Politics of Portugal
Constitution |
---|
Since 1975, the party system has been dominated by the social democratic Socialist Party and the liberal-conservative Social Democratic Party.
According to the
Political background
The national and regional governments are dominated by two political parties, the centre-left
In the Portuguese legislative election of 2011, the PSD won enough seats to form a majority government with the CDS-PP. The coalition, led by Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, was supported by a majority in the Parliament of 132 MPs. The major opposition party was the Socialist Party (the party of the former prime minister José Sócrates, in office 2005–2011) with 74 MPs. Also represented were the Portuguese Communist Party (14 MPs), "The Greens" (2 MPs) and the Left Bloc (8 MPs), all to the left of the governing coalition.
In the
In the Portuguese legislative of 2019, the centre-left PS of incumbent Prime Minister Costa obtained the largest share of the vote, and the most seats. On 26 October 2019, there was established a new PS minority government led by Prime Minister António Costa. In the snap 2022 election the ruling PS won an outright majority.
History
The first constitution was created in 1822 (following the Liberal Revolution of 1820),[4] followed by a second in 1826, followed by a third in 1838 (after the Liberal Wars),[5] a fourth in 1911 (following the 5 October 1910 revolution),[5] and a fifth 1933 (after the 28 May 1926 coup d'état).[5]
Portugal's 25 April 1976 constitution reflected the country's 1974–76 move from authoritarian rule to provisional military government to a representative democracy with some initial Communist and left-wing influence. The military coup in 1974, which became known as the Carnation Revolution, was a result of multiple internal and external factors like the colonial wars that ended in removing the dictator, Marcelo Caetano, from power. The prospect of a communist takeover in Portugal generated considerable concern among the country's NATO allies. The revolution also led to the country abruptly abandoning its colonies overseas and to the return of an estimated 600,000 Portuguese citizens from abroad. The 1976 constitution, which defined Portugal as a "Republic... engaged in the formation of a classless society," was revised in 1982, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2001, and 2004.
The 1982 revision of the constitution placed the military under strict
The current Portuguese constitution provides for progressive administrative decentralization and calls for future reorganization on a regional basis. The Azores and Madeira archipelagos have constitutionally mandated autonomous status. A regional autonomy statute promulgated in 1980 established the Government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores; the Government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira operates under a provisional autonomy statute in effect since 1976. Apart from the Azores and Madeira, the country is divided into 18 districts, each headed by a governor appointed by the Minister of Internal Administration. Macau, a former dependency, reverted to Chinese sovereignty in December 1999.
I and II Constitutional Governments (1976–1978)
The Socialist Party, under the leadership of Mário Soares, rose to power after the 1976 legislative elections and formed the I Constitutional Government. However, this government faced a lot of problems due to the country's economic situation, and in 1978, the II Constitutional Government, a coalition between the Socialists and the Democratic and Social Centre, was sworn in. The coalition only lasted eight months and Mário Soares resigned.[6]
III, IV and V Constitutional Governments (1978–1980)
President Eanes then nominated the III Constitutional Government, under the leadership of Alfredo Nobre da Costa, which was sworn in on late August 1978, but lasted just three months as it failed to gain Parliamentary support.[7]
The IV Constitutional Government, under the leadership of Carlos Mota Pinto, was sworn in on late November 1978, but, like the previous government, lasted very little, eight months, due to its failure to pass policies in Parliament.[8]
The president then swore in the V Constitutional Government, under the leadership of Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, the first and still only female prime minister in Portuguese history. The government managed the country until the early elections of December 1979.[9]
VI, VII, VIII Constitutional Governments (1980–1983)
The
In January 1981, the Social Democratic Party, the main party within the Democratic Alliance, elected Francisco Pinto Balsemão as leader and the VII Constitutional Government was sworn in.[11] Internal issues within the Alliance forced a new government to take office, the VIII Constitutional Government, in September 1981, also led by Pinto Balsemão. Balsemão resigned in late 1982.[12]
IX Constitutional Government (1983–1985)
The Socialist Party, under the leadership of Mário Soares, returned to power after the 1983 legislative election and formed a Central Bloc government, the IX Constitutional Government, between the two main parties, the Socialists and the Social Democrats. Soares resigned in June 1985 after the Social Democrats withdrew from government.[13]
X, XI and XII Constitutional Governments (1985–1995)
The Social Democratic Party, under the leadership of Aníbal Cavaco Silva, rose to power after the 1985 legislative elections and formed a minority government. However, the government lost the confidence of Parliament in April 1987 after losing a non-confidence vote.[14] After this, President Mário Soares called an early election for July 1987.
