May 2003 Madrilenian regional election

May 2003 Madrilenian regional election

← 1999 25 May 2003 2003 (Oct) →
All 111 seats in the Assembly of Madrid 56 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	4,443,533 3.9%
Turnout	3,078,052 (69.3%) 8.4 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Esperanza Aguirre Rafael Simancas Fausto Fernández Party PP PSOE IU Leader since 16 October 2002 26 November 2000 11 July 2002 Last election 55 seats, 51.1% 39 seats, 36.4% 8 seats, 7.7% Seats won 55 47 9 Seat change 0 8 1 Popular vote 1,429,890 1,225,390 235,428 Percentage 46.7% 40.0% 7.7% Swing 4.4 pp 3.6 pp 0.0 pp
President before election Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón PP President after election No government formed and fresh election called. Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón remains acting President

The May 2003 Madrilenian regional election was held on Sunday, 25 May 2003, to elect the 6th Assembly of the Community of Madrid. All 111 seats in the Assembly were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

As a result of the election, the People's Party (PP) lost its absolute majority in the Assembly, thus leaving the way open for a coalition government between the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and United Left (IU) to be formed. A major political scandal ensued after two PSOE deputies—Eduardo Tamayo and María Teresa Sáez—broke party discipline and refused to support PSOE regional leader Rafael Simancas's investiture. The prospective PSOE–IU alliance found itself commanding 54 seats against the 55-strong PP, which would not be able to bring its candidate, Esperanza Aguirre, through an investiture vote as the rebel PSOE MPs would not vote for her either. With no candidate able to obtain the required votes to become president, the regional Assembly was dissolved on 28 August 2003 and a snap election was held in October 2003.