1983 Cantabrian regional election

The 1983 Cantabrian regional election was held on Sunday, 8 May 1983, to elect the 1st Regional Assembly of the autonomous community of Cantabria. All 35 seats in the Regional Assembly were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

1983 Cantabrian regional election

8 May 1983 1987 →
All 35 seats in the Regional Assembly of Cantabria 18 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	384,993
Turnout	283,197 (73.4%)
First party Second party Third party   Leader José A. Rodríguez Martínez Jaime Blanco Miguel Ángel Revilla Party AP–PDP–PL PSOE PRC Leader since 21 March 1983 7 December 1980 1983 Seats won 18 15 2 Popular vote 122,748 107,168 18,767 Percentage 44.0% 38.4% 6.7%
President before election José A. Rodríguez Martínez Independent (AP–PDP–UL) Elected President José A. Rodríguez Martínez Independent (AP–PDP–UL)

The People's Coalition, an electoral alliance made up of the People's Alliance (AP), the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Liberal Union (UL) which fielded incumbent president José Antonio Rodríguez Martínez as its candidate, won the election with an unexpected absolute majority of seats in spite of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) having won the October 1982 general election in the region.^[1] The PSOE came second with 15 seats, its defeat mainly attributed to independent mayor of Santander Juan Hormaechea's personal appeal in the concurrent local elections securing an insurmountable lead of 22,000 votes in favour of the Coalition in the capital city of Cantabria.^[2] The Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) entered the Assembly with 2 seats. The former ruling party of Spain, the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), had chosen to dissolve itself in February 1983 and did not contest the election as a result.^[3]

While the election result would allow the Coalition's candidate, José Antonio Rodríguez, to get elected as regional president,^[4][5] a series of political discrepancies and a crisis between AP and PDP would lead to his resignation on 2 March 1984, being replaced by AP's Ángel Díaz de Entresotos until the end of the legislature.^[6]

Overview

Electoral system

The Regional Assembly of Cantabria was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Cantabria, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the regional Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.^[7]

Transitory Provision First of the Statute established a specific electoral procedure for the first election to the Regional Assembly of Cantabria, to be supplemented by the provisions within Royal Decree-Law 20/1977, of 18 March, and its related regulations. Voting for the Regional Assembly was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Cantabria and in full enjoyment of their civil and political rights. The 35 members of the Regional Assembly of Cantabria 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.^[7][8][9]

Election date

The Regional Council of Cantabria was required to call an election to the Regional Assembly of Cantabria within from 1 February to 31 May 1983.^[7] On 7 March 1983, it was confirmed that the first election to the Regional Assembly of Cantabria would be held on Sunday, 8 May, together with regional elections for twelve other autonomous communities as well as nationwide local elections,^[10][11][12] with the election decree being published in the Official State Gazette on 10 March.^[9]

Background

The procedure for the approval of a regional statute of autonomy for Cantabria started after the Provincial Council of Santander, as well as more than two-thirds of the local councils in the province, voted for applying for autonomy as a single-province autonomous community out of historical reasons through the "slow-track" procedure set down under Article 143 of the Spanish Constitution of 1978.^[13][14] Cantabria was among the few regions not to have a pre-autonomic regime approved, together with La Rioja and Madrid.^[15][16]

Negotiations for the drafting of a Statute ensued between the parties with parliamentary representation in the province—the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD), the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)—amid discussion on whether the province was to be integrated, either at the time or in the future, within the autonomous community of Castile and León (as the province of Santander had been part of the historical region of Old Castile).^[17][18] The regional Statute, which would establish the territory of the province as a single electoral constituency instead of the judicial districts which had been considered during the drafting process,^[19][20] was finally approved on 15 December 1981,^[21][22][23] coming into force on 31 January 1982.^[7][24]

Both the PSOE and the UCD saw internal party crises develop within their respective parties in the years preceding the regional election. The PSOE had seen a regional leadership lasting only nine months as a result of the resignation of party's secretary general Pilar Quintanal in August 1980,^[25][26][27] who had been elected to the post in November 1979,^[28] being replaced by Congress deputy Jaime Blanco.^[29][30]