The 1987 early elections were held on 19 July and resulted in a landslide majority government for the Social Democrats, the first time a party won a majority on its own in democracy.[15] The XI Constitutional Government, the first one to finish a full 4-year term in democracy, was sworn in on 17 August 1987. During this term, the PSD government initiated a big program of liberalization and privatization of several sectors of the economy.[16]
In the 1991 election the Social Democrats were returned again to power and, also, with an absolute majority. It was the third consecutive election victory for the PSD, a record in democracy. The XII Constitutional Government was sworn in on 31 October 1991. After 1992, the economy fell into a recession and despite the recession being over by mid 1994, the government was badly hit and Cavaco Silva decided to not run for a fourth term as prime minister.[17] Cavaco Silva's 10-year tenure as prime minister is the longest, so far, in democracy.[18]
XIII and XIV Constitutional Governments (1995–2002)
The Socialist Party, under the leadership of António Guterres, came to power following the October 1995 legislative elections. The Socialists later won a new mandate by winning exactly half the parliamentary seats in the October 1999 election, and constituting then the XIV Constitutional Government. Socialist Jorge Sampaio won the February 1996 presidential elections with nearly 54% of the vote. Sampaio's election marked the first time since the 1974 revolution that a single party held the prime ministership, the presidency, and a plurality of the municipalities. Local elections were held in December 1997.
XV Constitutional Government (2002–2004)
Following the results of the
XVI Constitutional Government (2004–2005)
After
XVII and XVIII Constitutional Governments (2005–2011)
In the
In the
XIX and XX Constitutional Governments (2011–2015)
In the elections held on 5 June 2011, the Social Democratic Party won enough seats to form a majority government with the People's Party. The Government was led by Pedro Passos Coelho. It had 11 ministers and was sworn in on 21 June.
The Portuguese legislative election of 2015 was held on 4 October. The results display a relative victory of the right-wing coalition, but they also display a combined victory of the left-wing parties (including the Socialist Party), with a hung parliament (a right-wing single winner and a left-wing majority parliament). After the election, the XX Constitutional Government of Portugal had Pedro Passos Coelho (PSD) as the prime minister and lasted from 30 October 2015 to 26 November 2015. However, the Government Programme was rejected by the Parliament. It was the shortest-lived Portuguese national government since the Carnation Revolution.
XXI, XXII and XXIII Constitutional Governments (2015–2024)
The 21st cabinet of the Portuguese government since the establishment of the current constitution. It was established on 26 November 2015 as a Socialist Party (PS) minority government led by Prime Minister António Costa.
The Portuguese legislative election of 2019 was held on 6 October 2019. The centre-left Socialist Party (PS) of incumbent Prime Minister Costa obtained the largest share of the vote, and the most seats. The XXII Constitutional Government of Portugal was sworn in on 26 October 2019 as a Socialist Party (PS) minority government led by Prime Minister António Costa. In October 2021, the budget proposed by the government was rejected by Parliament, leading President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to call an early election for January 2022.[21]
The 2022 early elections were held on 30 January 2022. The election resulted in an absolute majority for the Socialist Party, the second in its history.[22] However, the government swearing in was postponed because of a rerun in the overseas constituency of Europe, and the XXIII Constitutitional Government, led by Prime Minister António Costa, was only sworn in on 30 March 2022.[23] António Costa resigned on 7 November 2023, following the Operation Influencer police searches into government contracts surrounding lithium and hydrogen businesses.[24] The President dissolved parliament and called early elections.[25]
XXIV Constitutional Government (2024–)
In the elections held on 10 March 2024, the Democratic Alliance, alliance between the Social Democratic Party, People's Party and the People's Monarchist Party, won enough seats to form a minority government. The Government led by Luís Montenegro has 17 ministers and was sworn in on 2 April 2024.
Political powers
Government in Portugal is made up of three branches originally envisioned by
The four main organs of the national government are the presidency, the
President
The President, elected to a 5-year term by direct, universal suffrage, is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Presidential powers include appointing the prime minister and Council of Ministers, in which the President must be guided by the assembly election results; dismissing the prime minister; dissolving the assembly to call early elections; vetoing legislation, which may be overridden by the assembly; and declaring a state of war or siege.
