2003 Riojan regional election

The 2003 Rioja regional election was held on Sunday, 25 May 2003, to elect the 6th Parliament of the autonomous community of La Rioja. All 33 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.

2003 Rioja regional election

← 1999 25 May 2003 2007 →
All 33 seats in the Parliament of La Rioja 17 seats needed for a majority
Registered	233,553 1.7%
Turnout	175,401 (75.1%) 6.4 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Pedro Sanz Francisco Martínez-Aldama Miguel González de Legarra Party PP PSOE PR+ Leader since 2 October 1993 30 July 2000 16 December 1995 Last election 18 seats, 51.3% 13 seats, 35.3% 2 seats, 5.8% Seats won 17 14 2 Seat change 1 1 0 Popular vote 84,533 66,410 11,842 Percentage 48.6% 38.2% 6.8% Swing 2.7 pp 2.9 pp 1.0 pp
President before election Pedro Sanz PP Elected President Pedro Sanz PP

Overview

Electoral system

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

The 33 members of the Parliament of La Rioja 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.^[1][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 La Rioja. 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][4]

Election date

The term of the Parliament of La Rioja expired four years after the date of its previous election. Elections to the Parliament were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 13 June 1999, setting the election date for the Parliament on Sunday, 25 May 2003.^[1][2][3][4]

The President of the Autonomous Community had the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of La Rioja 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 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 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]

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; 17 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of La Rioja.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout			PR		Lead
2003 regional election	25 May 2003	—	75.1	48.6 17	38.2 14	6.8 0	2.7 2	10.4
Sigma Dos/Antena 3[p 1]	25 May 2003	?	?	? 17/18	? 13/14	? 2	? 0	?
Ipsos–Eco/RTVE[p 2]	25 May 2003	?	?	? 17/18	? 13/14	? 2	? 0	?
CIS[p 3][p 4]	22 Mar–28 Apr 2003	608	73.5	48.5 17	38.7 14	5.8 2	4.6 0	9.8
CIS[p 5][p 6][p 7]	9 Sep–9 Oct 2002	418	72.2	50.1	36.6	5.9	3.7	13.5
2000 general election	12 Mar 2000	—	74.2	54.1 (20)	34.9 (13)	3.6 (0)	4.0 (0)	19.2
1999 regional election	13 Jun 1999	—	68.7	51.3 18	35.3 13	5.8 2	3.9 0	16.0

Results

← Summary of the 25 May 2003 Parliament of La Rioja election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	84,533	48.60	–2.66	17	–1
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	66,410	38.18	+2.90	14	+1
	Riojan Party (PR)	11,842	6.81	+1.05	2	±0
	United Left La Rioja (IU)	4,729	2.72	–1.19	0	±0
	The Greens of La Rioja (LV)	2,858	1.64	+0.38	0	±0
	Movement for Humanist Socialism (MASH)	269	0.15	–0.12	0	±0
Blank ballots		3,308	1.90	–0.36
Total		173,949			33	±0
Valid votes		173,949	99.17	+0.04
Invalid votes		1,452	0.83	–0.04
Votes cast / turnout		175,401	75.10	+6.44
Abstentions		58,152	24.90	–6.44
Registered voters		233,553
Sources[5][6]

Popular vote PP   48.60% PSOE   38.18% PR   6.81% IU   2.72% LV   1.64% Others   0.15% Blank ballots   1.90%

Seats PP   51.51% PSOE   42.42% PR   6.06%

Aftermath

Investiture Pedro Sanz (PP)
Ballot →		27 June 2003
Required majority →		17 out of 33 Y
	Yes • PP (17)	17 / 33
	No • PSOE (14)	14 / 33
	Abstentions • PR (2)	2 / 33
	Absentees	0 / 33
Sources[6]