2011 Castilian-Leonese regional election

2011 Castilian-Leonese regional election
22 May 2011
All 84 seats in the Cortes of Castile and León
43 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered2,166,385 Decrease 0.2%
Turnout1,462,397 (67.5%)
Decrease 3.2 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Juan Vicente Herrera Óscar López José María González
Party PP PSOE IUCyL
Leader since 16 March 2001 20 September 2008 21 May 2006
Leader's seat Burgos Segovia Valladolid
Last election 48 seats, 49.2% 33 seats, 37.7% 0 seats, 3.1%
Seats won 53 29 1
Seat change Increase 5 Decrease 4 Increase 1
Popular vote 739,502 425,777 69,872
Percentage 51.6% 29.7% 4.9%
Swing Increase 2.4 pp Decrease 8.0 pp Increase 1.8 pp
  Fourth party
 
Leader Alejandro Valderas
Party UPL
Leader since 27 January 2011
Leader's seat León
Last election 2 seats, 2.7%
Seats won 1
Seat change Decrease 1
Popular vote 26,660
Percentage 1.9%
Swing Decrease 0.8 pp
President before election

Juan Vicente Herrera
PP

 President after election

Juan Vicente Herrera
PP

A regional election was held in Castile and León on 22 May 2011 to elect the 8th Cortes of the autonomous community. All 84 seats in the Cortes were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all across Spain.

The election saw the People's Party (PP), which had formed the government of the region since the second democratic election in 1987, winning its largest majority to date with over 63% of the seats at stake (53 out of 84 seats), with incumbent president Juan Vicente Herrera being subsequently re-elected for a fourth term in office. The opposition Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and Leonese People's Union (UPL) both lost ground, with the former securing its worst result since 1995, whereas United Left (IU) re-entered parliament for the first time since the 1999 election. The new Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) party, while achieving a remarkable result for a first-time national party with 3.3% of the share (and scoring in third place in the Ávila and Burgos constituencies), failed to obtain any seats.

Overview

Under the 2007 Statute of Autonomy, the Cortes of Castile and León 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.[1] The electoral and procedural rules were supplemented by national law provisions.[2]

Date

The term of the Cortes of Castile and León expired four years after the date of their previous election. Amendments in 2007 abolished fixed-term elections, instead allowing the term of the Cortes to expire after an early dissolution. The election decree was required to be issued no later than 25 days before the scheduled expiration date of parliament and published on the following day in the Official Gazette of Castile and León (BOCYL), with election day taking place 54 days after the decree's publication.[3] The previous election was held on 27 May 2007, which meant that the chamber's term would have expired on 27 May 2011. The election decree was required to be published no later than 3 May 2011, setting the latest possible date for election day on 26 June 2011.

The regional president had the prerogative to dissolve the Cortes of Castile and León at any given time and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process and that dissolution did not occur either during the first legislative session or before one year after a previous one.[4] 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.[5]

The election to the Cortes of Castile and León was officially called on 29 March 2011 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOCYL, setting election day for 22 May and scheduling for the chamber to reconvene on 14 June.[6]

Electoral system

Voting for the Cortes was based on universal suffrage, comprising all Spanish nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Castile and León and with full political rights, provided that they had not been deprived of the right to vote by a final sentence, nor were legally incapacitated.[7] Amendments earlier in 2011 required non-resident citizens to apply for voting, a system known as "begged" voting (Spanish: Voto rogado).[8][9]

The Cortes of Castile and León had three seats per each multi-member constituency—corresponding to the provinces of Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid and Zamora—plus one additional seat per 45,000 inhabitants or fraction above 22,500. All were elected using the D'Hondt method and closed-list proportional voting, with a three percent-threshold of valid votes (including blank ballots) in each constituency.[10] The use of this electoral method resulted in a higher effective threshold depending on district magnitude and vote distribution.[11]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Cortes constituency was entitled the following seats:[12]

Seats Constituencies
15 Valladolid
14 León
11 Burgos, Salamanca
7 Ávila, Palencia, Segovia(+1), Zamora
5 Soria

