1903 Spanish general election

1903 Spanish general election

26 April 1903 (Congress) 10 May 1903 (Senate)
All 403 seats in the Congress of Deputies and 180 (of 360) seats in the Senate 202 seats needed for a majority in the Congress of Deputies
First party Second party Third party   Leader Francisco Silvela Eugenio Montero Ríos Nicolás Salmerón Party Conservative Liberal Republican Leader since 1899 1902 1903 Leader's seat Piedrahita Senator (for life) Barcelona Last election 91 (C) · 41 (S)[a] 252 (C) · 117 (S)[b] 15 (C) · 3 (S)[c] Seats won 228 (C) · 101 (S) 95 (C) · 50 (S) 28 (C) · 1 (S) Seat change 137 (C) · 60 (S) 157 (C) · 67 (S) 13 (C) · 2 (S)   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader José Canalejas None[d] José María Vallés Party Democratic Tetuanist Federal Leader since 1902 — 1901 Leader's seat Alcoy — La Bisbal Last election Did not contest 10 (C) · 7 (S) 2 (C) · 0 (S) Seats won 9 (C) · 4 (S) 6 (C) · 6 (S) 8 (C) · 1 (S) Seat change 9 (C) · 4 (S) 4 (C) · 1 (S) 6 (C) · 1 (S)
Election results by Congress of Deputies electoral constituency and district
Prime Minister before election Francisco Silvela Conservative Prime Minister after election Francisco Silvela Conservative

The 1903 Spanish general election was held on Sunday, 26 April (for the Congress of Deputies) and on Sunday, 10 May 1903 (for the Senate), to elect the 11th Cortes of the Kingdom of Spain in the Restoration period. All 403 seats in the Congress of Deputies were up for election, as well as 180 of 360 seats in the Senate.

Liberal prime minister Práxedes Mateo Sagasta's last period in power was dominated by the rise of Catalan regionalism and a string of worker strikes, as well as a number of issues—such as the religious and the educational questions—in which the government's results were mixed. A deteriorating health condition forced Sagasta's resignation on 6 December 1902, with power being handed over to Francisco Silvela and his Conservative Party; Sagasta would end up dying one month later, on 5 January. As a result, 1903 was the first election in the Restoration period not to be contested either by Sagasta or by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, both of whom had been the regime's pillars by ensuring its duration and stability for decades. It was also the first election with Alfonso XIII as King regnant, following his coming of age and the end of his mother's regency.

Overview

Electoral system

The Spanish Cortes were envisaged as "co-legislative bodies", based on a nearly perfect bicameral system. Both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate had legislative, control and budgetary functions, sharing equal powers except for laws on contributions or public credit, where the Congress had preeminence.^[1][2] Voting for the Cortes was on the basis of universal manhood suffrage, which comprised all national males over 25 years of age, having at least a two-year residency in a municipality and in full enjoyment of their civil rights.^[3][4]

For the Congress of Deputies, 95 seats were elected using a partial block voting system in 27 multi-member constituencies, with the remaining 308 being elected under a one-round first-past-the-post system in single-member districts. Candidates winning a plurality in each constituency were elected. In constituencies electing eight seats or more, electors could vote for no more than three candidates less than the number of seats to be allocated; in those with more than four seats and up to eight, for no more than two less; in those with more than one seat and up to four, for no more than one less; and for one candidate in single-member districts. The Congress was entitled to one member per each 50,000 inhabitants, with each multi-member constituency being allocated a fixed number of seats. Additionally, literary universities, economic societies of Friends of the Country and officially organized chambers of commerce, industry and agriculture were entitled to one seat per each 5,000 registered voters that they comprised. The law also provided for by-elections to fill seats vacated throughout the legislature.^[1][5][6][7]

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats:^{[6][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

Seats	Constituencies
8	Madrid
7	Barcelona
5	Palma, Seville
4	Cartagena
3	Alicante, Almería, Badajoz, Burgos, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva^(+2), Jaén, Jerez de la Frontera, La Coruña, Lugo, Málaga, Murcia, Oviedo, Pamplona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Valladolid, Zaragoza

