2003 Seville municipal election

2003 Seville municipal election
25 May 2003
All 33 seats in the City Council of Seville
17 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered581,939 0.7%
Turnout340,726 (58.6%)
2.1 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín Jaime Raynaud José Núñez
Party PSOE–A PP PA
Leader since 27 June 1998 18 July 2002 4 April 2002
Last election 12 seats, 35.4%[a] 13 seats, 35.8% 6 seats, 17.6%
Seats won 14 12 4
Seat change 2 1 2
Popular vote 130,958 119,395 41,805
Percentage 38.6% 35.2% 12.3%
Swing 3.2 pp 0.6 pp 5.3 pp
  Fourth party
 
Leader Paula Garvín
Party IULV–CA
Leader since 23 November 2002
Last election 2 seats, 7.8%
Seats won 3
Seat change 1
Popular vote 30,443
Percentage 9.0%
Swing 1.2 pp
Mayor before election

Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín
PSOE

Elected mayor

Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín
PSOE

A municipal election was held in Seville on Sunday, 25 May 2003, to elect the 7th City Council of the municipality. All 33 seats in the City Council were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities and local elections all across Spain.

Overview

Under the 1978 Constitution, the governance of municipalities in Spain—part of the country's local government system—was centered on the figure of city councils (Spanish: ayuntamientos), local corporations with independent legal personality composed of a mayor, a government council and an elected legislative assembly.[1][2] In the case of Seville, the top-tier administrative and governing body was the City Council of Seville.

Electoral system

Voting for local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the municipality of Seville and in full enjoyment of their political rights (provided that they were not sentenced—by a final court ruling—to deprivation of the right to vote, nor being legally incapacitated), 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.[2][3][4]

Local councillors were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional voting system, with an electoral threshold of five percent of valid votes (which included blank ballots) being applied in each municipality.[5] Each municipality constituted a multi-member constituency, entitled a number of seats based on the following scale:[6]

Population Councillors
<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

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacated seats; instead, any vacancies that occurred after the proclamation of candidates and into the legislative term were to be covered by the successive candidates in the list and, when required, by the designated substitutes.[7]

The mayor was indirectly elected by the local assembly.[2] A legal clause required candidates to earn the vote of an absolute majority of councillors, or else the candidate of the most-voted party was to be automatically appointed to the post. In the event of a tie, the appointee was to be determined by lot.[8]

Election date

The term of city councils in Spain expired four years after the date of their previous election, with election day being fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years (as of 2026, this has been the year before a leap year). The election decree was required to be issued no later than the fifty-fifth day prior to the scheduled election date and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE).[9] The previous local elections were held on 13 June 1999, setting the date for election day on the fourth Sunday of May four years later, which was 25 May 2003.

Local councils could not be dissolved before the expiry of their term, except in cases of mismanagement that seriously harmed the public interest and implied a breach of constitutional obligations, in which case the Council of Ministers could—optionally—agree to call a by-election.[10]

Elections to local councils were officially called on 1 April 2003 with the publication of the corresponding decree in the BOE, setting election day for 25 May.[11]

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 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, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. In the case of Seville, as its population was between 300,001 and 1,000,000, at least 5,000 signatures were required.[12]

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

Candidacy Parties and
alliances 		Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Gov. Ref.
Vote % Seats
PP
List
 Jaime Raynaud Conservatism
Christian democracy 		35.8% 13 [13]
[14]
PSOE–A
List
 Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín Social democracy
35.4%
[a] 		12 [15]
PA
List
 José Núñez Andalusian nationalism
Social democracy 		17.6% 6 [16]
[17]
IULV–CA
List
 Paula Garvín Socialism
Communism 		7.8% 2 [18]
[19]

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; 17 seats were required for an absolute majority in the City Council of Seville.

Color key:

  Exit poll

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 municipal 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 municipal election taking place.

