1879 Spanish General Election

20 April 1879 · The Restoration and the turno pacífico · 431 seats, 216 for a majority

A general election was held in Spain on 20 April 1879 (for the Congress of Deputies), and on 3 May 1879 (for the Senate), to elect the members of the 1st Cortes under the Spanish Constitution of 1876, during the Restoration period. All 431 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as 180 of 360 seats in the Senate.

A turno pacífico election: the result was largely arranged in advance through the Interior Ministry's encasillado and enforced locally by caciques. The recorded majorities describe the system, not free voting.

Prime Minister before

Arsenio Martínez Campos

Conservative

Prime Minister (continued)

Arsenio Martínez Campos

Conservative

Largest force

Conservative

288 of 431 seats

Turnout

65.3%

The result

Sort by

Conservative

Antonio Cánovas del Castillo · 64.7% of votes

288

seats

Liberal Left

Práxedes Mateo Sagasta · 22.4% of votes

seats

Parliamentary Centre

Manuel Alonso Martínez · 3.3% of votes

seats

Moderate

Alejandro Pidal y Mon · 2.7% of votes

seats


Conservative	Antonio Cánovas del Castillo	288	—	402.357	64.7%	—
Liberal Left	Práxedes Mateo Sagasta	64	—	139.314	22.4%	—
Parliamentary Centre	Manuel Alonso Martínez	13	—	20.473	3.3%	—
Moderate	Alejandro Pidal y Mon	11	—	16.501	2.7%	—

55 further seats went to parties and independents outside the main contenders listed above.