2019 Riojan regional election

The 2019 Riojan regional election was held on Sunday, 26 May 2019, to elect the 10th 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 eleven other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain, as well as the 2019 European Parliament election.

2019 Riojan regional election

26 May 2019
All 33 seats in the Parliament of La Rioja 17 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	249,863 0.9%
Turnout	164,765 (65.9%) 1.4 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Concha Andreu José Ignacio Ceniceros Pablo Baena Party PSOE PP Cs Leader since 19 October 2014 8 July 2015 9 March 2019 Last election 10 seats, 26.7% 15 seats, 38.6% 4 seats, 10.4% Seats won 15 12 4 Seat change 5 3 0 Popular vote 63,068 53,925 18,807 Percentage 38.7% 33.1% 11.5% Swing 12.0 pp 5.5 pp 1.1 pp   Fourth party   Leader Raquel Romero Party Podemos–IU–Equo Leader since 16 March 2018 Last election 4 seats, 15.4%[lower-alpha 1] Seats won 2 Seat change 2 Popular vote 10,844 Percentage 6.6% Swing 8.8 pp
President before election José Ignacio Ceniceros PP Elected President Concha Andreu PSOE

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 regional president.[1]

Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in La Rioja and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Additionally, Riojans abroad were required to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado).[2] The 33 members of the Parliament of La Rioja 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. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution.[1][3]

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 24 May 2015, setting the election date for the Parliament on Sunday, 26 May 2019.[1][3][4]

The president 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 had 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 given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font. 17 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of La Rioja.

Color key:

  Poll conducted after legal ban on opinion polls

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout									Lead
2019 regional election	26 May 2019	N/A	65.9	33.1 12	38.7 15	[lower-alpha 2]	11.5 4	4.6 0	[lower-alpha 2]	6.6 2	3.9 0	5.6
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 1]	29 Apr–23 May 2019	?	?	25.3 9	32.4 12	[lower-alpha 2]	16.7 6	6.3 2	[lower-alpha 2]	10.6 3	5.4 1	7.1
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 1]	29 Apr–22 May 2019	?	?	25.6 9	32.6 12	[lower-alpha 2]	16.4 6	6.4 2	[lower-alpha 2]	10.4 3	5.2 1	7.0
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 2]	29 Apr–21 May 2019	?	?	25.9 9	32.2 12	[lower-alpha 2]	16.0 6	6.7 2	[lower-alpha 2]	10.6 3	5.2 1	6.3
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 3]	29 Apr–20 May 2019	?	?	25.4 9	32.1 11	[lower-alpha 2]	16.1 6	7.0 2	[lower-alpha 2]	10.9 4	5.1 1	6.7
NC Report/La Razón[p 4][p 5][p 6]	19 May 2019	?	?	26.2 9	32.1 11	[lower-alpha 2]	? 5	? 2	[lower-alpha 2]	? 4	? 2	5.9
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 7]	29 Apr–19 May 2019	?	?	25.2 9	32.2 11	[lower-alpha 2]	16.5 6	6.8 2	[lower-alpha 2]	11.1 4	4.9 1	7.0
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 8]	29 Apr–16 May 2019	?	?	23.6 8	30.9 11	[lower-alpha 2]	18.3 6	6.7 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.0 4	6.0 2	7.3
GAD3/Diario La Rioja[p 9]	14–15 May 2019	800	?	29.2 10/11	37.5 13/14	[lower-alpha 2]	11.5 3/4	5.6 1/2	[lower-alpha 2]	7.8 2/3	6.0 1/2	8.3
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 10]	29 Apr–13 May 2019	?	?	22.8 8	29.7 10	[lower-alpha 2]	19.2 7	6.6 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.6 4	6.6 2	6.9
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 11]	29 Apr–10 May 2019	?	?	22.0 7	30.3 11	[lower-alpha 2]	19.9 7	6.3 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.4 4	6.1 2	8.3
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 12]	29 Apr–7 May 2019	?	?	21.3 7	29.8 11	[lower-alpha 2]	20.9 7	5.5 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.5 4	6.4 2	8.5
NueveCuatroUno[p 13]	29 Apr–5 May 2019	800	?	29.5– 30.0 11	32.0– 34.0 13	[lower-alpha 2]	10.5– 11.2 4	6.8– 7.4 2	[lower-alpha 2]	9.5– 11.0 3	3.7 0	2.5– 4.0
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 14]	29 Apr–4 May 2019	?	?	22.3 8	29.8 11	[lower-alpha 2]	20.9 7	5.1 1	[lower-alpha 2]	12.5 4	5.8 2	7.5
April 2019 general election	28 Apr 2019	N/A	73.4	26.5 9	31.7 11	[lower-alpha 2]	17.8 6	1.2 0	[lower-alpha 2]	11.8 4	9.0 3	5.2
CIS[p 15]	21 Mar–23 Apr 2019	295	?	30.9 11/13	36.0 12/14	[lower-alpha 2]	10.5 3/4	7.4 2/3	[lower-alpha 2]	7.8 2/3	2.3 0	5.1
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 16]	22 Feb–7 Apr 2019	?	?	21.0 8	27.4 10	[lower-alpha 2]	14.9 5	6.3 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.2 4	11.7 4	6.4
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 17]	22 Feb–31 Mar 2019	?	?	20.3 7	27.5 10	[lower-alpha 2]	15.6 6	6.6 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.1 4	11.8 4	7.2
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 18]	22 Feb–24 Mar 2019	?	?	20.6 7	28.3 10	[lower-alpha 2]	15.7 6	6.4 2	[lower-alpha 2]	11.7 4	11.5 4	7.7
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 19]	22 Feb–17 Mar 2019	?	?	21.1 7	26.8 10	[lower-alpha 2]	14.9 5	6.0 2	[lower-alpha 2]	11.8 4	13.6 5	5.7
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 20]	22 Feb–10 Mar 2019	?	?	20.7 7	26.4 10	[lower-alpha 2]	15.6 5	6.1 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.0 4	13.5 5	5.7
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 21]	22 Feb–3 Mar 2019	?	?	20.3 7	26.2 9	[lower-alpha 2]	16.1 6	6.2 2	[lower-alpha 2]	12.1 4	13.2 5	5.9
SyM Consulting[p 22][p 23]	3–6 May 2018	1,300	72.5	34.7 13/14	23.6 9	10.2 3/4	18.6 7	4.8 0	4.5 0	–	–	11.1
NueveCuatroUno[p 24]	2–6 May 2018	973	?	30.0 10	27.4 10	8.2 3	25.5 9	5.1 1	–	–	–	2.6
NueveCuatroUno[p 25]	8–13 May 2017	448	?	38.8 13/14	24.8 8	11.7 4	11.2 4	8.6 3	4.8 0/1	–	–	14.0
2016 general election	26 Jun 2016	N/A	70.6	42.6 15	24.3 8	[lower-alpha 2]	14.0 5	–	[lower-alpha 2]	16.6 5	0.2 0	18.3
2015 general election	20 Dec 2015	N/A	72.4	38.3 14	23.7 8	15.8 6	15.1 5	–	4.2 0	–	–	14.6
2015 regional election	24 May 2015	N/A	67.3	38.6 15	26.7 10	11.2 4	10.4 4	4.5 0	4.2 0	–	–	11.9