For the Senate, 180 seats were indirectly elected by the local councils and major taxpayers, with electors voting for delegates instead of senators. Elected delegates—equivalent in number to one-sixth of the councillors in each local council—would then vote for senators using a write-in, two-round majority voting system. The provinces of Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia were allocated four seats each, whereas each of the remaining provinces was allocated three seats, for a total of 150. The remaining 30 were allocated to special districts comprising a number of institutions, electing one seat each—the archdioceses of Burgos, Granada, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tarragona, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid and Zaragoza; the Royal Spanish Academy; the royal academies of History, Fine Arts of San Fernando, Exact and Natural Sciences, Moral and Political Sciences and Medicine; the universities of Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Oviedo, Salamanca, Santiago, Seville, Valencia, Valladolid and Zaragoza; and the economic societies of Friends of the Country from Madrid, Barcelona, León, Seville and Valencia. An additional 180 seats comprised senators in their own right—the Monarch's offspring and the heir apparent once coming of age; Grandees of Spain of the first class; Captain Generals of the Army and the Navy Admiral; the Patriarch of the Indies and archbishops; and the presidents of the Council of State, the Supreme Court, the Court of Auditors, the Supreme War Council and the Supreme Council of the Navy, after two years of service—as well as senators for life (who were appointed by the Monarch).^[1][15][16]

Election date

The term of each chamber of the Cortes—the Congress and one-half of the elective part of the Senate—expired five years from the date of their previous election, unless they were dissolved earlier. The previous Congress and Senate elections were held on 19 May and 2 June 1901, which meant that the legislature's terms would have expired on 19 May and 2 June 1906, respectively. The monarch had the prerogative to dissolve both chambers at any given time—either jointly or separately—and call a snap election.^[1][6][15] There was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections for the Congress and the Senate, nor for the elective part of the Senate to be renewed in its entirety except in the case that a full dissolution was agreed by the monarch. Still, there was only one case of a separate election (for the Senate in 1877) and no half-Senate elections taking place under the 1876 Constitution.

The Cortes were officially dissolved on 26 March 1903, with the dissolution decree setting the election dates for 26 April (for the Congress) and 10 May 1903 (for the Senate) and scheduling for both chambers to reconvene on 18 May.^[17]

Background

The Spanish Constitution of 1876 enshrined Spain as a constitutional monarchy, awarding the monarch power to name senators and to revoke laws, as well as the title of commander-in-chief of the army. The monarch would also play a key role in the system of el turno pacífico (English: the Peaceful Turn) by appointing and dismissing governments and allowing the opposition to take power. Under this system, the major political parties of the time, the conservatives and the liberals—characterized as elite parties with loose structures and dominated by internal factions led by powerful individuals—alternated in power by means of election rigging, which they achieved through the encasillado, using the links between the Ministry of Governance, the provincial civil governors and the local bosses (caciques) to ensure victory and exclude minor parties from the power sharing.^[18][19]

The last period in power of Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1901–1902) saw the coming of age of King Alfonso XIII in May 1902, but also the continuation of the social and regionalist conflicts that had afflicted previous governments. A general strike in Barcelona in February 1902 was violently suppressed, while the government proved unable to address the improvement of labour conditions demanded by the working classes.^[20] Sagasta's cabinet also proved unable to resolve the religious question—regarding a disproportionate growth in the establishment of religious congregations, considered contrary to law—nor to tackle Catalan regionalism through decentralizing formulas, but was able to approve a major reform of the education system underwent by public instruction minister Álvaro de Figueroa (comprising a new study plan in secondary education, the reestablishment of academic freedom, the attribution to the State of the payment of primary school teachers and an expansion of compulsory schooling).^[21]

Sagasta tendered his resignation as prime minister two times throughout 1902—first to Queen Regent Maria Christina in March, then to newly-crowned King Alfonso XIII in November—but they were both rejected. However, growing criticism from the opposition, waning support within his party and a deteriorating health condition forced his final resignation on 6 December 1902 and the entrustment of government to Francisco Silvela of the Conservative Party. Sagasta would die of bronchopneumonia one month after leaving power, on 5 January 1903, at age 77.^[21][22][23]

Results

Congress of Deputies

← Summary of the 26 April 1903 Congress of Deputies election results →

Parties and alliances		Popular vote		Seats
		Votes	%
	Liberal Conservative Party (PLC)			228
	Liberal Party (PL)			95
	Republican Union Party (PUR)			28
	Monarchist Democratic Party (PDM)			9
	Federal Republican Party (PRF)			8
	Liberal Reformist Party (PLR)			7
	Traditionalist Communion (Carlist) (CT)			7
	Tetuanist Conservatives (T)			6
	Regionalist League (LR)			4
	Integrist Party (PI)			3
	Independents (INDEP)			8
Total				403
Votes cast / turnout
Abstentions
Registered voters
Sources[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

