The 2023 Spanish local elections were held on Sunday, 28 May 2023, to elect all 66,976 councillors in the municipalities of Spain, all 1,191 provincial seats in 41 provinces (including 38 provincial deputations and three Basque General Assemblies) and 233 seats in eleven island councils (seven Canarian island cabildos and four Balearic island councils). The elections were held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve autonomous communities, as well as local elections in the three foral deputations of the Basque Country, the four island councils in the Balearic Islands and the seven island cabildos in the Canary Islands.
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All 66,976 councillors in 8,132 municipal councils All 1,424 provincial/island seats in 44 provinces[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Opinion polls | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 35,534,425  0.7% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 22,714,076 (63.9%) 1.3 pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Provincial results map for municipal elections | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The elections took place following a period of instability dominated by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and its political and economical consequences, including the worst worldwide recession since the Great Depression resulting from the massive lockdowns enforced to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the economic impact of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The People's Party (PP) emerged as the first force and, despite winning the popular vote to the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) by just three percentage points, was able to flip the control of a large number of major cities. This outcome prompted Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap general election for July, which led to an insufficient PP victory and to Sánchez's re-election as PM.
Electoral system
editMunicipal elections
editMunicipalities in Spain were local corporations with independent legal personality. They had a governing body, the municipal council or corporation, composed of a mayor, deputy mayors and the elected plenary assembly.[1] Elections to the local councils in Spain were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years.[2]
Voting for the local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the corresponding municipality and in full enjoyment of their political rights, as well as resident non-national European citizens and those whose country of origin allowed Spanish nationals to vote in their own elections by virtue of a treaty. Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each local council. Councillors were allocated to municipal councils based on the following scale:
| Population | Councillors |
|---|---|
| <100 | 3 |
| 100–250 | 5 |
| 251–1,000 | 7 |
| 1,001–2,000 | 9 |
| 2,001–5,000 | 11 |
| 5,001–10,000 | 13 |
| 10,001–20,000 | 17 |
| 20,001–50,000 | 21 |
| 50,001–100,000 | 25 |
| >100,001 | +1 per each 100,000 inhabitants or fraction +1 if total is an even number |
Councillors of municipalities with populations below 250 inhabitants were elected under an open list partial block voting, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties: for up to four candidates in municipalities with populations between 100 and 250 inhabitants; and for up to two candidates in municipalities below 100. This did not apply to municipalities which, as a result of their geographical location or the convenience of a better management of municipal interests or other circumstances, made it advisable to be organized through the open council system (Spanish: régimen de concejo abierto), in which voters directly elected the local mayor.[1][2]
The mayor was indirectly elected by the plenary assembly. A legal clause required that mayoral candidates earn the vote of an absolute majority of councillors, or else the candidate of the most-voted party in the assembly was to be automatically appointed to the post. In the event of a tie, a toss-up would determine the appointee.
The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of a determined amount of the electors registered in the municipality for which they sought election:
- At least one percent of the electors in municipalities with a population below 5,000 inhabitants, provided that the number of signers was more than double that of councillors at stake.
- At least 100 signatures in municipalities with a population between 5,001 and 10,000.
- At least 500 signatures in municipalities with a population between 10,001 and 50,000.
- At least 1,500 signatures in municipalities with a population between 50,001 and 150,000.
- At least 3,000 signatures in municipalities with a population between 150,001 and 300,000.
- At least 5,000 signatures in municipalities with a population between 300,001 and 1,000,000.
- At least 8,000 signatures in municipalities with a population over 1,000,001.
Electors were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.[2]
Deputations and island councils
editProvincial deputations were the governing bodies of provinces in Spain, having an administration role of municipal activities and composed of a provincial president, an administrative body, and a plenary. Basque provinces had foral deputations instead—called General Assemblies (Spanish: Juntas Generales)—, whereas deputations for single-province autonomous communities were abolished and their functions transferred to the corresponding regional parliaments in 1982–1983. For insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, deputations were replaced by island councils in each of the islands or group of islands. For Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera this figure was referred to in Spanish as consejo insular (Catalan: consell insular), whereas for Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma its name was cabildo insular.