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.[13]

Outgoing parliament

The table below shows the composition of the parliamentary groups in the chamber at the time of the election call.[14][15]

Parliamentary composition in March 2011
Groups Parties Legislators
Seats Total
People's Parliamentary Group PP 48 48
Socialist Parliamentary Group PSOE 33 33
Mixed Parliamentary Group UPL 2 2

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, alliances and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form an alliance were required to inform the relevant electoral commission within 10 days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list.[16] Additionally, a balanced composition of men and women was required in the electoral lists, so that candidates of either sex made up at least 40 percent of the total composition.[17]

Below is a list of the main parties and alliances which contested the election:

Candidacy Parties and
alliances		 Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Gov. Ref.
Vote % Seats
PP
List
 Juan Vicente Herrera Conservatism
Christian democracy		 49.2% 48 Yes [18]
[19]
PSOE Óscar López Social democracy 37.7% 33 No [20]
[21]
[22]
UPL Alejandro Valderas Leonesism
Regionalism
Autonomism		 2.7% 2 No [23]
IUCyL José María González Socialism
Communism		 3.1% 0 No [24]
[25]
[26]

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; 43 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Cortes of Castile and León (42 in the 2007 election).

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.

Victory likelihood

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.

Preferred President

The table below lists opinion polling on leader preferences to become president of the Regional Government of Castile and León.

All candidates
Herrera vs. López

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 22 May 2011 Cortes of Castile and León election results →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
People's Party (PP) 739,50251.55+2.38 53+5
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 425,77729.68−8.05 29−4
United Left of Castile and León (IUCyL) 69,8724.87+1.79 1+1
Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) 47,0403.28New 0±0
Leonese People's Union (UPL) 26,6601.86−0.87 1−1
Party of Castile and León (PCAL)1 2 13,5370.94−0.06 0±0
The Party of Castile and León–Independent Candidacy (PCL–CI) 10,7960.75−0.33 0±0
Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 5,3680.37New 0±0
Social Alternative Movement (MASS) 4,7770.33New 0±0
Leonese Autonomist Party–Leonesist Unity (PAL–UL) 3,9250.27−0.06 0±0
Yes for Salamanca (UPSa–C's)3 3,7180.26−0.26 0±0
Citizens for Blank Votes (CenB) 3,5450.25New 0±0
Zamoran Independent Electors–Zamoran People's Union (ADEIZA–UPZ) 3,3220.23+0.02 0±0
Greens of Salamanca (LV)2 2,8220.20−0.07 0±0
Initiative for the Development of Soria (IDES) 2,6800.19−0.06 0±0
The Greens–Green Group (LV–GV) 2,6190.18New 0±0
Party of El Bierzo (PB) 2,4010.17+0.08 0±0
National Democracy (DN) 2,1020.15+0.05 0±0
Citizens of Burgos for Old Castile (CiBu) 2,0010.14+0.06 0±0
Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) 1,9650.14+0.03 0±0
Greens and Castilians (LV–PCAL)4 1,5530.11−0.06 0±0
Civiqus (Civiqus) 1,5270.11New 0±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE de las JONS) 1,5220.11+0.03 0±0
Regionalist Unity of Castile and León (URCL) 1,4280.10+0.04 0±0
Internationalist Solidarity and Self-Management (SAIn) 1,3020.09New 0±0
Communist Party of the Castilian People (PCPC) 1,2540.09+0.02 0±0
Independents for San Andrés (IxSA) 8590.06New 0±0
Merindades of Castile Initiative (IMC) 8540.06New 0±0
Left Segovia (SdI) 7600.05New 0±0
Regionalist Party of El Bierzo (PRB) 6570.05−0.02 0±0
Humanist Party (PH) 5290.04+0.01 0±0
Communist Unification of Spain (UCE) 4920.03New 0±0
Family and Life Party (PFyV) 2380.02New 0±0
Blank ballots 47,0083.28+1.30
Total 1,434,412 84+1
Valid votes 1,434,41298.09−1.11
Invalid votes 27,9851.91+1.11
Votes cast / turnout 1,462,39767.50−3.20
Abstentions 703,98832.50+3.20
Registered voters 2,166,385
Sources[14][27][28]
Footnotes:
Popular vote
PP
 
