1983 Canarian regional election

Election in the Spanish region of the Canary Islands 1983 Canarian regional election Canary Islands parliamentary no 1987 Canarian regional election 1987 All 60 seats in the Parliament of the Canary Islands 31 #Opinion polls 925,572 577,670 (62.4%) 8 May 1983 170x170px Jerónimo Saavedra Socialist Party of the Canaries 1977 Gran Canaria 27 233,991 41.5% 170x170px Francisco Marcos Hernández People's Coalition (Spain, 1983) 1983 Tenerife 17 163,419 29.0% 170x170px Lorenzo Olarte Democratic and Social Centre (Spain) 1983 Gran Canaria 6 40,789 7.2% 170x170px Miguel Cabrera Cabrera Majorera Assembly 1983 Fuerteventura 3 5,551 1.0% 170x170px Gonzalo Angulo González UPC–AC 1983 Gran Canaria 2 46,784 8.3% 170x170px Esteban Bethencourt Gámez AGI 1983 La Gomera 2 3,294 0.6% CanaryDistrictMapParliament1983.png 400px Constituency results map for the Parliament of the Canary Islands President President after election Jerónimo Saavedra Socialist Party of the Canaries Jerónimo Saavedra Socialist Party of the Canaries A regional election was held in the Canary Islands on 8 May 1983 to elect the 1st Parliament of the autonomous community. All 60 seats in the Parliament were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all across Spain. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) emerged as the largest party in the archipelago with 27 seats—4 short of an overall majority—following the disintegration and dissolution of the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), the former ruling party of Spain in the 1977–1982 period which had achieved virtually unopposed victories in the islands in the 1977 and 1979 general elections.Martín Carmelo 10 May 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/05/10/espana/421365629_850215.html Nueve fuerzas en el Parlamento autónomo es El País Tenerife 30 June 2026 The People's Coalition, an electoral alliance comprising the People's Alliance (AP), the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Liberal Union (UL) became the second largest party and the main opposition force in the Parliament with 17 seats, while the also-nationwide Communist Party of Spain (PCE) obtained 1 seat. The centre and centre-right vote became further split between several small parties and splits from the UCD, such as the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) of former Spanish prime minister Adolfo Suárez, which entered Parliament with 6 seats; the Gomera Group of Independents (AGI), with 2 seats; or the Canarian Nationalist Convergence (CNC) and the Independent Herrenian Group (AHI) with 1 seat each. The election resulted in the most fragmented regional assembly of those elected on 8 May, with nine parties represented in the Parliament.9 May 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/05/09/espana/421279201_850215.html El PSOE domina 12 de las 17 comunidades autónomas es El País Madrid 30 June 202610 May 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/05/10/espana/421365619_850215.html Los socialistas deberán pactar en cinco comunidades atonómas para gobernar es El País 30 June 2026 The PSOE candidate Jerónimo Saavedra, who had been elected as provisional president in December 1982,Martín Carmelo 30 December 1982 https://elpais.com/diario/1982/12/30/espana/410050823_850215.html El socialista Jerónimo Saavedra, elegido presidente del Gobierno canario es El País Tenerife 30 June 2026 was able to get re-elected with the support of AM, AGI and AHI,Martín Carmelo 8 June 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/06/08/espana/423871227_850215.html Jerónimo Saavedra, elegido presidente del Gobierno canario es El País Tenerife 30 June 2026Talavera Diego 12 June 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/06/12/espana/424216826_850215.html Jerónimo Saavedra asumió la presidencia del Gobierno canario es El País Las Palmas 30 June 2026 though the party did not commit itself to a global agreement with any other political force.Martín Carmelo 17 May 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/05/17/espana/421970414_850215.html El PSOE de Canarias descarta un pacto global con otros grupos es El País Tenerife 30 June 2026 Overview Under the 1982 Statute of Autonomy, the Parliament