2003 Catalan regional election

The 2003 Catalan regional election was held on Sunday, 16 November 2003, to elect the 7th Parliament of the autonomous community of Catalonia. All 135 seats in the Parliament were up for election.

2003 Catalan regional election

← 1999 16 November 2003 2006 →
All 135 seats in the Parliament of Catalonia 68 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	5,307,837 0.3%
Turnout	3,319,276 (62.5%) 3.3 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Artur Mas Pasqual Maragall Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira Party CiU PSC–CpC ERC Leader since 7 January 2002 6 March 1999 25 November 1996 Leader's seat Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona Last election 56 seats, 37.7% 52 seats, 37.9% 12 seats, 8.7% Seats won 46 42 23 Seat change 10 10 11 Popular vote 1,024,425 1,031,454 544,324 Percentage 30.9% 31.2% 16.4% Swing 6.8 pp 6.7 pp 7.7 pp   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Josep Piqué Joan Saura Party PP ICV–EA Leader since 4 September 2003 26 November 2000 Leader's seat Barcelona Barcelona Last election 12 seats, 9.5% 3 seats, 3.9%[a] Seats won 15 9 Seat change 3 6 Popular vote 393,499 241,163 Percentage 11.9% 7.3% Swing 2.4 pp 3.4 pp
Vote winner strength by constituency Election results by constituency
President before election Jordi Pujol CiU Elected President Pasqual Maragall PSC

This election marked a change for all Catalan political parties due to Catalan president Jordi Pujol's decision not to seek a seventh term in office and to retire from active politics. The election results were a great disappointment for Pasqual Maragall's Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC), which again saw Convergence and Union (CiU) winning a plurality of seats despite them winning the most votes by a margin of just 0.3%. Opinion polls earlier in the year had predicted a much larger victory for Maragall, but his lead over CiU had begun to narrow as the election grew nearer. Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) was perceived as the true victor of the election, doubling its 1999 figures and scoring its best result in its recent history up to that point, both in terms of seats (23 of 135) and votes (16.4%), up from 11 seats and 8.7%.

As Pujol's successor Artur Mas did not win a majority large enough to renew his party pact with the People's Party (PP), which had kept Pujol in power since 1995, an alliance between the PSC, ERC and ICV–EUiA resulted in a Catalan "tripartite" government. Thus, despite losing 10 seats and 150,000 votes compared to the 1999 election, Maragall became the first centre-left president of the Government of Catalonia, ending with 23 uninterrupted years of CiU rule.

Overview

Electoral system

The Parliament of Catalonia was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Catalonia, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.^[1] Transitory Provision Fourth of the Statute established a specific electoral procedure for elections to the Parliament of Catalonia, of application for as long as a regional electoral law was not approved, to be supplemented by the provisions within the national electoral law. Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Catalonia and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 135 members of the Parliament of Catalonia were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, with each being allocated a fixed number of seats:^[1]

Seats	Constituencies
85	Barcelona
18	Tarragona
17	Girona
15	Lleida

In smaller constituencies, the use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.^[2]

Election date

The term of the Parliament of Catalonia expired four years after the date of its previous election, unless it was dissolved earlier. The regional president was required to call an election fifteen days prior to the date of expiry of parliament, with election day taking place within sixty days after the call. The previous election was held on 17 October 1999, which meant that the legislature's term would have expired on 17 October 2003. The election was required to be called no later than 2 October 2003, with it taking place on the sixtieth day from the call, setting the latest possible election date for the Parliament on Monday, 1 December 2003.^[1]

The president had the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Catalonia and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process and that dissolution did not occur before one year had elapsed since a previous one under this procedure. 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.^[3][4]

Background

In the 1999 election, and as a result of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)'s growth, the Catalan nationalist Convergence and Union (CiU) had lost the vote share in a regional election for the first time ever, but clung on to retain the largest amount of seats due to the disproportionate allocation of seats in Girona, Lleida and Tarragona compared to Barcelona. Through to the support of the People's Party (PP), Jordi Pujol had been able to be re-elected to a sixth term in office with a slim majority of 68 to the 67 seats commanded by the left-from-centre opposition.

