2011 Valencian regional election

A regional election was held in the Valencian Community on Sunday, 22 May 2011, to elect the 8th Corts of the autonomous community. All 99 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

2011 Valencian regional election

← 2007 22 May 2011 2015 →
All 99 seats in the Corts Valencianes 50 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	3,549,687 1.7%
Turnout	2,491,588 (70.2%) 0.1 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Francisco Camps Jorge Alarte Enric Morera Party PP PSPV–PSOE Compromís Leader since 10 July 2002 28 September 2008 25 January 2010 Leader's seat Valencia Valencia Valencia Last election 54 seats, 52.5% 38 seats, 34.5% 2 seats (CPV)[a] Seats won 55 33 6 Seat change 1 5 4 Popular vote 1,211,112 687,141 176,213 Percentage 49.4% 28.0% 7.2% Swing 3.1 pp 6.5 pp n/a   Fourth party   Leader Marga Sanz Party EUPV Leader since 8 March 2009 Leader's seat Valencia Last election 5 seats (CPV)[a] Seats won 5 Seat change 0 Popular vote 144,703 Percentage 5.9% Swing n/a
Vote winner strength by constituency Election results by constituency
President before election Francisco Camps PP Elected President Francisco Camps PP

The election was won by the People's Party (PP), which increased its majority despite a drop in its vote share. The Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV–PSOE) continued its long term decline and, similarly to the PSOE's performance in other regions with concurrent elections, it sustained severed damage from voters—weary of the ongoing financial crisis affecting the country—and obtained one of its worst electoral results since the autonomous community's inception. On the other hand, the electoral alliance between United Left of the Valencian Country (EUPV) and the Valencian Nationalist Bloc (Bloc) which contested the 2007 election had dissolved, with both parties entering the legislature much at the expense of the declining PSOE. The Bloc, running together with Valencian People's Initiative (IdPV) and The Greens–Ecologist Left of the Valencian Country (EV–EE) under the Coalició Compromís umbrella, entered parliament on its own for the first time in history.

While Francisco Camps was able to get re-elected as president, his alleged implication in the Gürtel corruption scandal would see his resignation just one month into his third term in July.^[1] He would be succeeded by Alberto Fabra, who would serve in the post for the remainder of the term.^[2]

Overview

Electoral system

The Corts Valencianes were the devolved, unicameral legislature of the Valencian autonomous community, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.^[3] Voting for the Corts was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in the Valencian Community and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for Valencians abroad to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado).^[4]

The 99 members of the Corts Valencianes were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Alicante, Castellón and Valencia, with each being allocated an initial minimum of 20 seats and the remaining 39 being distributed in proportion to their populations (provided that the seat-to-population ratio in any given province did not exceed three times that of any other).^[3][5]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Corts constituency was entitled the following seats:^[6]

Seats	Constituencies
40	Valencia
35	Alicante
24	Castellón

Election date

After legal amendments in 2006 taking effect after the 2007 election, fixed-term mandates were abolished, instead allowing the term of the Corts Valencianes to expire after an early dissolution. The election decree was required to be issued no later than the twenty-fifth day prior to the date of expiry of parliament and published on the following day in the Official Journal of the Valencian Government (DOGV), with election day taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication. The previous election was held on 27 May 2007, which meant that the legislature's term would have expired on 27 May 2011. The election decree was required to be published no later than 3 May 2011, with the election taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication, setting the latest possible election date for the Corts on Sunday, 26 June 2011.^[3][5][7]

The president had the prerogative to dissolve the Corts Valencianes and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Corts were to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called.^[3]

The Corts Valencianes were officially dissolved on 29 March 2011 after the publication of the dissolution decree in the DOGV, setting the election date for 22 May and scheduling for the chamber to convene on 9 June.^[6]

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.^[5][7]

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

Candidacy		Parties and alliances	Leading candidate		Ideology	Previous result		Gov.	Ref.
						Vote %	Seats
	PP	List People's Party (PP)		Francisco Camps	Conservatism Christian democracy	52.5%	54		[8] [9]
	PSPV–PSOE	List Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV–PSOE)		Jorge Alarte	Social democracy	34.5%	38		[10] [11]
	EUPV	List United Left of the Valencian Country (EUPV)		Marga Sanz	Socialism Communism	8.0% [b]	7
	Compromís	List Valencian Nationalist Bloc (Bloc) Valencian People's Initiative (IdPV) The Greens–Ecologist Left of the Valencian Country (EV–EE)		Enric Morera	Valencian nationalism Eco-socialism Green politics