Results

← Summary of the 26 May 2019 Parliament of La Rioja election results →

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	63,068	38.67	+11.93	15	+5
	People's Party (PP)	53,925	33.06	–5.56	12	–3
	Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (Cs)	18,807	11.53	+1.10	4	±0
	United We Can–United Left–Equo (Podemos–IU–Equo)^1	10,844	6.65	–8.72	2	–2
	Riojan Party (PR+)	7,512	4.61	+0.16	0	±0
	Vox (Vox)	6,314	3.87	New	0	±0
	Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA)	1,078	0.66	–0.08	0	±0
Blank ballots		1,555	0.95	–0.85
Total		163,103			33	±0
Valid votes		163,103	98.99	+0.96
Invalid votes		1,662	1.01	–0.96
Votes cast / turnout		164,765	65.94	–1.35
Abstentions		85,098	34.06	+1.35
Registered voters		249,863
Sources[5][6]

Popular vote PSOE   38.67% PP   33.06% Cs   11.53% Unidas Podemos   6.65% PR+   4.61% Vox   3.87% PACMA   0.66% Blank ballots   0.95%

Seats PSOE   45.45% PP   36.36% Cs   12.12% Unidas Podemos   6.06%

Aftermath

Further information: Andreu government

Investiture Concha Andreu (PSOE)
Ballot →		16 July 2019	18 July 2019
Required majority →		17 out of 33 N	Simple N
	Yes • PSOE (15) • IU (1)	16 / 33	16 / 33
	No • PP (12) • Cs (4) • Podemos (1)	17 / 33	17 / 33
	Abstentions	0 / 33	0 / 33
	Absentees	0 / 33	0 / 33
Sources[7][8][6]

Investiture Concha Andreu (PSOE)
Ballot →		27 August 2019
Required majority →		17 out of 33 Y
	Yes • PSOE (15) • IU (1) • Podemos (1)	17 / 33
	No • PP (12) • Cs (4)	16 / 33
	Abstentions	0 / 45
	Absentees	0 / 45
Sources[6]