Most deputations were indirectly elected by local councillors from municipalities in each judicial district. Seats were allocated to provincial deputations based on the following scale:
| Population | Seats |
|---|---|
| <500,000 | 25 |
| 500,001–1,000,000 | 27 |
| 1,000,001–3,500,000 | 31 |
| >3,500,001 | 51 |
Island councils and foral deputations were elected directly by electors under their own, specific electoral regulations.[2]
Campaign
editParty slogans
edit| Party or alliance | Original slogan | English translation | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSOE | « Vota lo que piensas » | "Vote for what you think" | [3] | |
| PP | « Entre todos » | "Between everyone" | [4] | |
| Cs | « Libérate » | "Free yourself" | [5] | |
| Unidas Podemos | « Valentía para transformar » | "Courage to transform" | [6] | |
| Vox | « Vota seguro » | "Vote safely" | [7] | |
Alleged vote-buying
editDuring the month of May 2023, amidst the local elections campaign in Spain, numerous instances of vote-buying came to light in various municipalities across the country. These incidents implicated a wide range of political parties, including among others the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), the People's Party (PP) and Coalition for Melilla (CpM). Despite the scandal starting in Melilla, it later expanded to other municipalities in the south of Spain.[8][9]
Timetable
editThe key dates are listed below (all times are CET. The Canary Islands use WET (UTC+0) instead):[2]
- 3 April: The election decree is issued with the countersign of the Prime Minister, ratified by the King.
- 4 April: Publication of the election decree in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and beginning of a suspension period of events for the inauguration of public works, services or projects.
- 7 April: Initial constitution of provincial and zone electoral commissions.
- 14 April: Deadline for parties and federations intending to enter into a coalition to inform the relevant electoral commission.
- 24 April: Deadline for parties, federations, coalitions, and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates to the relevant electoral commission.
- 26 April: Submitted lists of candidates are provisionally published in the BOE.
- 29 April: Deadline for citizens entered in the Register of Absent Electors Residing Abroad (CERA) and for citizens temporarily absent from Spain to apply for voting.
- 30 April: Deadline for parties, federations, coalitions, and groupings of electors to rectify irregularities in their lists.
- 1 May: Official proclamation of valid submitted lists of candidates.
- 2 May: Proclaimed lists are published in the BOE.
- 12 May: Official start of electoral campaigning.
- 18 May: Deadline to apply for postal voting.
- 23 May: Official start of legal ban on electoral opinion polling publication, dissemination or reproduction and deadline for CERA citizens to vote by mail.
- 24 May: Deadline for postal and temporarily absent voters to issue their votes.
- 26 May: Last day of official electoral campaigning and deadline for CERA citizens to vote in a ballot box in the relevant consular office or division.
- 27 May: Official 24-hour ban on political campaigning prior to the general election (reflection day).
- 28 May: Polling day (polling stations open at 9 am and close at 8 pm or once voters present in a queue at/outside the polling station at 8 pm have cast their vote). Provisional counting of votes starts immediately.
Opinion polls
editResults
editOverall
edit| Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Counc. | Provincial seats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− | P. dep | O. dep | T. dep | +/− | ||
| People's Party (PP) | 7,077,604 | 31.62 | +8.96 | 23,451 | +3,069 | 445 | 82 | 527 | +110 | |
| Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) | 6,298,423 | 28.14 | –1.28 | 20,805 | –1,572 | 406 | 86 | 492 | –56 | |
| Vox (Vox) | 1,605,961 | 7.18 | +3.48 | 1,671 | +1,124 | 35 | 14 | 49 | +36 | |
| United We Can (Unidas Podemos) | 1,406,170 | 6.28 | –2.48 | 1,938 | –721 | 22 | 9 | 31 | –39 | |
| We Can (Podemos) | 82,791 | 0.37 | –1.17 | 22 | –232 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –10 | |
| Together for Catalonia–Municipal Commitment (CM)1 | 553,872 | 2.47 | +0.02 | 2,687 | –117 | 40 | — | 40 | +5 | |