The
- The President of the Assembly of the Republic
- The Prime Minister of Portugal
- The President of the Constitutional Court of Portugal
- The Ombudsman of Portugal
- Both Presidents of the regional governments of the autonomous regions (Madeira and Azores)
- Former Presidents of the Republic
- Five citizens appointed by the President of the Republic
- Five citizens appointed by the Assembly of the Republic
The president, according to the election results, names the party that shall form a government, whose leader is appointed prime minister. The prime minister names the Council of Ministers, and the ministers name their Secretaries of State. A new government is required to define the broad outline of its policy in a program and present it to the assembly for a mandatory period of debate. Failure of the assembly to reject the program by a majority of deputies confirms the government in office.
Office | Name | Party | Since |
---|---|---|---|
President | Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa | Social Democratic Party | 9 March 2016 |
Prime Minister | Luís Montenegro | Social Democratic Party | 2 April 2024 |
Presidential elections
Candidates | Supporting parties | First round | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | |||
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa | People's Party
|
2,531,692 | 60.66 | |
Ana Gomes | People–Animals–Nature, LIVRE
|
540,823 | 12.96 | |
André Ventura | CHEGA
|
497,746 | 11.93 | |
João Ferreira | Portuguese Communist Party, Ecologist Party "The Greens" | 179,764 | 4.31 | |
Marisa Matias | Left Bloc, Socialist Alternative Movement | 165,127 | 3.96 | |
Tiago Mayan Gonçalves | Liberal Initiative
|
134,991 | 3.23 | |
Vitorino Silva | React, Include, Recycle | 123,031 | 2.95 | |
Total valid | 4,173,174 | 100.00 | ||
Blank ballots | 47,164 | 1.11 | ||
[a]Invalid ballots | 38,018 | 0.89 | ||
Total | 4,258,356 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 10,847,434 | 39.26 | ||
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições |
Legislative branch
Legislative power is exercised by the Assembly of the Republic, which is the parliament of Portugal, although the Government also has a more limited ability to legislate on some matters (on others, Parliament has exclusive legislative competence). It is also the body which holds the Government accountable and has the means to remove it from office at any time, as described earlier, primarily through a motion of no confidence, although alternative methods exist.[2]
The Assembly of the Republic is a
Political parties in legislative elections
Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | MPs
|
MPs %/ votes % | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 2024 | ± | % | ± | |||||||||||
Democratic Alliance (PSD/CDS–PP/PPM)[b] | 1,814,002 | 28.01 | 1.8 | 74 | 77 | 3 | 33.48 | 1.3 | 1.20 | ||||||
CDS–PP)[c]
|
52,989 | 0.82 | 0.1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1.30 | 0 | 1.59 | ||||||
People's Monarchist[d] | 451 | 0.01 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
Total Democratic Alliance[e] | 1,867,442 | 28.83 | 1.9 | 77 | 80 | 3 | 34.78 | 1.3 | 1.21 | ||||||
Socialist | 1,812,443 | 27.98 | 13.4 | 120 | 78 | 42 | 33.91 | 18.3 | 1.21 | ||||||
CHEGA | 1,169,781 | 18.06 | 10.9 | 12 | 50 | 38 | 21.74 | 16.5 | 1.20 | ||||||
Liberal Initiative
|
319,877 | 4.94 | 0.0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3.48 | 0 | 0.70 | ||||||
Left Bloc | 282,314 | 4.36 | 0.0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2.17 | 0 | 0.50 | ||||||
Unitary Democratic Coalition | 205,551 | 3.17 | 1.1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1.74 | 0.9 | 0.55 | ||||||
LIVRE | 204,875 | 3.16 | 1.9 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1.74 | 1.3 | 0.55 | ||||||
People–Animals–Nature
|
126,125 | 1.95 | 0.4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.43 | 0 | 0.22 | ||||||
National Democratic Alternative | 102,134 | 1.58 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
React, Include, Recycle | 26,092 | 0.40 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
Together for the People | 19,145 | 0.30 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
New Right | 16,456 | 0.25 | — | — | 0 | — | 0.00 | — | 0.00 | ||||||
Portuguese Workers' Communist
|
15,491 | 0.24 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
Volt Portugal | 11,854 | 0.18 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
Rise Up | 6,030 | 0.09 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
Alternative 21 (Earth Party/Alliance) | 4,265 | 0.07 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
Labour | 2,435 | 0.04 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
We, the Citizens! | 2,399 | 0.04 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
Socialist Alternative Movement[27] | 0 | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||||||
Total valid | 6,194,709 | 95.64 | 1.8 | 230 | 230 | 0 | 100.00 | 0 | — | ||||||
Blank ballots | 89,847 | 1.39 | 0.3 | ||||||||||||
Invalid ballots | 192,396 | 2.97 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||
Total | 6,476,952 | 100.00 | |||||||||||||
Registered voters/turnout | 10,813,643 | 59.90 | 8.4 | ||||||||||||
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições[28] |
Executive branch
Executive power is exercised by the Government of Portugal. The Government is formed after the President appoints the prime minister based on election results, as described earlier – traditionally, the leader of the most voted party.