The UCD crisis, which had initially started as an extension of the ongoing hardships within the national party with some members breaking away from the party's discipline,^[31][32][33] came further aggravated over the issue of the appointment of the new autonomous institutions as supporters of the incumbent president of the Regional Council, José Antonio Rodríguez Martínez, refused to support the party's official candidates, Leandro Valle as Rodríguez Martínez's successor and Justo de las Cuevas as Speaker of the Regional Assembly (the latter involved in a financial scandal).^[34][35][36] 8 UCD deputies rebelled on the party's discipline and allied with the PSOE, the PRC and the split Democratic Action Party (PAD) to have dissident UCD's Isaac Aja elected as the Assembly's Speaker,^[37][38][39] while maintaining Rodríguez Martínez in his post.^[40][41] All rebels, including Aja and Rodríguez Martínez, were subsequently expelled from the party,^[42][43][44] and the government formation delayed until April 1982,^[45][46][47] with the UCD subsequently dissolving local party groupings and sanctioning any party member who had shown support for the rebels.^[48] Later, the formation of the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) by former prime minister Adolfo Suárez had a severe impact in the UCD regional as its leadership joined the new party.^[49][50]

Parliamentary composition

The composition of the provisional Regional Assembly was determined by the provisions of Transitory Provision Fourth of the Statute, which established that its members be the elected deputies and senators for Cantabria in the Cortes Generales as well as the members of the Provincial Council of the then province of Santander.^[7] As a result, the composition of the provisional Regional Assembly of Cantabria upon its constitution in February 1982 was established as indicated below:^[38][51][52]

Parliamentary composition in February 1982

Parties		Cortes Generales		Prov. dep.	Seats
		Dep.	Sen.		Total	+/−
	UCD^[a]	2	3	16	21	n/a
	PSOE	2	1	8	11	n/a
	PRC	0	0	1	1	n/a
	PAD	1	0	0	1	n/a
Total		5	4	25	34	n/a

The 1982 Spanish general election resulted in changes in the composition of the provisional regional assembly, in accordance with the new seat distribution of Cortes Generales members in the region.^[53][54] Changes shown include the expulsion of eight former UCD deputies in March 1982, with six joining the AP–PDP coalition after the general election and the other two remaining within the Mixed Group as independents.^[42][55]

Parliamentary composition in November 1982

Parties		Cortes Generales		Prov. dep.	Seats
		Dep.	Sen.		Total	+/−
	PSOE^[b]	3	3	7	13	+2
	UCD	0	0	10	10	–11
	AP–PDP^[c]	2	1	5	8	+8
	PRC	0	0	1	1	±0
	PAD	0	0	0	0	–1
	INDEP	0	0	2	2	+2
Total		5	4	25	34	±0

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within fifteen days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one-thousandth of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election—with a compulsory minimum of 500 signatures—disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.^[8] A minimum of three deputies was required for the constitution of parliamentary groups in the Regional Assembly of Cantabria.^[56]

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

Candidacy		Parties and alliances	Leading candidate		Ideology	Gov.	Ref.
	AP–PDP–UL	List People's Alliance (AP) People's Democratic Party (PDP) Liberal Union (UL)		José Antonio Rodríguez Martínez	Conservatism Christian democracy	Y	^[57] ^[58]
	PSOE	List Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)		Jaime Blanco	Social democracy	N	^[29] ^[30] ^[57]
	PRC	List Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)		Miguel Ángel Revilla	Regionalism Progressivism Populism	N

The electoral disaster of the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) in the October 1982 general election and the outcome of its extraordinary congress held in December, in which the party's leadership chose to transform the UCD into a Christian democratic political force,^[59] brought the party to a process of virtual disintegration as many of its remaining members either switched party allegiances, split into new, independent candidacies or left politics altogether.^[60][61] Subsequent attempts to seek electoral allies ahead of the incoming 1983 local and regional elections, mainly the conservative People's Alliance (AP) and the Christian democratic People's Democratic Party (PDP),^[62][63] had limited success due to concerns from both AP and UCD over such an alliance policy:^[64][65] AP strongly rejected any agreement that implied any sort of global coalition with UCD due to the party's ongoing decomposition,^[66][67] and prospects about a possible PDP–UCD merger did not come into fruition because of the latter's reluctance to dilute its brand within another party.^[68][69][70] By the time the UCD's executive had voted for the liquidation of the party's mounting debts and its subsequent dissolution on 18 February 1983,^[3][71][72] electoral alliances with the AP–PDP coalition had only been agreed in some provinces of the Basque Country and Galicia.^[73][74][75]

