spanish general election legislative elections held spain february stake seats winners elections popular left wing coalition republican left spain communist_party parties commanded narrow lead terms popular vote significant lead main opposition party autonomous right political right terms seats election prompted collapse government led replace prime minister widely considered fair elections limited cases electoral fraud occur elections held spanish second republic coming years general election brought governments power poor result political right help bring july coup ensuing civil war right wing military coup initiated franco ultimately brought end parliamentary democracy spain general election background election lead series governments moderate prime minister september announced longer support minority government replaced cabinet led included members concession posts prompted miners strike time later prompted cabinet collapse members new government conceded including elections farm workers wages military republican members reformed loyal promoted entry government constitutional amendments budget passed started unify left combat extreme elements including staging large popular rallies popular radical government collapsed significant scandals including affair president allow form government called elections obvious desire away republic establish corporate state air pride looking strengthen new centre party place election system favour chosen form government meantime republic opponents pointed faced separate government crises failed required support parliament rule majority government dissolved january date elections february common election spain divided multi member example madrid representatives member electorate vote somewhat madrid case favoured madrid won members right votes secured remaining election campaigning election generally accordance law peaceful problems certain press restrictions lifted political right repeatedly warned risk red flag communism spain led concentrated continued main party political right struggled gain support managed posters distinctly fascist appeal showing leader alongside whilst campaign promises return government implied funded considerable donations large landowners catholic_church suffered previous socialist administration right printed millions promising great spain terms manifesto popular proposed going sort reforms previous administration including important reforms treatment strikes release political prisoners helping secure votes organisations remained outside growing popular popular support votes communist_party campaigned series revolutionary strongly supportive popular government vote communist save spain socialist joke time devoid strong areas working class support taken concentrated position popular members enforced security election day freed regular posts people killed elections injured ballots generally fair accordance constitution cases electoral fraud occurred north west spain orchestrated incumbent government political left voting forcibly dominated government villages police stopped wearing collar voting poorly organised farm workers continued vote told bosses similarly right wing voters voting strongly socialist areas instances comparatively rare results released evening urban areas encouraging popular outcome million people voted rate percent level higher suggested ongoing political violence small number voters formed elections narrowly won popular vastly smaller resources political right followed nazi propaganda techniques exact numbers votes differ historians assigns popular votes right centre comparatively narrow victory terms votes describes triumph power popular won deputies right caused nature spain electoral system election law came force system benefited political right political centre badly incumbent government collapse devastated supporters pushed right increasing instability spain formed time build worried problems minority party losing electoral system pact right ensure success leaders centre failed win seats received votes small fraction total cast little appetite takeover sort allocation seats coalition members matter agreement official results spanish recorded february time election popular join seats alliance party secured vote decided second vote march popular won right centre elections areas new government alleged fraud seats taken national right victory february left despite relatively small mandate terms votes took streets free political prisoners waiting government officially claims imminent socialist takeover right firmly believed levels win year later claim general approached days election propose military takeover resigned new government formed popular proved effective election tool translate popular government elements political left prepared work republicans agree support proposed reforms called form government shortly replace president right began best overthrow republic taking control results seats
Spanish general election, 1936