 51.55%
PSOE
 
 29.68%
IUCyL
 
 4.87%
UPyD
 
 3.28%
UPL
 
 1.86%
Others
 
 5.48%
Blank ballots
 
 3.28%
Seats
PP
 
 63.10%
PSOE
 
 34.52%
IUCyL
 
 1.19%
UPL
 
 1.19%

Distribution by constituency

Constituency PP PSOE IUCyL UPL
% S % S % S % S
Ávila 59.1 5 23.7 2 5.3 −
Burgos 50.7 7 27.2 4 4.5 −
León 44.7 8 31.8 5 3.8 − 8.9 1
Palencia 53.0 4 32.8 3 4.4 −
Salamanca 56.7 7 29.2 4 3.2 −
Segovia 54.3 5 31.5 2 4.3 −
Soria 52.0 3 32.9 2 3.1 −
Valladolid 50.2 9 29.1 5 7.8 1
Zamora 54.0 5 30.7 2 4.6 − 1.2 −
Total 51.6 53 29.7 29 4.9 1 1.9 1
Sources[14][27][28]

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture
Nomination of Juan Vicente Herrera (PP)
Ballot → 23 June 2011
Required majority → 43 out of 84 check
Yes
  • • PP (53)
53 / 84
No
31 / 84
Abstentions
0 / 84
Absentees
0 / 84
Sources[14]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Does not include non-resident citizens (electors residing abroad (CERA) and citizens temporarily absent from Spain).

References

Opinion poll sources

  1. ↑ "El PP aumenta su ventaja en Castilla y León". Antena 3 (in Spanish). 11 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "Encuesta de TNS para Antena 3 y Onda Cero. Elecciones 22M. Expectativas electorales en Castilla y León" (PDF). TNS Demoscopia (in Spanish). 11 May 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 September 2011.
  3. ↑ "El PP blinda sus feudos". La Razón (in Spanish). 16 May 2011. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ↑ "Una encuesta de NC Report para La Razón amplía la mayoría absoluta del PP en Castilla y León". ForoCoches (in Spanish). 16 May 2011.
  5. ↑ "Herrera lograría el mejor resultado de los 24 años de Gobierno del PP". La Crónica (in Spanish). 10 May 2011. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Los cuatro inexpugnables". La Razón (in Spanish). 25 April 2011. Archived from the original on 26 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "El PP aumenta su mayoría absoluta en Castilla y León, según el sondeo de NC Report para La Razón". ForoCoches (in Spanish). 26 April 2011.
  8. ↑ "Barómetro electoral autonómico" (PDF). Celeste-Tel (in Spanish). 9 May 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "Los populares superan su récord absoluto con más de la mitad de los votos". ABC (in Spanish). 8 May 2011.
  10. ↑ "El PP aumenta su mayoría absoluta". El Correo (in Spanish). 8 May 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "Preelectoral elecciones autonómicas, 2011. Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León (Estudio nº 2878. Marzo-Abril 2011)". CIS (in Spanish). 5 May 2011.
  12. ↑ "El PSOE fija su objetivo: salvar los muebles". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 6 May 2011.
  13. ↑ "El PP ampliaría su mayoría absoluta en Castilla y León (El Mundo)". Electómetro (in Spanish). 25 April 2011. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  14. ↑ "El PP sumaría dos procuradores a costa de PSOE y UPL, según TNS Demoscopia". Leonoticias (in Spanish). 17 April 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  15. ↑ "IU volvería al Parlamento de Castilla y León (TNS Demoscopia)". Electómetro (in Spanish). 17 April 2011.
  16. ↑ "El PP revalidaría su mayoría absoluta en Castilla y León (El Mundo)". Electómetro (in Spanish). 7 January 2011. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  17. ↑ "Caso electoral histórico en más comunidades autónomas (El Mundo)". Electómetro (in Spanish). 1 June 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2010.
  18. ↑ "El PP refuerza posiciones y el PSCyL corre el riesgo de perder dos escaños en la Comunidad". El Mundo (in Spanish). 15 May 2010.
  19. 1 2 3 "Gobernar no desgasta al PP". Público (in Spanish). 13 March 2010. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011.

