Maragall (age 56) — Mayor of Barcelona (since 1982); City Councillor of Barcelona (since 1979); Member of the Parliament of Catalonia for Barcelona (1988–1995); Deputy Mayor for Administrative Organization and Reform of Barcelona (1979–1982).
Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra (age 49) — Member of the PSOE Executive Committee (since 1994); President of the Regional Government of Extremadura (since 1983); Secretary-General of the PSOE of Extremadura (since 1988); Member of the Assembly of Extremadura for Badajoz (since 1983); Secretary-General of the PSOE of Badajoz (1979–1988); Member of the Congress of Deputies for Badajoz (1977–1983); Minister of Health and Social Security of Extremadura (1978–1979).
Francisco Vázquez (age 51) — Secretary-General of the PSdeG–PSOE (1980–1982 and since 1994); Mayor of A Coruña (since 1983); City Councillor of A Coruña (since 1983); Member of the Congress of Deputies for A Coruña (1977–1981 and since 1982); President of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (1991–1995); Member of the Parliament of Galicia for A Coruña (1981–1982).

Opinion polls

Poll results are listed in the tables below in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first, and using the date the survey's fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. If such date is unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed in bold, and the background shaded in the candidate's colour. In the instance of a tie, the figures with the highest percentages are shaded.

Spanish voters

Delegate estimations

González's allies (renovadores, Spanish for "renovators") were estimated as having the support of about 80% of elected delegated to the congress, whereas the pro-Guerra faction (guerristas) was attributed between less than 20% and no more than 25%.