Together with AP, the PDP had agreed to maintain their general election alliance—now rebranded as the People's Coalition—for the May local and regional elections,^[76][77][78] with the inclusion of the Liberal Union (UL), a political party created in January 1983 out of independents from the AP–PDP coalition in an attempt to appeal to former UCD liberal voters.^[79][75] The Coalition had seen its numbers soar from late February as a result of many former members from the UCD's Christian democratic wing joining the PDP.^[80][81][82] Even before the dissolution of the UCD, several of its former members in Cantabria, such as Mayor of Santander Juan Hormaechea, had already announced their integration within AP–PDP lists as early as January 1983.^[83]

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; 18 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Regional Assembly of Cantabria.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Turnout						PRC	Lead
1983 regional election	8 May 1983	—	73.6	–	38.4 15	44.0 18	4.0 0	2.6 0	6.7 2	5.6
Sofemasa/El País^[p 1]^[p 2]	23–26 Apr 1983	?	?	–	? 18/20	? 13/15	? 0	? 0	? 2	?
PSOE^[p 3]	Feb 1983	?	?	? 2	? 17	? 14	? 0	? 2	–	?
1982 general election	28 Oct 1982	—	82.7	5.4 (2)	45.0 (17)	38.9^[d] (15)	3.1 (0)	5.1 (1)	–	6.1
1979 general election	1 Mar 1979	—	70.5	41.9 (17)	30.3 (12)	10.3^[d] (4)	6.6 (2)	–	–	11.6

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size						PRC		?	N	Lead
1983 regional election	8 May 1983	—	–	30.5	31.9	2.9	1.9	4.9	1.2	—	26.4	1.4
CISE–Metra Seis–ECO/CIS^[p 4]	5–8 Apr 1983	401	–	34.2	14.8	2.8	2.5	6.5	0.3	28.7	9.0	19.4
1982 general election	28 Oct 1982	—	4.3	36.1	31.2^[d]	2.5	4.1	–	–	—	17.3	4.9
1979 general election	1 Mar 1979	—	28.9	20.9	7.1^[d]	4.6	–	–	–	—	29.5	8.0

Results

Summary of the 8 May 1983 Regional Assembly of Cantabria election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote			Seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/−
	People's Coalition (AP–PDP–UL)	122,748	43.99	n/a	18	n/a
	Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)	107,168	38.41	n/a	15	n/a
	Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC)	18,767	6.73	n/a	2	n/a
	Communist Party of Spain (PCE)	11,052	3.96	n/a	0	n/a
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	7,164	2.57	n/a	0	n/a
	Liberal Democratic Party (PDL)	4,474	1.60	n/a	0	n/a
	United Cantabrian Left Group (AICU)	3,179	1.14	n/a	0	n/a
	Cantabria Nationalist Electoral Group (AENC)	1,869	0.67	n/a	0	n/a
	Ecologist Movement of Spain (MEE)	1,019	0.37	n/a	0	n/a
Blank ballots		1,569	0.56	n/a
Total		279,009			35	n/a
Valid votes		279,009	98.52	n/a
Invalid votes		4,188	1.48	n/a
Votes cast / turnout		283,197	73.56	n/a
Abstentions		101,796	26.44	n/a
Registered voters		384,993
Sources^[84]^[85]^[86]

Popular vote AP–PDP–UL   43.99% PSOE   38.41% PRC   6.73% PCE   3.96% CDS   2.57% PDL   1.60% AICU   1.14% Others   1.04% Blank ballots   0.56%

Seats AP–PDP–UL   51.43% PSOE   42.86% PRC   5.71%

Aftermath

Government formation

Under Article 16 of the Statute, investiture processes to elect the president of the Regional Council of Cantabria required of 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 requiring only of a simple majority—more affirmative than negative votes—to succeed. If the proposed candidate was not elected, successive proposals were to be transacted 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 Regional Assembly was to be automatically dissolved and a fresh election called, with elected deputies merely serving out what remained of their four-year terms.^[7][56][87]

In an investiture session held on 14 June 1983, José Antonio Rodríguez Martínez was re-elected as president of the Regional Council with an absolute majority of votes.^[4]

Investiture José A. Rodríguez Martínez (Independent)
Ballot →		14 June 1983
Required majority →		18 out of 35  Y
	Yes • AP–PDP–UL (18)	18 / 35
	No • PSOE (15) • PRC (2)	17 / 35
	Abstentions	0 / 35
	Absentees	0 / 35
Sources^[4]^[86]

