Next Asturian regional election

The next Asturian regional election will be held no later than Sunday, 28 May 2023, to elect the 12th General Junta of the Principality of Asturias. All 45 seats in the General Junta will be up for election.

Next Asturian regional election

No later than 28 May 2023
All 45 seats in the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias 23 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Leader Adrián Barbón Teresa Mallada Laura Pérez Macho Party PSOE PP Cs Leader since 17 September 2017 11 January 2019 26 June 2019 Leader's seat Central Central Central Last election 20 seats, 35.3% 10 seats, 17.5% 5 seats, 14.0% Current seats 20 10 5 Seats needed 3 13 18   Leader Lorena Gil Ángela Vallina Carmen Moriyón Party Podemos Asturies IU–IAS FAC Leader since 27 November 2018 10 March 2019 29 September 2018 Leader's seat Central Central Central Last election 4 seats, 11.0% 2 seats, 6.6% 2 seats, 6.5% Current seats 4 2 2 Seats needed 19 21 21   Leader Ignacio Blanco Party Vox Leader since 13 April 2015 Leader's seat Central Last election 2 seats, 6.4% Current seats 2 Seats needed 21
Incumbent President Adrián Barbón PSOE

Overview

Electoral system

The General Junta of the Principality of Asturias is the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Asturias, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Asturian Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.[1]

Voting for the General Junta is on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprises all nationals over eighteen, registered in Asturias and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Additionally, Asturians abroad are required to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote (Spanish: Voto rogado).[2] The 45 members of the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias are elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of three percent of valid votes—which includes blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Parties not reaching the threshold are not taken into consideration for seat distribution. Seats are allocated to constituencies, which are established as follows:

• Central District (comprising the municipalities of Aller, Avilés, Bimenes, Carreño, Caso, Castrillón, Corvera de Asturias, Gijón, Gozón, Illas, Las Regueras, Langreo, Laviana, Lena, Llanera, Mieres, Morcín, Noreña, Oviedo, Proaza, Quirós, Ribera de Arriba, Riosa, San Martín del Rey Aurelio, Santo Adriano, Sariego, Siero, Sobrescobio and Soto del Barco).
• Eastern District (comprising the municipalities of Amieva, Cabrales, Cabranes, Cangas de Onís, Caravia, Colunga, Llanes, Nava, Onís, Parres, Peñamellera Alta, Peñamellera Baja, Piloña, Ponga, Ribadedeva, Ribadesella and Villaviciosa).
• Western District (comprising the municipalities of Allande, Belmonte de Miranda, Boal, Candamo, Cangas del Narcea, Castropol, Coaña, Cudillero, Degaña, El Franco, Grado, Grandas de Salime, Ibias, Illano, Muros de Nalón, Navia, Pesoz, Pravia, Salas, San Martín de Oscos, Santa Eulalia de Oscos, San Tirso de Abres, Somiedo, Tapia de Casariego, Taramundi, Teverga, Tineo, Valdés, Vegadeo, Villanueva de Oscos, Villayón and Yernes y Tameza).

Each constituency is allocated an initial minimum of two seats, with the remaining 39 being distributed in proportion to their populations.[3]

The use of the D'Hondt method may result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.[4]

Election date

The term of the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias expires four years after the date of its previous election. Elections to the General Junta ae fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 26 May 2019, setting the election date for the General Junta on Sunday, 28 May 2023.[1][3][5]

The president has the prerogative to dissolve the General Junta and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence is in process, no nationwide election is due and some time requirements were met: namely, that dissolution does not occur either during the first legislative session or within the legislature's last year ahead of its scheduled expiry, nor before one year has elapsed since a previous dissolution 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 General Junta shall be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called. Any snap election held as a result of these circumstances will not alter the period to the next ordinary election, with elected deputies merely serving out what remains 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. 23 seats are required for an absolute majority in the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout									Lead
ElectoPanel/Electomanía[p 1][p 2]	1 Apr–15 May 2020	?	?	43.3 23	19.6 10	7.2 2	5.8 2	7.2 3	5.0 1	10.0 4	–	23.7
SyM Consulting[p 3][p 4]	4–6 May 2020	1,194	62.2	43.9 23/24	19.8 10	6.4 2	6.3 2/3	6.6 2	4.2 1	11.1 4	–	24.1
November 2019 general election	10 Nov 2019	N/A	58.1	33.3	23.2	6.7	[lower-alpha 1]	[lower-alpha 1]	[lower-alpha 2]	15.9	16.0	10.1
2019 regional election	26 May 2019	N/A	55.1	35.3 20	17.5 10	14.0 5	11.0 4	6.6 2	6.5 2	6.4 2	–	17.8

Notes

1. Within Unidas Podemos.
2. Within PP.

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "EP (17My): Asturias – absoluta para Barbón". Electomanía (in Spanish). 17 May 2020.
2. "MacroPanel Autonómico (17My): 8 gobiernos para PSOE+, 8 para PP+ y 3 para otros+". Electomanía (in Spanish). 17 May 2020.
3. "Estimación Mayo 2020. Principado de Asturias. Autonómicas 2023". SyM Consulting (in Spanish). 11 May 2020.
4. "ASTURIAS. Encuesta SyM Consulting 11/05/2020: IU-IAS 6,6% (2), PODEMOS 6,3% (2/3), PSOE 43,9% (23/24), Cs 6,4% (2), PP 19,8% (10), FORO 4,2% (1), VOX 11,1% (4)". Electograph (in Spanish). 11 May 2020.

Other

1. "Ley Orgánica 7/1981, de 30 de diciembre, de Estatuto de Autonomía del Principado de Asturias". Organic Law No. 7 of 30 December 1981. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 March 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 14/1986, de 26 de diciembre, sobre régimen de elecciones a la Junta General del Principado de Asturias". Law No. 14 of 26 December 1986. Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 March 2017.
4. Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Trinity College, Dublin. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
5. "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.