1891 Spanish general election

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In 1891 Spain held general elections to choose the 5th Cortes under the 1876 Constitution, during the Restoration. The Congress vote happened on February 1 and the Senate vote on February 15, with the Cortes reconvening on March 2.

Key context
- A 1890 electoral reform introduced universal manhood suffrage, expanding the electorate to about a quarter of the population.
- Spain was governed by a turno system in which the monarchy and the two main dynastic parties, the Conservatives and the Liberals, arranged in advance which party would win, often aided by local bosses (caciques) and fraud. This meant elections were not always free or fair, though urban areas could be more competitive.
- The Liberal government of Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1885–1890) carried out liberalizing reforms, but after Sagasta’s days in power ended, Antonio Cánovas del Castillo of the Conservative Party returned to government in 1890.

Main parties and leaders
- Conservative Party — Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
- Liberal Party — Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
- Other groups included Liberal Reformists (Francisco Romero Robledo), Republican Progressive (Emilio Castelar), and Martists (Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla), among others.

Election outcome
- The Conservative Party won a large majority in both chambers, securing a strong parliamentary backing for Cánovas.
- Sagasta and the Liberals came in second, with smaller shares won by the reformists and other minor parties.
- Antonio Cánovas del Castillo remained as Prime Minister after the election, continuing Conservative leadership of the government.

Overall, the 1891 election reinforced the Conservative dominance under the turnismo system, even as universal male suffrage broadened the electorate.