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; 50 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Corts Valencianes.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout			EUPV			Lead
2011 regional election	22 May 2011	—	70.2	49.4 55	28.0 33	5.9 5	7.2 6	2.5 0	21.4
Ipsos–Eco/FORTA[p 1]	22 May 2011	?	?	49.9 56/59	27.6 29/32	6.6 5/6	6.4 5/6	–	22.3
TNS Demoscopia/Antena 3[p 2][p 3]	10–11 May 2011	1,500	68.2	51.3 56/58	29.2 32/34	8.3 9	4.4 0	–	23.1
Metroscopia/El País[p 4][p 5]	9–10 May 2011	1,200	?	51.6 59	28.7 33	7.1 7	4.2 0	–	22.9
NC Report/La Razón[p 6][p 7]	3–10 May 2011	?	?	54.9 58/61	29.1 33/34	? 5/6	–	–	25.8
GAD/La Gaceta[p 8][p 9]	26 Apr–3 May 2011	893	?	54.1 58	31.1 35	7.2 6	3.9 0	–	23.0
Ikerfel/Vocento[p 10][p 11][p 12]	19–26 Apr 2011	3,200	?	52.6 58/60	30.1 34/36	6.0 3/5	3.2 0	1.6 0	22.5
NC Report/La Razón[p 13][p 14]	25 Apr 2011	?	?	55.8 58/61	29.2 34/35	5.8 4/6	4.1 0	–	26.6
Celeste-Tel/Terra[p 15]	13–20 Apr 2011	700	?	51.2 57	28.9 33	6.4 5	5.8 4	–	22.3
CIS[p 16][p 17]	17 Mar–17 Apr 2011	1,983	?	53.1 60	28.8 33	7.1 6	2.7 0	1.7 0	24.3
GAD/COPE[p 18][p 19][p 20]	13–14 Apr 2011	402	?	54.2 57/59	31.6 33/35	6.7 6/7	3.7 0	–	22.6
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 21][p 22]	11–14 Apr 2011	900	?	52.3 56/59	32.6 36/39	6.4 4	3.5 0	–	19.7
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 23]	4–7 Apr 2011	?	?	50.4 55	32.6 35	5.7 5	5.7 4	–	17.8
Inmerco/Valencia Plaza[p 24][p 25]	30 Mar–5 Apr 2011	401	?	53.4	29.9	7.7	3.1	–	23.5
GAD/ABC[p 26]	7–15 Mar 2011	1,200	?	55.1 60	30.5 33	6.8 6	3.7 0	–	24.6
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 27][p 28]	17–21 Dec 2010	900	?	56.7 63/65	27.3 29/32	5.6 4/5	3.0 0	–	29.4
PSPV[p 29][p 30]	5–15 Oct 2010	1,200	66.5	56.1 60	29.9 35	5.3 4	4.0 0	–	26.2
Metroscopia/El País[p 31][p 32]	5–6 Oct 2010	1,000	?	51.2 60	29.3 33	6.7 6	3.5 0	–	21.9
Astel/PP[p 33][p 34]	20 Sep–6 Oct 2010	1,600	?	54.8 57/58	31.0 33/34	8.5 8	–	–	23.8
Área de Consultoría[p 35][p 36]	6–10 Sep 2010	1,200	?	53.4 57	31.7 36	6.4 6	3.5 0	–	21.7
Astel/PP[p 37][p 38]	19–23 Jul 2010	?	?	54.7 57/58	31.2 34/35	7.8 7	–	–	23.5
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 39]	24–27 May 2010	900	?	55.8 59/64	30.7 30/33	6.4 4/6	2.5 0	–	25.1
PSPV[p 29][p 40][p 41][p 42]	21 May 2010	1,500	?	54.0 58	31.6 35	5.5 6	4.5 0	–	22.4
Inmerco/Valencia Plaza[p 43][p 44]	26–30 Apr 2010	400	?	51.9	34.5	3.5	4.1	–	17.4
Astel/PP[p 45][p 46]	6–29 Apr 2010	1,600	?	54.9 57/58	32.4 35/36	7.2 6	–	–	22.5
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 47][p 48]	23–25 Mar 2010	800	?	51.0 57/58	31.2 35/36	8.0 6	3.3 0	1.7 0	19.8
Astel/PP[p 49][p 50]	10–16 Dec 2009	1,197	?	55.1 57	32.8 36	7.0 6	–	–	22.3
PSPV[p 29]	27 Nov 2009	?	?	51.2	35.6	5.8	3.6	–	15.6
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 51][p 52]	4–5 Nov 2009	500	?	50.8	33.4	9.7		2.5	17.4
Metroscopia/El País[p 53][p 54]	5–6 Oct 2009	?	?	53.3 61	32.2 36	5.3 2	4.0 0	–	21.1
Astel/PP[p 55][p 56]	1–12 Sep 2009	1,204	?	54.1 57	32.9 35	7.5 7	2.5 0	–	21.2
2009 EP election	7 Jun 2009	—	52.8	52.2 (58)	37.6 (41)	2.8 (0)	1.0 (0)	2.1 (0)	14.6
PSPV[p 57][p 58]	10 May 2009	1,200	68.6	52.1 57	32.7 38	–	–	–	19.4
PP[p 59][p 60][p 61]	16–26 Feb 2009	?	?	53.7 57	33.6 36	? 6	–	–	20.1
Metroscopia/El País[p 62]	9 Oct 2008	?	?	55.4 59	34.4 40	–	–	–	21.0
2008 general election	9 Mar 2008	—	78.8	51.6 (56)	41.0 (43)	2.7 (0)	1.1 (0)	0.7 (0)	10.6
2007 regional election	27 May 2007	—	70.1	52.5 54	34.5 38	8.0 7		–	18.0

