1983 Murcian regional election

1983 Murcian regional election

8 May 1983

All 43 seats in the Regional Assembly of Murcia
22 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered675,082
Turnout462,212 (68.5%)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Andrés Hernández Ros José Lucas Pedro Antonio Ríos
Party PSOE AP–PDP–PL PCE
Leader since 1978 1983 1983
Leader's seat Three Three Three
Seats won 26 16 1
Popular vote 238,968 162,074 32,113
Percentage 52.2% 35.4% 7.0%

Constituency results map for the Regional Assembly of Murcia

President before election

Andrés Hernández Ros
PSOE

Elected President

Andrés Hernández Ros
PSOE

The 1983 Murcian regional election was held on Sunday, 8 May 1983, to elect the 1st Regional Assembly of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia. All 43 seats in the Regional Assembly were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) won the election with a landslide victory, securing an absolute majority in both seats and votes. The People's Coalition, an electoral alliance led by the right-wing People's Alliance (AP) and including the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Liberal Union (UL), became the second political force, whereas the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) entered the Assembly with 1 seat. Despite initial expectations and high opinion poll results, as well as a strong performance in the Campo de Cartagena area with over 12%, the Cantonal Party (PCAN) remained an extra-parliamentary political force due to it failing to reach the 5% regional threshold. The former ruling party of Spain, the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), had chosen to dissolve itself in February 1983 and did not contest the election as a result.

As a result of the election, PSOE candidate Andrés Hernández Ros, who had led the pre-autonomic regional government since 1979, renewed his post as president of the Region of Murcia. His hold in power weakened over political disagreements with his own party throughout the ensuing months, he would resign in March 1984 after a scandal erupted amid accusations of attempted bribery of two journalists from the La Verdad newspaper, being succeeded as president by Carlos Collado.