2003 Spanish regional elections

For the local elections held concurrently, see 2003 Spanish local elections.

The 2003 Spanish regional elections were held on Sunday, 25 May 2003, to elect the regional parliaments of thirteen of the seventeen autonomous communities—Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarre and the Valencian Community—, not including Andalusia, the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia, which had separate electoral cycles. 792 of 1,186 seats in the regional parliaments were up for election, as well as the 50 seats in the regional assemblies of Ceuta and Melilla. The elections were held simultaneously with local elections all throughout Spain.

2003 Spanish regional elections

← 1999 25 May 2003[a] 2007 →
792 seats in the regional parliaments of Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid,[a] Murcia, Navarre and Valencian Community 50 seats in the regional assemblies of Ceuta and Melilla
Registered	18,719,976 2.5%
Turnout	12,856,902 (68.7%) 2.9 pp
Regional administrations after the 2003 regional elections National parties   PP   PSOE Regional parties   CiU   EAJ/PNV   CC   UPN   PRC

Election date

Determination of election day varied depending on the autonomous community, with each one having competency to establish its own regulations. Typically, thirteen out of the seventeen autonomous communities—all but Andalusia, the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia—had their elections fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years, to be held together with nationwide local elections.^[1][2]

In some cases, regional presidents had the prerogative to dissolve the regional parliament and call for extra elections at a different time, but newly elected assemblies were restricted to serving out what remained of their previous four year-terms without altering the period to their next ordinary election.^[3]

Campaign

Parties campaigned for votes in both these elections and the local elections held at the same time. Some key issues that kept coming up for parties were:

• The Prestige oil spill: This occurred in November 2002 and caused an oil spill affecting the coast of Galicia and parts of Cantabria. Parties reported this was affecting voter habits in the north of the country.
• The National Hydrological Plan (Spanish: Plan Hidrológico Nacional): This was a multi-million-euro water management project causing rifts between governments of communities affected, transferring some of the water from the Ebro to the driest areas of Murcia and Valencia. Whilst both of these regions supported the proposal, Aragon and Catalonia did not.
• Terrorism: In 2003 there had been only three deaths from terrorist attacks in Spain, unusually low. However, political discussions between Madrid and the Basque Government did not cease during the previous Parliament. Certain parties accused the PP of using this to their political advantage.

Regional governments

The following table lists party control in autonomous communities. Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.

Region	Previous control		New control
Autonomous communities
Aragon		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Asturias		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Balearic Islands		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)		People's Party (PP)
Canary Islands		Canarian Coalition (CC)		Canarian Coalition (CC)
Cantabria		People's Party (PP)		Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)
Castile and León		People's Party (PP)		People's Party (PP)
Castilla–La Mancha		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
Extremadura		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)		Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
La Rioja		People's Party (PP)		People's Party (PP)
Madrid		People's Party (PP)		Inconclusive (PP after snap election in Oct. 2003)
Murcia		People's Party (PP)		People's Party (PP)
Navarre		Navarrese People's Union (UPN)		Navarrese People's Union (UPN)
Valencian Community		People's Party (PP)		People's Party (PP)
Autonomous cities
Ceuta		People's Party (PP)		People's Party (PP)
Melilla		People's Party (PP)		People's Party (PP)

