1995 Aragonese regional election explained

Election Name:1995 Aragonese regional election
Country:Aragon
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1991 Aragonese regional election
Previous Year:1991
Next Election:1999 Aragonese regional election
Next Year:1999
Seats For Election:All 67 seats in the Cortes of Aragon
Majority Seats:34
Opinion Polls:
  1. Opinion polls
Registered:993,975
Turnout:706,954 (71.1%)
6.7 pp
Election Date:28 May 1995
Leader1:Santiago Lanzuela
Party1:People's Party of Aragon
Leader Since1:24 September 1993
Leaders Seat1:Zaragoza
Last Election1:17 seats, 20.7%
Seats1:27
Seat Change1:10
Popular Vote1:263,524
Percentage1:37.5%
Swing1:16.8 pp
Leader2:Marcelino Iglesias
Party2:Socialists' Party of Aragon
Leader Since2:15 February 1995
Leaders Seat2:Huesca
Last Election2:30 seats, 40.3%
Seats2:19
Seat Change2:11
Popular Vote2:180,728
Percentage2:25.7%
Swing2:14.6 pp
Leader3:Emilio Eiroa
Party3:Aragonese Party
Leader Since3:12 July 1991
Leaders Seat3:Zaragoza
Last Election3:17 seats, 24.7%
Seats3:14
Seat Change3:3
Popular Vote3:143,573
Percentage3:20.4%
Swing3:4.3 pp
Leader4:Miguel Ángel Fustero
Party4:United Left of Aragon
Leader Since4:1994
Leaders Seat4:Zaragoza
Last Election4:3 seats, 6.7%
Seats4:5
Seat Change4:2
Popular Vote4:64,685
Percentage4:9.2%
Swing4:2.5 pp
Leader5:Chesús Bernal
Party5:Chunta Aragonesista
Leader Since5:29 June 1986
Leaders Seat5:Zaragoza
Last Election5:0 seats, 2.3%
Seats5:2
Seat Change5:2
Popular Vote5:34,077
Percentage5:4.8%
Swing5:2.5 pp
Map Size:225px
President
Before Election:Ramón Tejedor (acting)
Before Party:Socialists' Party of Aragon
After Election:Santiago Lanzuela
After Party:People's Party of Aragon

The 1995 Aragonese regional election was held on Sunday, 28 May 1995, to elect the 4th Cortes of the autonomous community of Aragon. All 67 seats in the Cortes were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in 12 other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

The election saw a marked increase for the People's Party (PP), which went on to win the election doubling its 1991 vote and gaining ten seats. Much of the increase came at the expense of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), at the moment beset by corruption scandals. The Aragonese Party (PAR) lost ground for the second consecutive election and was displaced to 3rd place. United Left (IU) improved its position while the left-wing regionalist Aragonese Union (CHA) won seats in the Cortes for the first time.

The new legislature elected Santiago Lanzuela as the first PP President of Aragon by 41 votes to 26. The PP and PAR deputies backed Lanzuela while PSOE, CHA and IU voted against. Lanzuela headed a PP administration with the initial support of the PAR.

Overview

Electoral system

The Cortes of Aragon were the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Aragon, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Aragonese Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.[1]

Voting for the Cortes was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Aragon and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The 67 members of the Cortes of Aragon were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza, with each being allocated an initial minimum of 13 seats and the remaining 28 being distributed in proportion to their populations (provided that the seat-to-population ratio in the most populated province did not exceed 2.75 times that of the least populated one).[1] [2]

The use of the D'Hondt method might result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.[3]

Election date

The term of the Cortes of Aragon expired four years after the date of their previous election. Elections to the Cortes were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 26 May 1991, setting the election date for the Cortes on Sunday, 28 May 1995.[1] [2] [4]

The Cortes of Aragon could not be dissolved before the date of expiry of parliament except in the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot. In such a case, the Cortes were to be automatically dissolved and a snap election called, with elected deputies merely serving out what remained of their four-year terms.[1]

Background

The previous legislature had been tightly divided between the left and right blocs, with an independent, former PP deputy holding the balance of power. This had resulted in a coalition between the PP and PAR being replaced by a PSOE administration in 1993. However, legal difficulties had forced the resignation of the PSOE Aragonese president José Marco in January 1995, being replaced by party colleague Ramón Tejedor. The PSOE Federal Executive designated Marcelino Iglesias as candidate for president in the 1995 election, marginalizing Marco from the election of the regional candidate.[5]

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.[2] [4]

Below is a list of the main parties and electoral alliances which contested the election:

CandidacyParties and
alliances
Leading candidateIdeologyPrevious result
Votes (%)Seats
PSOEMarcelino IglesiasSocial democracy40.34%
PAREmilio EiroaRegionalism
Centrism
24.68%
PPSantiago LanzuelaConservatism
Christian democracy
20.68%
IUMiguel Ángel FusteroSocialism
Communism
6.74%
CHAChesús BernalAragonese nationalism
Eco-socialism
2.30%

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; 34 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Cortes of Aragon.

