The 16th will be a meeting of the , comprising both the lower (Congress) and upper (Senate) houses of the national legislature of Spain, with the membership determined primarily by the results of the general election held on 29 November 2026. They first convened on December 2026. The 15th Cortes Generales were dissolved prematurely on 5 October 2026 after the parliamentary defeat of the government's housing relief plans by the People's Party, Vox and Junts on 2 October. The 2026 election saw 52 constituencies return 350 MPs for Congress and 209 for Senate.
Election The 16th Spanish general election under the 1978 Constitution will be held on 29 November 2026.
Alliance Senate Congress of Deputies Seats +/− Votes % Seats +/−PP 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0PSOE 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 Vox 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 Broad Front (FA) 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 ERC–Sob–ERPV 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 EH Bildu 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 JxCat–Junts 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 EAJ/PNV 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 Others/blanks 0 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0 Total 208 ±0 0,0 0.00 0 ±0
Parliamentary leadership The Congress of Deputies and the Senate of the 16th will be constituted after 24 December 2026. That same day, the members of the Bureaus of both Chambers will be also appointed, by secret ballot and in ballot box, directed by the corresponding tables.
These ballots were held following the general election held on 29 November 2026.
Congress of Deputies
Election of president For the election of the presidency of the Congress of Deputies and of the board, a first vote is carried out, secret and in a ballot box, with the candidates who run for said position. In this, the absolute majority of the deputies (176/350) is necessary for a candidate to be elected as such. In the event that this absolute majority is not reached, a second vote is carried out, also secret and in a ballot box, with the two candidates with the most votes and the one who obtains a simple majority of the votes will be elected President of the Congress of Deputies.
1st vote - Presidency (XVI legislature) Majority required: absolute (176/350, 1st vote)CandidatePartyVotesPresident——0TBD——0——0Blank vote0Invalid vote0Total350
Election of vice presidents After the election of the presidency, the four vice-presidencies are elected, using the same system as for the previous election. By secret ballot and ballot box, the four candidates with the most votes will be elected, with the first vice-president being the one who gets the most votes and the fourth vice-president, the one with the fewest. In the event of a tie, a second vote is taken between the tied candidates to settle the order. candidateParty1st preference2nd preferenceElected——01st vice president2nd vice president——0TBDTBD——00——00——03rd vice president4th vice presidentBlank vote00 TBDTBD
Election of secretaries After the election of the vice-presidents, the four secretariats are elected using the same system as in the Vice-Presidency. By secret ballot and ballot box, the four candidates with the most votes will be elected, with the first secretary being the one who gets the most votes and the fourth secretary, the one who gets the least. In the event of a tie, a second vote is taken between the tied candidates to settle the order. CandidateParty1st preferenceElected——01st Secretary2nd Secretary——0TBDTBD——0——0——03rd Secretary4th SecretaryBlank vote0TBDTBDSpoilt vote0
Senate
Election of president For the election of the president of the Senate and of the board, a first vote is carried out, secret and in a ballot box, with the candidates who run for said position. In this, the absolute majority of the deputies (134/267) is necessary for a candidate to be elected as such. In case this absolute majority is not reached, a second vote is carried out, also secret and in a ballot box, with the two candidates with the most votes and the one who obtains a simple majority of the votes, will be elected president of the Senate. Each senator casts a single vote, that is, they write a single name on the ballot.
1st vote - Presidency (XVI legislature) Majority required: absolute (134/267, 1st vote)CandidateParty1st preferencePresident——0TBD——0Blank vote0Spoilt vote0Total267
Election of vice presidents After the election of the presidency, the election of the two vice-presidencies is carried out, through the same system as for the previous election. By secret ballot and ballot box, the two candidates with the most votes will be elected, with the first vice president being the one who gets the most votes and the second vice president the one who gets the fewest. In the event of a tie, a second vote is taken between the tied candidates to settle the order. As in the election for the presidency, each senator casts a single vote, that is, they write a single name on the ballot. CandidateParty1st preferenceElected——01st vice president2nd vice president——0TBDTBDBlank vote0Spoilt vote0Total267
Election of the secretaries After the election of the vice-presidents, the election of the four secretariats is carried out, with a different system from the two previous ones. By secret ballot box, the four candidates with the most votes will be elected, with the first secretary being the one who gets the most votes and the fourth secretary, the one who gets the least. In the event of a tie, a second vote is taken between the tied candidates to settle the order. However, each senator casts a double vote, that is, on the ballot he writes two names of the candidates he wants to vote for. +1st vote - Secretariats (XV legislature)CandidateParty1st preferenceElected——01st Secretary2nd Secretary——0TBDTBD——0——0——03rd Secretary4th SecretaryBlank vote0TBDTBDSpoilt vote0Total267
History The new Senate will meet for the first time on December 2026.
The new Congress will also meet for the first time on the same date, to elect the new President of the Congress of Deputies.
Aftermath and Government formation
Dissolution
The term of each chamber of the —the Congress and the Senate—expires four years from the date of their previous election, unless they are dissolved earlier.. The election decree shall be issued no later than 25 days before the scheduled expiration date of parliament and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE), with election day taking place 54 days after the decree's publication.. The previous election was held on 29 November 2026, which means that the chambers' terms will expire on 29 November 2030. The election decree must be published in the BOE no later than 4 November 2030, setting the latest possible date for election day on 28 December 2030.
The prime minister has the prerogative to propose the monarch to dissolve both chambers at any given time—either jointly or separately—and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence is in process, no state of emergency is in force and that dissolution does not occur before one year after a previous one.. Additionally, both chambers are to be dissolved and a new election called if an investiture process fails to elect a prime minister within a two-month period from the first ballot.. Barring this exception, there is no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate. summarizing . Still, as of 2026, there has been no precedent of separate elections taking place under the 1978 Constitution.
Members Senate
Congress of Deputies
References