Overall results

← Summary of the 25 May 2003 regional election results^[b] in Spain →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote		Seats
		Votes	%	ACm.	ACt.	Total
	People's Party (PP)	5,482,311	42.98	347	34	381
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	4,833,389	37.89	312	5	317
	United Left (IU)	724,070	5.68	30	0	30
	Canarian Coalition (CC)	304,413	2.39	23	0	23
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)	127,460	1.00	23	0	23
	Aragonese Union (CHA)	97,763	0.77	9	0	9
	Aragonese Party (PAR)	79,670	0.62	8	0	8
	Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)	66,480	0.52	8	0	8
	Leonese People's Union (UPL)	60,331	0.47	2	0	2
	Canarian Nationalist Federation (FNC)	44,703	0.35	3	0	3
	PSM–Nationalist Agreement (PSM–EN)	33,920	0.27	4	0	4
	Majorcan Union (UM)	31,781	0.25	3	0	3
	Aralar (Aralar)	24,068	0.19	4	0	4
	Convergence of Democrats of Navarre (CDN)	23,516	0.18	4	0	4
	Basque Solidarity–Basque Nationalist Party (EA–PNV)	22,824	0.18	4	0	4
	Progressive Pact+Coalition of Progressive Organizations (Pacte+COP)	16,811	0.13	5	0	5
	Riojan Party (PR)	11,842	0.09	2	0	2
	Coalition for Melilla (CpM)	7,392	0.06	0	7	7
	Ceutan Democratic Union (UDCE)	3,589	0.03	0	3	3
	Democratic and Social Party of Ceuta (PDSC)	1,722	0.01	0	1	1
	Independent Popular Council of Formentera (AIPF)	1,647	0.01	1	0	1
	Others	533,750	4.18	0	0	0
Blank ballots		222,089	1.74
Total		12,755,541		792	50	842
Valid votes		12,755,541	99.21
Invalid votes		101,361	0.79
Votes cast / turnout		12,856,902	68.68
Registered voters		18,719,976

Popular vote PP   42.98% PSOE   37.89% IU   5.68% CC   2.39% UPN   1.00% CHA   0.77% PAR   0.62% PRC   0.52% Others   6.41% Blank ballots   1.74%

Summary by region

Aragon

Main article: 2003 Aragonese regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	270,468	37.94	+7.13	27	+4
	PP	219,058	30.73	–7.48	22	–6
	CHA	97,763	13.71	+2.67	9	+4
	PAR	79,670	11.18	–2.07	8	–2
	IU	21,795	3.06	–0.80	1	±0
	Others	9,216	1.29		0	±0
Blank ballots		14,874	2.09	+0.01
Valid votes		712,844	99.36	+0.07
Invalid votes		4,613	0.64	–0.07
Votes cast / turnout		717,457	70.36	+5.76
Registered voters		1,019,644

Asturias

Main article: 2003 Asturian regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	250,474	40.48	–5.52	22	–2
	PP	242,396	39.18	+6.87	19	+4
	IU–BA	68,360	11.05	+2.05	4	+1
	URAS	17,552	2.84	–4.30	0	–3
	PAS	11,376	1.84	–0.74	0	±0
	LV–IVA	6,561	1.06	+0.52	0	±0
	Others	7,854	1.27		0	±0
Blank ballots		14,143	2.29	+0.72
Valid votes		618,716	99.29	–0.11
Invalid votes		4,433	0.71	+0.11
Votes cast / turnout		623,149	63.84	+0.22
Registered voters		976,104

Balearic Islands

Main article: 2003 Balearic regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	190,562	44.70	+0.69	29	+1
	PSIB–PSOE	104,614	24.54	+2.52	15	+2
	PSM–EN	33,920	7.95	–3.77	4	–1
	UM	31,781	7.45	+0.14	3	±0
	EU–EV	20,797	4.88	–0.55	2	–1
	Pacte+COP	16,811	3.94	–0.91	5	–2
	ASI	6,707	1.57	+0.92	0	±0
	AIPF	1,647	0.39	+0.07	1	+1
	Others	12,408	2.91		0	±0
Blank ballots		7,093	1.66	–0.20
Valid votes		426,340	99.35	+0.13
Invalid votes		2,795	0.65	–0.13
Votes cast / turnout		429,135	62.84	+5.34
Registered voters		682,857

Canary Islands

Main article: 2003 Canarian regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	CC	304,413	32.90	–4.36	23	–3
	PP	283,186	30.61	+3.48	17	+2
	PSOE	235,234	25.42	+1.39	17	–2
	FNC	44,703	4.83	+0.02	3	+3
	LVC	18,340	1.98	+0.52	0	±0
	IUC	12,128	1.31	–1.43	0	±0
	Others	15,438	1.67		0	±0
Blank ballots		11,806	1.28	–0.23
Valid votes		925,248	99.44	+0.02
Invalid votes		5,201	0.56	–0.02
Votes cast / turnout		930,449	64.62	+1.88
Registered voters		1,439,784