Despite Pujol's personal approval ratings remaining high until the end of his term, speculation on his possible retirement (which he confirmed on 1 April 2001),^[5] internal disputes between Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) and Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC) over the future of the alliance^[6]—which resulted in CiU being turned into a full-fledged party federation in order to ensure its continuity in the post-Pujol era^[7]—and a desire for change after 23 years in power had resulted in CiU trailing the PSC in opinion polls for the entire legislature, with a lead that was nearly into the double digits by mid-to-late 2002. From mid-2003, however, the Socialist lead had begun to narrow to the point that chances for a possible reenactment of the 1999 tight race remained high. The retirement of Pujol as CiU candidate paved the way for Artur Mas, the then chief minister (Catalan: Conseller en cap), to replace him as the culmination of a long successory process.^[8]

Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) had been in an almost continuous growth since the 1988 election, becoming a political force able to pierce through the dominant two-party system in Catalonia. Initiative for Catalonia Greens (ICV) and United and Alternative Left (EUiA) had run separately in the previous election, but ahead of the 2003 election joined within the ICV–EA coalition.

Parliamentary composition

The Parliament of Catalonia was officially dissolved on 23 September 2003, after the publication of the dissolution decree in the Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia.^[9] The table below shows the composition of the parliamentary groups in the chamber at the time of dissolution.^[10][11][12]

Parliamentary composition in September 2003^[13][14]

Groups		Parties		Legislators
				Seats	Total
	Convergence and Union's Parliamentary Group		CDC	41	56
			UDC	15
	Socialists–Citizens for Change Parliamentary Group		PSC	35	50
			CpC	15
	People's Parliamentary Group		PP	12	12
	Republican Left of Catalonia's Parliamentary Group		ERC	12	12
	Initiative for Catalonia–Greens's Parliamentary Group		ICV	5	5

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.^[15]

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.
						Votes (%)	Seats
	CiU	List Convergence and Union (CiU) – Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) – Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC)		Artur Mas	Catalan nationalism Centrism	37.70%	56	Y	[5] [7] [16]
	PSC–CpC	List Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC–PSOE) Citizens for Change (CpC)		Pasqual Maragall	Social democracy	37.85%	52	N	[17]
	PP	List People's Party (PP)		Josep Piqué	Conservatism Christian democracy	9.51%	12	N	[18] [19] [20]
	ERC	List Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)		Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira	Catalan independence Left-wing nationalism Social democracy	8.67%	12	N
	ICV–EA	List Initiative for Catalonia Greens (ICV) United and Alternative Left (EUiA)		Joan Saura	Regionalism Eco-socialism Green politics	3.93%[a]	3	N	[21]

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.

Graphical summary

Local regression trend line of poll results from 17 October 1999 to 16 November 2003, with each line corresponding to a political party.