Results

← Summary of the 25 May 2003 City Council of Seville election results →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party of Andalusia (PSOE–A)1 130,958 38.60 +3.21 14 +2
People's Party (PP) 119,395 35.20 −0.65 12 −1
Andalusian Party (PA) 41,805 12.32 −5.32 4 −2
United Left/The Greens–Assembly for Andalusia (IULV–CA) 30,443 8.97 +1.20 3 +1
The Greens of Andalusia (LVA)2 4,535 1.34 +0.55 0 ±0
Socialist Party of Andalusia–Andalusian Left (PSA–IA) 1,823 0.54 New 0 ±0
Group of Independent Citizens (GCI) 1,056 0.31 New 0 ±0
Independent Spanish Phalanx–Phalanx 2000 (FEI–FE 2000) 309 0.09 +0.05 0 ±0
Humanist Party (PH) 296 0.09 +0.03 0 ±0
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 217 0.06 −0.01 0 ±0
Blank ballots 8,395 2.47 +0.29
Total 339,232 33 ±0
Valid votes 339,232 99.56 +0.07
Invalid votes 1,494 0.44 −0.07
Votes cast / turnout 340,726 58.55 +2.06
Abstentions 241,213 41.45 −2.06
Registered voters 581,939
Sources[20][21][22]
Footnotes:
Popular vote
PSOE–A
 
 38.60%
PP
 
 35.20%
PA
 
 12.32%
IULV–CA
 
 8.97%
LVA
 
 1.34%
Others
 
 1.09%
Blank ballots
 
 2.47%
Seats
PSOE–A
 
 42.42%
PP
 
 36.36%
PA
 
 12.12%
IULV–CA
 
 9.09%

Aftermath

Government formation

Investiture
Ballot → 14 June 2003
Required majority → 17 out of 33
17 / 33
 Y
Jaime Raynaud (PP)
  • • PP (12)
12 / 33
 N
Paola Vivancos (PA)
  • • PA (4)
4 / 33
 N
Abstentions/Blank ballots
0 / 33
Absentees
0 / 33
Sources[23]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Results for PSOE–A (35.2%, 12 seats) and PDNI–A (0.2%, 0 seats) in the 1999 election.

References

Opinion poll sources

  1. ^ "El sondeo de Sigma Dos determina una lucha codo a codo entre populares y socialistas en Madrid". ABC (in Spanish). 25 May 2003. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Sondeo a pie de urna de Ipsos Eco Consulting para TVE". ABC (in Spanish). 25 May 2003. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019.
  3. ^ "El sondeo de Demoscopia da mayoría al PP en Madrid capital, Valencia y Málaga". ABC (in Spanish). 25 May 2003.
  4. ^ "Los sondeos pronostican una importante subida de los partidos de izquierda en toda España". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 25 May 2003.
  5. ^ "El Partido Andalucista decidirá la alcaldía de Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). 19 May 2003.
  6. ^ "La 'batalla' de Madrid, la más reñida en los comicios del 25-M". El Mundo (in Spanish). 20 May 2003.
  7. ^ "Una alianza PP-PSOE podría gobernar las tres capitales de provincia del País Vasco". El Mundo (in Spanish). 17 May 2003. (subscription required)
  8. ^ "Sevilla". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 9 May 2003. Archived from the original on 2003-06-22.
  9. ^ "El PSOE y el PA podrán repetir su pacto en Sevilla". Diario de Córdoba (in Spanish). 9 May 2003.
  10. ^ "El PSOE y el PA podrán repetir su pacto en Sevilla". Mediterráneo (in Spanish). 9 May 2003.
  11. ^ "El PA se consolida en Sevilla como llave de la gobernabilidad tras el descenso de PSOE y PP". ABC (in Spanish). 28 April 2003.
  12. ^ a b c d "Preelectoral elecciones municipales 2003. Sevilla (Estudio nº 2503. Marzo-Abril 2003)". CIS (in Spanish). May 2003.
  13. ^ "Los candidatos reaccionan con cautela frente a las últimas encuestas antes del 25-M". El País (in Spanish). 19 May 2003.
  14. ^ a b c Rincón, Reyes (26 April 2003). "Un sondeo de la patronal da al PSOE entre uno y dos ediles más en Sevilla que en 1999". El País (in Spanish).
  15. ^ "Raynaud es el candidato a la Alcaldía mejor valorado por los sevillanos, según una encuesta del PP". ABC (in Spanish). 14 February 2003.
  16. ^ a b Rincón, Reyes (15 February 2003). "Una encuesta del PP le da hasta tres ediles más que al PSOE en Sevilla". El País (in Spanish).
  17. ^ "Un sondeo del PSOE para las municipales otorga a los socialistas quince concejales". ABC (in Spanish). 23 January 2003.
  18. ^ "El descenso del PP permite al PSOE colocarse como la fuerza más votada en la ciudad". ABC (in Spanish). 20 December 2002.
  19. ^ "El PP pregunta en un sondeo por la popularidad de Gómez y Raynaud". El País (in Spanish). 3 May 2002.
  20. ^ "El PP opta por Jaime Raynaud como candidato a la Alcaldía de Sevilla". ABC (in Spanish). 6 June 2002.
  21. ^ a b c Gil, Daniel (15 June 2002). "Un sondeo de la patronal sevillana prevé la victoria del PSOE en las municipales". El País (in Spanish).
  22. ^ "Una encuesta de la CES suspende al alcalde, pero lo sitúa como ganador de las elecciones". ABC (in Spanish). 15 June 2002.
  23. ^ "El desafío de ganar en Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). 13 October 2002.
  24. ^ "El 83 por cien de los sevillanos pide una "renovación profunda" del Gobierno municipal y la oposición". ABC (in Spanish). 18 April 2001.

