Navarrese regional election, 1991

Navarrese regional election, 1991

26 May 1991
All 50 seats in the Parliament of Navarre 26 seats needed for a majority
Registered	414,913 5.5%
Turnout	276,773 (66.7%) 6.2 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Juan Cruz Alli Gabriel Urralburu Patxi Zabaleta Party UPN PSN–PSOE HB Leader since 1987 15 June 1982 1991 Leader's seat Navarre Navarre Navarre Last election 19 seats, 35.0% 15 seats, 27.7% 7 seats, 13.5% Seats won 20 19 6 Seat change 1 4 1 Popular vote 96,005 91,645 30,762 Percentage 35.0% 33.4% 11.2% Swing 0.0 pp 5.7 pp 2.3 pp   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Fermín Ciaurriz Félix Taberna Party EA IU Leader since 1991 1991 Leader's seat Navarre Navarre Last election 4 seats, 7.0% 0 seats, 1.3% Seats won 3 2 Seat change 1 2 Popular vote 15,170 11,167 Percentage 5.5% 4.1% Swing 1.5 pp 2.8 pp
President before election Gabriel Urralburu PSN–PSOE Elected President Juan Cruz Alli UPN

The 1991 Navarrese regional election was held on Sunday, 26 May 1991, to elect the 3rd Parliament of the Foral Community of Navarre. All 50 seats in the Parliament were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in 12 other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

Electoral system

The 50 members of the Parliament of Navarre were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of 3 per 100 of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally. Parties not reaching the threshold were not taken into consideration for seat distribution.^[1][2] Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, with all nationals over eighteen, registered in Navarre and in full enjoyment of all political rights entitled to vote.

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 at least the signature of 1 per 100 of the electors entered in electoral register of Navarre. 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 from the election call.^[1][3][4]

Legal amendments earlier in 1991 established that elections were to be fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot, the candidate from the party with the highest number of seats was deemed to be automatically elected.^[2][3]

Results

← Summary of the 26 May 1991 Parliament of Navarre election results →

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Won	+/−
	Navarrese People's Union (UPN)1	96,005	34.95	–0.01	20	+1
	Socialist Party of Navarre (PSN–PSOE)	91,645	33.36	+5.68	19	+4
	Popular Unity (HB)	30,762	11.20	–2.26	6	–1
	Basque Solidarity (EA)	15,170	5.52	–1.48	3	–1
	United Left (IU)	11,167	4.07	+2.73	2	+2
	Assembly (Batzarre)	6,543	2.38	+0.31	0	±0
	Basque Country Left (EE)	5,824	2.12	–1.27	0	–1
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	5,650	2.06	–5.36	0	–4
	Livestock Agricultural Party (PAG)	3,855	1.40	New	0	±0
	Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)	3,071	1.12	+0.18	0	±0
	Carlist Party (PC)	1,353	0.49	New	0	±0
	Blank ballots	3,637	1.32	–0.07
Total		274,682	100.00		50	±0
Valid votes		274,682	99.24	+0.40
Invalid votes		2,091	0.76	–0.40
Votes cast / turnout		276,773	66.71	–6.19
Abstentions		138,140	33.29	+6.19
Registered voters		414,913
Source(s): Argos Information Portal, historiaelectoral.com
Notes: 1 Navarrese People's Union results are compared to the combined totals of Navarrese People's Union, Foral Democratic Union and People's Alliance in the 1987 election.

Aftermath

Investiture

Investiture processes to elect the President of Navarre required for an absolute majority—more than half the votes cast—to be obtained in the first ballot. If unsuccessful, a new ballot would be held 48 hours later under the same majority requirement, with successive votes requiring only of a simple majority—more affirmative than negative votes—to succeed. If such majorities were not achieved, successive candidate proposals would be processed under the same procedure. In the event of the investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot, the candidate from the party with the highest number of seats was deemed to be automatically elected.^[2]

As a result of the investiture process failing to provide a regional President within two months from the first ballot, Juan Cruz Alli was automatically elected on 18 September 1991 and officially sworn into office on 23 September.

References