1991 Aragonese regional election

The 1991 Aragonese regional election was held on Sunday, 26 May 1991, to elect the 3rd Cortes of the autonomous community of Aragon. All 67 seats in the Cortes were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in 12 other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

1991 Aragonese regional election

26 May 1991
All 67 seats in the Cortes of Aragon 34 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	959,596 3.3%
Turnout	617,848 (64.4%) 5.3 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader José Marco Hipólito Gómez de las Roces José Ignacio Senao Party PSOE PAR PP Leader since 1991 December 1977 1990 Leader's seat Zaragoza Zaragoza Zaragoza Last election 27 seats, 35.7% 19 seats, 28.1% 13 seats, 16.7%[lower-alpha 1] Seats won 30 17 17 Seat change 3 2 4 Popular vote 247,485 151,420 126,892 Percentage 40.3% 24.7% 20.7% Swing 4.6 pp 3.4 pp 4.0 pp   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Adolfo Burriel José Luis Merino Party CAA–IU CDS Leader since 1989 1983 Leader's seat Zaragoza Zaragoza (lost) Last election 2 seats, 4.9% 6 seats, 10.2% Seats won 3 0 Seat change 1 6 Popular vote 41,367 18,929 Percentage 6.7% 3.1% Swing 1.8 pp 7.1 pp
Constituency results map for the Cortes of Aragon
President before election Hipólito Gómez de las Roces PAR Elected President Emilio Eiroa PAR

The main loser in the election was the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS), which lost all of its 6 seats. The Aragonese Party (PAR) also lost two seats. The main gainers were the main two national parties, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the newly created People's Party (PP). United Left also gained 1 seat.

The new legislature elected Emilio Eiroa of the PAR as the new President of Aragon by 34 votes to 33, after Hipólito Gómez de las Roces' refusal to reach a new agreement with the PP.[1] All PAR and PP deputies supported Eiroa's election while the PSOE and IU deputies voted against. The tight arithmetic in the new legislature was further complicated in November 1992 when a PP deputy, Emilio Gomáriz, resigned from the PP, leaving him holding the balance of power between the PP-PAR bloc and the PSOE-IU bloc. In September 1993 the PSOE introduced a no-confidence motion against President Eiroa. In the subsequent vote Gomáriz appeared visibly nervous and claimed that he had received death threats against his children. He voted with the PSOE and IU deputies for Socialist José Marco as new President.[2]

Overview

Electoral system

The Cortes of Aragon were the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Aragon, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Aragonese Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a President of the Government.[3] Voting for the Cortes was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in Aragon and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 67 members of the Cortes of Aragon were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of 3 percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution. Additionally, the use of the D'Hondt method might result in an effective threshold over three percent, depending on the district magnitude.[4] Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza. Each constituency was entitled to an initial minimum of 13 seats, with the remaining 28 allocated among the constituencies in proportion to their populations on the condition that the seat to population ratio in the most populated province did not exceed 2.75 times that of the least populated one.[3][5]

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 the constituency for which they sought election. 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.[5][6][7]

Election date

The term of the Cortes of Aragon expired four years after the date of their previous election. Legal amendments earlier in 1991 established that elections to the Cortes were to be fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 10 June 1987, setting the election date for the Cortes on Sunday, 26 May 1991.[3][5][6][7]

The Cortes of Aragon could not be dissolved before the date of expiry of parliament except in the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot. In such a case, the Cortes were to be automatically dissolved and a snap election called, with elected deputies merely serving out what remained of their four-year terms.[3]

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 given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font. 34 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Cortes of Aragon.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout								ARM	Lead
1991 regional election	26 May 1991	N/A	64.3	40.3 30	24.7 17	[lower-alpha 2]	3.1 0	6.7 3	[lower-alpha 2]	20.7 17	–	15.6
EM&C/Heraldo de Aragón[p 1]	20 May 1991	?	?	? 29/31	? 19/21	[lower-alpha 2]	? 0/1	? 6/7	[lower-alpha 2]	? 10	–	?
El Periódico[p 1]	20 May 1991	?	?	? 23/25	? 18/19	[lower-alpha 2]	? 2/3	? 5/6	[lower-alpha 2]	? 16/17	–	?
Diario 16[p 1]	20 May 1991	?	?	? 27/29	? 17/19	[lower-alpha 2]	? 2	? 3/4	[lower-alpha 2]	? 16/19	–	?
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 2][p 3]	18 May 1991	?	?	34.8 24/26	26.3 18/20	[lower-alpha 2]	4.8 2/3	9.6 5/6	[lower-alpha 2]	21.1 14/15	–	8.5
Metra Seis/El Independiente[p 2][p 3]	12 May 1991	?	?	34.6 25/26	28.1 19/20	[lower-alpha 2]	6.1 4	7.5 2/4	[lower-alpha 2]	18.2 13/14	–	6.5
Demoscopia/El País[p 2][p 3][p 4][p 5]	4–7 May 1991	700	?	34.6 26	34.1 22/23	[lower-alpha 2]	3.9 0	8.3 3	[lower-alpha 2]	16.4 15/16	–	0.5
1989 general election	29 Oct 1989	N/A	70.2	38.7 30	10.9 7	[lower-alpha 2]	7.6 4	9.7 5	[lower-alpha 2]	27.8 21	1.0 0	10.9
1989 EP election	15 Jun 1989	N/A	54.3	41.6 34	–	[lower-alpha 2]	7.8 6	6.3 3	[lower-alpha 2]	26.6 22	5.5 2	15.0
1987 regional election	10 Jun 1987	N/A	69.7	35.7 27	28.1 19	15.5 13	10.2 6	4.9 2	1.2 0	–	–	7.6

