1983 Spanish regional elections
Regional elections were held in Spain during 1983 to elect the regional parliaments of thirteen of the seventeen autonomous communities: Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarre and the Valencian Community). 764 of 1,139 seats in the regional parliaments were up for election. The elections were held on 6 May.
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party emerged as the largest party in 11 out of the 13 autonomous communities holding elections, reaching or nearing the absolute majority in 9 and winning a plurality in the Canary Islands and Navarre. The conservative People's Coalition was victorious in the Balearic Islands and Cantabria, securing a majority of seats in the latter. The Communist Party of Spain saw an improvement of its results over those obtained in the October 1982 general election, while other minor national parties, such as the Democratic and Social Centre and the Liberal Democratic Party failed to make significant inroads.
The elections resulted in the full institutionalization—for the first time in the history of Spain—of an administrative structure of political power between that of the state and of the local councils, represented in the figure of the new autonomous communities.