1991 Navarrese regional election explained

Election Name:1991 Navarrese regional election
Country:Navarre
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1987 Navarrese regional election
Previous Year:1987
Next Election:1995 Navarrese regional election
Next Year:1995
Seats For Election:All 50 seats in the Parliament of Navarre
Majority Seats:26
Opinion Polls:
  1. Opinion polls
Registered:414,913 5.5%
Turnout:276,773 (66.7%)
6.2 pp
Election Date:26 May 1991
Leader1:Juan Cruz Alli
Party1:Navarrese People's Union
Leader Since1:1987
Last Election1:19 seats, 35.0%
Seats1:20
Seat Change1:1
Popular Vote1:96,005
Percentage1:35.0%
Swing1:0.0 pp
Leader2:Gabriel Urralburu
Party2:PSN–PSOE
Leader Since2:15 June 1982
Last Election2:15 seats, 27.7%
Seats2:19
Seat Change2:4
Popular Vote2:91,645
Percentage2:33.4%
Swing2:5.7 pp
Leader3:Patxi Zabaleta
Party3:Herri Batasuna
Leader Since3:1991
Last Election3:7 seats, 13.5%
Seats3:6
Seat Change3:1
Popular Vote3:30,762
Percentage3:11.2%
Swing3:2.3 pp
Leader4:Fermín Ciaurriz
Party4:Eusko Alkartasuna
Leader Since4:1991
Last Election4:4 seats, 7.0%
Seats4:3
Seat Change4:1
Popular Vote4:15,170
Percentage4:5.5%
Swing4:1.5 pp
Leader5:Félix Taberna
Party5:United Left of Navarre
Leader Since5:1991
Last Election5:0 seats, 1.3%
Seats5:2
Seat Change5:2
Popular Vote5:11,167
Percentage5:4.1%
Swing5:2.8 pp
President
Before Election:Gabriel Urralburu
Before Party:Socialist Party of Navarre
After Election:Juan Cruz Alli
After Party:Navarrese People's Union

The 1991 Navarrese regional election was held on Sunday, 26 May 1991, to elect the 3rd Parliament of the Chartered Community of Navarre. All 50 seats in the Parliament were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

Overview

Electoral system

The Parliament of Navarre was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the Chartered Community of Navarre, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Reintegration and Enhancement of the Foral Regime of Navarre Law, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.[1] Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Navarre and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 50 members of the Parliament of Navarre were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally.[2]

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 1 percent of the electors registered in Navarre. 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 ten days of the election being called.[2] [3]

Election date

The term of the Parliament of Navarre expired four years after the date of its previous election. Legal amendments earlier in 1991 established that elections to the Parliament were to be fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 10 June 1987, setting the election date for the Parliament on Sunday, 26 May 1991.[1] [2] [3]

The Parliament of Navarre could not be dissolved before the date of expiry of parliament. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the candidate from the party with the highest number of seats was to be deemed automatically elected.[1]

Opinion polls

The tables below list opinion polling results 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.

Voting intention estimates

The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 26 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Navarre.

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.

Results

← Summary of the 26 May 1991 Parliament of Navarre election results →
Parties and alliancesPopular voteSeats
Votes%±ppTotal+/−
Navarrese People's Union (UPN)196,005 34.95 –0.0120 +1
Socialist Party of Navarre (PSN–PSOE)91,645 33.36 +5.6819 +4
Popular Unity (HB)30,762 11.20 –2.266 –1
Basque Solidarity (EA)15,170 5.52 –1.483 –1
United Left (IU)11,167 4.07 +2.732 +2
Assembly (B)6,543 2.38 +0.310 ±0
Basque Country Left (EE)5,824 2.12 –1.270 –1
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)5,650 2.06 –5.360 –4
Livestock Agricultural Party (PAG)3,855 1.40 New0 ±0
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)3,071 1.12 +0.180 ±0
Carlist Party (PC)1,353 0.49 New0 ±0
Blank ballots3,637 1.32 –0.07
Total274,682 50 ±0
Valid votes274,682 99.24 +0.40
Invalid votes2,091 0.76 –0.40
Votes cast / turnout276,773 66.71 –6.19
Abstentions138,140 33.29 +6.19
Registered voters414,913
Sources[13] [14]

Aftermath

Investiture processes to elect the President of the Government of Navarre required for an absolute majority—more than half the votes cast—to be obtained in the first ballot. If unsuccessful, a new ballot would be held 48 hours later under the same majority requirement, with successive votes requiring only of a simple majority—more affirmative than negative votes—to succeed. If such majorities were not achieved, successive candidate proposals would be processed under the same procedure. In the event of the investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot, the candidate from the party with the highest number of seats was deemed to be automatically elected.[1]

As a result of the investiture process failing to provide a regional President within two months from the first ballot, Juan Cruz Alli was automatically elected on 18 September 1991 and officially sworn into office on 23 September.

Investiture
Juan Cruz Alli (UPN)
Ballot →18 July 199120 July 199122 July 199124 July 1991
Required majority →26 out of 50 26 out of 50 Simple Simple
Abstentions
Absentees
Sources
Investiture
Gabriel Urralburu (PSN)
Ballot →8 August 199110 August 199112 August 199114 August 1991
Required majority →26 out of 50 26 out of 50 Simple Simple
Sources

References

Opinion poll sources
Other

Notes and References

  1. Ley Orgánica 13/1982, de 10 de agosto, de reintegración y amejoramiento del Régimen Foral de Navarra . Organic Law . 13 . es . 10 August 1982 . 18 June 2017.
  2. Ley Foral 16/1986, de 17 de noviembre, reguladora de las elecciones al Parlamento de Navarra . Law . 16 . es . 17 December 1986 . 18 June 2017.
  3. Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General . Organic Law . 5 . es . 19 June 1985 . 28 December 2016.
  4. Web site: Seis comunidades dependen de pactos . es . ABC . 20 May 1991.
  5. Web site: Las elecciones de 26-5-91 . es . CEPC . August 1991.
  6. Web site: UPN será el partido más votado y PSOE el segundo, pese a su fuerte subida . es . Diario de Navarra . 19 May 1991.
  7. Web site: Sondeos electorales CIES . es . CIES . 22 May 2011.
  8. Web site: Una fusión con buenos dividendos . es . El País . 19 May 1991.
  9. Web site: Ficha técnica . es . El País . 19 May 1991.
  10. Web site: Suben UPN y PSOE, y el partido regionalista será la lista más votada . es . Diario de Navarra . 5 May 1991.
  11. Web site: Preelectoral municipales y autonómicas de Navarra 1991 (III) (Estudio nº 1954. Marzo 1991) . es . CIS . 25 March 1991.
  12. Web site: Preelectoral municipales y autonómicas de Navarra 1991 (II) (Estudio nº 1928. Febrero 1991) . es . CIS . 17 February 1991.
  13. Web site: III Legislature (1991-1995) . es . parlamentodenavarra.es . Parliament of Navarre . 29 September 2017.
  14. Web site: Elecciones al Parlamento de Navarra (Nafarroako Parlamentua) (1979 - 2019) . es . Historia Electoral.com . 29 September 2017.