Number of Members
In the general elections of 1977, 1979 and 1982 Madrid returned 32 members. That figure was increased to 33 members for the 1986 General Election, to 34 members for the 1993 election and then to its current figure of 35 from the 2004 General Election.
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 Madrid.
In 2004 for example Spain had 34,571,831 voters giving an average of 98,777 voters per deputy. In Madrid however the number of voters per deputy was 127,377 the second largest ratio after Barcelona. In contrast the ratio was 38,714 and 26,177 respectively in the smallest provinces of Teruel and Soria.
Read more about this topic: Madrid (Spanish Congress Electoral District)
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