2003 Spanish regional elections

For the local elections held concurrently, see 2003 Spanish local elections.
2003 Spanish regional elections
← 1999 25 May 2003[a] 2007 →
792 seats in the regional parliaments of Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid,[a] Murcia, Navarre and Valencian Community
50 seats in the regional assemblies of Ceuta and Melilla
Registered18,719,976 Green arrow up2.5%
Turnout12,856,902 (68.7%)
Green arrow up2.9 pp
Regional administrations after the 2003 regional elections

The 2003 Spanish regional elections were held on Sunday, 25 May 2003, to elect the regional parliaments of thirteen of the seventeen autonomous communities—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—, not including Andalusia, the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia, which had separate electoral cycles. 792 of 1,186 seats in the regional parliaments were up for election, as well as the 50 seats in the regional assemblies of Ceuta and Melilla. The elections were held simultaneously with local elections all throughout Spain.

Election date

Determination of election day varied depending on the autonomous community, with each one having competency to establish its own regulations. Typically, thirteen out of the seventeen autonomous communities—all but Andalusia, the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia—had their elections fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years, to be held together with nationwide local elections.[1][2]

In some cases, regional presidents had the prerogative to dissolve the regional parliament and call for extra elections at a different time, but newly elected assemblies were restricted to serving out what remained of their previous four year-terms without altering the period to their next ordinary election.[3]

Campaign

Parties campaigned for votes in both these elections and the local elections held at the same time. Some key issues that kept coming up for parties were:

  • The Prestige oil spill: This occurred in November 2002 and caused an oil spill affecting the coast of Galicia and parts of Cantabria. Parties reported this was affecting voter habits in the north of the country.
  • The National Hydrological Plan (Spanish: Plan Hidrológico Nacional): This was a multi-million-euro water management project causing rifts between governments of communities affected, transferring some of the water from the Ebro to the driest areas of Murcia and Valencia. Whilst both of these regions supported the proposal, Aragon and Catalonia did not.
  • Terrorism: In 2003 there had been only three deaths from terrorist attacks in Spain, unusually low. However, political discussions between Madrid and the Basque Government did not cease during the previous Parliament. Certain parties accused the PP of using this to their political advantage.

Regional governments

The following table lists party control in autonomous communities. Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.

Region Previous control New control
Autonomous communities
Aragon Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Asturias Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Balearic Islands Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) People's Party (PP)
Canary Islands Canarian Coalition (CC) Canarian Coalition (CC)
Cantabria People's Party (PP) Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)
Castile and León People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP)
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 People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP)
Madrid People's Party (PP) Inconclusive (PP after snap election in Oct. 2003)
Murcia People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP)
Navarre Navarrese People's Union (UPN) Navarrese People's Union (UPN)
Valencian Community People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP)
Autonomous cities
Ceuta People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP)
Melilla People's Party (PP) People's Party (PP)

Overall results

← Summary of the 25 May 2003 regional election results[b] in Spain →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ACm. ACt. Total
People's Party (PP) 5,482,311 42.98 347 34 381
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 4,833,389 37.89 312 5 317
United Left (IU) 724,070 5.68 30 0 30
Canarian Coalition (CC) 304,413 2.39 23 0 23
Navarrese People's Union (UPN) 127,460 1.00 23 0 23
Aragonese Union (CHA) 97,763 0.77 9 0 9
Aragonese Party (PAR) 79,670 0.62 8 0 8
Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) 66,480 0.52 8 0 8
Leonese People's Union (UPL) 60,331 0.47 2 0 2
Canarian Nationalist Federation (FNC) 44,703 0.35 3 0 3
PSM–Nationalist Agreement (PSM–EN) 33,920 0.27 4 0 4
Majorcan Union (UM) 31,781 0.25 3 0 3
Aralar (Aralar) 24,068 0.19 4 0 4
Convergence of Democrats of Navarre (CDN) 23,516 0.18 4 0 4
Basque Solidarity–Basque Nationalist Party (EA–PNV) 22,824 0.18 4 0 4
Progressive Pact+Coalition of Progressive Organizations (Pacte+COP) 16,811 0.13 5 0 5
Riojan Party (PR) 11,842 0.09 2 0 2
Coalition for Melilla (CpM) 7,392 0.06 0 7 7
Ceutan Democratic Union (UDCE) 3,589 0.03 0 3 3
Democratic and Social Party of Ceuta (PDSC) 1,722 0.01 0 1 1
Independent Popular Council of Formentera (AIPF) 1,647 0.01 1 0 1
Others 533,750 4.18 0 0 0
Blank ballots 222,089 1.74
Total 12,755,541 792 50 842
Valid votes 12,755,541 99.21
Invalid votes 101,361 0.79
Votes cast / turnout 12,856,902 68.68
Registered voters 18,719,976
Popular vote
PP
 
