La Rioja may experience a political turnaround after the regional elections on May 28. The socialist Concha Andreu has presided over the La Rioja government since 2019 and is running for re-election, but published surveys point to change. If so, the PP would be the main beneficiary in Parliament (33 seats) that comes out of the polls. The resistance of Podemos, the irruption of Vox and the entry of Partido Riojano+España Vaciada are other unknowns that the 28M elections will clear up.
Here are some facts:
Electoral system
A total of 251,854 La Rioja men and women (including those who live abroad) are called to the polls on Sunday, May 28, according to electoral census data provided by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
The elections will make up the new La Rioja Parliament, of 33 deputies, as established by the electoral law of the autonomous community and the decree calling the elections.
There is only one constituency, which is autonomy, and to enter Parliament, candidacies must exceed 5% of the valid votes cast. The distribution of seats will be made according to the D’Hont system stipulated in the Organic Law of the General Electoral Regime (LOREG).
2019 results and prospects for 28M
The PSOE candidate four years ago, Concha Andreu, achieved victory by obtaining 15 seats. She depended, however, on Podemos, which with its two seats became decisive.
Having achieved an absolute majority (17 seats), Andreu formed a government, and this is precisely what the 28M aspires to. The PP has been renewed to prevent it, starting with the candidate, Gonzalo Capellán, who is making his debut.
The barometer of the Center for Sociological Research (CIS), published on May 11, preconfigures a scenario in which other polls appearing in the media agree: Andreu’s re-election is uncertain.
According to the survey of the organization chaired by José Félix Tezanos, the PP would be the winner of the 18M by obtaining 39.2% of the votes and 14-15 seats. The PSOE would be close, since it has around 37% of the ballots and 13-14 seats. Podemos, in alliance with IU, would add between 2 and 4 deputies.
Vox could enter for the first time with 1 or 2, as well as Empty Spain, allied with the Rioja Party
How these last three formations remain will be essential for there to be a political turnaround in La Rioja, or on the contrary, the continuity of an Executive led by the PSOE is guaranteed.
