Asturian Socialist Federation Explained

Asturian Socialist Federation
Native Name:Federación Socialista Asturiana
President:Pablo García Fernández
Secretary General:Adrián Barbón
Founded:27 January 1901
Headquarters:C/ Santa Teresa, 20
Oviedo, Asturias
Membership Year:2023
Membership:7,145[1]
Ideology:Social democracy
Position:Centre[2] to Centre-left
National:Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Seats1 Title:General Junta
Seats2 Title:Congress of Deputies
Seats2:(Asturian seats)
Seats3 Title:Spanish Senate
Seats3:(Asturian seats)
Seats4 Title:Mayors[3]
Seats5 Title:Local seats
Country:Spain
State:Asturias

The Asturian Socialist Federation (Spanish and Asturian: Federación Socialista Asturiana), often shortened to FSA–PSOE, is the regional section of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in the Principality of Asturias. It was formed on 27 January 1901 from the Socialist local groupings of Gijón (formed in 1891), Oviedo (1892), Mieres and Langreo (1897) and others.

Since the Spanish transition to democracy started in 1975 and since the establishment of the Spanish "State of Autonomies" in 1983, the FSA–PSOE has governed Asturias nearly uninterruptedly from 1983 to 1995, from 1999 to 2011 and again since 2012.

History

Foundation and early years (1901-1931)

After the foundation of the PSOE on 2 May 1879, socialist groups were gradually organised in the main towns and cities of Asturias. Thus, in 1891, the Gijón local group was set up, followed by the Oviedo group in 1892 and those of Mieres and Sama de Langreo in 1897.[4] [5] [6] Between 1899 and 1901, socialism took root in Asturias and finally, on 27 January 1901, the founding Congress of the Asturian Socialist Federation of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (FSA-PSOE) was held in Oviedo's Centro Obrero (Workers' Centre). Manuel Vigil Montoto was elected president of the first Provincial Committee.

Second Republic and Civil War (1931-1939)

In 1934, the FSA-PSOE formed part of the workers' alliance formalised in the Uníos Hermanos Proletarios (UHP, Unite Proletarian Brothers) and agreed with the pact signed between the socialist trade union Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT, General Union of Workers) and the Regional Confederation of Labour of Asturias, León and Palencia of the anarcho-syndicalist organisation CNT. The UHP - which was later joined by other workers' organisations - played a significant role in the 1934 Revolution.

During the Spanish Civil War, the Socialist Belarmino Tomás presided over the Interprovincial Council of Asturias and León, later transformed into the Sovereign Council of Asturias and León.

Franco's dictatorship (1939-1975)

Like all other left-wing and republican parties, the FSA was outlawed and its members persecuted and sometimes killed. While the UGT, the trade union linked to the party, maintained some activity during the dictatorship, especially during the labour conflicts in the region, the main opposition to the francoist regime was the Communist Party of Asturias (PCA) and its allies in the region.

Transition and democracy (since 1975)

After Franco's regime and with the advent of democracy, the FSA regained its leading role. Rafael Luis Fernández Álvarez presided over the two governments of the Regional Council of Asturias, the pre-autonomous body that would govern Asturias from 1978 to 1982, as well as the first pre-electoral government of the Principality of Asturias. On Sunday, 14 May 1978, Felipe González and Enrique Tierno Galván gave a rally in the El Molinón football stadium in Gijón attended by 25,000 people.[7]

The FSA-PSOE won the Presidency of the Principality in the first regional election in 1983 with Pedro de Silva Cienfuegos-Jovellanos as leader. In 1991 he was succeeded by Juan Luis Rodríguez-Vigil Rubio, who resigned after the Petromocho scandal and was replaced by Antonio Trevín Lombán in 1993. After a legislature in opposition, in 1999 the FSA, led by Vicente Álvarez Areces, once again gained access to the regional government - thanks in part to the instability generated by regional president Sergio Marqués' break with the PP, founding the Unión Renovadora Asturiana (URAS, Asturias Renewal Union) in 1998. The socialists later won the regional elections in 2003 and 2007.

