2007 Castilian-Leonese regional election

The 2007 Castilian-Leonese regional election was held on Sunday, 27 May 2007, to elect the 7th Cortes of the autonomous community of Castile and León. All 83 seats in the Cortes were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

2007 Castilian-Leonese regional election

27 May 2007
All 83 seats in the Cortes of Castile and León 42 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	2,171,192 0.3%
Turnout	1,535,096 (70.7%) 2.0 pp
Leader Juan Vicente Herrera Ángel Villalba Joaquín Otero Party PP PSOE UPL–ZU Leader since 16 March 2001 22 October 2000 1997 Leader's seat Burgos León León Last election 48 seats, 48.5% 32 seats, 36.8% 2 seats, 4.0%[lower-alpha 1] Seats won 48 33 2 Seat change 0 1 0 Popular vote 748,746 574,596 41,519 Percentage 49.2% 37.7% 2.7% Swing 0.7 pp 0.9 pp 1.3 pp
Constituency results map for the Cortes of Castile and León
President before election Juan Vicente Herrera PP Elected President Juan Vicente Herrera PP

Overview

Electoral system

The Cortes of Castile and León were the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Castile and León, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Castilian-Leonese Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a President of the Junta.[1] Voting for the Cortes was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in Castile and León and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

All members of the Cortes of Castile and León 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.[2] Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid and Zamora. Each constituency was entitled to an initial minimum of three seats, being allocated one additional member per each 45,000 inhabitants or fraction greater than 22,500.[1][3]

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.[3][4][5]

Election date

The term of the Cortes of Castile and León expired four years after the date of their previous election. Elections to the Cortes were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 25 May 2003, setting the election date for the Cortes on Sunday, 27 May 2007.[1][3][4][5]

The President of the Junta had the prerogative to dissolve the Cortes of Castile and León 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 Cortes were 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 procurators merely serving out what remained of their four-year terms.[1][6]

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. 42 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Cortes of Castile and León.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout			UPL		CI	Lead
2007 regional election	27 May 2007	N/A	70.7	49.2 48	37.7 33	2.7 2	3.1 0	1.1 0	11.5
Ipsos/RTVE–FORTA[p 1]	27 May 2007	?	?	? 44/47	? 34/37	? 1/2	? 0/1	? 0/1	?
Celeste-Tel/Terra[p 2][p 3]	9–15 May 2007	?	?	47.8 47/48	36.8 32/33	4.1 2/3	4.0 1	–	11.0
Telecyl/El Norte de Castilla[p 4]	7–11 May 2007	1,800	70.4	48.8 47/50	36.9 32/35	2.1 1	3.9 1	–	11.9
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 5][p 6][p 7]	27 Apr–8 May 2007	1,600	?	49.0 43/48	40.4 34/38	1.7 1	3.8 0/1	–	8.6
CIS[p 8][p 9]	9 Apr–6 May 2007	2,991	?	48.1 47	36.5 32	3.9 3	3.9 1	–	11.6
Sigma Dos/El Mundo[p 10][p 11][p 12]	16–24 Nov 2006	?	?	49.1 43/45	40.6 35/37	3.2 2	4.2 0	–	8.5
Telecyl/El Norte de Castilla[lower-alpha 2][p 13][p 14]	23–30 Oct 2006	874	70.4	47.9	34.8	3.7	3.3	–	13.1
Telecyl/El Norte de Castilla[lower-alpha 2][p 15]	11–20 May 2006	820	74.0	45.7	35.9	1.1	3.1	–	9.8
2004 EP election	13 Jun 2004	N/A	52.3	53.1 49	41.6 33	–	2.4 0	–	11.5
2004 general election	14 Mar 2004	N/A	77.8	50.3 45	41.9 37	0.8 0	2.8 0	0.1 0	8.4
2003 regional election	25 May 2003	N/A	72.7	48.5 48	36.8 32	3.8 2	3.4 0	0.7 0	11.7

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 27 May 2007 Cortes of Castile and León election results →

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Party (PP)	748,746	49.17	+0.68	48	±0
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	574,596	37.73	+0.96	33	+1
	United Left–The Greens–Commitment for Castile and León (IU–LV–CyL)	46,878	3.08	–0.37	0	±0
	Leonese People's Union–United Zamora (UPL–ZU)^1	41,519	2.73	–1.28	2	±0
	Alternative for Castile and León (ACAL)	17,496	1.15	–0.19	0	±0
	Commoners' Land–Alternative for Castile and León (TC–ACAL)	16,069	1.06	–0.13	0	±0
	Party of El Bierzo–Alternative for Castile and León (PB–ACAL)	1,427	0.09	–0.06	0	±0
	Independent Candidacy–The Party of Castile and León (CI–PCL)	16,435	1.08	+0.37	0	±0
	Union of the Salamancan People (UPSa)	7,965	0.52	+0.10	0	±0
	The Greens (LV)	5,562	0.37	–0.10	0	±0
	The Greens of Europe (LVE)	5,481	0.36	New	0	±0
	Leonese Autonomist Party–Leonesist Unity (PAL–UL)	4,972	0.33	New	0	±0
	Initiative for the Development of Soria (IDES)	3,760	0.25	+0.13	0	±0
	Zamoran Independent Electors–Zamoran People's Union (ADEIZA–UPZ)	3,241	0.21	+0.08	0	±0
	Republican Left (IR)	2,941	0.19	+0.04	0	±0
	Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL)	1,713	0.11	–0.01	0	±0
	National Democracy (DN)	1,522	0.10	New	0	±0
	Independent Segovian Alternative (ASí)	1,214	0.08	±0.00	0	±0
	Citizens of Burgos (CiBu)	1,148	0.08	New	0	±0
	Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS)^2	1,147	0.08	+0.04	0	±0
	Communist Party of the Castilian People (PCPC)	1,121	0.07	New	0	±0
	Regionalist Party of El Bierzo (PRB)	1,028	0.07	±0.00	0	±0
	Regionalist Unity of Castile and León (URCL)	914	0.06	–0.28	0	±0
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	713	0.05	–0.14	0	±0
	The Phalanx (FE)	559	0.04	–0.04	0	±0
	Citizens' Group (AGRUCI)	523	0.03	New	0	±0
	Humanist Party (PH)	462	0.03	–0.10	0	±0
	Liberal Democratic Centre (CDL)	330	0.02	New	0	±0
	Liberal Centrist Union (UCL)	315	0.02	–0.02	0	±0
	Authentic Phalanx (FA)	290	0.02	±0.00	0	±0
Blank ballots		30,200	1.98	–0.32
Total		1,522,791			83	+1
Valid votes		1,522,791	99.20	+0.06
Invalid votes		12,305	0.80	–0.06
Votes cast / turnout		1,535,096	70.70	–1.96
Abstentions		636,096	29.30	+1.96
Registered voters		2,171,192
Sources[7][8][9]