of the Canary Islands was the unicameral legislature of the homonymous autonomous community, having legislative power in devolved matters, as well as the ability to grant or withdraw confidence from a regional president.Statute 1982 arts. 8, 12 & 16. The electoral and procedural rules were supplemented by national law provisions (which were those used in the 1977 general election).Statute 1982 trans. prov. 1; Royal Decree 453/1983 1983 art. 3. Date The Government of Spain, in coordination with the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, was required to call an election to the Parliament of the Canary Islands within from 1 February to 31 May 1983.Statute 1982 trans. prov. 1. The Parliament of the Canary Islands could not be dissolved before the expiration date of parliament, except in the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot. In such a case, the Parliament was to be automatically dissolved and a snap election called, with elected lawmakers serving the remainder of its original four-year term.Statute 1982 art. 16. On 7 March 1983, it was confirmed that the first Parliament election would be held on 8 May, together with regional elections for twelve other autonomous communities as well as the regularly scheduled nationwide local elections.8 March 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/03/08/espana/415926002_850215.html Se confirma el 8 de mayo como la fecha de las elecciones locales es El País 1 January 20269 March 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/03/09/espana/416012413_850215.html Hoy se hará oficial la convocatoria de elecciones locales para el 8 de mayo es El País Madrid 1 January 202610 March 1983 https://elpais.com/diario/1983/03/10/portada/416098801_850215.html Convocadas las elecciones locales y autonómicas para el domingo 8 de mayo es El País 1 January 2026 The election to the Parliament of the Canary Islands was officially called on 10 March 1983 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the Official Journal of Extremadura, setting election day for 8 May.Royal Decree 453/1983 1983 art. 1. Electoral system Voting for the Parliament was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered in the Canary Islands and with full political rights.Statute 1982 arts. 8–9 (suppl. supplemented by Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 2). The Parliament of the Canary Islands had 60 seats in its first election. All were elected in seven multi-member constituencies—corresponding to the islands of El Hierro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma, Lanzarote and Tenerife, each of which was assigned a fixed number of seats—using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a 20 percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency or three percent regionally.Statute 1982 art. 8 & trans. prov. 1. As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Parliament constituency was entitled the following seats:Statute 1982 trans. prov. 1; Royal Decree 453/1983 1983 art. 2. Seats Constituencies 15 Gran Canaria, Tenerife 8 La Palma, Lanzarote 7 Fuerteventura 4 La Gomera 3 El Hierro The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacant seats; instead, any vacancies arising after the proclamation of candidates and during the legislative term were filled by the next candidates on the party lists or, when required, by designated substitutes.Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 art. 20. Provisional parliament The regional Statute established a provisional assembly—to remain in place until an election to the actual Cortes of Aragon could be held—which was to be made up of 60 members designated by political parties in proportion to the result of the preceding Spanish general election (distributed by applying regional election rules to island results).Statute 1982 trans. prov. 8. As a result, the composition of the Provisional Parliament of the Canary Islands, upon its constitution in December 1982, was as indicated below:Martín Carmelo 20 December 1982 https://elpais.com/diario/1982/12/20/espana/409186810_850215.html Posible control socialista del gobierno autónomo de Canarias es El País Tenerife 30 April 2026 Groups Parties Legislators Seats Total Socialist Parliamentary Group PSOE 24 24 People's Parliamentary Group AP–PDP 16 16 Centrist Parliamentary Group INDEP 14 14 Mixed Group CDS 3 6 UPC 2 CC 1 Opinion polls The tables below list opinion polling results 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 poll. Voting intention estimates The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font; 31 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of the Canary Islands. