1997 PSOE federal party congress
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945 delegates in the Federal Congress Plurality of delegates needed to win | |||||||||||||
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| Turnout | Executive: 914 (96.7%) Committee: 925 (97.9%) | ||||||||||||
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The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) held its 34th federal congress in Madrid from 20 to 22 June 1997, to renovate its governing bodies—including the post of secretary-general, which amounted to that of party leader—and establish the party platform and policy until the next congress.
Felipe González, who had led the PSOE since 1974 and had been prime minister of Spain between 1982 and 1996, announced in the first day of congress that he would not be seeking re-election as party leader, a move that caught everyone by surprise. This move was seen as a way to facilitate the party's renovation, but also to put an end to tensions over the continuity of his former colleague and now rival, deputy secretary-general Alfonso Guerra, who was forced to step down as a result.
Amid fears of an internal struggle over party succession, with possible contenders including former public works minister Josep Borrell, regional party leaders and González himself backed former several times minister Joaquín Almunia as the latter's replacement. Almunia would be elected unopposed as new secretary-general, securing 74.7% of the delegate vote in the congress for his executive, with 25.3% casting blank ballots.