Seats PLC   56.58% PL   23.57% PUR   6.95% PDM   2.23% PRF   1.99% CT   1.74% PLR   1.74% T   1.49% LR   0.99% PI   0.74% INDEP   1.99%

Senate

← Summary of the 10 May 1903 Senate of Spain election results →

Parties and alliances		Seats
	Liberal Conservative Party (PLC)	101
	Liberal Party (PL)	50
	Tetuanist Conservatives (T)	6
	Monarchist Democratic Party (PDM)	4
	Regionalist League (LR)	2
	Republican Union Party (PUR)	1
	Traditionalist Communion (Carlist) (CT)	1
	Federal Republicans Party (PRF)	1
	Liberal Reformist Party (PLR)	1
	Independents (INDEP)	4
	Archbishops (ARCH)	9
Total elective seats		180
Sources[32][33][34][35][36][37]

Seats PLC   56.11% PL   27.78% T   3.33% PDM   2.22% LR   1.11% PUR   0.56% PRF   0.56% CT   0.56% PLR   0.56% INDEP   2.22% ARCH   5.00%

Distribution by group

Summary of political group distribution in the 11th Restoration Cortes (1903–1905)

Group		Parties and alliances		C	S	Total
	PLC		Liberal Conservative Party (PLC)	227	99	329
			Basque Dynastics (Urquijist) (DV)	1	2
	PL		Liberal Party (PL)	93	49	145
			Liberal Coalition (CL)	2	1
	PUR		Republican Union Party (PUR)	28	1	29
	PDM		Monarchist Democratic Party (PDM)	9	4	13
	T		Tetuanist Conservatives (T)	6	6	12
	PRF		Federal Republican Party (PRF)	8	1	9
	CT		Traditionalist Communion (Carlist) (CT)	7	1	8
	PLR		Liberal Reformist Party (PLR)	7	1	8
	LR		Regionalist League (LR)	4	2	6
	PI		Integrist Party (PI)	3	0	3
	INDEP		Independents (INDEP)	6	4	12
			Independent Catholics (CAT)	2	0
	ARCH		Archbishops (ARCH)	0	9	9
Total				403	180	583

Notes

1. Results for PLC (76 deputies and 38 senators) and G (15 deputies and 3 senators) in the 1901 election.
2. Results for PL (246 deputies and 116 senators) and UN (6 deputies and 1 senator) in the 1901 election.
3. Results for PRN (12 deputies and 2 senators), RI (2 deputies and 0 senators) and PRC (1 deputy and 1 senator) in the 1901 election.
4. Its leader, Carlos O'Donnell, had died on 9 February 1903.