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size Turnout 27px|link=Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain)|UCD 17px|link=Socialist Party of the Canaries|PSOE UPC 35px|link=People's Coalition (Spain)|AP–PDP–PL 30px|link=Communist Party of the Canaries|PCC 27px|link=Democratic and Social Centre (Spain)|CDS CNC AC AM AGI 32px|link=Independent Herrenian Group|AHI Lead 1983 regional election 8 May 1983 62.4 – 41.575% Verdana 27 8.375% Verdana 2 29.075% Verdana 17 4.475% Verdana 1 7.275% Verdana 6 4.375% Verdana 1 "UPC" Within UPC. 1.075% Verdana 3 0.675% Verdana 2 0.275% Verdana 1 12.5 Sofemasa/El PaísHolgada mayoría socialista en el Parlamento autonómico https://elpais.com/diario/1983/05/01/espana/420588017_850215.html es El País 1 May 1983Ficha técnica de los sondeos http://elpais.com/diario/1983/05/01/espana/420588007_850215.html es El País 1 May 1983 23–26 Apr 1983?? –?75% Verdana 35/40 –?75% Verdana 12/20 – – – –?75% Verdana 3/4 – –? 1982 general election 28 Oct 1982 76.0 16.475% Verdana (14) 36.775% Verdana (24) 5.475% Verdana (2) 26.9"CD/AP–PDP" Results for CD (1979) and AP–PDP (1982).75% Verdana (16) "AC" Within AC. 4.975% Verdana (3) 3.975% Verdana (1) 2.975% Verdana (0) – – – 9.8 1979 general election 1 Mar 1979 61.1 58.475% Verdana (46) 17.875% Verdana (11) 11.075% Verdana (3) 3.7"CD/AP–PDP"75% Verdana (0) 3.775% Verdana (0) – – – – – – 40.6 Voting preferences The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences. Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size 27px|link=Union of the Democratic Centre (Spain)|UCD 17px|link=Socialist Party of the Canaries|PSOE UPC 35px|link=People's Coalition (Spain)|AP–PDP–PL 30px|link=Communist Party of the Canaries|PCC 27px|link=Democratic and Social Centre (Spain)|CDS CNC AC AM AGI 32px|link=Independent Herrenian Group|AHI Lead 1983 regional election 8 May 1983 – 25.3 5.1 17.7 2.7 4.4 2.6 "UPC" 0.6 0.4 0.1 37.6 7.6 CISE–Metra Seis–ECO/CISPreelectoral municipales y autonómicas 1983 (VII). Canarias (Estudio nº 1352. Abril 1983) https://www.cis.es/cis/export/sites/default/-Archivos/Marginales/1340_1359/1352/CANARIAS/es1352Cana.pdf es CIS 9 April 1983 4–9 Apr 1983 500 – 26.3 7.3 8.3 1.7 1.2 – – – – – 39.8 11.8 18.0 1982 general election 28 Oct 1982 12.1 27.0 4.0 19.9"CD/AP–PDP" "AC" 3.6 2.9 2.1 – – – 24.0 7.1 1979 general election 1 Mar 1979 34.8 10.6 6.6 2.2"CD/AP–PDP" 2.2 – – – – – – 38.9 24.2 Results Overall + Summary of the 8 May 1983 Parliament of the Canary Islands election results → center|325px Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 233,991 41.50 n/a 27 n/a People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL) 163,419 28.98 n/a 17 n/a Canarian People's Union–Canarian Assembly (UPC–AC) 46,784 8.30 n/a 2 n/a Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 40,789 7.23 n/a 6 n/a Communist Party of the Canaries (PCC–PCE) 24,868 4.41 n/a 1 n/a Canarian Nationalist Convergence (CNC) 24,376 4.32 n/a 1 n/a Party of the Canarian Country (PPC) 7,676 1.36 n/a 0 n/a Majorera Assembly (AM) 5,551 0.98 n/a 3 n/a Workers' Socialist Party (PST) 3,909 0.69 n/a 0 n/a Gomera Group of Independents (AGI) 3,294 0.58 n/a 2 n/a Lanzarote Independents Group (AIL) 2,718 0.48 n/a 0 n/a Seven Green Stars (SEV) 2,709 0.48 n/a 0 n/a Revolutionary Communist League (LCR) 1,784 0.32 n/a 0 n/a Popular Struggle Coalition (CLP) 1,010 0.18 n/a 0 n/a Independent Herrenian Group (AHI) 944 0.17 n/a 1 n/a Blank ballots 0 0.00 n/a Total 563,822 60 n/a Valid votes 563,822 97.60 n/a Invalid votes 13,848 2.40 n/a Votes cast / turnout 577,670 62.41 n/a Abstentions 347,902 37.59 n/a Registered voters 925,572 SourcesLozano Carles https://www.historiaelectoral.com/acanarias.html Elecciones al Parlamento de Canarias (desde 1983) es Historia Electoral.com 26 April 2026Government of the Canary Islands 1987 