Elections to the Corts Valencianes, 1999
Encyclopedia
The Elections to the Corts Valencianes, 1999 were the fifth democratic elections to the Corts Valencianes
, the Valencian regional parliament, since the Spanish transition to democracy
and were held on 13 June of that year. As in 1995, the elections were won by the People's Party
(PP) who won an absolute majority of seats for the first time.
proportional representation
in three electoral districts corresponding to each of the three Provinces of the Valencian Community. With a total number of 89 seats, Valencia elected 37 members, Alicante 30 and Castellon 22. Only lists which polled 5% or more in the entire Valencian Community were eligible for seats. Seats were then allocated on a Provincial basis using the D'Hondt method
of allocation. This electoral system proved disadvantageous for two smaller regional parties: the Valencian Nationalist Bloc
and Unió Valenciana
(UV) both of which narrowly failed to reach the threshold. Thus, in the case in UV, in Valencia Province, despite the fact that they received more votes than United Left
(IU), they received no seats whereas IU were awarded two seats in Valencia Province.
(PSPV-PSOE) and had steadily increased their vote thereafter. UV had declined from their peak in 1991 and had also suffered internal splits which led to them missing the threshold. They were the main beneficiaries, gaining 7 seats. IU also declined from their mid 1990s peak and lost 5 of their 10 seats. Although PSOE only registered a small increase in their vote share from 34.3% to 34.4%, they gained 3 seats. BNV had been formed in 1998 as an electoral alliance of Unitat del Poble Valencià (UPV) which had been represented in the 1987-1991 Corts, with smaller regional parties such as the Valencian Nationalist Party and Alcoi Nationalists. Its 4.6% share represented an improvement on the vote of the UPV which had traditionally been around the 3% mark.
The elections produced the lowest turnout to date and saw a much lower turnout than in 1995. Out of a total of 3,361,989 voters, the turnout was 2,279,805 (67.8%) compared to 76% in 1995.
The regional leader of each party was the candidate for President. These were:-
Eduardo Zaplana was re-elected Valencian President. He resigned in July 2002 and was replaced by the Vice-President José Luis Olivas.
Additionally 35,158 votes (1.6%) were cast "en blanco" i.e. for "none of the above."
Corts Valencianes
The Corts Valencianes are the main legislative body of the Generalitat Valenciana and therefore of the Valencian Community. The main location of the Corts is in the Palace of Benicarló in Valencia; however it can meet at any location in Valencian territory. The Corts has its origins in bodies...
, the Valencian regional parliament, since the Spanish transition to democracy
Spanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
and were held on 13 June of that year. As in 1995, the elections were won by the People's Party
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
(PP) who won an absolute majority of seats for the first time.
Electoral system
The elections were held using closed listClosed list
Closed list describes the variant of party-list proportional representation where voters can only vote for political parties as a whole and thus have no influence on the party-supplied order in which party candidates are elected...
proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
in three electoral districts corresponding to each of the three Provinces of the Valencian Community. With a total number of 89 seats, Valencia elected 37 members, Alicante 30 and Castellon 22. Only lists which polled 5% or more in the entire Valencian Community were eligible for seats. Seats were then allocated on a Provincial basis using the D'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
of allocation. This electoral system proved disadvantageous for two smaller regional parties: the Valencian Nationalist Bloc
Valencian Nationalist Bloc
The Valencian Nationalist Bloc is a Valencian nationalist party in the Valencian Country, Spain. It is the largest party in the Coalició Compromís....
and Unió Valenciana
Unió Valenciana
Valencian Union was a nationalist political party in the Valencian Community, Spain....
(UV) both of which narrowly failed to reach the threshold. Thus, in the case in UV, in Valencia Province, despite the fact that they received more votes than United Left
United Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
(IU), they received no seats whereas IU were awarded two seats in Valencia Province.
Election results
The results would continue the trends which had been seen in the 1990s in the Valencian Community. Beginning in 1993, PP had overtaken the Spanish Socialist Workers' PartySpanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSPV-PSOE) and had steadily increased their vote thereafter. UV had declined from their peak in 1991 and had also suffered internal splits which led to them missing the threshold. They were the main beneficiaries, gaining 7 seats. IU also declined from their mid 1990s peak and lost 5 of their 10 seats. Although PSOE only registered a small increase in their vote share from 34.3% to 34.4%, they gained 3 seats. BNV had been formed in 1998 as an electoral alliance of Unitat del Poble Valencià (UPV) which had been represented in the 1987-1991 Corts, with smaller regional parties such as the Valencian Nationalist Party and Alcoi Nationalists. Its 4.6% share represented an improvement on the vote of the UPV which had traditionally been around the 3% mark.
The elections produced the lowest turnout to date and saw a much lower turnout than in 1995. Out of a total of 3,361,989 voters, the turnout was 2,279,805 (67.8%) compared to 76% in 1995.
Election of President of the Valencian Community
One of the first tasks of the newly elected deputies was to elect the President of the Valencian Community.The regional leader of each party was the candidate for President. These were:-
- for PP, Eduardo ZaplanaEduardo ZaplanaEduardo Andrés Julio Zaplana Hernández-Soro is a Spanish politician who served as the Partido Popular spokesman in the Spanish Congress of Deputies from 2004 to 2008.-Biography:...
. - for PSOE-PSPV, Antoni Asunción.
- for IU, Joan Ribó.
- for UV, Hèctor Villalba
- for BNV, Pere Mayor.
Eduardo Zaplana was re-elected Valencian President. He resigned in July 2002 and was replaced by the Vice-President José Luis Olivas.
Results
| ← |
|||
| Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| People's Party (Spain) People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... |
1,085,011 | 48.63 | 49 |
| PSPV-PSOE | 768,548 | 34.5 | 35 |
| United Left United Left (Spain) The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain... |
137.212 | 6,15 | 5 |
| Unió Valenciana Unió Valenciana Valencian Union was a nationalist political party in the Valencian Community, Spain.... |
106.119 | 4,76 | |
| Valencian Nationalist Bloc Valencian Nationalist Bloc The Valencian Nationalist Bloc is a Valencian nationalist party in the Valencian Country, Spain. It is the largest party in the Coalició Compromís.... - Greens |
102.700 | 4,6 | |
| Others | 31,517 | 1.4 | |
Additionally 35,158 votes (1.6%) were cast "en blanco" i.e. for "none of the above."