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 26 May 1991 Cortes of Aragon election results →

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	247,485	40.34	+4.66	30	+3
	Aragonese Party (PAR)	151,420	24.68	–3.46	17	–2
	People's Party (PP)^1	126,892	20.68	+3.96	17	+4
	Aragon Alternative Convergence–United Left (CAA–IU)	41,367	6.74	+1.84	3	+1
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	18,929	3.09	–7.14	0	–6
	Aragonese Union (CHA)	14,116	2.30	+1.34	0	±0
	Workers' Socialist Party (PST)	2,441	0.40	New	0	±0
	Independent Aragonese Party (PAI)	1,882	0.31	New	0	±0
	Social Aragonese Movement (MAS)	1,032	0.17	New	0	±0
Blank ballots		7,981	1.30	–0.14
Total		613,545			67	±0
Valid votes		613,545	99.30	+0.50
Invalid votes		4,303	0.70	–0.50
Votes cast / turnout		617,848	64.39	–5.31
Abstentions		341,748	35.61	+5.31
Registered voters		959,596
Sources[8][9][10]

Popular vote PSOE   40.34% PAR   24.68% PP   20.68% CAA–IU   6.74% CDS   3.09% CHA   2.30% Others   0.87% Blank ballots   1.30%

Seats PSOE   44.78% PAR   25.37% PP   25.37% CAA–IU   4.48%

Distribution by constituency

Constituency	PSOE		PAR		PP		CAA–IU
	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S
Huesca	39.4	8	25.3	5	20.3	4	6.6	1
Teruel	37.9	7	19.7	3	31.3	6	3.0	−
Zaragoza	41.1	15	25.5	9	18.7	7	7.5	2
Total	40.3	30	24.7	17	20.7	17	6.7	3
Sources[8][9][10]

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture Emilio Eiroa (PAR)
Ballot →		10 July 1991
Required majority →		34 out of 67 Y
	Yes • PAR (17) • PP (17)	34 / 67
	No • PSOE (30) • CAA–IU (3)	33 / 67
	Abstentions	0 / 67
	Absentees	0 / 67
Sources[10]

1993 motion of no confidence

Motion of no confidence José Marco (PSOE)
Ballot →		15 September 1993
Required majority →		34 out of 67 Y
	Yes • PSOE (30) • CAA–IU (3) • Independent (1)	34 / 67
	No • PAR (17) • PP (16)	33 / 67
	Abstentions	0 / 67
	Absentees	0 / 67
Sources[10]

1994 motion of no confidence

Motion of no confidence Emilio Eiroa (PAR)
Ballot →		21 December 1994
Required majority →		34 out of 67 N
	Yes • PAR (16) • PP (16)	32 / 67
	No • PSOE (30)	30 / 67
	Abstentions • CAA–IU (3) • Independent (1)	4 / 67
	Absentees • PAR (1)	1 / 67
Sources[10]

1995 failed investiture attempt

Investiture Ángela Abós (PSOE)
Ballot →		30 January 1995	31 January 1995
Required majority →		34 out of 67 N	Simple N
	Yes • PSOE (30) • Independent (1)	31 / 67	31 / 67
	No • PAR (17) • PP (16)	33 / 67	33 / 67
	Abstentions • CAA–IU (3)	3 / 67	3 / 67
	Absentees	0 / 67	0 / 67
Sources[10]

Notes

1. Aggregated data for AP and PDP in the 1987 election.
2. Within PP.

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "PAR y PP están al borde de la mayoría absoluta en Zaragoza, Huesca y Teruel". ABC (in Spanish). 21 May 1991.
2. "Seis comunidades dependen de pactos". ABC (in Spanish). 20 May 1991.
3. "Las elecciones de 26-5-91". CEPC (in Spanish). August 1991.
4. "La subida del Par llega a Zaragoza". El País (in Spanish). 19 May 1991.
5. "Ficha técnica". El País (in Spanish). 19 May 1991.

Other

1. "Hipólito Gómez de las Roces renounces re-election as President of Aragon" (in Spanish). El País. 1991-06-26.
2. "A PP defector's vote gives the government of Aragon to the PSOE" (in Spanish). El País. 1993-09-16.
3. "Statute of Autonomy of Aragon of 1982". Organic Law No. 8 of 10 August 1982. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 September 2017.
4. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
5. "Autonomous Community of Aragon Electoral Law of 1987". Law No. 2 of 12 February 1987. Official Gazette of Aragon (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 September 2017.
6. "General Electoral System Organic Law of 1985". Organic Law No. 5 of 19 June 1985. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2016.
7. "Representation of the people Institutional Act". www.juntaelectoralcentral.es. Central Electoral Commission. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
8. "Cortes of Aragon election results, 26 May 1991" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Aragon. 1 July 1991. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
9. "Number 156. Report-declaration of the Cortes of Aragon election of 26 May 1991" (PDF). tcu.es (in Spanish). Court of Auditors. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
10. "Cortes of Aragon elections since 1983". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Electoral History. Retrieved 26 September 2017.