Number of Members
In the general elections of 1977, 1979, 1982 and 1986 Barcelona returned 33 members. That figure was reduced to 32 members for the 1989 General Election. It lost a further seat in the 1990s and from the 1996 election onwards has elected 31 members.
Under Spanish electoral law, all provinces are entitled to a minimum of 2 seats with a remaining 248 seats apportioned according to population. These laws are laid out in detail in the 1985 electoral law. (Ley Orgánica del Régimen Electoral General) The practical effect of this law has been to overrepresent smaller provinces at the expense of larger provinces like Barcelona.
In 2004 for example Spain had 34,571,831 voters giving an average of 98,777 voters per deputy. In Barcelona however the number of voters per deputy was 129,269 - the highest ratio of all 52 constituencies. In contrast the ratio was only 38,714 and 26,177 respectively in the smaller provinces of Teruel and Soria.
Read more about this topic: Barcelona (Spanish Congress Electoral District)
Famous quotes containing the words number of, number and/or members:
“Can a woman become a genius of the first class? Nobody can know unless women in general shall have equal opportunity with men in education, in vocational choice, and in social welcome of their best intellectual work for a number of generations.”
—Anna Garlin Spencer (1851–1931)
“I heartily wish you, in the plain home-spun style, a great number of happy new years, well employed in forming both your mind and your manners, to be useful and agreeable to yourself, your country, and your friends.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
“Safe in their Alabaster Chambers—
Untouched by Morning
And untouched by Noon—
Sleep the meek members of the Resurrection—”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)