205–234 Popular vote #ddd 550px 500px PSOE Socialist Party of the Canaries 41.50 AP–PDP–UL People's Coalition (Spain) 28.98 UPC–AC Canarian People's Union 8.30 CDS Democratic and Social Centre (Spain) 7.23 PCC–PCE Communist Party of the Canaries 4.41 CNC Canarian Nationalist Convergence 4.32 PPC Party of the Canarian Country 1.36 AM Majorera Assembly 0.98 AGI Gomera Group of Independents 0.58 AHI Independent Herrenian Group 0.17 Others #777777 2.15 Blank ballots #DDDDDD 0.00 Seats #ddd 550px 500px PSOE Socialist Party of the Canaries 45.00 AP–PDP–UL People's Coalition (Spain) 28.33 CDS Democratic and Social Centre (Spain) 10.00 AM Majorera Assembly 5.00 UPC–AC Canarian People's Union 3.33 AGI Gomera Group of Independents 3.33 CNC Canarian Nationalist Convergence 1.67 PCC–PCE Communist Party of the Canaries 1.67 AHI Independent Herrenian Group 1.67 Distribution by constituency Constituency PSOE CP UPC–AC CDS PCC–PCE CNC AM AGI AHI % S % S % S % S % S % S % S % S % S El Hierro 28.5 1 29.9 1 14.0 − 27.6 1 Fuerteventura 13.8 1 18.4 1 22.8 2 45.0 3 Gran Canaria 39.0 7 28.3 5 9.5 1 5.3 1 4.5 − 9.1 1 La Gomera 39.2 2 15.2 − 7.3 − 38.3 2 La Palma 32.0 3 37.4 3 15.8 1 14.8 1 Lanzarote 47.4 5 18.2 2 12.0 1 4.7 − 4.3 − Tenerife 47.1 8 30.5 5 9.9 1 7.3 1 2.7 − Total 41.5 27 29.0 17 8.3 2 7.2 6 4.4 1 4.3 1 1.0 3 0.6 2 0.2 1 SourcesGovernment of the Canary Islands 1987 205–234 Aftermath Government formation InvestitureNomination of Jerónimo Saavedra (PSOE) Ballot → 7 June 1983 Required majority → 31 out of 60 15 Yes • PSOE (27) • AM (3) • AGI (2) • AHI (1) 33 60 green 125px No • AP–PDP–UL (15) • CDS (6) • CNC (1) 22 60 red 125px Abstentions • UPC–AC (1) • PCC (1) 2 60 gray 125px Absentees • AP–PDP–UL (2) • UPC–AC (1) 3 60 black 125px Sources 1985 investiture InvestitureNomination of Jerónimo Saavedra (PSOE) Ballot → 16 July 1985 Required majority → 31 out of 60 15 Yes • PSOE (27) • AM (3) • PRC–PCC (2) 32 60 green 125px No • AP–PDP–UL (16) • CDS (6) • CCR (1) • INC (1) 24 60 red 125px Abstentions • AGI (1) • AHI (1) 2 60 gray 125px Absentees • AP–PDP–UL (1) • AGI (1) 2 60 black 125px SourcesMartín Carmelo 17 July 1985 https://elpais.com/diario/1985/07/17/espana/490399218_850215.html Jerónimo Saavedra, elegido por tercera vez consecutiva presidente del Ejecutivo canario es El País Tenerife 30 June 2026 Notes References Opinion poll sources "p" Other Bibliography Legislation y Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 18 March 1977 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1977-7445 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1977-7445 27 December 2016 Royal Decree-Law 20/1977 1977 y Ley Orgánica 10/1982, de 10 de agosto, de Estatuto de Autonomía de Canarias Organic Law 10/1982 10 August 1982 version as of 16 August 1982 Official State Gazette BOE-A-1982-20821 es https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1982-20821&tn=1&p=19820816 26 April 2026 Statute 1982 y Real Decreto 453/1983,de 9 de Marzo, de convocatoria de elecciones al Parlamento de la Comunidad Autónoma de Canarias Royal Decree 453/1983 9 March 1983 Official Gazette of the Canaries es https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/1983/006/boc-1983-006-003.pdf 30 April 2026 Royal Decree 453/1983 1983 Other Government of the Canary Islands November 1987 Resultados procesos electorales en Canarias. Elecciones Locales: Ayuntamientos y Cabildos (1979-1983-1987). Elecciones Autonómicas: Parlamento de Canarias (1983-1987) http://www.datosdelanzarote.com/Uploads/doc/Resultados-procesos-electorales-en-Canarias.-Elecciones-Locales-Ayuntamientos-y-Cabildos-(1979-1983-1987)-Elecciones-Auton%C3%B3micas-Parlamento-de-Canarias-201605131025209B3-39-Completo.pdf es Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Statistics and Documentation Center of the Canary Islands 203–270 2017-04-17 2026-04-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20170417070738/http://www.datosdelanzarote.com/Uploads/doc/Resultados-procesos-electorales-en-Canarias.-Elecciones-Locales-Ayuntamientos-y-Cabildos-(1979-1983-1987)-Elecciones-Auton%C3%B3micas-Parlamento-de-Canarias-201605131025209B3-39-Completo.pdf bot: unknown Regional election Canary Islands Category:Regional elections in the Canary Islands Canary Islands