Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: King JUAN CARLOS I
• Head of Government: President of the Government and Prime Minister Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO
• Assembly: Spain has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 259 seats* and the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados) with 350 seats**.

* 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures

** Members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• This referendum asked the voters to approve of the new European Union Constitution.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 43,653,155 (2005)
• Registered Voters: 33,563,680 (February 2005)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 22,118,997 (2005)

·         Is Spain a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Spain ratified CEDAW: Yes (5 January 1984)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 126 (Congress of Deputies);66 (Senate) following the 2004 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 26 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Spain a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007): 

·         Has Spain ratified CRPD: Yes (3 December 2007)

·         Population with a disability: 6,547,973 (est.)