Cantabria

Main article: 2003 Cantabrian regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	146,796	42.49	–0.01	18	–1
	PSOE	103,608	29.99	–3.09	13	–1
	PRC	66,480	19.24	+5.73	8	+2
	IUC	12,770	3.70	+0.01	0	±0
	UCn	5,515	1.60	New	0	±0
	Others	3,147	0.91		0	±0
Blank ballots		7,202	2.08	–0.35
Valid votes		345,518	99.18	–0.03
Invalid votes		2,859	0.82	+0.03
Votes cast / turnout		348,377	73.05	+4.27
Registered voters		476,924

Castile and León

Main article: 2003 Castilian-Leonese regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	760,510	48.49	–1.96	48	±0
	PSOE	576,769	36.77	+3.71	32	+2
	UPL	60,331	3.85	+0.15	2	–1
	IUCyL	54,085	3.45	–1.98	0	–1
	TC–PNC	18,595	1.19	–0.20	0	–1
	Others	62,109	3.96		0	±0
Blank ballots		36,027	2.30	–0.37
Valid votes		1,568,426	99.14	+0.09
Invalid votes		13,557	0.86	–0.09
Votes cast / turnout		1,581,983	72.66	+5.08
Registered voters		2,177,222

Castilla–La Mancha

Main article: 2003 Castilian-Manchegan regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE	634,132	57.83	+4.41	29	+3
	PP	402,047	36.66	–3.74	18	–3
	IU–ICAM	33,413	3.05	–0.36	0	±0
	Others	12,438	1.13		0	±0
Blank ballots		14,554	1.33	–0.09
Valid votes		1,096,584	99.32	±0.00
Invalid votes		7,534	0.68	±0.00
Votes cast / turnout		1,104,118	76.24	+1.39
Registered voters		1,448,289

Extremadura

Main article: 2003 Extremaduran regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PSOE–p	341,522	51.66	+2.03	36	+2
	PP	255,808	38.70	–1.31	26	–2
	IU–SIEx	41,448	6.27	–0.74	3	±0
	EU	12,171	1.84	+0.17	0	±0
	PH	1,082	0.16	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		9,033	1.37	+0.22
Valid votes		661,064	99.19	–0.19
Invalid votes		5,404	0.81	+0.19
Votes cast / turnout		666,468	75.63	+2.19
Registered voters		881,228

La Rioja

Main article: 2003 Riojan regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	84,533	48.60	–2.66	17	–1
	PSOE	66,410	38.18	+2.90	14	+1
	PR	11,842	6.81	+1.05	2	±0
	IU	4,729	2.72	–1.19	0	±0
	LV	2,858	1.64	+0.38	0	±0
	MASH	269	0.15	–0.12	0	±0
Blank ballots		3,308	1.90	–0.36
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
Registered voters		233,553

Madrid

May

Main article: May 2003 Madrilenian regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	1,429,890	46.67	–4.40	55	±0
	PSOE	1,225,390	39.99	+3.56	47	+8
	IUCM	235,428	7.68	–0.01	9	+1
	LV	42,322	1.38	+0.69	0	±0
	Others	70,108	2.29		0	±0
Blank ballots		60,942	1.99	–0.11
Valid votes		3,064,080	99.55	+0.04
Invalid votes		13,972	0.45	–0.04
Votes cast / turnout		3,078,052	69.27	+8.39
Registered voters		4,443,533