References

1. Constitución de la Monarquía Española (PDF) (Constitution) (in Spanish). 30 June 1876. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
2. "El Senado en la historia constitucional española". Senate of Spain (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 December 2016.
3. García Muñoz 2002, pp. 106–107.
4. Carreras de Odriozola & Tafunell Sambola 2005, p. 1077.
5. Ley electoral de los Diputados a Cortes (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 28 December 1878. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
6. Ley electoral para Diputados a Cortes (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 26 June 1890. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
7. Ley mandando que los distritos para las elecciones de Diputados á Córtes sean los que se expresan en la división adjunta (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 1 January 1871. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
8. Ley dividiendo la provincia de Guipúzcoa en distritos para la elección de Diputados a Cortes (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 23 June 1885. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
9. Ley dividiendo el distrito electoral de Tarrasa en dos, que se denominarán de Tarrasa y de Sabadell (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 18 January 1887. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
10. Ley fijando la división de la provincia de Alava en distritos electorales para Diputados á Cortes (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 10 July 1888. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
11. Leyes aprobando la división electoral de las provincias de León y Vizcaya (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 2 August 1895. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
12. Leyes aprobando la división electoral en las provincias de Sevilla y de Barcelona (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 5 July 1898. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
13. Ley mandando que en lo sucesivo sean cuatro los Diputados á Cortes que elegirá la circunscripción electoral de Cartagena (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 7 August 1899. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
14. Ley estableciendo una circunscripción para elegir tres Diputados á cortes, que la constituirán los cuatro partidos judiciales de Ayamonte, Hueva, Moguer y la Palma, con todas las poblaciones que de ellos forman parte (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 24 March 1902. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
15. Ley electoral de Senadores (PDF) (Law) (in Spanish). 8 February 1877. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
16. "Real decreto disponiendo el número de Senadores que han de elegir las provincias que se citan" (PDF). Gaceta de Madrid (in Spanish) (76). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 1021. 16 March 1899.
17. "Real decreto declarando disueltos al Congreso de los Diputados y parte electiva del Senado, y disponiendo que las Cortes se reúnan en Madrid el 18 de Mayo próximo" (PDF). Gaceta de Madrid (in Spanish) (86). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 1313. 27 March 1903.
18. Martorell Linares 1997, pp. 139–143.
19. Martínez Relanzón 2017, pp. 147–148.
20. Pons, Marc (17 February 2017). "Huelga general, por la jornada de 9 horas". El Nacional (in Spanish). Tarragona. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
21. De la Santa Cinta, Joaquín (13 September 2017). "Presidentes del Consejo de Ministros durante la Regencia de María Cristina de Habsburgo-Lorena: Francisco Silvela Le Vielleuze, Marcelo Azcárraga Palmero y Práxedes Mateo Sagasta". El Correo de Pozuelo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 May 2023.
22. "Práxedes Mateo-Sagasta Escolar" (in Spanish). Royal Academy of History. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
23. "Práxedes Mateo Sagasta y Escolar" (in Spanish). Congress of Deputies. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
24. Armengol i Segú & Varela Ortega 2001, pp. 655–776.
25. "Elecciones". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Siglo Futuro. 27 April 1903. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
26. "Las elecciones". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). La Época. 27 April 1903. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
27. "Elecciones en provincias". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Liberal. 27 April 1903. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
28. "El resultado de las elecciones". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El País. 28 April 1903. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
29. "Las elecciones". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Globo. 28 April 1903. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
30. "El futuro Congreso". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). La Época. 28 April 1903. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
31. "Abril de 1903. Día 26. Elección general. Diputados proclamados". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Año Político. 1 January 1904. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
32. "Las elecciones de senadores en provincias". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). La Época. 10 May 1903. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
33. "Las elecciones de senadores". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Imparcial. 11 May 1903. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
34. "Elecciones de senadores". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Liberal. 11 May 1903. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
35. "Senadores electos". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Globo. 11 May 1903. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
36. "Las elecciones de senadores". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Siglo Futuro. 11 May 1903. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
37. "Mayo de 1903. Día 10. Elección de Senadores". National Library of Spain (in Spanish). El Año Político. 1 January 1904. Retrieved 30 October 2022.

Bibliography

• Fernández Almagro, Melchor (1943). "Las Cortes del siglo XIX y la práctica electoral". Revista de Estudios Políticos (in Spanish) (9–10): 383–419. ISSN 0048-7694. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
• Martorell Linares, Miguel Ángel (1997). "La crisis parlamentaria de 1913-1917. La quiebra del sistema de relaciones parlamentarias de la Restauración". Revista de Estudios Políticos (in Spanish) (96). Madrid: Centro de Estudios Constitucionales: 137–161.
• Martínez Ruiz, Enrique; Maqueda Abreu, Consuelo; De Diego, Emilio (1999). Atlas histórico de España (in Spanish). Vol. 2. Bilbao: Ediciones KAL. pp. 109–120. ISBN 9788470903502.
• Armengol i Segú, Josep; Varela Ortega, José (2001). El poder de la influencia: geografía del caciquismo en España (1875-1923) (in Spanish). Madrid: Marcial Pons Historia. pp. 655–776. ISBN 9788425911521.
• García Muñoz, Montserrat (2002). "La documentación electoral y el fichero histórico de diputados". Revista General de Información y Documentación (in Spanish). 12 (1): 93–137. ISSN 1132-1873. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
• Carreras de Odriozola, Albert; Tafunell Sambola, Xavier (2005) [1989]. Estadísticas históricas de España, siglos XIX-XX (PDF) (in Spanish). Vol. 1 (II ed.). Bilbao: Fundación BBVA. pp. 1072–1097. ISBN 84-96515-00-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015.
• Martínez Relanzón, Alejandro (2017). "Political Modernization in Spain Between 1876 and 1923". Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Sklodowska, sectio K. 24 (1). Madrid: Maria Curie-Skłodowska University: 145–154. doi:10.17951/k.2017.24.1.145. S2CID 159328027.