1983 Valencian regional election explained

Election Name:1983 Valencian regional election
Country:Valencian Community
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Next Election:1987 Valencian regional election
Next Year:1987
Seats For Election:All 89 seats in the Corts Valencianes
Majority Seats:45
Opinion Polls:
  1. Opinion polls
Registered:2,654,967
Turnout:1,931,142 (72.7%)
Election Date:8 May 1983
Leader1:Joan Lerma
Party1:Socialist Party of the Valencian Country
Leader Since1:31 July 1979
Leaders Seat1:Valencia
Seats1:51
Popular Vote1:982,567
Percentage1:51.4%
Leader2:Manuel Giner Miralles
Party2:AP–PDP–ULUV
Leader Since2:December 1981
Leaders Seat2:Valencia
Seats2:32
Popular Vote2:609,519
Percentage2:31.9%
Leader3:José Galán
Party3:PCE–PCPV
Leader Since3:23 September 1980
Leaders Seat3:Alicante
Seats3:6
Popular Vote3:142,570
Percentage3:7.5%
Map Size:250px
President
Before Election:Joan Lerma
Before Party:PSOE
After Election:Joan Lerma
After Party:PSOE

The 1983 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 8 May 1983, to elect the 1st Corts of the Valencian Community. All 89 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) won the election with an absolute majority of 51 out of 89 seats and almost 1 million votes (51.4% of the vote). The People's Coalition, composed in the Valencian Community by the People's Alliance (AP), the People's Democratic Party (PDP), the Liberal Union and the Valencian Union (UV), became the second political force and the main opposition party in the Corts Valencianes with 32 seats. The Communist Party of Spain (PCE) managed to surpass the 5% regional threshold and entered the Corts with 6 seats, seeing a slight recovery from its results in the October 1982 general election.[1] [2]

As a result of the election, regional PSOE leader Joan Lerma became the first democratically elected President of the Valencian Government.[3]

Overview

Electoral system

The Corts Valencianes were the devolved, unicameral legislature of the Valencian autonomous community, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a President of the Government.[4] Voting for the Corts was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in the Valencian Community and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 89 members of the Corts Valencianes were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of 5 percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Alicante, Castellón and Valencia. Each constituency was allocated a fixed number of seats: 29 for Alicante, 25 for Castellón and 35 for Valencia.[4]

The electoral law provided that parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors were allowed to present lists of candidates. However, groupings of electors were required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of the electors registered in the constituency for which they sought election—needing to secure, in any case, the signature of 500 electors—. Electors were barred from signing for more than one list of candidates. Concurrently, parties and federations intending to enter in coalition to take part jointly at an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within fifteen days of the election being called.[5]

Election date

The Council of the Valencian Country, in agreement with the Government of Spain, was required to call an election to the Corts Valencianes within from 1 February to 31 May 1983.[4]

Opinion polls

The table below lists voting intention estimates in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a poll. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 45 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Corts Valencianes.

Results

Overall

Summary of the 8 May 1983 Corts Valencianes election results →
Parties and alliancesPopular voteSeats
Votes%±ppTotal+/−
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)982,567 51.41 n/a51 n/a
People's CoalitionValencian Union (APPDPULUV)609,519 31.89 n/a32 n/a
Communist Party of the Valencian Country (PCE–PCPV)142,570 7.46 n/a6 n/a
Valencian People's Union (UPV)58,712 3.07 n/a0 n/a
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)36,015 1.88 n/a0 n/a
Liberal Democratic Party (PDL)29,788 1.56 n/a0 n/a
Valencian Independent Organization (OIV)12,585 0.66 n/a0 n/a
Workers' Socialist Party (PST)10,156 0.53 n/a0 n/a
Valencian Nationalist Left (ENV–URV)7,623 0.40 n/a0 n/a
Spanish Communist Workers' Party (PCOE)5,945 0.31 n/a0 n/a
Popular Struggle Coalition (CLP)2,586 0.14 n/a0 n/a
Blank ballots13,180 0.69 n/a
Total1,911,246 89 n/a
Valid votes1,911,246 98.97 n/a
Invalid votes19,896 1.03 n/a
Votes cast / turnout1,931,142 72.74 n/a
Abstentions723,825 27.26 n/a
Registered voters2,654,967
Sources[8] [9] [10]

Distribution by constituency

ConstituencyPSOECPUVPCE–PV
data-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"Sdata-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"Sdata-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"S
Alicante54.71731.1106.62
Castellón49.11434.1105.61
Valencia50.22031.8128.33
Total51.45131.9327.56
Sources

Aftermath

Investiture
CandidateBallot →6 June 1983
Required majority →45 out of 89
Joan Lerma (PSOE)
Absentees
José Galán (PCPV)
Abstentions
Absentees
Sources

References

Opinion poll sources
Other

Notes and References

  1. News: 10 May 1983 . Apreciable recuperación de los comunistas . Spanish . El País . 11 December 2019.
  2. News: 12 May 1983 . Lerma mantendrá los actuales consejeros en el Gobierno de la Generalitat valenciana . Spanish . El País . 12 December 2019.
  3. News: 23 June 1983 . Joan Lerma, investido presidente de la Generalitat valenciana . Spanish . El País . 11 December 2019.
  4. Statute of Autonomy of the Valencian Community of 1982 . Organic Law . 1 . es . 1 July 1982 . 17 March 2017.
  5. Electoral Rules Decree of 1977 . Royal Decree-Law . 20 . es . 18 March 1977 . 27 December 2016.
  6. Web site: Los socialistas pueden alcanzar los dos tercios del Parlamento autónomo . Spanish . El País . 1 May 1983.
  7. Web site: Ficha técnica de los sondeos . Spanish . El País . 1 May 1983.
  8. Web site: Corts Valencianes election, 1983 . Spanish . www.datoselecciones.com . Election Data . 30 September 2017.
  9. Web site: Electoral Results. Electoral Data - Regional Election: 1983 . Spanish . www.cortsvalencianes.es . Corts Valencianes . 29 November 2019.
  10. Web site: Eleccions a les Corts Valencianes (1983 - 2019) . Spanish . Historia Electoral.com . 30 September 2017.