1983 Spanish regional elections

1983 Spanish regional elections
764 seats in the regional parliaments of Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarre and Valencian Community
Registered	14,888,251
Turnout	10,374,787 (69.7%)
National parties PSOE AP–PDP–UL	Regional parties CiU EAJ/PNV

Regional elections were held in Spain in 1983 to elect the regional parliaments of thirteen of the seventeen autonomous communities (namely, Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarre and the Valencian Community). 764 of 1,139 seats in the regional parliaments were up for election. The 6 May 1983 elections were held simultaneously with local elections all throughout Spain.

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) emerged as the largest party in 11 out of the 13 autonomous communities holding elections, reaching or nearing the absolute majority in 9 (Aragon, Asturias, Castilla–La Mancha, Castile and León, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia and Valencian Community) and winning a plurality in the Canary Islands and Navarre.^[1]^[2] The conservative People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) was victorious in the Balearic Islands and Cantabria, securing a majority of seats in the later.^[3]^[4] The Communist Party of Spain (PCE) saw an improvement of its results over those obtained in the October 1982 general election, while other minor national parties, such as the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) and the Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) failed to make significant inroads.^[5]^[6]^[7]

The elections resulted in the full institutionalization—for the first time in the history of Spain—of an administrative structure of political power between that of the state and of the local councils, represented in the figure of the new autonomous communities.^[8]

Regional governments

The following table lists party control in autonomous communities.

Election day	Region	Previous control
8 May	Aragon		Independent (ex-UCD)^[a]	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Asturias		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Balearics		Independent (ex-UCD)^[a]	People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)
	Canary Islands		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Cantabria		People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)	People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)
	Castile and León		Independent (ex-UCD)^[a]	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Castilla–La Mancha		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Extremadura		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	La Rioja		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Madrid	Autonomous community established		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Murcia		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Navarre		Independent (ex-UCD)^[a]	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
	Valencian Community		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)

Overall results

Summary of the 8 May 1983 regional election results in Spain →
Parties and alliances		Popular vote		Total seats
Parties and alliances		Votes	%	Total seats
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	4,908,728	47.86	388
	People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)	3,443,057	33.57	273
	Communist Party of Spain (PCE)	658,574	6.42	27
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	324,654	3.17	9
	Liberal Democratic Party (PDL)	139,602	1.36	2
	Regionalist Aragonese Party (PAR)	124,018	1.21	13
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	62,072	0.61	13
	United Extremadura (EU)	47,504	0.46	6
	Majorcan Union (UM)	46,915	0.46	6
	Canarian People's Union–Canarian Assembly (UPC–AC)	46,784	0.46	2
	Popular Unity (HB)	28,055	0.27	6
	Canarian Nationalist Convergence (CNC)	24,376	0.24	1
	Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)	18,767	0.18	2
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	18,161	0.18	3
	Socialist Party of Majorca–Socialist Party of the Islands (PSM–PSI)	16,979	0.17	2
	Progressive Riojan Party (PRP)	10,102	0.10	2
	Majorera Assembly (AM)	5,551	0.05	3
	Socialist Party of Menorca (PSM)	3,732	0.04	2
	Independent Gomera Group (AGI)	3,294	0.03	2
	Menorcan Independent Candidacy (CIM)	3,250	0.03	1
	Independent Herrenian Group (AHI)	944	0.01	1
	Others	257,435	2.51	0
Blank ballots		63,592	0.62

Valid votes		10,256,146	98.86
Invalid votes		118,141	1.14
Votes cast / turnout		10,374,287	69.68
Registered voters		14,888,251

Popular vote

PSOE			47.86%
AP–PDP–UL			33.57%
PCE			6.42%
CDS			3.17%
PDL			1.36%
PAR			1.21%
UPN			0.61%
Others			5.19%
Blank ballots			0.62%

Summary by region

Aragon

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	283,226	46.83	n/a	33	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	136,853	22.63	n/a	18	n/a
	PAR	124,018	20.51	n/a	13	n/a
	PCE	23,960	3.96	n/a	1	n/a
	CDS	19,902	3.29	n/a	1	n/a
	Others	12,941	2.14		0	±0
Blank ballots		3,918	0.65	n/a

Valid votes		604,818	98.58	n/a
Invalid votes		8,732	1.42	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		613,550	66.74	n/a
Registered voters		919,295