 42.98%
PSOE
 
 37.89%
IU
 
 5.68%
CC
 
 2.39%
UPN
 
 1.00%
CHA
 
 0.77%
PAR
 
 0.62%
PRC
 
 0.52%
Others
 
 6.41%
Blank ballots
 
 1.74%

Summary by region

Aragon

Main article: 2003 Aragonese regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PSOE 270,468 37.94 +7.13 27 +4
PP 219,058 30.73 –7.48 22 –6
CHA 97,763 13.71 +2.67 9 +4
PAR 79,670 11.18 –2.07 8 –2
IU 21,795 3.06 –0.80 1 ±0
Others 9,216 1.29 0 ±0
Blank ballots 14,874 2.09 +0.01
Valid votes 712,844 99.36 +0.07
Invalid votes 4,613 0.64 –0.07
Votes cast / turnout 717,457 70.36 +5.76
Registered voters 1,019,644

Asturias

Main article: 2003 Asturian regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PSOE 250,474 40.48 –5.52 22 –2
PP 242,396 39.18 +6.87 19 +4
IU–BA 68,360 11.05 +2.05 4 +1
URAS 17,552 2.84 –4.30 0 –3
PAS 11,376 1.84 –0.74 0 ±0
LV–IVA 6,561 1.06 +0.52 0 ±0
Others 7,854 1.27 0 ±0
Blank ballots 14,143 2.29 +0.72
Valid votes 618,716 99.29 –0.11
Invalid votes 4,433 0.71 +0.11
Votes cast / turnout 623,149 63.84 +0.22
Registered voters 976,104

Balearic Islands

Main article: 2003 Balearic regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 190,562 44.70 +0.69 29 +1
PSIB–PSOE 104,614 24.54 +2.52 15 +2
PSM–EN 33,920 7.95 –3.77 4 –1
UM 31,781 7.45 +0.14 3 ±0
EU–EV 20,797 4.88 –0.55 2 –1
Pacte+COP 16,811 3.94 –0.91 5 –2
ASI 6,707 1.57 +0.92 0 ±0
AIPF 1,647 0.39 +0.07 1 +1
Others 12,408 2.91 0 ±0
Blank ballots 7,093 1.66 –0.20
Valid votes 426,340 99.35 +0.13
Invalid votes 2,795 0.65 –0.13
Votes cast / turnout 429,135 62.84 +5.34
Registered voters 682,857

Canary Islands

Main article: 2003 Canarian regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
CC 304,413 32.90 –4.36 23 –3
PP 283,186 30.61 +3.48 17 +2
PSOE 235,234 25.42 +1.39 17 –2
FNC 44,703 4.83 +0.02 3 +3
LVC 18,340 1.98 +0.52 0 ±0
IUC 12,128 1.31 –1.43 0 ±0
Others 15,438 1.67 0 ±0
Blank ballots 11,806 1.28 –0.23
Valid votes 925,248 99.44 +0.02
Invalid votes 5,201 0.56 –0.02
Votes cast / turnout 930,449 64.62 +1.88
Registered voters 1,439,784

Cantabria

Main article: 2003 Cantabrian regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 146,796 42.49 –0.01 18 –1
PSOE 103,608 29.99 –3.09 13 –1
PRC 66,480 19.24 +5.73 8 +2
IUC 12,770 3.70 +0.01 0 ±0
UCn 5,515 1.60 New 0 ±0
Others 3,147 0.91 0 ±0
Blank ballots 7,202 2.08 –0.35
Valid votes 345,518 99.18 –0.03
Invalid votes 2,859 0.82 +0.03
Votes cast / turnout 348,377 73.05 +4.27
Registered voters 476,924