1983–84 government crisis

While AP and the PDP were the main parties forming the regional government, President José Antonio Rodríguez Martínez was an independent figure who did not belong to either party.^[88] Rodríguez and AP deputies within the People's Coalition had been forced to forcefully cohabitate throughout the first months of the legislature,^[89][90] until Rodríguez's dismissal of AP regional minister for Public Works Francisco Ignacio de Cáceres without prior consultation with the party's leadership resulted in the AP losing confidence in the regional president and in a breakup of the collaboration and the near-split of the AP–PDP alliance, as the later chose to side with Rodríguez.^[91]

AP demanded Rodríguez Martínez to hand over his post,^[92][93] which the later refused,^[94][95] amid accusations of "irresponsability" and of political meddling to coherce local mayors into supporting the regional president.^[96][97] Manuel Fraga's party subsequently threatened to bring Rodríguez down through a motion of no confidence which, nonetheless, required the votes from the PDP deputies that still supported the President.^{[98][99][100]} The personal intervention in the crisis of AP and PDP leaders, Manuel Fraga and Óscar Alzaga, in an effort to prevent it from escalating further and disrupting the nationwide alliance between both parties, eventually led to Rodríguez Martínez accepting to resign the post of regional president while retaining his seat in the Regional Assembly and abandoning the People's Coalition group, leaving the new government in a parliamentary minority.^{[6][101][102]} AP member Ángel Díaz de Entresotos was nominated by the Regional Assembly to replace Rodríguez Martínez,^[103][104] but the infighting within the parties forming the regional government would dominate the Cantabrian political landscape in the ensuing months.^{[105][106][107][108]}

Investiture Ángel Díaz de Entresotos (AP)
Ballot →		16 March 1984	18 March 1984
Required majority →		18 out of 35  N	Simple  Y
	Yes • AP–PDP–PL (17)	17 / 35	17 / 35
	No • PSOE (14) • PRC (2)	16 / 35	16 / 35
	Abstentions • PSOE (1) • Independent (1)	2 / 35	2 / 35
	Absentees	0 / 35	0 / 35
Sources^[86]^[109]

Notes

1. One UCD deputy, Ciriaco Díaz Porras, had left the party and joined the PAD in November 1981.^[33] Also, two UCD members, Ambrosio Calzada Hernández and Leandro Valle González-Torre, served concurrently as senators and provincial deputies.
2. One PSOE member, Jesús Cabezón Alonso, was elected as senator in the 1982 general election while concurrently serving as provincial deputy.
3. Ambrosio Calzada Hernández served concurrently as senator and provincial deputy.
4. Results for AID (1979) and AP–PDP (1982).

References

Opinion poll sources

1. "Hormaechea conseguirá la reelección en Santander". El País (in Spanish). 1 May 1983.
2. "Ficha técnica de los sondeos". El País (in Spanish). 1 May 1983.
3. "El PSOE puede lograr la mayoría simple en los trece parlamentos autonóminos nuevos, de acuerdo con los resultados del 28-O". El País (in Spanish). 21 February 1983.
4. "Preelectoral municipales y autonómicas 1983 (VII). Cantabria (Estudio nº 1352. Abril 1983)" (PDF). CIS (in Spanish). 8 April 1983.