Asturias

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	293,320	51.96	n/a	26	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	170,654	30.23	n/a	14	n/a
	PCA–PCE	62,855	11.13	n/a	5	n/a
	CDS	19,495	3.45	n/a	0	n/a
	Others	15,898	2.82		0	±0
Blank ballots		2,298	0.41	n/a

Valid votes		564,520	99.34	n/a
Invalid votes		3,751	0.66	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		568,271	65.04	n/a
Registered voters		873,690

Balearics

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	AP–PDP–UL	110,629	35.58	n/a	21	n/a
	PSOE	107,906	34.71	n/a	21	n/a
	UM	46,915	15.09	n/a	6	n/a
	PSM–PSI	16,979	5.46	n/a	2	n/a
	PCIB	7,669	2.47	n/a	0	n/a
	CDS	6,611	2.13	n/a	0	n/a
	PDL	3,896	1.25	n/a	1	n/a
	PSM	3,732	1.20	n/a	2	n/a
	CIM	3,250	1.05	n/a	1	n/a
	PCOE	1,509	0.49	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		1,820	0.59	n/a

Valid votes		310,916	98.46	n/a
Invalid votes		4,879	1.54	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		315,795	64.67	n/a
Registered voters		488,336

Canary Islands

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	233,991	41.50	n/a	27	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	163,419	28.98	n/a	17	n/a
	UPC–AC	46,784	8.30	n/a	2	n/a
	CDS	40,789	7.23	n/a	6	n/a
	PCC	24,868	4.41	n/a	1	n/a
	CNC	24,376	4.32	n/a	1	n/a
	PPC	7,676	1.36	n/a	0	n/a
	AM	5,551	0.98	n/a	3	n/a
	AGI	3,294	0.58	n/a	2	n/a
	AHI	944	0.17	n/a	1	n/a
	Others	12,130	2.15		0	±0
Blank ballots		0	0.00	n/a

Valid votes		563,822	97.60	n/a
Invalid votes		13,848	2.40	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		577,670	62.41	n/a
Registered voters		925,572

Cantabria

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	AP–PDP–UL	122,748	43.99	n/a	18	n/a
	PSOE	107,168	38.41	n/a	15	n/a
	PRC	18,767	6.73	n/a	2	n/a
	PCE	11,052	3.96	n/a	0	n/a
	CDS	7,164	2.57	n/a	0	n/a
	PDL	4,474	1.60	n/a	0	n/a
	AICU	3,179	1.14	n/a	0	n/a
	Others	2,888	1.04		0	±0
Blank ballots		1,569	0.56	n/a

Valid votes		279,009	98.52	n/a
Invalid votes		4,188	1.48	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		283,197	73.56	n/a
Registered voters		384,993

Castile and León

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	608,604	44.37	n/a	42	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	543,851	39.65	n/a	39	n/a
	CDS	81,741	5.96	n/a	2	n/a
	PCE	44,357	3.23	n/a	0	n/a
	PDL	37,301	2.72	n/a	1	n/a
	BAR–PREPAL	34,398	2.51	n/a	0	n/a
	Others	8,233	0.60		0	±0
Blank ballots		13,103	0.96	n/a

Valid votes		1,371,588	98.51	n/a
Invalid votes		20,815	1.49	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		1,392,403	69.84	n/a
Registered voters		1,993,809

Castilla–La Mancha

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	416,177	46.70	n/a	23	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	364,676	40.92	n/a	21	n/a
	PCE	61,132	6.86	n/a	0	n/a
	CDS	26,911	3.02	n/a	0	n/a
	PDL	15,890	1.78	n/a	0	n/a
	PCOE–PCEU	579	0.06	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		5,823	0.65	n/a

Valid votes		891,188	98.82	n/a
Invalid votes		10,684	1.18	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		901,872	73.32	n/a
Registered voters		1,230,011

Extremadura

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	296,939	53.02	n/a	35	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	168,606	30.10	n/a	20	n/a
	EU	47,504	8.48	n/a	6	n/a
	PCE	36,294	6.48	n/a	4	n/a
	Others	8,126	1.45		0	±0
Blank ballots		2,622	0.47	n/a

Valid votes		560,091	99.09	n/a
Invalid votes		5,153	0.91	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		565,244	71.90	n/a
Registered voters		786,200