After six months in 2011 of minority government led by Francisco Álvarez-Cascos, president of Foro Asturias (FAC, Asturian Forum), another PP's split, the FSA regained the presidency of Asturias in 2012 with Javier Fernández Fernández.[8] He was re-elected after the May 2015 elections.[9]

In the PSOE crisis of 2016, a new leadership emerged in the FSA-PSOE that led to the 32nd congress and the election of Adrián Barbón as Secretary General on 1 October 2017.[10] Barbón himself was the head of the list for the regional elections on 26 May 2019, winning six more seats than those won by Javier Fernández in 2015. Adrián Barbón was sworn in as President of the Principality of Asturias on 20 July 2019. [11]

Electoral performance

General Junta of the Principality of Asturias

General Junta of the Principality of Asturias
ElectionVotes%Seats+/–Leading candidateStatus in legislature
1983293,32051.96%1stPedro de SilvaGovernment
1987222,32638.85%1st6Pedro de SilvaGovernment
1991218,19341.02%1st1Juan Luis Rodríguez-VigilGovernment
1995219,52733.83%2nd4Antonio TrevínOpposition
1999284,97246.00%1st7Vicente Álvarez ArecesGovernment
2003250,47440.48%1st2Vicente Álvarez ArecesCoalition
2007252,20142.04%1st1Vicente Álvarez ArecesGovernment
Coalition
2011179,61929.92%1st6Javier FernándezOpposition
2012161,15932.10%1st2Javier FernándezGovernment
2015143,85126.48%1st3Javier FernándezGovernment
2019187,46235.26%1st6Adrián BarbónGovernment
2023195,999 36.50%1st1Adrián BarbónGovernment

Cortes Generales

ElectionAsturias
CongressSenate
Votes%Seats+/–Seats+/–
1977182,85031.74%1st
1979200,34637.28%1st02
1982339,57552.13%1st20
1986278,94645.99%1st10
1989248,58440.56%1st10
1993271,87739.32%1st00
1996288,55839.85%2nd02
2000241,83037.02%2nd10
2004305,24043.38%2nd10
2008326,47746.93%1st02
2011185,52629.34%2nd12
2015145,11323.29%2nd10
2016147,92024.87%2nd00
2019 (Apr)207,58633.13%1st12
2019 (Nov)186,21133.27%1st00
2023205,04934.34%2nd12

European Parliament

European Parliament
ElectionAsturias
Votes%
1987244,32342.43%1st
1989197,65041.48%1st
1994173,98632.07%2nd
1999256,49741.52%1st
2004204,88946.39%1st
2009189,78344.05%1st
201499,00026.08%1st
2019201,64238.58%1st

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.expansion.com/economia/politica/2023/11/05/654768ed468aebe70a8b464e.html
  2. https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2022/10/16/634ae4a121efa0835f8b4598.html
  3. https://www.lavozdeasturias.es/noticia/asturias/2023/06/17/seis-diez-alcaldes-asturianos-gobernaran-mayoria-absoluta/00031686994620960215207.htm Pactos y mayorías: estos son los nuevos alcaldes de los concejos de Asturias
  4. News: 125 años de socialismo ovetense. Olmos. Gonzalo. 24 October 2017. 18 April 2020.
  5. News: Gijón- Es un hecho ya la organización en este punto de la Organización Socialista. Madrid. 3. 4 December 1981. 1981. 18 April 2020.
  6. News: Mieres - Se ha constituido la Agrupación Socialista. Madrid. 3. 6 April 1897. 18 April 2020.
  7. News: Mitín del PSOE en el Molinón: Felipe González "No renunciamos a nuestra raíces".. Gijón. 11. 16 May 1978. 19 April 2020.
  8. Web site: 23 May 2012 . El socialista Javier Fernández, nuevo presidente de Asturias . 8 April 2022 . 20minutos . es.
  9. News: El socialista Javier Fernández, reelegido presidente de Asturias en la tercera votación. 21 July 2015. 19 April 2020.
  10. News: Adrián Barbón, nuevo secretario general del PSOE Asturias tras ganar las primarias. Europa Press. 17 September 2017. 18 April 2020.
  11. Web site: 15 July 2019 . Adrián Barbón, nuevo presidente del Principado . 8 April 2022 . La Voz de Asturias . es.