Popular vote PP   49.17% PSOE   37.73% IU–LV–CyL   3.08% UPL   2.73% ACAL   1.15% CI–PCL   1.08% Others   3.08% Blank ballots   1.98%

Seats PP   57.83% PSOE   39.76% UPL   2.41%

Distribution by constituency

Constituency	PP		PSOE		UPL
	%	S	%	S	%	S
Ávila	58.9	5	32.3	2
Burgos	51.6	7	35.3	4
León	39.6	6	39.7	6	13.4	2
Palencia	49.2	4	40.2	3
Salamanca	53.0	7	37.6	4
Segovia	52.9	4	37.5	2
Soria	50.4	3	36.7	2
Valladolid	48.8	8	38.9	7
Zamora	51.2	4	37.3	3	0.6	−
Total	49.2	48	37.7	33	2.7	2
Sources[7][8][9]

Aftermath

Investiture Juan Vicente Herrera (PP)
Ballot →		27 June 2007
Required majority →		42 out of 83
	Yes • PP (48)	48 / 83
	No • PSOE (33) • UPL (2)	35 / 83
	Abstentions	0 / 83
	Absentees	0 / 83
Sources[9]

Notes

1. Aggregated data for UPL and ZU in the 2003 election.
2. Undecided and/or abstentionists excluded.

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "Sólo Navarra y Baleares podrían cambiar de gobierno, según el sondeo de RTVE y FORTA". Europa Press (in Spanish). 27 May 2007.
2. "Vuelco electoral en Navarra, Baleares y Canarias y aplastante victoria del PP en Madrid". Terra (in Spanish). 17 May 2007. Archived from the original on 20 May 2007.
3. "Encuestas autonómicas". Celeste-Tel (in Spanish). 17 May 2007. Archived from the original on 11 May 2009.
4. "El PP mantiene intacta su hegemonía en la región a una semana de las elecciones". El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). 19 May 2007. Archived from the original on 23 May 2007.
5. "Sondeo de Sigma Dos: El PP renovaría siete autonomías y podría perder dos". El Mundo (in Spanish). 12 May 2007.
6. "Herrera suma otra victoria". El Mundo (in Spanish). 12 May 2007.
7. "Elecciones 27-M / Sondeo El Mundo-Sigma Dos". El Mundo (in Spanish). 12 May 2007.
8. "Preelectoral elecciones autonómicas, 2007. CA de Castilla y León (Estudio nº 2693. Abril-Mayo 2007)" (PDF). CIS (in Spanish). 11 May 2007.
9. "La aritmética juega en contra del PSOE sólo en las islas Canarias". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 12 May 2007.
10. "El PP y el PSOE mantendrán sus gobiernos autonómicos, aunque los socialistas bajan". El Mundo (in Spanish). 27 November 2006.
11. "Herrera se mantiene pero pierde votos". El Mundo (in Spanish). 27 November 2006. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011.
12. "El voto en las comunidades. Elecciones autonómicas 2007" (PDF). El Mundo (in Spanish). 27 November 2006.
13. "El PP volvería a repetir mayoría absoluta si hubiera elecciones autonómicas ahora". El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). 12 November 2006. Archived from the original on 5 May 2007.
14. "Herrera aumenta su ventaja sobre el PSOE en la carrera por la Junta de Castilla y León". Periodista Digital (in Spanish). 12 November 2006.
15. "El PP volvería a lograr mayoría absoluta si hubiera elecciones autonómicas ahora". El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). 3 June 2006.

Other

1. "Statute of Autonomy of Castile and León of 1983". Organic Law No. 4 of 25 February 1983. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2017.
2. 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.
3. "Castile and León Electoral Law of 1987". Law No. 3 of 30 March 1987. Official Gazette of Castile and León (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2017.
4. "General Electoral System Organic Law of 1985". Organic Law No. 5 of 19 June 1985. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2016.
5. "Representation of the people Institutional Act". www.juntaelectoralcentral.es. Central Electoral Commission. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
6. "Statute of Autonomy of Castile and León Reform of 1999". Organic Law No. 4 of 8 January 1999. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2017.
7. "Elections to the Cortes of Castile and León". servicios.jcyl.es (in Spanish). Junta of Castile and León. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
8. "Cortes of Castile and León election results, 27 May 2007" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Castile and León. 30 July 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
9. "Elecciones a Cortes de Castilla y León (1983 - 2019)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 September 2017.