La Rioja

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	63,848	47.17	n/a	18	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	54,121	39.98	n/a	15	n/a
	PRP	10,102	7.46	n/a	2	n/a
	CDS	3,264	2.41	n/a	0	n/a
	PCE	2,934	2.17	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		1,090	0.81	n/a

Valid votes		135,359	98.83	n/a
Invalid votes		1,605	1.17	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		136,964	70.24	n/a
Registered voters		194,994

Madrid

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	1,181,277	50.48	n/a	51	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	798,353	34.12	n/a	34	n/a
	PCE	207,058	8.85	n/a	9	n/a
	CDS	73,124	3.12	n/a	0	n/a
	PDL	43,309	1.85	n/a	0	n/a
	Others	23,269	0.99		0	±0
Blank ballots		13,735	0.59	n/a

Valid votes		2,340,125	99.29	n/a
Invalid votes		16,800	0.71	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		2,356,925	69.70	n/a
Registered voters		3,381,610

Murcia

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	238,968	52.23	n/a	26	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL	162,074	35.42	n/a	16	n/a
	PCE	32,113	7.02	n/a	1	n/a
	PCAN	12,967	2.83	n/a	0	n/a
	CDS	5,224	1.14	n/a	0	n/a
	Others	3,603	0.79		0	±0
Blank ballots		2,608	0.57	n/a

Valid votes		457,557	98.99	n/a
Invalid votes		4,655	1.01	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		462,212	68.47	n/a
Registered voters		675,082

Navarre

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	94,737	35.63	+16.69	20	+5
	UPN	62,072	23.34	+7.35	13	±0
	AP–PDP–UL	37,554	14.12	New	8	+8
	HB	28,055	10.55	–0.53	6	–3
	EAJ/PNV	18,161	6.83	+1.79	3	±0
	Auzolan	8,356	3.14	+0.44	0	±0
	PC	6,733	2.53	–2.24	0	–1
	EE	6,292	2.37	–0.54	0	–1
	UCD	n/a	n/a	–26.69	0	–20
	Amaiur	n/a	n/a	–6.78	0	–7
	IFN	n/a	n/a	–1.46	0	–1
	Others	2,121	0.80		0	±0
Blank ballots		1,826	0.69	+0.28

Valid votes		265,907	98.83	+0.15
Invalid votes		3,135	1.17	–0.15
Votes cast / turnout		269,042	70.86	+0.10
Registered voters		379,692

Valencian Community

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	982,567	51.41	n/a	51	n/a
	AP–PDP–UL–UV	609,519	31.89	n/a	32	n/a
	PCE–PCPV	142,570	7.46	n/a	6	n/a
	UPV	58,712	3.07	n/a	0	n/a
	CDS	36,015	1.88	n/a	0	n/a
	PDL	29,788	1.56	n/a	0	n/a
	Others	38,895	2.04		0	±0
Blank ballots		13,180	0.69	n/a

Valid votes		1,911,246	98.97	n/a
Invalid votes		19,896	1.03	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		1,931,142	72.74	n/a
Registered voters		2,654,967

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d The UCD was dissolved as a political party in February 1983,^[9] with its regional presidents and elected officials maintaining their offices either as independents or joining other parties ahead of the May 1983 regional elections.

References

^ "El PSOE domina 12 de las 17 comunidades autónomas". El País (in Spanish). 9 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Los resultados de Córdoba, Cantabria, Castilla-León y Navarra empañaron la victoria esperada por el PSOE". El País (in Spanish). 9 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Fraga: "Me retiraré cuando Dios y el pueblo me lo exijan"". El País (in Spanish). 9 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Serán necesarios pactos para gobernar en cuatro comunidades autónomas". El País (in Spanish). 11 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Euforia en el PCE, que ha visto duplicados los votos con respecto al 28-O". El País (in Spanish). 9 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Suárez y Garrigues, entre la satisfacción y la resignación". El País (in Spanish). 9 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Para Europa, crece el predominio socialista". El País (in Spanish). 10 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Las elecciones autonómicas institucionalizan por primera vez, en toda España un nuevo escalón de poder político". El País (in Spanish). 16 April 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
^ "La crisis de UCD culmina con la decisión de disolverse como partido político". El País (in Spanish). 19 February 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.

External links

www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Central Electoral Commission – Regional elections
www.argos.gva.es (in Spanish). Argos Information Portal – Electoral Historical Archive
www.historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish and Catalan). Electoral History – Regional elections since 1980