Other

  1. ↑ Statute (2007), arts. 20 & 24–25.
  2. ↑ LECyL (1987), final prov. 1.
  3. ↑ Statute (2007), art. 21; LECyL (1987), arts. 16–17 (suppl. by LOREG (1985), art. 42).
  4. ↑ Statute (2007), arts. 21, 27 & 37; LPGCyL (2001), art. 6.
  5. ↑ Statute (2007), art. 26.
  6. ↑ Decree 1/2011 (2011), arts. 1 & 4.
  7. ↑ Statute (2007), art. 21; LECyL (1987), art. 2 (suppl. by LOREG (1985), arts. 2–3).
  8. ↑ LOREG (1985), art. 75.
  9. ↑ Reig Pellicer, Naiara (16 December 2015). "Spanish elections: Begging for the right to vote". cafebabel.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Statute (2007), art. 21; LECyL (1987), arts. 18–20.
  11. ↑ Gallagher, Michael (30 July 2012). "Effective threshold in electoral systems". Dublin: Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. ↑ Decree 1/2011 (2011), art. 2.
  13. ↑ LECyL (1987), arts. 21 & 26 (suppl. by LOREG (1985), arts. 46 & 48).
  14. 1 2 3 4 Lozano, Carles. "Elecciones a Cortes de Castilla y León (desde 1983)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "El Parlamento. Legislaturas anteriores. VII Legislatura" (in Spanish). Cortes of Castile and León. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  16. ↑ LECyL (1987), arts. 25–26 (suppl. by LOREG (1985), art. 44).
  17. ↑ LOREG (1985), art. 44 bis.
  18. ↑ "Herrera es reelegido presidente del PP con el 98,10% de los votos, afronta su tercer mandato" (in Spanish). Valladolid: Europa Press. 25 October 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  19. ↑ "El PP propondrá a Herrera el día 4 de febrero como candidato a la Junta". El Mundo (in Spanish). Valladolid. Ical. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  20. ↑ "Óscar López, nuevo secretario general del PSOE de Castilla y León" (in Spanish). RTVE. EFE. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  21. ↑ Izquierdo, Francisco (23 April 2010). "Óscar López anuncia su candidatura "para ser presidente de la Junta"". El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). Riaza. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  22. ↑ "El PSCyL propone a Óscar López que lidere el proyecto para destronar a Herrera". El Mundo (in Spanish). Valladolid. EFE. 6 September 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  23. ↑ Caballero, A. (27 January 2011). "La UPL recupera a Alejandro Valderas para que sea el candidato a las Cortes". Diario de León (in Spanish). León. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  24. ↑ "González Suárez, nuevo coordinador regional de IU con el 77% de los votos". ABC (in Spanish). 22 May 2005. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  25. ↑ "IU designa a José María González como candidato a la Junta de Castilla y León" (in Spanish). Valladolid: Europa Press. 24 June 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  26. ↑ "González asume la candidatura de IU con el objetivo de volver a las Cortes". El Mundo (in Spanish). Valladolid. Ical. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  27. 1 2 "Procesos electorales a las Cortes de Castilla y León" (in Spanish). Regional Government of Castile and León. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  28. 1 2 "Resolución de 12 de julio de 2011, de la Junta Electoral de Castilla y León, por la que se publican los resultados de las Elecciones a las Cortes de Castilla y León, celebradas el 22 de mayo de 2011" (PDF). Official Gazette of Castile and León (in Spanish) (153): 63860–63862. 9 August 2011. ISSN 1989-8959. Retrieved 19 October 2025.

Bibliography

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