October 2003 Madrilenian regional election explained

Election Name:October 2003 Madrilenian regional election
Country:Madrid
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:May 2003 Madrilenian regional election
Previous Year:2003 (May)
Next Election:2007 Madrilenian regional election
Next Year:2007
Seats For Election:All 111 seats in the Assembly of Madrid
Majority Seats:56
Opinion Polls:
  1. Opinion polls
Registered:4,455,706
Turnout:2,788,495 (62.6%)
6.6 pp
Election Date:26 October 2003
Leader1:Esperanza Aguirre
Party1:People's Party of the Community of Madrid
Leader Since1:16 October 2002
Last Election1:55 seats, 46.7%
Seats1:57
Seat Change1:2
Popular Vote1:1,346,588
Percentage1:48.5%
Swing1:1.8 pp
Leader2:Rafael Simancas
Party2:Madrilenian Socialist Federation
Leader Since2:26 November 2000
Last Election2:47 seats, 40.0%
Seats2:45
Seat Change2:2
Popular Vote2:1,083,205
Percentage2:39.0%
Swing2:1.0 pp
Leader3:Fausto Fernández
Party3:United Left of the Community of Madrid
Leader Since3:11 July 2002
Last Election3:9 seats, 7.7%
Seats3:9
Seat Change3:0
Popular Vote3:236,013
Percentage3:8.5%
Swing3:0.8 pp
President
Before Election:Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón (acting)
Before Party:People's Party of the Community of Madrid
After Election:Esperanza Aguirre
After Party:People's Party of the Community of Madrid

The October 2003 Madrilenian regional election was held on Sunday, 26 October 2003, to elect the 7th Assembly of the Community of Madrid. All 111 seats in the Assembly were up for election. It was a snap election, held as a result of the parliamentary deadlock resulting from the Tamayazo scandal after the May 2003 election.

The People's Party (PP) recovered the absolute majority it had lost in the previous election. This came at the expense of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which suffered from the scandal of the rebel MPs who refused to support a PSOE–IU government led by Rafael Simancas. United Left (IU) saw a slight increase in support but failed to translate its gains into new seats. As a result of the election, Esperanza Aguirre was elected as President of the Community of Madrid, becoming the first woman to be appointed to the office.

Overview

Electoral system

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

All members of the Assembly of Madrid were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally. The Assembly was entitled to one member per each 50,000 inhabitants or fraction greater than 25,000.[1] [2]

Election date

The term of the Assembly of Madrid expired four years after the date of its previous election. Elections to the Assembly were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years.[1] [2] [3]

The president had the prerogative to dissolve the Assembly of Madrid and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no nationwide election was due and some time requirements were met: namely, that dissolution did not occur either during the first legislative session or within the legislature's last year ahead of its scheduled expiry, nor before one year had elapsed since a previous dissolution.[4] In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Assembly was to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called. Any snap election held as a result of these circumstances would not alter the period to the next ordinary election, with elected deputies merely serving out what remained of their four-year terms.[1]

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 0.5 percent of the electorate in the Community of Madrid, 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 contested the election:

CandidacyParties and
alliances
Leading candidateIdeologyPrevious result
Votes (%)Seats
PPEsperanza AguirreConservatism
Christian democracy
46.67%
PSOERafael SimancasSocial democracy39.99%
IUCMFausto FernándezSocialism
Communism
7.68%

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; 56 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Assembly of Madrid.

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 26 October 2003 Assembly of Madrid election results →
Parties and alliancesPopular voteSeats
Votes%±ppTotal+/−
People's Party (PP)1,346,588 48.48 +1.8157 +2
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)1,083,205 39.00 –0.9945 –2
United Left of the Community of Madrid (IUCM)236,013 8.50 +0.829 ±0
The Greens of the Community of Madrid (LVCM)14,067 0.51 –0.410 ±0
The Greens (LV)12,665 0.46 –0.920 ±0
Citizens for Blank Votes (CenB)8,111 0.29 New0 ±0
New Socialism (NS)6,176 0.22 New0 ±0
National Democracy (DN)3,694 0.13 +0.020 ±0
Family and Life Party (PFyV)2,326 0.08 –0.050 ±0
The Phalanx (FE)2,212 0.08 –0.050 ±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)12,036 0.07 –0.010 ±0
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE)1,894 0.07 –0.010 ±0
Romantic Mutual Support Party (PMAR)1,504 0.05 New0 ±0
Party Association of Widows and Legal Wives (PAVIEL)1,461 0.05 –0.020 ±0
Republican Left (IR)1,396 0.05 –0.030 ±0
Humanist Party (PH)1,323 0.05 –0.020 ±0
Madrilenian Independent Regional Party (PRIM)1,255 0.05 –0.020 ±0
Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party (TC–PNC)1,135 0.04 –0.020 ±0
Another Democracy is Possible (ODeP)904 0.03 –0.030 ±0
Citizen Unity (UC)776 0.03 –0.030 ±0
Federal Progressives (PF)448 0.02 New0 ±0
Spanish Democratic Party (PADE)0 0.00 –0.120 ±0
Blank ballots48,433 1.74 –0.25
Total2,777,622 111 ±0
Valid votes2,777,622 99.61 +0.06
Invalid votes10,873 0.39 –0.06
Votes cast / turnout2,788,495 62.58 –6.69
Abstentions1,667,211 37.42 +6.69
Registered voters4,455,706
Sources[26] [27]

