1994 Sardinian regional election

1994 Sardinian regional election

12 and 26 June 1994
All 80 seats to the Regional Council of Sardinia 41 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	74.3%
Majority party Minority party Third party   Candidate Federico Palomba Ovidio Marras Gian Mario Selis Party PDS Forza Italia PPI Alliance Progressives Pole Centrist coalition Seats won 29 28 13 Popular vote 289,718 248,145 140,588 Percentage 42.7% 36.7% 20.7%
President before election Antonello Cabras PSI Elected President Federico Palomba PDS

The Sardinian regional election of 1994 took place on 12 and 26 June 1994.

The election took place under the provision of a new electoral law, which created a new system under which for the first time ever voters could express an indirect choice for the President through voting the candidate's coalition.

The election was won on the second round by the Progressives' coalition and Federico Palomba (PDS) was elected President of the Region for the 1994–1999 term. Although he didn't manage to win a majority of seats in the Regional Council, he was able to form a government with the external support of centrist and regionalist parties.

New electoral system

As had happened for the March 1994 national election, also in Sardinia a new electoral system was introduced. The proportional representation established after the end of World War II had been abolished and a new majoritarian system based on different pre-electoral coalition was introduced.

For the first time ever Sardinians were asked to choice directly the President of the Region. If no candidates received at least 50% of votes, the top three candidates could go to a second round after two weeks. In this case, the candidate who received more votes would have been elected president.

The election of the Regional Council was based on a direct choice for the candidate with a preference vote. Sixty-four councillors were elected in provincial constituencies by proportional representation using the largest remainder method with a Droop quota and open lists; remained seats and votes were grouped at regional level where a Hare quota was used, and then distributed to provincial party lists. Sixteen councillors were instead elected at-large using a general ticket: parties were required to group in alliances, and the alliance which received a plurality of votes elected some candidates, its leader becoming the President of Sardinia. Also in this case, the number of the seats for each party was determined proportionally.

Results

Candidates		I round		II round		Regional seats	Parties	Votes	%	Seats
		Votes	%	Votes	%
	Federico Palomba	259.485	29.8	289,718	42.7	8	Democratic Party of the Left	168,062	18.1	13
							Communist Refoundation Party	55,156	5.6	4
							Democratic Federation	48,404	5.2	4
							Democratic Alliance – The Greens	26,969	0.9	–
							Progressives	274,591	31.8	21
	Ovidio Marras	265.131	30.5	248,145	36.7	6	Forza Italia	195,206	21.1	14
							National Alliance	102,594	11.1	8
							Christian Democratic Centre	14,240	1.5	–
							Pole	312,040	33.7	22
	Gian Mario Selis	133.286	15.3	140,588	20.7	2	Italian People's Party	149,725	16.2	11
							Italian Republican Party	8,467	0.9	–
							Centrist coalition	158,192	17.1	11
	Massimo Fantola	129.761	14.9	-	-	-	Segni Pact	85,721	9.2	6
	Pasqualina Crobu	59.277	6.8	-	-	-	Sardinian Action Party	47,000	5.1	4
	Gianfranco Pintore	23.368	2.7	-	-	-	Sardinia Nation	10.984	1.2	–
							Sardinian Autonomous Movement	8.106	0.9	–
							Sardinia in Europe	3.526	0.4	–
							Sardinian League	2.041	0.2	–
							League Sardinia	1.092	0.1	–
							SN & allies	25,749	2.8	–
Total		870,308	100	678,451	100	16		926,752	100.00	64
Turnout									74.3
Source: Regional Council of Sardinia