Notes

1. Aggregated data for Podemos and CR–IU–Equo in the 2015 election.
2. Within Unidas Podemos.

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "#emojiPanel La Rioja (24M)". Electomanía (in Spanish). 24 May 2019.
2. "#emojiPanel La Rioja (22M)". Electomanía (in Spanish). 22 May 2019.
3. "#emojiPanel La Rioja (21M)". Electomanía (in Spanish). 21 May 2019.
4. "El PSOE gana en Madrid, pero la suma de PP, Cs y Vox lo aleja de Sol". La Razón (in Spanish). 20 May 2019.
5. "Resultados por comunidades. Encuesta mayo 2019" (PDF). La Razón (in Spanish). 20 May 2019.
6. "Encuesta electoral: Ajustada batalla entre bloques el 26-M". La Razón (in Spanish). 20 May 2019.
7. "#emojiPanel La Rioja (20M)". Electomanía (in Spanish). 20 May 2019.
8. "#electoPanel La Rioja (17M): el PP hace mosto a Ciudadanos, marcando distancia, aunque muy por detrás del PSOE". Electomanía (in Spanish). 17 May 2019.
9. "El PSOE ganaría con holgura en La Rioja pero necesitaría uno o dos socios para gobernar". Diario La Rioja (in Spanish). 19 May 2019.
10. "#electoPanel La Rioja (14M): la alternativa de la izquierda se va por donde vino". Electomanía (in Spanish). 14 May 2019.
11. "#electoPanel La Rioja (11M): sorpasso del PR+ a Vox". Electomanía (in Spanish). 11 May 2019.
12. "#electoPanel La Rioja (8M): subida del Partido Riojano, que sigue teniendo la llave". Electomanía (in Spanish). 8 May 2019.
13. "Encuesta: el PSOE sería líder en La Rioja con el peor resultado en la historia del PP". NueveCuatroUno (in Spanish). 18 May 2019.
14. "ElectoPanel La Rioja (5M): Baena (Cs) se acerca a Ceniceros (PP) mientras Vox y PR+ luchan por no ser últimos". Electomanía (in Spanish). 5 May 2019.
15. "Estimaciones de voto en Comunidades Autónomas y grandes ciudades (Estudio nº 3245. Marzo-abril 2019)" (PDF). CIS (in Spanish). 9 May 2019.
16. "ElectoPanel autonómico (12A): las mayorías siguen en el aire". Electomanía (in Spanish). 12 April 2019.
17. "ElectoPanel autonómicas (3A): Ciudadanos decidirá el bloque ganador en la mayoría de CCAA". Electomanía (in Spanish). 3 April 2019.
18. "ElectoPanel autonómico (27M). Semana de retrocesos para Vox". Electomanía (in Spanish). 27 March 2019.
19. "ElectoPanel Autonómico (20M): 'Navarra Suma' (PP-Cs-UPN) no suma para recuperar el Gobierno Foral". Electomanía (in Spanish). 20 March 2019.
20. "ElectoPanel autonómico 13M: el PSOE es el más votado, pero la derecha suma en la mayoría de CCAA". Electomanía (in Spanish). 13 March 2019.
21. "ElectoPanel autonómico: la irrupción de Vox en casi todas las CCAA posibilitaría a la derecha gobernar la mayoría de ellas". Electomanía (in Spanish). 6 March 2019.
22. "Estimación Mayo 2018. La Rioja. Autonómicas 2019". SyM Consulting (in Spanish). 21 May 2018.
23. "LA RIOJA. Elecciones autonómicas. Encuesta SyM Consulting. Mayo 2018". Electograph (in Spanish). 21 May 2018.
24. "El Refractómetro de NueveCuatroUno: triple empate en cabeza entre PP, PSOE y Cs". NueveCuatroUno (in Spanish). 7 May 2018.
25. "El Refractómetro de NueveCuatroUno: el PP volvería a ganar las elecciones en La Rioja". NueveCuatroUno (in Spanish). 15 May 2017.

Other

1. "Ley Orgánica 3/1982, de 9 de junio, de Estatuto de Autonomía de La Rioja". Organic Law No. 3 of 9 June 1982. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2017.
2. Reig Pellicer, Naiara (16 December 2015). "Spanish elections: Begging for the right to vote". cafebabel.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
3. "Ley 3/1991, de 21 de marzo, de elecciones a la Diputación General de La Rioja". Law No. 3 of 21 March 1991. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2017.
4. "Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General". Organic Law No. 5 of 19 June 1985. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 January 2020.
5. "2019 Parliament of La Rioja election results". argos.gva.es (in Spanish). Valencian Government. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
6. "Parliament of La Rioja elections since 1983". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Electoral History. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
7. "Minuto a minuto: Raquel Romero (Podemos) vota NO e impide el gobierno de Concha Andreu". Rioja 2 (in Spanish). 16 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
8. "Podemos tumba la investidura de Concha Andreu en La Rioja". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.