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; 68 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Catalonia.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout							Lead
2003 regional election	16 Nov 2003	—	62.5	31.2 42	30.9 46	11.9 15	16.4 23	7.3 9	[b]	0.3
Ipsos–Eco/CCRTV[c][p 1]	16 Nov 2003	73,696	?	30.9 42	31.7 47	11.2 14	16.8 24	7.2 8	[b]	0.8
Eco Consulting/CCRTV[p 2]	16 Nov 2003	?	?	32.3 44/46	29.4 43/45	10.3 12/14	17.6 24/26	7.6 8/9	[b]	2.9
Gallup/RTVE[p 2]	16 Nov 2003	?	?	35.1 47/49	29.4 43/45	9.6 12	15.7 22/23	8.0 7/9	[b]	5.7
Sigma Dos/Antena 3[p 2]	16 Nov 2003	?	?	34.3 46/47	30.6 45/46	11.3 14/15	15.2 22	6.7 6	[b]	3.7
Celeste-Tel/La Razón[p 2]	10 Nov 2003	601	?	36.3 48/51	34.3 48/49	10.7 13/15	11.9 17/18	5.3 5/6	[b]	2.0
DEP/Dossier Econòmic[p 2]	8 Nov 2003	1,200	?	34.7 45/48	35.8 50/54	9.7 11/12	13.8 18/21	4.6 3/5	[b]	1.1
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 3]	3–6 Nov 2003	1,200	?	36.2 49/50	33.1 48/49	9.5 12	13.0 18/19	6.9 6/7	[b]	3.1
Celeste-Tel/La Razón[p 2]	5 Nov 2003	601	?	37.1 49/50	31.5 45/47	11.1 14/15	13.1 18/19	5.5 6/7	[b]	5.6
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 2][p 4]	3–5 Nov 2003	1,600	?	35.0 46/49	32.2 46/49	12.4 15/16	12.8 18/20	5.9 5/6	[b]	2.8
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 5]	1–5 Nov 2003	2,025	?	36.5 50/51	30.9 45/47	10.0 12/13	13.7 19/20	6.9 7/8	[b]	5.6
Opina/El País[p 6][p 7]	31 Oct–2 Nov 2003	2,100	?	34.5 48/50	32.5 47/49	10.5 13	12.5 17/19	6.5 7	[b]	2.0
Line Staff/CiU[p 2][p 8]	31 Oct 2003	2,100	?	34.5 47	34.0 49/50	10.0 12	12.5 22/23	6.5 7/9	[b]	0.5
Infortécnica[p 9]	7–31 Oct 2003	2,012	59.0	32.1 47/49	39.4 50/53	7.5 13/14	14.6 15/18	6.5 6/7	[b]	7.3
TNS Demoscopia/ABC[p 10]	20–27 Oct 2003	2,000	?	36.1 48/49	33.2 49	10.5 13	12.0 18/19	7.5 6	[b]	2.9
Opina/Cadena SER[p 11][p 12][p 13]	26 Oct 2003	1,800	?	35.5 49	30.0 44/46	12.0 16	13.0 17/18	7.0 7/8	[b]	5.5
CIS[p 14][p 15][p 16]	13–26 Oct 2003	3,571	71.8	34.4 47	32.4 48	11.1 14	12.6 18	7.4 8	[b]	2.0
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 17]	29 Sep–1 Oct 2003	803	?	37.0 50/53	33.0 45/49	8.9 11/12	13.3 18/19	5.7 5	[b]	4.0
Feedback/CiU[p 18][p 19][p 20]	15–24 Sep 2003	2,507	?	35.4 47	34.0 49	9.9 14	13.0 19	6.1 6	[b]	1.4
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 21]	10–11 Sep 2003	812	?	36.4 49/52	33.7 46/49	7.8 9/10	15.1 22/23	5.9 5	[b]	2.7
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 22]	7–10 Jul 2003	1,000	?	36.3 49/52	33.7 48/51	7.8 9/10	14.5 20/21	5.9 5	[b]	2.6
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 23]	25–27 Jun 2003	?	?	38.8 54/55	31.6 44/45	9.5 12/13	14.0 20/21	4.2 4	[b]	7.2
La Vanguardia[p 24]	22 Jun 2003	?	61.3	35.9 49	31.1 47	9.5 13	10.2 22	4.8 4	–	4.8
2003 local elections	25 May 2003	—	61.5	34.1	24.4	11.1	12.8	10.5	[b]	9.7
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 25]	31 Mar–1 Apr 2003	?	?	41.0 56/57	32.1 46/48	7.0 7/8	13.4 19/20	4.4 4/5	[b]	8.9
Opina/ERC[p 26][p 27]	5–7 Mar 2003	1,800	?	38.0 50/51	33.0 48/51	9.0 11/12	14.0 18/21	5.0 4	[b]	5.0
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 28]	13–15 Jan 2003	?	?	40.5 55/57	32.6 48/50	8.3 9/10	12.4 17/18	4.0 4	[b]	7.9
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 29]	7–11 Jan 2003	1,500	?	43.0 57	34.7 51	7.8 10	10.7 15	2.2 2	[b]	8.3
CES/CiU[p 30][p 31][p 32]	7–10 Jan 2003	2,500	?	37.3 52/53	35.7 51/52	9.8 12	11.9 16/17	2.4 2	1.1 0	1.6
Vox Pública/PSC[p 33][p 34][p 35]	16–18 Dec 2002	805	?	39.5– 40.5	31.0– 32.0	8.5– 9.5	12.0– 13.0	5.0– 6.0	[b]	8.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 36]	7–9 Oct 2002	?	?	40.5 55/57	32.4 47/49	8.8 10/12	12.4 16/18	2.9 3/4	1.0 0	8.1
CIS[p 37][p 38][p 39][p 40]	9 Sep–9 Oct 2002	922	72.6	33.6	35.2	9.6	11.3	6.5	–	1.6
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 41]	25–27 Jun 2002	?	?	40.5	33.0	8.0	12.0	3.3	1.0	7.5
Vox Pública/PSC[p 42][p 43]	10–12 Jun 2002	605	?	40.0– 41.0	32.5– 33.5	7.0– 8.0	12.5– 13.5	2.5– 3.5	1.0– 2.0	7.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 44]	15–17 Apr 2002	800	?	40.2	34.1	8.0	10.3	3.2	1.4	6.1
Opina/CDC[p 45][p 46]	11–16 Apr 2002	2,400	?	35.0	36.0	10.2	11.5	3.0	–	1.0
La Vanguardia[p 47]	8 Apr 2002	?	?	40.5 55/57	33.0 48/50	9.5 12/13	11.0 15/16	2.5 0/2	–	7.5
Vox Pública/PSC[p 48]	11–14 Mar 2002	?	?	39.5– 40.5	32.5– 33.5	9.0– 10.0	10.5– 11.5	2.5– 3.5	1.0– 2.0	7.0
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 49]	4–5 Feb 2002	?	?	39.4	35.6	8.7	10.3	2.6	1.2	3.8
UDC[p 50]	28 Dec 2001	1,200	?	37.3	37.2	–	–	–	–	0.1
Vox Pública/PSC[p 51]	20–22 Nov 2001	602	?	38.5– 39.5	34.5– 35.5	8.5– 9.5	9.0– 10.0	2.0– 3.0	1.0– 2.0	4.0
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 52]	23–25 Oct 2001	?	?	36.8	36.1	8.4	12.3	2.8	1.4	0.7
Vox Pública/PSC[p 53][p 54][p 55]	22 Oct 2001	?	?	39.0– 40.0	35.5– 36.5	7.0– 8.0	10.0– 11.0	2.0– 3.0	1.0– 2.0	3.5
La Vanguardia[p 56][p 57][p 58][p 59][p 60]	13–17 Aug 2001	?	?	40.0 54/56	32.8 48/50	10.0 12/13	11.0 15/16	2.5 2/3	–	7.2
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 61]	28–30 Jun 2001	?	?	37.2	36.8	8.3	11.0	3.3	1.5	0.4
Vox Pública/PSC[p 62][p 63]	12–14 Jun 2001	600	?	38.5– 39.5	35.0– 36.0	8.0– 8.5	10.0– 11.0	2.5– 3.5	1.0– 1.5	3.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 64]	19–20 Apr 2001	?	?	39.2	35.2	9.5	9.6	2.6	1.0	4.0
CIS[p 65][p 66][p 67][p 68]	3–26 Mar 2001	2,778	85.2	37.7 51/52	34.6 51/52	10.3 13/14	10.8 15/6	3.9 3	1.1 0	3.1
Vox Pública/PSC[p 69][p 70][p 71]	28 Feb–2 Mar 2001	600	?	39.0– 40.0	36.5– 37.5	9.0– 9.5	7.5– 8.5	2.5– 3.5	–	2.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 72]	1–2 Feb 2001	804	?	37.5	36.6	9.5	10.5	2.8	0.8	0.9
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73][p 74]	6 Nov 2000	800	?	37.0 51	36.0 54	10.5 14	9.5 13	2.5 3	–	1.0
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 75]	1–2 Nov 2000	800	?	37.6	37.7	9.0	9.5	1.6	1.4	0.1
2000 general election	12 Mar 2000	—	64.0	34.1 (48)	28.8 (45)	22.8 (32)	5.6 (7)	3.5 (3)	2.2 (0)	5.3
1999 regional election	17 Oct 1999	—	59.2	37.9 52	37.7 56	9.5 12	8.7 12	2.5 3	1.4 0	0.2