Other

  1. ^ Constitution (1978), art. 140.
  2. ^ a b c LBRL (1985), art. 19.
  3. ^ Constitution (1978), art. 13.
  4. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 2–3 & 176.
  5. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 163 & 180.
  6. ^ LOREG (1985), art. 179.
  7. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 46, 48 & 182.
  8. ^ LOREG (1985), art. 196.
  9. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 42 & 194.
  10. ^ LBRL (1985), art. 61.
  11. ^ Real Decreto 374/2003, de 31 de marzo, por el que se convocan elecciones locales y a las Asambleas de Ceuta y Melilla (PDF) (Royal Decree 374/2003). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). 31 March 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  12. ^ LOREG (1985), arts. 44 & 187.
  13. ^ Barbero, Luis; Gil, Daniel (26 November 2001). "La dirección del PP se inclina por Jaime Raynaud como candidato a la alcaldía de Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). Seville. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  14. ^ Barbero, Luis; López Díaz, María José (18 July 2002). "El PP cambia a la mitad de sus candidatos a alcalde de capital para las elecciones municipales". El País (in Spanish). Seville / Almería. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  15. ^ Gil, Daniel (30 May 2002). "Monteseirín acepta la propuesta del PSOE para repetir como candidato a la alcaldía de Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). Seville. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  16. ^ "Rojas-Marcos renuncia a ser candidato del PA en Sevilla". El País (in Spanish). Málaga. Agencias. 3 December 2000. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  17. ^ Gil, Daniel (5 April 2002). "La asamblea local del PA formaliza la candidatura de José Núñez a la alcaldía de Sevilla para las municipales de 2003". El País (in Spanish). Seville. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  18. ^ Rincón, Reyes; Gil, Daniel (13 October 2002). "IU afronta la incógnita de la sucesión de Pizarro". El País (in Spanish). Seville. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  19. ^ "Paula Garvín, elegida candidata de IU a la Alcaldía de Sevilla con casi el 80% de los votos". ABC (in Spanish). 23 November 2002. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  20. ^ Lozano, Carles. "Elecciones municipales en Sevilla (desde 1979)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  21. ^ "Elecciones celebradas. Resultados electorales" (in Spanish). Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  22. ^ "Acuerdo de 20 de junio de 2003, de la Junta Electoral Central, por el que se procede a la publicación del resumen de los resultados de las elecciones locales convocadas por Real Decreto 374/2003, de 31 de marzo, y celebradas el 25 de mayo, según los datos que figuran en las actas de proclamación remitidas por cada una de las Juntas Electorales de Zona" (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish) (158 (Supplement)): 1–700. 3 July 2003. ISSN 0212-033X. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  23. ^ Rincón, Reyes (15 June 2003). "Monteseirín dice que Sevilla será un "laboratorio de democracia" con presupuestos participativos". El País (in Spanish). Seville. Retrieved 30 November 2025.

Bibliography

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