The Government can only remain in place for as long as the Parliament allows: the Parliament can remove the Government at the beginning by approving a motion of rejection to the introductory Government programme, or at any time by approving a
Judicial branch
The national
Administrative divisions
There are two
See also
- Assembly of the Republic
- Foreign relations of Portugal
- Member of the European Parliament
- Sinistrisme
- Politics of France (similar system of Government)
- Politics of Romania (similar system of Government)
Notes
- ^ Includes votes for candidate Eduardo Baptista.
- ^ PSD/CDS–PP/PPM list in mainland Portugal, Azores and Overseas.
- ^ In Madeira, the PSD and the CDS–PP contested the elections in a coalition called Madeira First (Madeira Primeiro).
- ^ PPM list only in Madeira
- Democratic and Social Centre and the People's Monarchist Partyin the 2022 election.
References
- ^ a b c Duties of the President – Head of State. Official Page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d The Assembleia da República as a body that exercises sovereign power. Assembleia da República. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ V-Dem Institute (2023). "The V-Dem Dataset". Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "The Constitutional Monarchy". Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
- ^ a b c "The Constitutional Monarchy". Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
- ^ "Mário Soares exonerado por Ramalho Eanes da liderança do II Governo Constitucional" (in Portuguese). RTP. 25 August 1977. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- ^ "Programa de Governo de Nobre da Costa alvo de moção de rejeição" (in Portuguese). RTP. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Razões da demissão de Mota Pinto" (in Portuguese). RTP. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Tomada de posse do V Governo Constitucional" (in Portuguese). RTP. 1 August 1979. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Sá Carneiro morre em acidente de aviação" (in Portuguese). RTP. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Tomada de posse do VII Governo Constitucional" (in Portuguese). RTP. 9 January 1981. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Demissão Pinto Balsemão" (in Portuguese). RTP. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Mário Soares (1924-2017), o homem que nunca desistiu" (in Portuguese). Público. 7 January 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ 1987. Da moção de censura à primeira maioria de Cavaco Jornal i, 30 August 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ 1987 – Maioria absoluta do PSD RTP, 4 July 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ A "década de betão" do cavaquismo RTP, 7 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ Bloqueio da ponte. O princípio do fim do cavaquismo foi há 25 anos Diário de Notícias, 22 July 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ Cavaco Silva: os 10 anos como primeiro-ministro Diário de Notícias, 8 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "A noite que mudou a vida de Guterres ", Expresso, 13 October 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ "Durão Barroso apresenta demissão para ser presidente da Comissão Europeia ", RTP, 8 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ^ As 3 razões de Marcelo para convocar eleições antecipadas Eco, 4 November 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ Resultados eleitorais das Legislativas 2022. Da maioria absoluta do PS ao desaparecimento do CDS Radio Renascença, 31 January 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ Tomada de posse do Governo vai ser a 30 de março Jornal de Negócios, 18 March 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "António Costa demite-se: "Obviamente"". CNN Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ Renascença (9 November 2023). "Marcelo marca eleições para 10 de março - Renascença". Rádio Renascença (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
- ^ Constituição da República Portuguesa
- ^ "MAS de Renata Cambra está impedido de concorrer às legislativas de 10 de março" Archived 14 February 2024 at the Wayback Machine, Visão, 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Comissão Nacional de Eleições Mapa Oficial n.º 2-A/2024" (PDF). Comissão Nacional de Eleições. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.