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			EUPV			?	N	Lead
2011 regional election	22 May 2011	—	34.7	19.7	4.1	5.0	1.7	—	28.5	15.0
CIS[p 16]	17 Mar–17 Apr 2011	1,983	36.6	15.8	3.7	1.8	1.2	27.2	7.5	20.8
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 23]	4–7 Apr 2011	?	34.3	20.6	2.9	4.0	1.4	–	–	13.7
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 47]	23–25 Mar 2010	800	39.0	20.2	5.6	3.3	1.7	–	–	18.8
2009 EP election	7 Jun 2009	—	27.8	19.9	1.5	0.5	1.1	—	46.6	7.9
2008 general election	9 Mar 2008	—	40.9	32.3	2.1	0.9	0.6	—	20.3	8.6
2007 regional election	27 May 2007	—	37.1	24.4	5.7		–	—	29.1	12.7

Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			EUPV			Other/ None	?	Lead
CIS[p 16]	17 Mar–17 Apr 2011	1,983	42.1	20.7	4.2	1.7	1.6	12.1	17.5	21.4
GAD/COPE[p 19]	13–14 Apr 2011	402	50.0	23.9	3.0	2.5	–	7.2	13.4	26.1

Victory likelihood

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			EUPV			Other/ None	?	Lead
CIS[p 16]	17 Mar–17 Apr 2011	1,983	83.6	3.6	0.0	0.1	–	0.2	12.4	80.0
GAD/COPE[p 19]	13–14 Apr 2011	402	84.3	7.5	–	–	–	0.5	7.7	76.8
Astel/PP[p 34]	20 Sep–6 Oct 2010	1,600	76.3	9.9	–	–	–	3.2	10.6	66.4
Área de Consultoría[p 35]	6–10 Sep 2010	1,200	70.6	11.1	–	–	–	18.3		59.5
Astel/PP[p 37]	19–23 Jul 2010	?	77.1	5.8	–	–	–	2.0	12.8	71.3
Astel/PP[p 46]	6–29 Apr 2010	1,600	74.7	10.0	–	–	–	1.5	13.8	64.7
Astel/PP[p 50]	10–16 Dec 2009	1,197	73.1	12.5	–	–	–	0.8	13.6	60.6

Preferred President

The table below lists opinion polling on leader preferences to become president of the Valencian Government.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size							Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Camps PP	Alarte PSPV	Sanz EUPV	Morera Compromís	Oltra Compromís	Soriano UPyD
GAD/La Gaceta[p 8]	26 Apr–3 May 2011	893	48.7	21.2	–	–	–	–	–	–	27.5
CIS[p 16]	17 Mar–17 Apr 2011	1,983	40.4	16.5	2.0	2.2	–	0.8	7.8	30.3	23.9
GAD/COPE[p 19]	13–14 Apr 2011	402	52.5	20.1	2.2	2.7	–	–	13.4	9.0	32.4
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 23]	4–7 Apr 2011	?	41.8	25.2	–	–	–	–	33.0		16.6
Metroscopia/El País[p 31]	5–6 Oct 2010	1,000	40.0	39.0	–	–	–	–	21.0		1.0
Astel/PP[p 38]	19–23 Jul 2010	?	48.4	18.4	0.7	3.5	–	–	29.0		30.0
Astel/PP[p 46]	6–29 Apr 2010	1,600	45.5	17.9	2.5	0.7	2.2	–	34.7		27.6
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 47]	23–25 Mar 2010	800	38.3	20.0	–	–	–	–	41.7		18.3
Astel/PP[p 50]	10–16 Dec 2009	1,197	45.6	15.3	0.6	1.1	2.7	–	34.7		30.3
PP[p 61]	16–26 Feb 2009	?	53.1	15.6	–	–	–	–	31.3		37.5