Elected legislators

The following table lists the elected legislators sorted by order of election.[28]

Aftermath

Investiture processes to elect the President of the Community of Madrid 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 requiring of a simple majority—more affirmative than negative votes—to succeed. If none of such majorities were achieved, successive candidate proposals could 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 Assembly would be automatically dissolved and a snap election called.[1]

Investiture
Esperanza Aguirre (PP)
Ballot →20 November 2003
Required majority →56 out of 111
Abstentions
Absentees
Sources

References

Opinion poll sources
Other

Notes and References

  1. Ley Orgánica 3/1983, de 25 de febrero, de Estatuto de Autonomía de la Comunidad de Madrid . Organic Law . 3 . es . 25 February 1983 . 22 February 2017.
  2. Ley 11/1986, de 16 de diciembre, Electoral de la Comunidad de Madrid . Law . 11 . es . 16 November 1986 . 22 February 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. Ley 5/1990, de 17 de mayo, reguladora de la facultad de disolución de la Asamblea de Madrid por el Presidente de la Comunidad . Law . 5 . es . 17 May 1990 . 14 September 2017.
  5. Web site: Los primeros sondeos dan la mayoría absoluta al PP en Madrid . es . El Mundo . 26 October 2003.
  6. Web site: Escaños y % según los sondeos . es . El Mundo . 26 October 2003 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20031028021602/http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2003/graficos/oct/s4/elecciones/sondeos.gif . 28 October 2003 .
  7. News: Los sondeos a pie de urna le otorgan la mayoría absoluta al PP . es . El País . 26 October 2003.
  8. Web site: El PP obtiene mayoría absoluta, según los sondeos . es . ABC . 26 October 2003.
  9. Web site: El PP vence en Madrid, según sondeos a pie de urna . es . La Hora Nacional . 26 October 2003.
  10. Web site: El Partido Popular recupera la mayoría absoluta . es . El Mundo . 19 October 2003.
  11. Web site: Intención de voto. Comunidad de Madrid. 16 de octubre de 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050816150956/http://www.opina.es:80/usuarios/track/repositorio/encuestas/90016mrect.pdf . dead . 16 August 2005 . es . Instituto Opina . 16 October 2003.
  12. News: Aguirre conseguirá mayoría absoluta . es . El País . 19 October 2003 .
  13. Web site: Una encuesta del PSOE le da un diputado más . es . ABC . 14 October 2003.
  14. Web site: Mayoría absoluta para el PP en Madrid, según el Pulsómetro . es . Cadena SER . 10 October 2003.
  15. Web site: Pulsómetro 10/10/2003 . es . Cadena SER . 10 October 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923231643/http://www.cadenaser.com/static/pulsometro/anteriores/encuesta_031010.htm . 23 September 2015 . dead.
  16. News: Un sondeo de la SER pronostica mayoría absoluta para Aguirre . es . El País . 11 October 2003 .
  17. Web site: Preelectoral elecciones autonómicas, 2003. CA de Madrid (Estudio nº 2539. Septiembre-Octubre 2003) . es . CIS . 16 October 2003.
  18. Web site: El PSOE paga la fuga de Tamayo y entrega al PP la mayoría absoluta en Madrid, según el CIS . es . La Vanguardia . 17 October 2003.
  19. Web site: Prospectiva Electoral de la Comunidad de Madrid . es . Infortécnica . September 2003.
  20. Web site: El Partido Popular recupera la mayoría absoluta . es . El Mundo . 29 September 2003.
  21. Web site: Una encuesta del PP le da mayoría absoluta . es . ABC . 28 September 2003.
  22. Web site: El PP lograría la mayoría absoluta por un solo diputado en Madrid tras la crisis de la Asamblea . es . ABC . 7 September 2003.
  23. Web site: El partido socialista perdería el Gobierno de Madrid si se celebran unas nuevas elecciones . es . El Mundo . 27 June 2003.
  24. Web site: Intención de voto en la Comunidad de Madrid . es . El Mundo . 27 June 2003.
  25. News: Los madrileños no cambiarán su voto, según una encuesta de Tele 5 . es . El País . 16 June 2003 .
  26. Web site: Elecciones a la Asamblea de Madrid (1983-2021) . es . Historia Electoral.com . 10 October 2021.
  27. Web site: 24 November 2003 . Elecciones a la Asamblea de Madrid Octubre 2003 . es . Boletín Oficial de la Comunidad de Madrid . 10 October 2021.
  28. 1989-4791 . 280. 24 November 2003. Elecciones a la Asamblea de Madrid Octubre 2003. Boletín Oficial de la Comunidad de Madrid. 77–78.