# 1991 Navarrese regional election

The 1991 Navarrese regional election was held on Sunday, 26 May 1991, to elect the 3rd Parliament of the Chartered Community of Navarre. All 50 seats in the Parliament were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

## Overview
### Electoral system

The Parliament of Navarre was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the Chartered Community of Navarre, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Reintegration and Enhancement of the Foral Regime of Navarre Law, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Navarre and in full enjoyment of their political rights.
The 50 members of the Parliament of Navarre were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with a threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied regionally.
The electoral law provided that parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors were allowed to present lists of candidates. However, groupings of electors were required to secure the signature of at least 1 percent of the electors registered in Navarre. Electors were barred from signing for more than one list of candidates. Concurrently, parties and federations intending to enter in coalition to take part jointly at an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election being called.

### Election date

The term of the Parliament of Navarre expired four years after the date of its previous election. Legal amendments earlier in 1991 established that elections to the Parliament were to be fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 10 June 1987, setting the election date for the Parliament on Sunday, 26 May 1991.
The Parliament of Navarre could not be dissolved before the date of expiry of parliament. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the candidate from the party with the highest number of seats was to be deemed automatically elected.

## 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; 26 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Navarre.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | Turnout | | | | | | UDF | | EE | | PNV | Lead |
| 1991 regional election | 26 May 1991 | — | 66.7 | 33.4 19 | 35.0 20 | 11.2 6 | 2.1 0 | 5.5 3 | | | 2.1 0 | 4.1 2 | 1.1 0 | 1.6 |
| Sigma Dos/El Mundo | 18 May 1991 | ? | ? | 29.9 17 | 32.3 17/18 | 12.0 7/8 | – | 6.0 3 | | | 3.9 1 | 5.3 2/3 | – | 2.4 |
| CIES/Diario de Navarra | 9–16 May 1991 | 1,447 | 68–70 | 30.0– 32.0 17/18 | 33.0– 35.0 19/21 | 11.0– 12.0 6/7 | 2.5– 3.5 0/1 | 5.5– 6.5 3/4 | | | 2.5– 3.5 0/1 | 5.0– 6.0 2/3 | 2.0– 3.0 0/1 | 3.0 |
| Metra Seis/El Independiente | 12 May 1991 | ? | ? | 26.8 15 | 33.5 19 | 12.4 7 | 4.2 2 | 6.4 3 | | | 3.2 1 | 4.7 2 | 3.3 1 | 6.7 |
| Demoscopia/El País | 4–7 May 1991 | 500 | ? | 27.5 15 | 40.4 22 | 11.7 6 | 4.6 2 | 4.4 2 | | | 1.9 0 | 6.0 3 | 1.8 0 | 12.9 |
| CIES/Diario de Navarra | 22–29 Apr 1991 | 1,005 | 68 | 32.0 18 | 34.2 19/20 | 11.0 6 | 4.0 1/2 | 5.0 3 | | | 3.5 0/1 | 4.8 2/3 | – | 2.2 |
| 1989 general election | 29 Oct 1989 | — | 68.5 | 31.2 (17) | 33.2 (18) | 11.0 (6) | 7.0 (4) | 4.8 (2) | | | 2.9 (0) | 5.7 (3) | 0.9 (0) | 2.0 |
| 1989 EP election | 15 Jun 1989 | — | 57.3 | 28.6 (17) | 27.1 (16) | 13.8 (8) | 5.4 (3) | 6.2 (3) | | | 3.7 (2) | 3.1 (1) | 1.1 (0) | 1.5 |
| 1987 regional election | 10 Jun 1987 | — | 72.9 | 27.7 15 | 24.5 14 | 13.5 7 | 7.4 4 | 7.0 4 | 6.2 3 | 4.2 2 | 3.4 1 | 1.3 0 | 0.9 0 | 3.2 |

### Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | UDF | | EE | | PNV | ? | N | Lead |
| 1991 regional election | 26 May 1991 | — | 22.2 | 23.2 | 7.5 | 1.4 | 3.7 | | | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.7 | — | 31.8 | 1.0 |
| CIES/Diario de Navarra | 9–16 May 1991 | 1,447 | 26.8 | 16.7 | 9.8 | 1.2 | 5.5 | | | 2.2 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 17.0 | 12.2 | 10.1 |
| CIES/Diario de Navarra | 22–29 Apr 1991 | 1,005 | 25.5 | 14.4 | 7.8 | 1.4 | 3.5 | | | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 26.3 | 9.9 | 11.1 |
| CIS | 13–25 Mar 1991 | 522 | 22.0 | 11.0 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | 5.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 36.0 | 9.0 | 11.0 |
| CIS | 6–17 Feb 1991 | 789 | 23.0 | 12.0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 33.0 | 12.0 | 11.0 |
| 1987 regional election | 10 Jun 1987 | — | 20.0 | 17.6 | 9.7 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.7 | — | 27.0 | 2.4 |

### Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a regional election taking place.
| Polling firm/Commissioner | Fieldwork date | Sample size | | | | | | UDF | | EE | | PNV | Other/ None | ? | Lead |
| CIS | 13–25 Mar 1991 | 522 | 24.0 | 13.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | 5.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 | 33.0 | 11.0 |
| CIS | 6–17 Feb 1991 | 789 | 23.0 | 12.0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 10.0 | 32.0 | 11.0 |

## Results

← Summary of the 26 May 1991 Parliament of Navarre election results → :
| Parties and alliances | Parties and alliances | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote | Seats | Seats |
| Parties and alliances | Parties and alliances | Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/− |
| | Navarrese People's Union (UPN)$^1$ | 96,005 | 34.95 | –0.01 | 20 | +1 |
| | Socialist Party of Navarre (PSN–PSOE) | 91,645 | 33.36 | +5.68 | 19 | +4 |
| | Popular Unity (HB) | 30,762 | 11.20 | –2.26 | 6 | –1 |
| | Basque Solidarity (EA) | 15,170 | 5.52 | –1.48 | 3 | –1 |
| | United Left (IU) | 11,167 | 4.07 | +2.73 | 2 | +2 |
| | Assembly (B) | 6,543 | 2.38 | +0.31 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Basque Country Left (EE) | 5,824 | 2.12 | –1.27 | 0 | –1 |
| | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 5,650 | 2.06 | –5.36 | 0 | –4 |
| | Livestock Agricultural Party (PAG) | 3,855 | 1.40 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| | Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV) | 3,071 | 1.12 | +0.18 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Carlist Party (PC) | 1,353 | 0.49 | New | 0 | ±0 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 3,637 | 1.32 | –0.07 | | |
| Total | Total | 274,682 | | | 50 | ±0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 274,682 | 99.24 | +0.40 | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 2,091 | 0.76 | –0.40 | | |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | 276,773 | 66.71 | –6.19 | | |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | 138,140 | 33.29 | +6.19 | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 414,913 | | | | |
| Sources |||||||
| Footnotes: $^1$ Navarrese People's Union results are compared to the combined totals of Navarrese People's Union, Foral Democratic Union and People's Alliance in the 1987 election. |||||||
Popular vote
UPN
34.95%
PSN–PSOE
33.36%
HB
11.20%
EA
5.52%
IU
4.07%
B
2.38%
EE
2.12%
CDS
2.06%
PAG
1.40%
EAJ/PNV
1.12%
PC
0.49%
Blank ballots
1.32% :
Seats
UPN
40.00%
PSN–PSOE
38.00%
HB
12.00%
EA
6.00%
IU
4.00% :

## Aftermath

Investiture processes to elect the President of the Government of Navarre required for an absolute majority—more than half the votes cast—to be obtained in the first ballot. If unsuccessful, a new ballot would be held 48 hours later under the same majority requirement, with successive votes requiring only of a simple majority—more affirmative than negative votes—to succeed. If such majorities were not achieved, successive candidate proposals would be processed under the same procedure. In the event of the investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot, the candidate from the party with the highest number of seats was deemed to be automatically elected.
As a result of the investiture process failing to provide a regional President within two months from the first ballot, Juan Cruz Alli was automatically elected on 18 September 1991 and officially sworn into office on 23 September.
Investiture Juan Cruz Alli (UPN) :
| Ballot → | Ballot → | 18 July 1991 | 20 July 1991 | 22 July 1991 | 24 July 1991 |
| Required majority → | Required majority → | 26 out of 50 N | 26 out of 50 N | Simple N | Simple N |
| | Yes • UPN (20) | 20 / 50 | 20 / 50 | 20 / 50 | 20 / 50 |
| | No • PSN (19) • HB (6) (from 22 Jul) • EA (3) • IU (2) | 24 / 50 | 24 / 50 | 30 / 50 | 30 / 50 |
| | Abstentions | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 |
| | Absentees | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 |
| Sources ||||||
Investiture Gabriel Urralburu (PSN) :
| Ballot → | Ballot → | 8 August 1991 | 10 August 1991 | 12 August 1991 | 14 August 1991 |
| Required majority → | Required majority → | 26 out of 50 N | 26 out of 50 N | Simple N | Simple N |
| | Yes • PSN (19) (18 on 14 Aug) • EA (3) • IU (1) (on 14 Aug) | 22 / 50 | 22 / 50 | 22 / 50 | 22 / 50 |
| | No • UPN (20) • HB (6) | 26 / 50 | 26 / 50 | 26 / 50 | 26 / 50 |
| | Abstentions • IU (2) (1 on 14 Aug) | 2 / 50 | 2 / 50 | 2 / 50 | 1 / 50 |
| | Absentees • PSN (1) (on 14 Aug) | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 | 1 / 50 |
| Sources ||||||