Castile and León

Main article: 2003 Castilian-Leonese regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 760,510 48.49 –1.96 48 ±0
PSOE 576,769 36.77 +3.71 32 +2
UPL 60,331 3.85 +0.15 2 –1
IUCyL 54,085 3.45 –1.98 0 –1
TC–PNC 18,595 1.19 –0.20 0 –1
Others 62,109 3.96 0 ±0
Blank ballots 36,027 2.30 –0.37
Valid votes 1,568,426 99.14 +0.09
Invalid votes 13,557 0.86 –0.09
Votes cast / turnout 1,581,983 72.66 +5.08
Registered voters 2,177,222

Castilla–La Mancha

Main article: 2003 Castilian-Manchegan regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PSOE 634,132 57.83 +4.41 29 +3
PP 402,047 36.66 –3.74 18 –3
IU–ICAM 33,413 3.05 –0.36 0 ±0
Others 12,438 1.13 0 ±0
Blank ballots 14,554 1.33 –0.09
Valid votes 1,096,584 99.32 ±0.00
Invalid votes 7,534 0.68 ±0.00
Votes cast / turnout 1,104,118 76.24 +1.39
Registered voters 1,448,289

Extremadura

Main article: 2003 Extremaduran regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PSOE–p 341,522 51.66 +2.03 36 +2
PP 255,808 38.70 –1.31 26 –2
IU–SIEx 41,448 6.27 –0.74 3 ±0
EU 12,171 1.84 +0.17 0 ±0
PH 1,082 0.16 New 0 ±0
Blank ballots 9,033 1.37 +0.22
Valid votes 661,064 99.19 –0.19
Invalid votes 5,404 0.81 +0.19
Votes cast / turnout 666,468 75.63 +2.19
Registered voters 881,228

La Rioja

Main article: 2003 Riojan regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 84,533 48.60 –2.66 17 –1
PSOE 66,410 38.18 +2.90 14 +1
PR 11,842 6.81 +1.05 2 ±0
IU 4,729 2.72 –1.19 0 ±0
LV 2,858 1.64 +0.38 0 ±0
MASH 269 0.15 –0.12 0 ±0
Blank ballots 3,308 1.90 –0.36
Valid votes 173,949 99.17 +0.04
Invalid votes 1,452 0.83 –0.04
Votes cast / turnout 175,401 75.10 +6.44
Registered voters 233,553

Madrid

May

Main article: May 2003 Madrilenian regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 1,429,890 46.67 –4.40 55 ±0
PSOE 1,225,390 39.99 +3.56 47 +8
IUCM 235,428 7.68 –0.01 9 +1
LV 42,322 1.38 +0.69 0 ±0
Others 70,108 2.29 0 ±0
Blank ballots 60,942 1.99 –0.11
Valid votes 3,064,080 99.55 +0.04
Invalid votes 13,972 0.45 –0.04
Votes cast / turnout 3,078,052 69.27 +8.39
Registered voters 4,443,533

October

Main article: October 2003 Madrilenian regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 1,346,588 48.48 +1.81 57 +2
PSOE 1,083,205 39.00 –0.99 45 –2
IUCM 236,013 8.50 +0.82 9 ±0
Others 63,383 2.28 0 ±0
Blank ballots 48,433 1.74 –0.25
Valid votes 2,777,622 99.61 +0.06
Invalid votes 10,873 0.39 –0.06
Votes cast / turnout 2,788,495 62.58 –6.69
Registered voters 4,455,706