Other

1. "Los socialistas deberán pactar en cinco comunidades atonómas para gobernar". El País (in Spanish). 10 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
2. "El poder, en manos de ex centristas". El País (in Spanish). 10 May 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
3. "La crisis de UCD culmina con la decisión de disolverse como partido político". El País (in Spanish). 19 February 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
4. "José Antonio Rodríguez, elegido presidente del Gobierno cántabro". El País (in Spanish). 16 June 1983. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
5. "Tomó posesión de su cargo el presidente regional de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 18 June 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
6. "La inminente dimisión de Rodríguez como presidente de Cantabria cerrará la primera crisis interna de la Coalición Popular". El País (in Spanish). 19 February 1984. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
7. "Ley Orgánica 8/1981, de 30 de diciembre, de Estatuto de Autonomía para Cantabria". Organic Law No. 8 of 30 December 1981 (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2017.
8. "Real Decreto-ley 20/1977, de 18 de marzo, sobre Normas Electorales". Royal Decree-Law No. 20 of 18 March 1977 (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2019.
9. "Real Decreto 451/1983, de 9 de marzo, de convocatoria de elecciones a la Asamblea Regional de Cantabria" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (59): 7046. 10 March 1983. ISSN 0212-033X. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
10. "Se confirma el 8 de mayo como la fecha de las elecciones locales". El País (in Spanish). 8 March 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
11. "Hoy se hará oficial la convocatoria de elecciones locales para el 8 de mayo". El País (in Spanish). 9 March 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
12. "Convocadas las elecciones locales y autonómicas para el domingo 8 de mayo". El País (in Spanish). 10 March 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
13. "Cantabria puede ser la primera comunidad autónoma uniprovincial". El País (in Spanish). 23 June 1979. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
14. "Cantabria, primera región que opta por la vía del artículo 143". El País (in Spanish). 11 September 1979. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
15. "La España de las Autonomías. El modelo territorial. "Café para todos"". El Mundo (in Spanish). June 2005. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
16. "Sinopsis del Estatuto de Cantabria". congreso.es (in Spanish). Congress of Deputies. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
17. "Finaliza la redacción del Estatuto de Autonomía de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 21 May 1980. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
18. "Aprobado el proyecto de Estatuto de Autonomía de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 4 June 1980. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
19. "Cinco estatutos de autonomía, pendientes de tramitación en el Congreso". El País (in Spanish). 3 April 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
20. "Posible acuerdo especial de Cantabria con la comunidad castellano-leonesa". El País (in Spanish). 26 June 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
21. "El Pleno del Congreso aprueba el articulado del Estatuto de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 14 October 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
22. "Los acuerdos UCD-PSOE condicionan la autonomía cántabra". El País (in Spanish). 16 December 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
23. "Aprobados los Estatutos de Asturias y Cantabria, los primeros tramitados por la vía del artículo 143". El País (in Spanish). 16 December 1981. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
24. "La España de las Autonomías. Cantabria. Breve historia". El Mundo (in Spanish). June 2005. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
25. "Posible expediente disciplinario contra la directiva del PSOE de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 20 September 1979. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
26. "Crisis en el PSOE de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 6 August 1980. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
27. "Los socialistas cántabros intentan salir de su crisis con un congreso en septiembre". El País (in Spanish). 14 August 1980. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
28. "Pilar Quintanal, secretaria general del PSOE de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 20 November 1979. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
29. "La comisión de conflictos del PSOE rehabilita al diputado Jaime Blanco". El País (in Spanish). 25 November 1980. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
30. "Jaime Blanco, virtual secretario del PSOE de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 4 December 1980. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
31. "Otro diputado centrista amenaza con abandonar el partido". El País (in Spanish). 25 June 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
32. "El sector "crítico" de UCD de Cantabria no reconocerá al nuevo comité ejecutivo". El País (in Spanish). 9 July 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
33. "El diputado Díaz Porras se da de baja en el partido centrista". El País (in Spanish). 18 November 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
34. "Conflicto en la UCD de Cantabria por la elección de candidatos a las instituciones regionales". El País (in Spanish). 23 December 1981. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
35. "Divergencias en UCD por la presidencia de la Diputacion de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 8 January 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
36. "Enfrentamientos entre PSOE y UCD en la Diputación". El País (in Spanish). 12 January 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
37. "Problemas en UCD para la elección de presidente de la Asamblea de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 17 February 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
38. "El diputado de UCD Isaac Aja, presidente de la Asamblea Regional". El País (in Spanish). 21 February 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
