Leonese People's Union
Encyclopedia
The Leonese People's Union 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
(parts of the old Kingdom of León
), now in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León
.
UPL was founded in 1986 by a group of people coming from different León regionalist movements and various state-wide 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 last municipal elections in 2007, UPL obtained 10.88% and three seats in the municipal council of León. In the last Castile and León autonomic elections the same year, it obtained 2.69% of the votes and two seats over 83.
Its youth branch is Conceyu Xoven
, an organization that promotes official status for the Leonese language
and the unity and self-determination for the Leonese Country.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
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
León (province)
León is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.About one quarter of its population of 500,200 lives in the capital, León. The weather is cold and dry during the winter....
, Zamora
Zamora (province)
Zamora is a Spanish province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.The present-day province of Zamora province was one of three provinces formed from the former Kingdom of León in 1833, when Spain was re-organised into 49 provinces.It is bordered by...
and Salamanca
Salamanca (province)
Salamanca is a province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Zamora, Valladolid, Ávila, and Cáceres; and by Portugal....
(parts of the old Kingdom of León
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
), now in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
.
UPL was founded in 1986 by a group of people coming from different León regionalist movements and various state-wide parties (Popular Alliance
Popular Alliance (Spain)
The People's Alliance was a electoral coalition, and later a political party, founded in 1976 by Manuel Fraga along with six other former Francoist ministers.- History :...
, Union of the Democratic Centre, Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
). 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 last municipal elections in 2007, UPL obtained 10.88% and three seats in the municipal council of León. In the last Castile and León autonomic elections the same year, it obtained 2.69% of the votes and two seats over 83.
Its youth branch is Conceyu Xoven
Conceyu Xoven
Conceyu Xoven is a Spanish political youth organisation affiliated with Leonese People's Union in León and Zamora demanding the independence of the Leonese Country....
, an organization that promotes official status for the Leonese language
Leonese language
The Leonese language is the endonym term used to refer to all vernacular Romance dialects of the Astur-Leonese linguistic group in the Spanish provinces of León and Zamora; Astur-Leonese also includes the dialects...
and the unity and self-determination for the Leonese Country.