Murcia

Main article: 2003 Murcian regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 367,710 56.66 +3.82 28 +2
PSOE 221,392 34.11 –1.80 16 –2
IURM 36,754 5.66 –1.34 1 ±0
LVRM 10,208 1.57 +0.64 0 ±0
Others 3,024 0.47 0 ±0
Blank ballots 9,941 1.53 +0.09
Valid votes 649,029 99.20 –0.10
Invalid votes 5,224 0.80 +0.10
Votes cast / turnout 654,253 69.98 +2.32
Registered voters 934,896
Main article: 2003 Navarrese regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
UPN 127,460 41.48 +0.11 23 +1
PSN–PSOE 65,003 21.15 +0.87 11 ±0
IUN/NEB 26,962 8.77 +1.89 4 +1
Aralar 24,068 7.83 New 4 +4
CDN 23,516 7.65 +0.79 4 +1
EA–PNV 22,824 7.43 +1.99 4 +1
Batzarre 7,873 2.56 New 0 ±0
EH n/a n/a –15.58 0 –8
Others 2,307 0.75 0 ±0
Blank ballots 7,304 2.38 +0.03
Valid votes 307,317 93.52 –5.65
Invalid votes 21,292 6.48 +5.65
Votes cast / turnout 328,609 70.70 +4.45
Registered voters 464,826

Valencian Community

Main article: 2003 Valencian regional election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 1,146,780 47.17 –0.71 48 –1
PSPV–PSOE 874,288 35.96 +2.05 35 ±0
Entesa 154,494 6.35 +0.30 6 +1
Bloc–EV 114,011 4.69 +0.16 0 ±0
UV 72,557 2.98 –1.70 0 ±0
Others 31,468 1.29 0 ±0
Blank ballots 37,805 1.55 ±0.00
Valid votes 2,431,403 99.35 –0.06
Invalid votes 15,821 0.65 +0.06
Votes cast / turnout 2,447,224 71.49 +3.68
Registered voters 3,423,098

Autonomous cities

Ceuta

Main article: 2003 Ceuta Assembly election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP 20,897 62.55 +34.56 19 +11
UDCE 3,589 10.74 New 3 +3
PSOE 2,905 8.70 +1.26 2 ±0
PDSC 1,722 5.15 –4.87 1 –2
PSPC 1,402 4.20 –0.20 0 ±0
PIL 922 2.76 –35.39 0 –12
FC 696 2.08 New 0 ±0
UPCE 573 1.72 New 0 ±0
Others 451 1.35 0 ±0
Blank ballots 251 0.75 –0.45
Valid votes 33,408 99.56 +0.05
Invalid votes 147 0.44 –0.05
Votes cast / turnout 33,555 59.23 –2.12
Registered voters 56,656

Melilla

Main article: 2003 Melilla Assembly election
Parties and alliances Votes % ±pp Seats +/−
PP–UPM 15,440 55.00 +24.89 15 +7
CpM 7,392 26.33 +5.89 7 +2
PSOE 3,365 11.99 +2.62 3 +1
PIM 739 2.63 –7.67 0 –3
CDS 417 1.49 New 0 ±0
GIL n/a n/a –25.93 0 –7
Others 405 1.44 0 ±0
Blank ballots 315 1.12 +0.08
Valid votes 28,073 99.45 –0.22
Invalid votes 156 0.55 +0.22
Votes cast / turnout 28,229 57.39 –3.05
Registered voters 49,189

Notes

  1. ^ a b The Community of Madrid was forced to hold a snap election on 26 October 2003 after the Tamayazo scandal led to no new government being elected as a result of the May election.
  2. ^ Aggregated results take account of the October 2003 Madrilenian regional election.

References

  1. ^ General Electoral System Organic Law of 1985. Official State Gazette (Organic Law 5) (in Spanish). 19 June 1985. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Representation of the people Institutional Act". juntaelectoralcentral.es. Central Electoral Commission. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Un paso más hacia la ruptura de la homogeneidad del calendario electoral de las comunidades autónomas: la reforma de la Ley Orgánica 13/1982, de 10 de agosto, de Reintegración y Amejoramiento del Régimen Foral de Navarra" [A further step towards breaking the homogeneity of the electoral calendar of the autonomous communities: the reform of the Organic Law 13/1982, of August 10, on Reintegration and Improvement of the Foral Regime of Navarre] (PDF). gencat.cat (in Spanish). Institut d'Estudis Autonòmics. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)