39. "Virulenta reacción en la UCD cántabra por la derrota de Justo de las Cuevas". El País (in Spanish). 23 February 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
40. "Los centristas 'disidentes' de Cantabria pueden ocupar el Gobierno regional". El País (in Spanish). 4 March 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
41. "Acuerdo para que el ex presidente de la Diputación forme Gobierno en Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 6 March 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
42. "Expulsado de UCD el presidente del Gobierno autónomo de Cantabria, elegido ayer". El País (in Spanish). 16 March 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
43. "Indignación en Cantabria por la decisión de UCD de expulsar a los ocho diputados regionales". El País (in Spanish). 17 March 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
44. "La Asamblea de Cantabria se reserva la capacidad de destituir a sus miembros". El País (in Spanish). 30 March 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
45. "Los problemas internos de UCD impiden la formación del primer Gobierno autónomo cántabro". El País (in Spanish). 6 April 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
46. "El día 15, presentación del Gobierno autónomo de Cantabria ante la Asamblea Regional". El País (in Spanish). 8 April 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
47. "Mayoría de independientes en el primer Gobierno de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 16 April 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
48. "Depuración de militantes centristas que apoyan al Gobierno autónomo". El País (in Spanish). 10 June 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
49. "Al menos una decena de parlamentarios centristas se unirán a Suárez". El País (in Spanish). 30 July 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
50. "Las 'fugas' obligan a constituir una gestora de UCD en Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 31 August 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
51. "1979 Provincial Council elections". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2019.
52. "Sesión Plenaria, nº 1, celebrada el día 20 de febrero de 1982, de constitución de la Asamblea Regional de Cantabria" (PDF). Diario de Sesiones de la Asamblea Regional de Cantabria (in Spanish) (1): 1–58. 27 February 1982. ISSN 2171-6838. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
53. "Los socialistas serán la minoría mayoritaria de la Asamblea cántabra". El País (in Spanish). 22 November 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
54. "Críticas del presidente de la Asamblea cántabra a la gestión del Gobierno autónomo". El País (in Spanish). 25 November 1982. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
55. "Legislatura Provisional". parlamento-cantabria.es (in Spanish). Parliament of Cantabria. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
56. "Resolución de 31 de mayo de 1982 por la que se ordena la publicación en el "Boletín Oficial de la Asamblea Regional de Cantabria" del Reglamento de la misma" (PDF). Diario de Sesiones de la Asamblea Regional de Cantabria (in Spanish) (9): 233–276. 1 June 1982. ISSN 2171-6838. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
57. "José Antonio Rodríguez, candidato por AP-PDP a la presidencia de la Diputación cántabra". El País (in Spanish). 22 March 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
58. "Un presidente polémico para frenar al PSOE". El País (in Spanish). 16 April 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
59. "Los democristianos ganan la batalla a los 'azules' en el congreso de UCD y mantienen a Lavilla en la presidencia". El País (in Spanish). 13 December 1982. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
60. "Ex ministros y 'notables' de UCD inician la fuga del partido". El País (in Spanish). 14 December 1982. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
61. "El proceso de desintegración de UCD se acelera con peticiones de bajas en numerosas regiones". El País (in Spanish). 16 December 1982. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
62. "Sigue en el aire la posibilidad de pacto electoral entre AP-UCD". El País (in Spanish). 21 December 1982. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
63. "UCD, a favor de seguir negociando con AP para llegar a un pacto de cara a las municipales". El País (in Spanish). 30 December 1982. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
64. "Fraga se muestra reticente sobre la conveniencia de llegar a un pacto electoral con UCD". El País (in Spanish). 18 December 1982. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
65. "División en UCD sobre la conveniencia de un pacto electoral con Alianza Popular". El País (in Spanish). 22 December 1982. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
66. "Aumentan los obstáculos para un acuerdo electoral entre UCD y AP". El País (in Spanish). 4 January 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
67. "UCD negociará pactos locales para los próximos comicios". El País (in Spanish). 18 January 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
68. "Lavilla desmiente su dimisión y asegura que "aun existen muchas incógnitas por decidir" en UCD". El País (in Spanish). 9 February 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
69. "El mantenimiento de las siglas, máximo obstáculo para el acercamiento de UCD al Partido Demócrata Popular". El País (in Spanish). 17 February 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
70. "La mayoría de los parlamentarios de UCD se opone a las negociaciones para una integración en el PDP". El País (in Spanish). 18 February 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
71. "Exito y fracaso sin precedentes en la historia de las democracias". El País (in Spanish). 19 February 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
72. "Disolución formal del partido centrista en Salamanca, donde llegó a tener 256 alcaldes". El País (in Spanish). 21 February 1983. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
73. "Acuerdo entre UCD y AP, para concurrir juntos, a las municipales en algunas provincias". El País (in Spanish). 8 January 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
