Asamblea Regional de Murcia

VI Legislature

The elections held on May 25th 2003 established the continuation of the previous regional, political scene, except for slight variations. The People’s Party (PP) achieved an absolute majority, despite gaining 28 members this time; the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) gained 16 seats; and the left-wing party Izquierda Unida (IU) gained one seat, highlighting the feminine presence with 13 members, as well as the presence of five mayors that fit together their local mandate with their parliamentary mandate. Likewise, the fact that none of the members of the Governing Council (except for the Chairman of the Community) is a member of the Chamber is worth mentioning.

In the constituent meeting of the Chamber, held on June 19^th 2003, Mr. Franciso Celdrán Vida was elected again as Chairman, and Mr. Ramón Luis Valcárcel was elected as Chairman of the Autonomous Community.

The legislative work was stressed in the creation of public bodies with relevant competences such as a new regulatory act of the Instituto de Fomento (Institute for Promotion), the creation of the Institute for Social Action and the Public Body of Water, etc. Furthermore, prolific legislative work was made in sectors such as ports, building quality, cooperatives, trade, etc. We have to pinpoint two acts with enormous legal importance: the regulatory act on the status of the President and the Governing Council, and the act on management and legal status of the regional administration.

It is worth stressing that during this legislature two committees of enormous political relevance were created: the one on the Study and Valuation of Reform of the Statute of Autonomy of the Region of Murcia, and the one on the Water Pact.

The Committee on Reform of the Statute of Autonomy was created on October 17^th 2005 with the aim of establishing the guidelines for the reform of our institutional basic norm. Moreover, with regards to previous statutory reforms, the opening of a hearing phase came as an innovation. It was aimed at important specialists and representatives of the regional bodies to know their opinion concerning the changes and improvements that should be introduced into the new Statute. After 28 summons, the work of this Committee was interrupted by the autonomous elections of May 2007.

The Water Pact Committee was created on June 29^th 2006 with the purpose of regaining the unanimity of the Water Pact of 1994 of all political ideologies with representation at the Regional Assembly. Also, experts on this issue were invited to attend this occasion, and after analysing the water shortage from which our Region is suffering, they ventured their opinions. The parliamentary groups did not reach an agreement and the decision of the Committee was finally approved with the votes of the members of the main people’s party.

May 25th 2003 elections