October

Main article: October 2003 Madrilenian regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	1,346,588	48.48	+1.81	57	+2
	PSOE	1,083,205	39.00	–0.99	45	–2
	IUCM	236,013	8.50	+0.82	9	±0
	Others	63,383	2.28		0	±0
Blank ballots		48,433	1.74	–0.25
Valid votes		2,777,622	99.61	+0.06
Invalid votes		10,873	0.39	–0.06
Votes cast / turnout		2,788,495	62.58	–6.69
Registered voters		4,455,706

Murcia

Main article: 2003 Murcian regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	367,710	56.66	+3.82	28	+2
	PSOE	221,392	34.11	–1.80	16	–2
	IURM	36,754	5.66	–1.34	1	±0
	LVRM	10,208	1.57	+0.64	0	±0
	Others	3,024	0.47		0	±0
Blank ballots		9,941	1.53	+0.09
Valid votes		649,029	99.20	–0.10
Invalid votes		5,224	0.80	+0.10
Votes cast / turnout		654,253	69.98	+2.32
Registered voters		934,896

Navarre

Main article: 2003 Navarrese regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	UPN	127,460	41.48	+0.11	23	+1
	PSN–PSOE	65,003	21.15	+0.87	11	±0
	IUN/NEB	26,962	8.77	+1.89	4	+1
	Aralar	24,068	7.83	New	4	+4
	CDN	23,516	7.65	+0.79	4	+1
	EA–PNV	22,824	7.43	+1.99	4	+1
	Batzarre	7,873	2.56	New	0	±0
	EH	n/a	n/a	–15.58	0	–8
	Others	2,307	0.75		0	±0
Blank ballots		7,304	2.38	+0.03
Valid votes		307,317	93.52	–5.65
Invalid votes		21,292	6.48	+5.65
Votes cast / turnout		328,609	70.70	+4.45
Registered voters		464,826

Valencian Community

Main article: 2003 Valencian regional election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	1,146,780	47.17	–0.71	48	–1
	PSPV–PSOE	874,288	35.96	+2.05	35	±0
	Entesa	154,494	6.35	+0.30	6	+1
	Bloc–EV	114,011	4.69	+0.16	0	±0
	UV	72,557	2.98	–1.70	0	±0
	Others	31,468	1.29		0	±0
Blank ballots		37,805	1.55	±0.00
Valid votes		2,431,403	99.35	–0.06
Invalid votes		15,821	0.65	+0.06
Votes cast / turnout		2,447,224	71.49	+3.68
Registered voters		3,423,098

Autonomous cities

Ceuta

Main article: 2003 Ceuta Assembly election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP	20,897	62.55	+34.56	19	+11
	UDCE	3,589	10.74	New	3	+3
	PSOE	2,905	8.70	+1.26	2	±0
	PDSC	1,722	5.15	–4.87	1	–2
	PSPC	1,402	4.20	–0.20	0	±0
	PIL	922	2.76	–35.39	0	–12
	FC	696	2.08	New	0	±0
	UPCE	573	1.72	New	0	±0
	Others	451	1.35		0	±0
Blank ballots		251	0.75	–0.45
Valid votes		33,408	99.56	+0.05
Invalid votes		147	0.44	–0.05
Votes cast / turnout		33,555	59.23	–2.12
Registered voters		56,656

Melilla

Main article: 2003 Melilla Assembly election

Parties and alliances		Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/−
	PP–UPM	15,440	55.00	+24.89	15	+7
	CpM	7,392	26.33	+5.89	7	+2
	PSOE	3,365	11.99	+2.62	3	+1
	PIM	739	2.63	–7.67	0	–3
	CDS	417	1.49	New	0	±0
	GIL	n/a	n/a	–25.93	0	–7
	Others	405	1.44		0	±0
Blank ballots		315	1.12	+0.08
Valid votes		28,073	99.45	–0.22
Invalid votes		156	0.55	+0.22
Votes cast / turnout		28,229	57.39	–3.05
Registered voters		49,189

Notes

1. The Community of Madrid was forced to hold a snap election on 26 October 2003 after the Tamayazo scandal led to no new government being elected as a result of the May election.
2. Aggregated results take account of the October 2003 Madrilenian regional election.