| Republican Left of Catalonia–Municipal Agreement (ERC–AM) | 526,242 | 2.35 | –1.29 | 2,906 | –219 | 36 | — | 36 | –11 | |
| More Country–Greens Equo (MP–VQ) | 452,511 | 2.02 | –0.50 | 89 | +48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Greens Equo (VQ) | 7,839 | 0.04 | –0.01 | 8 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Basque Country Gather (EH Bildu) | 366,113 | 1.64 | +0.11 | 1,398 | +135 | — | 51 | 51 | +12 | |
| Commitment Coalition: Agreement to Win (Compromís) | 332,371 | 1.49 | –0.03 | 673 | –61 | 6 | — | 6 | –2 | |
| Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (CS) | 323,934 | 1.45 | –7.72 | 591 | –2,202 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –61 | |
| Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | 323,274 | 1.44 | –0.35 | 988 | –77 | — | 55 | 55 | –7 | |
| Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) | 249,078 | 1.11 | +0.26 | 591 | +135 | 16 | — | 16 | +5 | |
| Canarian Coalition (CCa) | 172,056 | 0.77 | –0.01 | 308 | +2 | — | 41 | 41 | +3 | |
| Popular Unity Candidacy–Municipalist Alternative (CUP–AMunt) | 134,753 | 0.60 | –0.18 | 315 | –21 | 2 | — | 2 | +1 | |
| Navarrese People's Union (UPN)2 | 82,037 | 0.37 | –0.09 | 250 | –48 | — | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| New Canaries–Canarist Broad Front (NC–FAC) | 75,098 | 0.34 | ±0.00 | 118 | +13 | — | 13 | 13 | +2 | |
| Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) | 60,093 | 0.27 | –0.09 | 298 | –53 | — | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| Andalusia by Herself–Andalusian Unity (AxSí–UA) | 59,707 | 0.27 | +0.05 | 119 | +13 | 0 | — | 0 | –1 | |
| Now Local Agreement (Ara PL) | 55,276 | 0.25 | New | 186 | +186 | 1 | — | 1 | +1 | |
| Animalist Party with the Environment (PACMA) | 52,557 | 0.23 | +0.03 | 0 | ±0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Asturias Forum (Foro) | 51,291 | 0.23 | +0.10 | 38 | –11 | — | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| More for Mallorca (Més) | 46,008 | 0.21 | +0.01 | 116 | –4 | — | 4 | 4 | ±0 | |
| Forward Andalusia (Adelante Andalucía) | 44,610 | 0.20 | New | 9 | +9 | 0 | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| Leonese People's Union (UPL) | 36,750 | 0.16 | +0.07 | 234 | +83 | 4 | — | 4 | +3 | |
| Empty Spain (España Vaciada) | 35,991 | 0.16 | +0.12 | 262 | +219 | 4 | — | 4 | +4 | |
| Riojan Party+Empty Spain (PR+EV) | 6,297 | 0.03 | –0.01 | 16 | –27 | — | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| Brave (Valents) | 32,519 | 0.15 | New | 3 | +3 | 0 | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| Aragonese Union (CHA) | 30,185 | 0.13 | –0.01 | 133 | +0.15 | 1 | — | 1 | +1 | |
| All for Terrassa (TxT) | 26,732 | 0.12 | ±0.00 | 11 | +1 | 1 | — | 1 | ±0 | |
| Citizens' Movement of Cartagena (MCC) | 23,947 | 0.11 | ±0.00 | 8 | ±0 | — | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| El Pi–Proposal for the Isles (El Pi) | 20,533 | 0.09 | –0.05 | 67 | –32 | — | 2 | 2 | –1 | |
| Neighbors' Alternative (AV) | 20,182 | 0.09 | ±0.00 | 32 | +4 | 1 | — | 1 | ±0 | |
| Aragonese Party (PAR) | 20,146 | 0.09 | –0.10 | 338 | –323 | 2 | — | 2 | –6 | |
| Union of Independent Citizens (UCIN) | 19,997 | 0.09 | +0.01 | 66 | –7 | 0 | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| Ourensan Democracy (DO) | 19,349 | 0.09 | +0.03 | 11 | +2 | 3 | — | 3 | +1 | |
| Yes to the Future (GBai) | 19,261 | 0.09 | ±0.00 | 44 | –6 | — | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| For Ávila (XAV) | 17,443 | 0.08 | +0.01 | 142 | +62 | 5 | — | 5 | +1 | |
| La Línea 100x100 (LL100x100) | 17,238 | 0.08 | +0.01 | 22 | +1 | 2 | — | 2 | ±0 | |
| United for Gran Canaria (UxGC) | 15,850 | 0.07 | New | 11 | +11 | — | 0 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Blank Seats to Leave Empty Seats (EB) | 15,757 | 0.07 | +0.06 | 0 | –2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ±0 | |
| With You, We Are Democracy (Contigo) | 13,561 | 0.06 | –0.04 | 19 | –1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ±0 | |
| All for Empordà (Txl'E) | 12,799 | 0.06 | +0.03 | 79 | +45 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ±0 | |
| It Unites Us (Ens Uneix)3 | 11,971 | 0.05 | –0.01 | 38 | +10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ±0 | |