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size							?	N	Lead
2003 regional election	16 Nov 2003	—	19.7	19.6	7.5	10.4	4.6	[b]	—	36.6	0.1
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 5]	1–5 Nov 2003	2,025	28.0	23.4	6.3	12.7	6.0	[b]	17.7	3.2	4.6
Infortécnica[p 9]	7–31 Oct 2003	2,012	15.4	18.9	3.6	7.0	3.1	[b]	41.0	10.3	3.5
CIS[p 14]	13–26 Oct 2003	3,571	21.2	25.4	6.1	10.2	6.1	[b]	18.2	10.9	4.2
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 17]	29 Sep–1 Oct 2003	803	25.8	29.8	5.6	13.6	4.0	[b]	13.7	4.2	4.0
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 17]	25–27 Jun 2003	?	30.0	25.7	6.1	14.1	4.9	[b]	11.8	5.2	4.3
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 25]	31 Mar–1 Apr 2003	?	26.8	21.3	4.1	11.2	3.6	[b]	23.4	6.0	5.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 28]	13–15 Jan 2003	?	30.3	22.9	4.6	10.0	3.4	1.0	17.6	7.0	7.4
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 36]	7–9 Oct 2002	?	28.9	23.4	5.3	9.7	2.6	1.1	18.0	8.6	5.5
CIS[p 37]	9 Sep–9 Oct 2002	922	21.8	23.9	5.4	9.0	5.1	0.7	19.6	12.5	2.1
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 36]	25–27 Jun 2002	?	31.7	23.6	4.9	9.2	3.9	0.7	15.3	8.7	8.1
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 49]	4–5 Feb 2002	?	27.3	28.8	4.2	6.2	2.9	0.5	17.9	8.8	1.5
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 52]	23–25 Oct 2001	?	20.4	28.0	5.2	9.8	2.8	0.9	18.5	10.7	7.6
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 61]	28–30 Jun 2001	?	22.4	30.2	5.1	7.5	3.2	1.4	18.1	8.5	7.8
Vox Pública/El Periódico[p 61]	19–20 Apr 2001	?	28.5	23.6	6.5	6.6	2.2	0.6	21.0	7.8	4.9
CIS[p 65]	3–26 Mar 2001	2,778	26.1	27.7	5.4	9.4	3.1	0.5	16.0	10.6	1.6
2000 general election	12 Mar 2000	—	22.0	18.5	14.7	3.6	2.3	1.4	—	36.6	3.5
1999 regional election	17 Oct 1999	—	22.3	22.2	5.6	5.1	1.5	0.8	—	39.4	0.1