Predicted President

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood for each leader to become president.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Camps PP	Alarte PSPV
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 23]	4–7 Apr 2011	?	77.3	6.0	16.7		71.3
Obradoiro de Socioloxía/Público[p 47]	23–25 Mar 2010	800	68.4	7.1	24.5		61.3

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 22 May 2011 Corts Valencianes election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	1,211,112	49.42	−3.10	55	+1
	Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV–PSOE)	687,141	28.04	−6.45	33	−5
	Bloc–Initiative–Greens: Commitment Coalition (Compromís)1	176,213	7.19	n/a	6	+4
	United Left of the Valencian Country (EUPV)1	144,703	5.90	n/a	5	±0
	Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	60,859	2.48	New	0	±0
	Greens and Eco-pacifists (VyE)	31,808	1.30	New	0	±0
	Spain 2000 (E–2000)	12,191	0.50	+0.26	0	±0
	Republican Left of the Valencian Country (ERPV)	11,129	0.45	−0.03	0	±0
	Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA)	9,306	0.38	New	0	±0
	Valencian Coalition (CVa)	9,183	0.37	−0.34	0	±0
	Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL)	8,203	0.33	+0.30	0	±0
	Citizens for Blank Votes (CenB)	4,222	0.17	New	0	±0
	United for Valencia (UxV)	3,637	0.15	+0.04	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE)	3,456	0.14	−0.03	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	2,566	0.10	+0.02	0	±0
	Renewal Liberal Centre (CLR)	2,463	0.10	+0.04	0	±0
	National Democracy (DN)	2,151	0.09	+0.06	0	±0
	Communist Unification of Spain (UCE)	1,719	0.07	New	0	±0
	Authentic Phalanx (FA)	1,627	0.07	−0.03	0	±0
	Movement for People's Unity–Republicans (MUP–R)	1,440	0.06	±0.00	0	±0
	Family and Life Party (PFyV)	1,412	0.06	New	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)	1,156	0.05	+0.01	0	±0
	The Republic (La República)	735	0.03	New	0	±0
	Valencian Nationalist Left–European Valencianist Party (ENV–RV–PVE)	677	0.03	New	0	±0
	Spanish Patriotic Social Party (SPES)	585	0.02	New	0	±0
	Foreigners' Party (PdEx)	508	0.02	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		60,670	2.48	+1.07
Total		2,450,872			99	±0
Valid votes		2,450,872	98.37	−0.96
Invalid votes		40,716	1.63	+0.96
Votes cast / turnout		2,491,588	70.19	+0.05
Abstentions		1,058,099	29.81	−0.05
Registered voters		3,549,687
Sources[12][13][14]
Footnotes: 1 Within the Commitment for the Valencian Country alliance in the 2007 election.

Popular vote PP   49.42% PSPV–PSOE   28.04% Compromís   7.19% EUPV   5.90% UPyD   2.48% VyE   1.30% Others   3.20% Blank ballots   2.48%

Seats PP   55.56% PSPV–PSOE   33.33% Compromís   6.06% EUPV   5.05%

Distribution by constituency

Constituency	PP		PSPV		Compr.		EUPV
	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S
Alicante	49.6	20	29.9	12	4.6	1	5.4	2
Castellón	48.1	13	31.0	9	6.7	1	5.2	1
Valencia	49.6	22	26.3	12	8.9	4	6.4	2
Total	49.4	55	28.0	33	7.2	6	5.9	5
Sources[13][14]

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture Francisco Camps (PP)
Ballot →		16 June 2011
Required majority →		50 out of 99 Y
	Yes • PP (55)	55 / 99
	No • PSPV (32) • Compromís (6) • EUPV (5)	43 / 99
	Abstentions	0 / 99
	Absentees • PSPV (1)	1 / 99
Sources[14]

July 2011 investiture

Investiture Alberto Fabra (PP)
Ballot →		26 July 2011
Required majority →		50 out of 99 Y
	Yes • PP (55)	55 / 99
	No • PSPV (32) • Compromís (6) • EUPV (5)	43 / 99
	Abstentions	0 / 99
	Absentees • PSPV (1)	1 / 99
Sources[14]

Notes

1. Within the Compromís PV alliance in the 2007 election.
2. Results for Compromís PV in the 2007 election.