| Union for Leganés (ULEG) | 11,408 | 0.05 | –0.01 | 3 | –1 | — | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| For My Town (PMP) | 11,182 | 0.05 | +0.01 | 37 | +14 | 0 | — | 0 | ±0 | |
| Citizens for Canarian Change (CIUCA) | 10,223 | 0.05 | +0.01 | 7 | –6 | — | 0 | 0 | ±0 | |
| Independents of La Selva (IdSelva) | 8,091 | 0.04 | ±0.00 | 50 | +2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ±0 | |
| More for Menorca (MxMe) | 7,978 | 0.04 | ±0.00 | 24 | –4 | — | 2 | 2 | –1 | |
| Zamora Yes (ZSí) | 7,731 | 0.03 | New | 100 | +100 | 1 | — | 1 | +1 | |
| Gomera Socialist Group (ASG) | 5,736 | 0.03 | +0.01 | 36 | +2 | — | 11 | 11 | ±0 | |
| Let's Go Palencia (VP) | 4,177 | 0.02 | New | 3 | +3 | 1 | — | 1 | +1 | |
| Feel Aranda (Sentir Aranda) | 4,118 | 0.02 | New | 6 | +6 | 1 | — | 1 | +1 | |
| Municipal Assemblies of Fuerteventura (AMF) | 3,159 | 0.01 | ±0.00 | 6 | +2 | — | 2 | 2 | +2 | |
| Yes We Can (SSP) | 2,564 | 0.01 | –0.04 | 8 | –12 | — | 0 | 0 | –2 | |
| Cuenca Unites Us (CNU) | 2,244 | 0.01 | –0.02 | 2 | –4 | 0 | — | 0 | –1 | |
| Independent Herrenian Group (AHI) | 1,647 | 0.01 | ±0.00 | 9 | +3 | — | 4 | 4 | +1 | |
| Initiative for La Gomera (IxLG) | 1,571 | 0.01 | New | 7 | +7 | — | 2 | 2 | +2 | |
| Herrenian Assembly (AH) | 1,524 | 0.01 | New | 8 | +8 | — | 3 | 3 | –1 | |
| People for Formentera (GxF) | 1,030 | 0.00 | –0.01 | 5 | –1 | — | 5 | 5 | –1 | |
| Sorian People's Platform (PPSO) | n/a | n/a | –0.02 | 0 | –78 | — | — | 0 | –3 | |
| Others | 1,230,088 | 5.50 | — | 5,623 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Blank ballots | 307,220 | 1.37 | +0.43 | |||||||
| Total | 22,380,941 | 66,976 | ±0 | 1,038 | 386 | 1,424 | ±0 | |||
| Valid votes | 22,380,941 | 98.53 | –0.55 | |||||||
| Invalid votes | 333,135 | 1.47 | +0.55 | |||||||
| Votes cast / turnout | 22,714,076 | 63.92 | –1.27 | |||||||
| Abstentions | 12,822,069 | 36.08 | +1.27 | |||||||
| Registered voters | 35,534,425 | |||||||||
| Sources[10][11] | ||||||||||
Footnotes:
| ||||||||||
City control
editThe following table lists party control in provincial capitals, as well as in municipalities with a population above or around 75,000. Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
Deputation control
editThe following table lists party control in provincial deputations. Gains for a party are highlighted in that party's colour.
See also
edit- 2023 Aranese Council election
- 2023 Basque foral elections
- 2023 Balearic Island Council elections
- 2023 Canarian Island Cabildo elections
- 2023 Ceuta Assembly election
- 2023 Barcelona City Council election
- 2023 Madrid City Council election
- 2023 Melilla Assembly election
- 2023 Seville City Council election
- 2023 Valencia City Council election
- 2023 Zaragoza City Council election
Notes
edit- ^ Including 38 provincial deputations, 7 Canarian island cabildos, 4 Balearic island councils and 3 Basque General Assemblies.
- ^ Ex-CS.
References
edit- ^ a b Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local (Law 7) (in Spanish). 2 April 1985. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General (Organic Law 5) (in Spanish). 19 June 1985. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "'PSOE centra su spot de campaña en pensiones, igualdad y jóvenes con un rap y bajo el lema 'vota lo que piensas'". Europa Press (in Spanish). 12 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "Entre todos, un programa para ti" (PDF). PP (in Spanish). 2 February 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "Ciudadanos lanza su campaña 'Libérate'". Ciudadanos (in Spanish). 15 March 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "'Valentía para transformar', lema de Podemos para los comicios del 28M". Europa Press (in Spanish). 1 April 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "Vox se presenta como el voto "seguro"". Europa Press (in Spanish). 11 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "Spain rocked by vote-buying scheme ahead of local elections". Madrid/Melilla. EFE. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ Velasco, Marina (25 May 2023). "Todos los intentos de fraude electoral (y los bulos) que enfangan esta campaña". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales". Ministry of the Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ "Elecciones Municipales (resultados globales desde 2015)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 April 2024.