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						Other/ None	?	Lead
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 3]	3–6 Nov 2003	1,200	30.0	33.0	6.0	12.0	5.0	4.0	10.0	3.0
Opina/El País[p 7]	31 Oct–2 Nov 2003	2,100	30.5	25.5	7.5	8.7	3.2	–	24.7	5.0
Opina/Cadena SER[p 12]	26 Oct 2003	1,800	30.3	24.7	7.6	9.0	5.1	–	23.4	5.6
CIS[p 14]	13–26 Oct 2003	3,571	25.1	29.8	7.0	11.9	6.3	0.6	19.3	4.7
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 21]	10–11 Sep 2003	812	35.0	31.0	6.0	14.0	5.0	4.0	5.0	4.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 22]	7–10 Jul 2003	1,000	30.0	37.0	5.0	13.0	5.0	3.0	7.0	7.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 29]	7–11 Jan 2003	1,500	40.0	31.0	5.0	9.0	2.0	6.0	8.0	9.0
CIS[p 65]	3–26 Mar 2001	2,778	31.1	32.8	5.8	9.9	3.1	0.9	16.3	1.7

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						Other/ None	?	Lead
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 3]	3–6 Nov 2003	1,200	33.0	45.0	4.0	1.0	–	1.0	17.0	12.0
Opina/El País[p 7]	31 Oct–2 Nov 2003	2,100	31.1	34.0	1.9	0.7	0.1	–	32.3	2.9
Infortécnica[p 9]	7–31 Oct 2003	2,012	20.5	33.9	2.1	–	–	1.3	42.3	13.4
Opina/Cadena SER[p 12]	26 Oct 2003	1,800	32.1	36.3	4.2	0.7	0.2	–	26.5	4.2
CIS[p 14]	13–26 Oct 2003	3,571	26.4	45.9	4.3	0.7	0.2	0.1	22.5	19.5
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 21]	10–11 Sep 2003	812	35.0	47.0	3.0	1.0	–	1.0	13.0	12.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 22]	7–10 Jul 2003	1,000	38.0	40.0	3.0	1.0	–	1.0	17.0	2.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 29]	7–11 Jan 2003	1,500	32.0	43.0	2.0	–	–	1.0	22.0	11.0

