The Leonese People's Union (Spanish: Unión del Pueblo Leonés, Leonese: Unión del Pueblu Llionés, UPL) is a regional political party in Castilla y León, Spain. UPL strives to establish a separate autonomous community (Comunidad Autónoma de León or Autonomous Community of León) for the provinces of León, Zamora and Salamanca (center of the old Kingdom of León), now in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León. Such a movement is known as Leonesism.
Leonese People's Union Unión del Pueblo Leonés | |
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| President | Pedro Ángel Gallego |
| Secretary-General | Luis Mariano Santos |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Avda. República Argentina, 13 bis-1º, 24004 León |
| Youth wing | Leonist Youth |
| Membership (2014) | 2,300[1] |
| Ideology | Leonesism Regionalism Autonomism Ruralism Big Tent |
| Political position | Centre to centre-left |
| Colours | Dark magenta Black |
| Corts of Castile and León | 3 / 83 |
| Provincial deputations | 1 / 75 |
| Mayors (Province of León)[2] | 15 / 211 |
| Local Government (2019-2023)[a] | 152 / 5,194 |
| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| www.upl.es | |
History
UPL was founded in 1986 by a group of people coming from different León regionalist movements and various statewide parties (Popular Alliance, Union of the Democratic Centre, Spanish Socialist Workers' Party). Initially it was known as Leonesist Union (Unión Leonesista, UNLE). It adopted its current name in 1991, when José María Rodríguez de Francisco took over the leadership of the party. In the municipality of León the party obtained three seats in the municipal council. It also won one seat in the provincial council.
In the municipal elections in 2007, UPL obtained 10.88% and three seats in the municipal council of León. In the Castile and León autonomous elections the same year, it obtained 2.69% of the votes and two seats over 83.
Its youth branch was Conceyu Xoven, an organization that promotes official status for the Leonese language and the unity and self-determination for the Leonese Country. Conceyu Xoven was expelled from the party due to its radical positions, with the Leonist Youth being designated the new youth wing of UPL.
Electoral performance
Cortes of Castile and León
| Date | Votes | Seats | Status | Size | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | ±pp | # | ± | |||
| 1987 | 8,960 | 0.6% | – | 0 / 84 | – | N/A | 8th |
| 1991 | 11,432 | 0.8% | +0.2 | 0 / 84 |  0 | N/A | 6th |
| 1995 | 39,425 | 2.5% | +1.7 | 2 / 84 |  2 | Opposition | 4th |
| 1999 | 54,158 | 3.7% | +1.2 | 3 / 84 | 1 | Opposition | 3rd |
| 2003 | 60,331 | 3.9% | +0.2 | 2 / 82 |  1 | Opposition | 3rd |
| 2007 | 41,519 | 2.7% | –1.2 | 2 / 83 | 0 | Opposition | 3rd |
| 2011 | 26,660 | 1.9% | –0.8 | 1 / 84 | 1 | Opposition | 4th |
| 2015 | 19,176 | 1.4% | –0.5 | 1 / 84 | 0 | Opposition | 6th |
| 2019 | 27,888 | 2.0% | +0.6 | 1 / 84 | 0 | Opposition | 7th |
| 2022 | 52,098 | 4.3% | +2.3 | 3 / 81 | 2 | Opposition | 6th |
See also
References
Notes
External links
- (in Spanish) Official website
- (in Spanish) Municipal and regional elections