Next Cantabrian regional election explained

Election Name:Next Cantabrian regional election
Country:Cantabria
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:yes
Previous Election:2023 Cantabrian regional election
Previous Year:2023
Seats For Election:All 35 seats in the Parliament of Cantabria
Majority Seats:18
Opinion Polls:
  1. Opinion polls
Election Date:No later than 23 May 2027
Leader1:María José Sáenz de Buruaga
Party1:People's Party of Cantabria
Leader Since1:22 January 2019
Last Election1:15 seats, 35.8%
Seats Before1:15
Seats Needed1:3
Leader2:Miguel Ángel Revilla
Party2:Regionalist Party of Cantabria
Leader Since2:1983
Last Election2:8 seats, 20.8%
Seats Before2:8
Seats Needed2:10
Leader3:Pablo Zuloaga
Party3:Socialist Party of Cantabria
Leader Since3:16 July 2017
Last Election3:8 seats, 20.6%
Seats Before3:8
Seats Needed3:10
Leader4:Leticia Díaz
Party4:Vox (political party)
Leader Since4:17 January 2023
Last Election4:4 seats, 11.1%
Seats Before4:4
Seats Needed4:14
President
Before Election:María José Sáenz de Buruaga
Before Party:People's Party of Cantabria

The next Cantabrian regional election will be held no later than Sunday, 23 May 2027, to elect the 12th Parliament of the autonomous community of Cantabria. All 35 seats in the Parliament will be up for election.

Overview

Electoral system

The Parliament of Cantabria is the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Cantabria, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Cantabrian Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.[1] Voting for the Parliament is on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprises all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Cantabria and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 35 members of the Parliament of Cantabria are elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which includes blank ballots—being applied regionally.[1] [2]

Election date

The term of the Parliament of Cantabria expires four years after the date of its previous election. Elections to the Parliament are fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 28 May 2023, setting the election date for the Parliament on Sunday, 23 May 2027.[1] [2] [3]

The president has the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Cantabria and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence is in process, no nationwide election is due and some time requirements are met: namely, that dissolution does not occur either during the first legislative session or within the legislature's last year ahead of its scheduled expiry, nor before one year has elapsed since a previous dissolution. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Parliament is to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called. Any snap election held as a result of these circumstances will not alter the period to the next ordinary election, with elected deputies merely serving out what remains of their four-year terms.[1]

Parliamentary composition

The table below shows the composition of the parliamentary groups in the Parliament at the present time.

Current parliamentary composition
GroupsPartiesLegislators
SeatsTotal
People's Parliamentary GroupPP1515
Regionalist Parliamentary GroupPRC88
Socialist Parliamentary GroupPSOE88
Vox Parliamentary GroupVox44

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allows 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 are required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors need to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in Cantabria, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.[2] [3]

Below is a list of the main parties and electoral alliances which will likely contest the election:

CandidacyParties and
alliances
CandidateIdeologyPrevious result
Votes (%)Seats
PPMaría José Sáenz de BuruagaConservatism
Christian democracy
35.78%
PRCMiguel Ángel RevillaRegionalism
Centrism
20.79%
PSOEPablo ZuloagaSocial democracy20.61%
VoxLeticia DíazRight-wing populism
Ultranationalism
National conservatism
11.08%

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; 18 seats are required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Cantabria.

Polling firm/CommissionerFieldwork dateSample sizeTurnoutPRC
SALFLead
2024 EP election9 Jun 202450.742.8
31.0
9.9
2.7
0.9
3.2
5.7
11.8
2023 general election23 Jul 202369.942.1
33.3
14.1
8.5
8.8
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[4] 28 May–29 Jun 20231,000?37.1
18.8
22.1
11.4
4.0
1.3
15.0
2023 regional election28 May 202365.335.8
20.8
20.6
11.1
4.1
2.3
15.0

References

Opinion poll sources
Other

Notes and References

  1. Ley Orgánica 8/1981, de 30 de diciembre, de Estatuto de Autonomía para Cantabria] ]. Organic Law . 8 . es . 30 December 1981 . 18 September 2017.
  2. Ley 5/1987, de 27 de marzo, de Elecciones a la Asamblea Regional de Cantabria . Law . 5 . es . 27 March 1987 . 30 January 2020.
  3. Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General . Organic Law . 5 . es . 19 June 1985 . 25 November 2023.
  4. Web site: ElectoPanel Cantabria (2JL): el PRC continúa a la baja . es . Electomanía . 2 July 2023.