74. "UCD adoptará esta semana una decisión sobre las municipales". El País (in Spanish). 31 January 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
75. "UCD y AP-PDP sólo irán en coalición a las municipales en el País Vasco". El País (in Spanish). 11 February 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
76. "Formado un comité coordinador de los partidos coaligados con AP". El País (in Spanish). 3 March 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
77. "El Partido Demócrata Popular considera "correctas, pero muy difíciles", las negociaciones con AP para las próximas elecciones". El País (in Spanish). 13 March 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
78. "Formalizada la coalición AP-PDP-UL en todas las provincias". El País (in Spanish). 22 March 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
79. "Dos nuevos grupos se unen a la 'operación liberal' de Fraga". El País (in Spanish). 19 January 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
80. "El partido de Oscar Alzaga trata de forzar una próxima 'fuga' de militantes de UCD". El País (in Spanish). 8 February 1983. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
81. "Centenares de militantes democristianos de UCD se integrarán hoy en el partido de Oscar Alzaga". El País (in Spanish). 20 February 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
82. "19 dirigentes democristianos de UCD se integran en el consejo político del PDP". El País (in Spanish). 21 February 1983. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
83. "Presencia de centristas en las listas municipales de AP en Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 10 January 1983. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
84. "Regional Assembly of Cantabria election results, 8 May 1983" (PDF). www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Electoral Commission of Cantabria. 28 October 1983. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
85. "Regional election, 8 May 1983". parlamento-cantabria.es (in Spanish). Parliament of Cantabria. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
86. "Elecciones al Parlamento de Cantabria (1983 - 2019)". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 September 2017.
87. "Ley 2/1982, de 4 de octubre, del Régimen Jurídico del Estatuto Personal, atribuciones, y organización del Presidente de la Diputación Regional de Cantabria y de su Consejo de Gobierno". Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (89): 10303–10306. 14 April 1983. ISSN 0212-033X. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
88. "Presiones de AP para que el presidente de Cantabria se integre en el partido de Fraga". El País (in Spanish). 17 May 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
89. "José Antonio Rodríguez impone a AP sus criterios en la formación del Gobierno de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 22 June 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
90. "Superadas las diferencias entre el Gobierno regional y Alianza Popular". El País (in Spanish). 28 September 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
91. "Ruptura entre los partidos políticos que integran la Coalición Popular en Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 4 December 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
92. "El presidente cántabro desoye la petición de que dimita efectuada por Alianza Popular". El País (in Spanish). 6 December 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
93. "Fraga se reúne hoy en Madrid con el presidente regional para pedirle que dimita". El País (in Spanish). 25 January 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
94. "El presidente del Gobierno de Cantabria afirma que sólo se sometería a un posible pacto Fraga-Alzaga". El País (in Spanish). 12 January 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
95. "El presidente de Cantabria rechaza la petición de Manuel Fraga de que presente su dimisión". El País (in Spanish). 28 January 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
96. "Un alcalde denuncia 'sucios manejos' para forzarle a apoyar al presidente cántabro". El País (in Spanish). 29 December 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
97. "El secretario del presidente cántabro niega haber presionado a un alcalde". El País (in Spanish). 30 December 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
98. "Nueva tentativa de AP para forzar la dimisión del presidente del Gobierno autónomo". El País (in Spanish). 2 January 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
99. "Compromiso de Fraga y Alzaga para resolver el conflicto de la coalición en Santander". El País (in Spanish). 7 January 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
100. "El presidente no ha podido suspender su comparecencia ante la Asamblea Regional". El País (in Spanish). 9 January 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
101. "El presidente cántabro hará pública el lunes la dimisión del cargo". El País (in Spanish). 18 February 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
102. "El presidente de Cantabria anuncia para hoy su dimisión". El País (in Spanish). 2 March 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
103. "El presidente". El País (in Spanish). 7 March 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
104. "Profunda crisis política en las direcciones de los dos partidos mayoritarios de Cantabria". El País (in Spanish). 13 March 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
105. "La ruptura del pacto AP-PDP inicia una nueva crisis en el Gobierno cántabro". El País (in Spanish). 25 August 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
106. "El PDP culpa de la crisis del Gobierno cántabro al consejero de la Presidencia". El País (in Spanish). 26 August 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
107. "Cantabria ha tenido tres crisis de Gobierno en 15 meses a causa de las luchas entre AP y PDP". El País (in Spanish). 31 August 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
108. "Los dirigentes de Coalición Popular llegan a un acuerdo para evitar que la crisis de Cantabria se extienda a nivel nacional". El País (in Spanish). 3 September 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
109. "Díaz de Entresotos logra la investidura para presidir el Gobierno cántabro". El País (in Spanish). 19 March 1984. Retrieved 8 December 2019.