Preferred President

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

All candidates

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size									Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Pujol CiU	Mas CiU	Duran CiU	F. Díaz PP	Piqué PP	Carod ERC	Saura ICV–EUiA
Opina/El País[p 7]	31 Oct–2 Nov 2003	2,100	30.9	–	24.3	–	–	7.3	8.8	2.9	7.0	18.9	6.6
CIS[p 14]	13–26 Oct 2003	3,571	29.4	–	26.2	–	–	6.7	11.2	4.4	1.8	20.3	3.2
Vox Pública/PSC[p 62][p 63]	12–14 Jun 2001	600	42.5– 43.5	–	28.0– 30.0	–	–	8.5– 9.0	11.0– 12.0	4.5– 5.5	2.0– 3.0	–	13.5– 14.5
CIS[p 65]	3–26 Mar 2001	2,778	30.8	22.0	7.0	5.1	1.2	1.0	5.8	0.8	8.8	17.3	8.8
Vox Pública/PSC[p 69][p 70][p 71]	28 Feb–2 Mar 2001	600	45.0– 46.0	–	24.5– 25.5	–	–	10.5– 11.5	9.5– 10.5	5.5– 6.5	2.0– 3.0	–	20.5

Maragall vs. Mas

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Mas CiU
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 3]	3–6 Nov 2003	1,200	41.0	40.0	10.0	9.0	1.0
Opina/El País[p 7]	31 Oct–2 Nov 2003	2,100	39.5	34.2	11.3	15.0	5.3
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 21]	10–11 Sep 2003	812	45.0	38.0	12.0	5.0	7.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 22]	7–10 Jul 2003	1,000	43.0	40.0	11.0	6.0	3.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 29]	7–11 Jan 2003	1,500	50.0	31.0	13.0	6.0	19.0
Vox Pública/PSC[p 62][p 63]	12–14 Jun 2001	600	60.3	26.4	13.3		33.9
Vox Pública/PSC[p 69][p 70][p 71]	28 Feb–2 Mar 2001	600	60.4	21.1	18.5		39.3
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	40.3	24.0	5.6	30.1	16.3

Maragall vs. Pujol

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Pujol CiU
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	37.3	32.1	7.0	23.6	5.2

Maragall vs. Duran i Lleida

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Duran CiU
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	37.7	26.1	5.5	30.7	11.6

Maragall vs. Mas vs. Piqué

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Mas CiU	Piqué PP
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	36.7	21.7	8.3	3.7	29.6	15.0

Maragall vs. Pujol vs. Piqué

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Pujol CiU	Piqué PP
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	34.0	28.0	7.8	4.0	26.2	6.0

Maragall vs. Duran i Lleida vs. Piqué

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Duran CiU	Piqué PP
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	35.3	21.4	8.1	4.0	31.2	13.9

Predicted President

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

All candidates

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size						Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Mas CiU	Piqué PP	Carod ERC	Saura ICV–EUiA
Opina/El País[p 7]	31 Oct–2 Nov 2003	2,100	32.8	32.7	2.2	0.6	0.1	1.7	30.0	0.1

Maragall vs. Mas

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Mas CiU
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 3]	3–6 Nov 2003	1,200	43.0	44.0	1.0	12.0	1.0
Opina/El País[p 7]	31 Oct–2 Nov 2003	2,100	35.1	37.3	3.3	24.3	2.2
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 21]	10–11 Sep 2003	812	46.0	48.0	1.0	5.0	2.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 22]	7–10 Jul 2003	1,000	50.0	41.0	1.0	8.0	9.0
Noxa/La Vanguardia[p 29]	7–11 Jan 2003	1,500	49.0	40.0	3.0	8.0	9.0
Vox Pública/PSC[p 62][p 63]	12–14 Jun 2001	600	53.0	27.9	19.1		25.1
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	39.3	21.3	3.3	36.1	18.0

Maragall vs. Pujol

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Pujol CiU
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	27.4	42.5	4.0	26.1	15.1

Maragall vs. Duran i Lleida

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size			Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Duran CiU
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	34.9	26.0	2.7	36.4	8.9

