Next PSOE federal party congress

Next PSOE federal party congress
No later than 2028
All delegates in the Federal Congress
Plurality of delegates needed to win
Opinion polls
 
Candidate Pedro Sánchez
Incumbent Party leader

Pedro Sánchez


The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) is expected to hold its 42nd federal congress no later than 2028, to renovate its governing bodies—including the post of secretary-general, which amounts to that of party leader, through a primary election—and establish the party platform and policy until the next congress.

Background

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) had been briefly thrown into disarray in April 2024 after party leader and prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, announced a five-day reflection on his political future—a result of an ongoing judicial investigation on his wife, Begoña Gómez—during which he remained silent and self-confined in the prime ministerial residence at Moncloa Palace, with no apparent successor in the event of a prospective resignation.[1] Sánchez ultimately chose to continue, but the crisis evidenced that Sánchez's hyper-leadership over his party made it difficult to find a replacement.[2] Subsequently, the PSOE congress in late 2024, held one year ahead of schedule,[3] saw the introduction of a number of statutory amendments that reinforced Sánchez's position as secretary-general, such as an increase in the number of endorsements required to contest the post and the elimination of such obligation in the event of only a single candidacy being submitted.[4][5]

Overview

Role

The Federal Congress is the highest decision-making body of the PSOE, having the ability to define the party platform and policy, amend its statutes and internal regulations and elect its federal governing bodies,[6][7] which include the Executive Commission—a board of directors responsible for the day-to-day management of the party under the coordination of a secretary-general, which is the party leader[8][9]—and one-third of the members in the Federal Committee (an assembly of party notables and elected representatives, which is the PSOE's highest body between congresses).[10][11]

Depending on whether a congress is held following the natural end of its term or due to any other exceptional circumstances, it can be of either ordinary or extraordinary nature.[7] Ordinary PSOE congresses are to be held every three or four years and called at least 45 days in advance—though they can be postponed by the federal committee for up to one additional year when there are sufficient reasons to justify it—whereas extraordinary congresses can be called at any time by the federal committee or by the federal executive commission, as well as when requested by more than half of the party's membership, but are limited to the specific purpose for which they are convened.[7][12]

Procedure

The 500 to 2,000 congress delegates—with the exact number being determined by the federal committee[7]—are elected by party members and direct affiliates of the corresponding territorial area and in full enjoyment of their political rights,[6][13] using closed list proportional representation and a majority bonus of half-plus-one of the delegates at stake being awarded to the candidacy winning a plurality of votes; the remaining delegates are distributed among all other candidacies, provided that they secure over 20 percent of the votes.[14] Candidates seeking to lead a congress delegation are required to collect the endorsements of between 15 and 20 percent of party members at the territorial scope for which they seek election.[6] In the event of only one candidate meeting this requirement, the election shall be left uncontested, with such candidate being granted the right to appoint half-plus-one of the delegation and the corresponding territorial executive commission appointing the rest.[6][14]

The election of the secretary-general is on the basis of a two-round primary election system; if no candidate secures over 50 percent of votes in the first round, a second round shall be held between the two candidates receiving the most votes.[6][15] Voting comprises all members and direct affiliates of the PSOE, the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC), the Socialist Youth of Spain (JSE) and the Socialist Youth of Catalonia (JSC).[6][16] Candidates seeking to run are required to collect the endorsements of between 10 and 12 percent of party members, except when only a single candidacy is submitted.[6] In the event of only one candidate meeting this requirement, the primaries shall be left uncontested with such candidate being elected unopposed.[6][17]

Candidates

Candidate Notable positions

Incumbent

Incumbent secretary-general.
Pedro Sánchez
(age 53) 		President of the Socialist International (since 2022)
Prime Minister of Spain (since 2018)
Secretary-General of the PSOE (2014–2016 and since 2017)
Member of the Congress of Deputies for Madrid
(2009–2011, 2013–2016 and since 2019)
President pro tempore of the Council of the European Union (2023)
Leader of the Opposition of Spain (2014–2016 and 2017–2018)
City Councillor of Madrid (2004–2009)

Potential

The individuals in this section were the subject of speculation about their possible candidacy:

Declined

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

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. Polls show data gathered among PSOE voters/supporters as well as Spanish voters as a whole, but not among party members, who are the ones ultimately entitled to vote in the primary election.

PSOE voters

Spanish voters

References

  1. ^ a b c d Garea, Fernando (20 April 2025). "Sánchez no tiene sucesor: su hiperliderazgo, único legado de la crisis de los cinco días en la que amenazó con dimitir". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  2. ^ Martínez, Ainhoa (21 April 2025). "Sánchez, del hiperliderazgo en el PSOE a estar "tocado en lo personal"". La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Sánchez adelanta el congreso del PSOE a este otoño en plena fractura por el cupo catalán". ABC (in Spanish). Madrid. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  4. ^ Menéndez, María (30 November 2024). "Sánchez busca un cierre de filas en el PSOE ante el "acoso judicial" y sellar una década de liderazgo absoluto" (in Spanish). Seville: RTVE. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  5. ^ "El PSOE aumenta los avales para ser secretario general y cambia las consultas a las bases". Infobae (in Spanish). Madrid. EFE. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h EF (2024), tit. I, ch. II, art. 5.
  7. ^ a b c d EF (2024), tit. V, ch. I, art. 21–25.
  8. ^ EF (2024), tit. V, ch. III, art. 30–36.
  9. ^ RFDEF (2022), bloc II, par. II, ch. I, art. 166.
  10. ^ EF (2024), tit. V, ch. II, art. 26–29.
  11. ^ RFDEF (2022), bloc II, par. II, ch. I, art. 167.
  12. ^ RFDEF (2022), bloc I, par. I, ch. I, art. 7.
  13. ^ RFDEF (2022), bloc I, par. I, ch. I, art. 10–11.
  14. ^ a b RFDEF (2022), bloc II, par. II, ch. I, art. 169.
  15. ^ RFDEF (2022), bloc II, par. II, ch. I, art. 163.
  16. ^ RFDEF (2022), bloc II, par. II, ch. I, art. 125.
  17. ^ RFDEF (2022), bloc II, par. II, ch. I, art. 140.
  18. ^ Ramírez, Daniel (12 June 2025). "Madina proclama la necesidad de un socialismo "digno y ejemplar"… y Felipe González lo lanza como candidato". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  19. ^ Gil, Iván (8 January 2025). "El salto de Montero a Andalucía deja al PSOE sin sucesor natural y obliga a Sánchez a reconstruir su núcleo duro". El Periódico de España (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Óscar Puente, ¿sucesor de Sánchez?: Así reacciona Page a la pregunta de Rafa Latorre" (in Spanish). Madrid: Onda Cero. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  21. ^ "Puente sobre la sucesión de Sánchez: "Le echo seis años más"". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Madrid. Servimedia. 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  22. ^ Gómez Parra, Rafael (21 January 2025). "¿Tiene Sánchez pensado ya quién va a ser su sucesor/a?". Crónica Madrid (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  23. ^ "García-Page ve en la sociedad un "ansia inmensa" de que vuelva el PSOE "conocido"". Infobae (in Spanish). EFE. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  24. ^ Muñoz, María José (6 May 2025). "Page: «Ahora no votaría a Pedro Sánchez: tendría que haber elegido a Madina»". ABC (in Spanish). Toledo. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  25. ^ a b "EP (16J): división sobre el liderazgo del PSOE y la fecha de las próximas elecciones". Electomanía (in Spanish). 16 June 2025.

Bibliography

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