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 28 May 1995 Cortes of Aragon election results →
Parties and alliancesPopular voteSeats
Votes%±ppTotal+/−
People's Party (PP)263,524 37.50 +16.8227 +10
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)180,728 25.72 –14.6219 –11
Aragonese Party (PAR)143,573 20.43 –4.2514 –3
United Left of Aragon (IU)64,685 9.20 +2.465 +2
Aragonese Union (CHA)34,077 4.85 +2.552 +2
Platform of Independents of Spain (PIE)2,349 0.33 New0 ±0
Aragonese Unity (UA)1,342 0.19 New0 ±0
SOS Nature (SOS)923 0.13 New0 ±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)445 0.06 New0 ±0
Blank ballots11,098 1.58 +0.28
Total702,744 67 ±0
Valid votes702,744 99.40 +0.10
Invalid votes4,210 0.60 –0.10
Votes cast / turnout706,954 71.12 +6.73
Abstentions287,021 28.88 –6.73
Registered voters993,975
Sources[14] [15]

Distribution by constituency

ConstituencyPPPSOEPARIUCHA
data-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"Sdata-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"Sdata-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"Sdata-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"Sdata-sort-type="number"%data-sort-type="number"S
Huesca33.2731.7621.446.814.1
Teruel40.8731.6518.335.612.1
Zaragoza38.01323.1820.6710.535.52
Total37.52725.71920.4149.254.82
Sources

Aftermath

Investiture
Santiago Lanzuela (PP)
Ballot →7 July 1995
Required majority →34 out of 67
Abstentions
Sources

References

Opinion poll sources
Other

Notes and References

  1. Ley Orgánica 8/1982, de 10 de agosto, de Estatuto de Autonomía de Aragón . Organic Law . 8 . . es . 10 August 1982 . 17 September 2017.
  2. Ley 2/1987, de 16 de febrero, Electoral de la Comunidad Autónoma de Aragón . Law . 2 . Boletín Oficial del Estado . es . 12 February 1987 . 17 September 2017.
  3. Web site: Gallagher . Michael . 30 July 2012 . Effective threshold in electoral systems . https://web.archive.org/web/20170730092518/http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php . dead . 30 July 2017 . Trinity College, Dublin . 22 July 2017.
  4. Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General . Organic Law . 5 . Boletín Oficial del Estado . es . 19 June 1985 . 28 December 2016.
  5. News: Torrontegui . Javier . 16 February 1995 . El PSOE margina a Marco de la designación de los candidatos aragoneses . es . El País . 15 January 2022.
  6. Web site: El PP se impuso en diez comunidades . es . Diario de Navarra . 29 May 1995.
  7. Web site: Los sondeos predicen una amplia victoria del PP en las autonómicas . es . Diario de Navarra . 22 May 1995.
  8. Web site: El PP será la fuerza más votada en 12 comunidades . es . El País . 20 May 1995.
  9. Web site: Descenso espectacular del PSOE . es . El País . 20 May 1995.
  10. Web site: Mañana, previsiones para las municipales . es . El País . 20 May 1995.
  11. Web site: El PP gana en doce autonomías y el PSOE sólo en Extremadura, según un sondeo . es . La Vanguardia . 21 May 1995.
  12. Web site: Preelectoral Comunidad Autónoma de Aragón (Estudio nº 2160. Abril-Mayo 1995) . es . CIS . 10 May 1995.
  13. Web site: Estudio CIS nº 2160. Ficha técnica . es . CIS . 10 May 1995.
  14. Web site: Cortes of Aragon election results, 28 May 1995 . 21 June 1995 . es . www.juntaelectoralcentral.es . Electoral Commission of Aragon . 26 September 2017.
  15. Web site: Elecciones a las Cortes de Aragón (1983 - 2019) . es . Historia Electoral.com . 26 September 2017.