Maragall vs. Mas vs. Piqué

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Mas CiU	Piqué PP
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	32.4	20.1	9.8	2.4	35.3	12.3

Maragall vs. Pujol vs. Piqué

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Pujol CiU	Piqué PP
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	24.9	35.4	6.1	2.3	31.3	10.5

Maragall vs. Duran i Lleida vs. Piqué

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size				Other/ None/ Not care	?	Lead
			Maragall PSC	Duran CiU	Piqué PP
Opina/La Vanguardia[p 73]	6 Nov 2000	800	32.3	20.9	8.0	2.5	36.3	11.4

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 16 November 2003 Parliament of Catalonia election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Socialists' Party of Catalonia–Citizens for Change (PSC–CpC)	1,031,454	31.16	–6.69	42	–10
	Convergence and Union (CiU)	1,024,425	30.94	–6.76	46	–10
	Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)	544,324	16.44	+7.77	23	+11
	People's Party (PP)	393,499	11.89	+2.38	15	+3
	Initiative for Catalonia Greens–Alternative Left (ICV–EA)1	241,163	7.28	+3.35	9	+6
	The Greens–The Ecologist Alternative (EV–AE)	18,470	0.56	New	0	±0
	Platform for Catalonia (PxC)	4,892	0.15	New	0	±0
	Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI)	4,226	0.13	+0.04	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Catalan People (PCPC)	2,580	0.08	New	0	±0
	Unsubmissive Seats (Ei)	2,220	0.07	New	0	±0
	Catalan State (EC)	1,890	0.06	±0.00	0	±0
	The Greens–Green Alternative (EV–AV)	1,886	0.06	–0.20	0	±0
	Republican Left–Left Republican Party (IR–PRE)	1,714	0.05	New	0	±0
	Humanist Party of Catalonia (PHC)	1,647	0.05	+0.01	0	±0
	Another Democracy is Possible (UADeP)	1,386	0.04	New	0	±0
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	1,073	0.03	–0.01	0	±0
	Caló Nationalist Party (PNCA)	812	0.02	New	0	±0
	Republican Social Movement (MSR)	804	0.02	New	0	±0
	Internationalist Struggle (LI (LIT–CI))	802	0.02	±0.00	0	±0
	Spaniards Under Separatism (EBS)	603	0.02	New	0	±0
	Citizens for Blank Votes (CenB)	401	0.01	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		30,212	0.91	–0.02
Total		3,310,483			135	±0
Valid votes		3,310,483	99.74	–0.01
Invalid votes		8,793	0.26	+0.01
Votes cast / turnout		3,319,276	62.54	+3.34
Abstentions		1,988,561	37.46	–3.34
Registered voters		5,307,837
Sources[10][22]
Footnotes: 1 Initiative for Catalonia Greens–Alternative Left results are compared to the combined totals of Initiative for Catalonia–Greens and United and Alternative Left in the 1999 election.

Popular vote PSC–CpC   31.16% CiU   30.94% ERC   16.44% PP   11.89% ICV–EA   7.28% Others   1.37% Blank ballots   0.91%

Seats CiU   34.07% PSC–CpC   31.11% ERC   17.04% PP   11.11% ICV–EA   6.67%

Distribution by constituency

Constituency	PSC–CpC		CiU		ERC		PP		ICV–EA
	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S
Barcelona	33.2	29	28.8	25	15.2	13	12.6	11	8.0	7
Girona	23.7	4	38.7	7	21.9	4	8.1	1	5.3	1
Lleida	22.5	4	41.4	7	19.9	3	9.7	1	4.4	–
Tarragona	28.2	5	33.8	7	19.0	3	11.8	2	5.2	1
Total	31.2	42	30.9	46	16.4	23	11.9	15	7.3	9
Sources[10]

Aftermath

Investiture Pasqual Maragall (PSC)
Ballot →		16 December 2003
Required majority →		68 out of 135 Y
	Yes • PSC–CpC (42) • ERC (23) • ICV–EA (9)	74 / 135
	No • CiU (46) • PP (15)	61 / 135
	Abstentions	0 / 135
	Absentees	0 / 135
Sources[10]

Notes

1. Results for IC–V (2.51%, 3 seats) and EUiA (1.42%, 0 seats) in the 1999 election.
2. Within ICV.
3. Quick count.