The 2011 Riojan regional election was held on 22 May 2011 to elect the 8th Parliament of the autonomous community of La Rioja. All 33 seats in the Parliament were up for election. It was held concurrently with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

The People's Party (PP) had formed the government of the region since the 1995 election, holding a majority of seats since then. As a result of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) collapse at the national level, the PP increased its majority, gaining 3 seats and obtaining its best historical result in a regional election; the same 3 seats that were lost by the PSOE, which obtained its worst result ever. The Riojan Party (PR) held its 2 seats with a slightly reduced vote share.

Overview Electoral system The Parliament of La Rioja was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of La Rioja, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution and the Riojan Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a President of the Autonomous Community. Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in La Rioja and in full enjoyment of their political rights. Amendments to the electoral law in 2011 required for Riojans abroad to apply for voting before being permitted to vote, a system known as "begged" or expat vote ().

The 33 members of the Parliament of La Rioja were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of five 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 La Rioja. 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 La Rioja expired four years after the date of its previous election. Elections to the Parliament were fixed for the fourth Sunday of May every four years. The previous election was held on 27 May 2007, setting the election date for the Parliament on 22 May 2011.

The President of the Autonomous Community had the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of La Rioja and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no nationwide election was due and some time requirements were met: namely, that dissolution did not occur either during the first legislative session or within the legislature's last year ahead of its scheduled expiry, nor before one year has elapsed since a previous dissolution. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional President within a two-month period from the first ballot, the Parliament was to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called. Any snap election held as a result of these circumstances would not alter the period to the next ordinary election, with elected lawmakers serving the remainder of its original four-year term.

Opinion polls The table below lists voting intention estimates 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. 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 Parliament of La Rioja.

Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size Turnout Lead 2011 regional election 22 May 2011 69.8 52.0 30.3 5.4 3.7 3.6 21.7 NC Report/La Razón 3–10 May 2011?? 51.1 34.5? – – 16.6 TNS Demoscopia/Antena 3 4–5 May 2011 500? 51.9 31.2 5.7 4.1 – 20.7 NC Report/La Razón 25 Apr 2011????? – –? Celeste-Tel/Terra 13–20 Apr 2011 400? 52.7 32.1 5.7 4.6 – 20.6 CIS 17 Mar–18 Apr 2011 784? 50.9 31.5 6.7 4.2 1.5 19.4 Sigma Dos/El Mundo 12–15 Apr 2011 400? 53.3 35.4 4.6 – – 17.9 Ikerfel/Vocento 10–12 Apr 2011 1,000? 48.1 37.9 5.2 – – 10.2 GAD/ABC 10–16 Mar 2011 600? 50.9 36.9 5.6 – – 14.0 Sigma Dos/El Mundo 7 Jan 2011 400? 52.3 33.8 6.5 – – 18.5 Sigma Dos/El Mundo 25–26 May 2010 400? 51.6 36.6 4.7 3.2 – 15.0 Sigma Dos/Diario La Rioja 14–18 May 2010 1,000? 50.7 36.3 5.2 3.1 – 14.4 Diario La Rioja 3–24 Mar 2010 838???? – –? 2009 EP election 7 Jun 2009 50.4 50.7 40.6 – 1.9 3.0 10.1 2008 general election 9 Mar 2008 79.3 49.5 43.6 1.5 1.9 1.3 5.9 2007 regional election 27 May 2007 73.3 48.8 40.4 6.0 3.1 – 8.4

Results + ← Summary of the 22 May 2011 Parliament of La Rioja election results → Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− People's Party (PP) 85,975 51.98 +3.17 20 +3 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 50,169 30.33 −10.08 11 −3 Riojan Party (PR) 8,983 5.43 −0.57 2 ±0 United Left of La Rioja (IU) 6,114 3.70 +0.64 0 ±0 Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) 5,891 3.56 New 0 ±0 Greens of La Rioja–Ecolo (Ecolo–V) 2,041 1.23 New 0 ±0 For a Fairer World (PUM+J) 697 0.42 New 0 ±0 Anti-Bullfighting Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) 567 0.34 New 0 ±0 Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) 482 0.29 New 0 ±0 Blank ballots 4,496 2.72 +1.00 Total 165,415 33 ±0 Valid votes 165,415 97.98 −1.23 Invalid votes 3,411 2.02 +1.23 Votes cast / turnout 168,826 69.76 −3.54 Abstentions 73,181 30.24 +3.54 Registered voters 242,007 Sources

Aftermath InvestiturePedro Sanz (PP) Ballot → 22 June 2011 Required majority → 17 out of 33 Absentees Sources

References Opinion poll sources

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