Elections in Portugal
{{Short description|None}}
{{Politics of Portugal}}
Elections in Portugal are free, fair, and regularly held, in accordance with election law.{{cite web |title=Portugal |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/portugal/freedom-world/2019 |publisher=Freedom House |access-date=11 October 2019 |language=en |date=5 January 2018}}
Only the elections since the Carnation Revolution of 1974 are listed here. During the period encompassing the Constitutional Monarchy and the First Republic there were also elections, but only for a limited universe of voters. During the Estado Novo regime, from 1926 to 1974, the few elections held were not up to the democratic standards of their time and never resulted in power transfer.
Portugal elects on a national level the President and the national Parliament, the Assembly of the Republic. The President is elected for a five-year term by the people while the Parliament has 230 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies, the districts. Also on a national level, Portugal elects 21 members of the European Parliament.
The Autonomous Regions of Azores and Madeira elect their own regional government for a four-year term, usually on the same day. The first regional elections were held in 1976.
On a local level, 308 Municipal Chambers and Municipal Assemblies and 3,092[http://www.dgai.mai.gov.pt/cms/files/conteudos/file/administracao_eleitoral/RATF/Totais_JF_Distrito_Reg_Autonomas_RATF.pdf DGAI - Reorganização Administrativa do Território das Freguesias - (RATF)] Parish Assemblies are elected for a four-year term in separate elections that usually occur on the same day.
Legislative elections
{{main|Portuguese legislative elections}}
= Electoral system =
The Assembly of the Republic has 230 members elected to four-year terms. Governments do not require absolute majority support of the Assembly to hold office, as even if the number of opposers of government is larger than that of the supporters, the number of opposers still needs to be equal or greater than 116 (absolute majority) for both the Government's Programme to be rejected or for a motion of no confidence to be approved.{{cite web|url = http://www.en.parlamento.pt/Legislation/CRP/Constitution7th.pdf|title = Constitution of the Portuguese Republic|access-date = 2019-12-29|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222446/http://www.en.parlamento.pt/Legislation/CRP/Constitution7th.pdf|archive-date = 2016-03-03|url-status = dead}}
The number of seats assigned to each district depends on the district magnitude.{{cite web|url=http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |title=Effective threshold in electoral systems |publisher=Trinity College, Dublin |date= |accessdate=2015-10-21}} The use of the d'Hondt method makes for a higher effective threshold than certain other allocation methods such as the Hare quota or Sainte-Laguë method, which are more generous to small parties.Gallaher, Michael (1992). "[https://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/BJPS1992.pdf Comparing Proportional Representation Electoral Systems: Quotas, Thresholds, Paradoxes and Majorities]"
For the 2025 legislative elections, the MPs were distributed by districts as follows:{{cite web|url=https://www.cne.pt/sites/default/files/dl/eleicoes/2025_ar/docs_geral/2025_ar_mapa_deputados.pdf |date=24 March 2025 |title=Mapa Oficial n.º 1/2025|publisher=CNE – Comissão Nacional de Eleições|access-date=24 March 2025}}
| class="wikitable" | ||
| District | Number of MPs | Map |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | style="text-align:center;"|48
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="12"| 240px | |
| Porto | style="text-align:center;"| 40 | |
| Braga and Setúbal | style="text-align:center;"| 19 | |
| Aveiro | style="text-align:center;"| 16 | |
| Leiria | style="text-align:center;"| 10 | |
| Coimbra, Faro and Santarém | style="text-align:center;"| 9 | |
| Viseu | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | |
| Madeira | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | |
| Azores, Viana do Castelo and Vila Real | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | |
| Castelo Branco | style="text-align:center;"| 4 | |
| Beja, Bragança, Évora and Guarda | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | |
| Portalegre, Europe and Outside Europe | style="text-align:center;"| 2 |
=Election results 1975–2025=
Parties are listed from left-wing to right-wing.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:95%; line-height:16px;"
|+ Summary of Portuguese elections for the Assembly of the Republic, 1975–2025 |
| style="height:30px;"
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center" rowspan="2"|Election ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |UDP ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |BE ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |MDP ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PCP ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PEV ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |L ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PS ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PAN ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |JPP ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PRD ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PSD ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |CDS ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PPM ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |ADIM ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |PSN ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |IL ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" |CH ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" rowspan="2"|{{abbr|O/I|Other parties and Invalid/Blank votes}} ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center" rowspan="2"|Turnout |
| class="sortable" style="background:#E2062C;" |
! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Left Bloc (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:Darkred;" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Portuguese Communist Party}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Ecologist Party "The Greens"}};"| ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|LIVRE}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|People-Animals-Nature}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Together for the People}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|People's Monarchist Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:{{party color|Association for the Defense of Macau Interests}};" | ! class="sortable" style="background:#000080;" | ! class="sortable" style="background:#00ADEF;"| ! class="sortable" style="background:#202056;"| |
|---|
| colspan="20" style="background:#A0A0A0"| |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1975*
| align="center" |0.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" |4.1 | width="30" align="center" |12.5 | width="30" align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |37.9 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |26.4 | align="center" |7.6 | align="center" |0.6 | align="center" |0.0 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |10.1 | align="center" |91.7 |
| colspan="20" style="background:#A0A0A0"| |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1976
| align="center" |1.7 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |14.4 | align="center" |
| align="center" | -
| align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |34.9 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |24.4 | align="center" |16.0 | align="center" |0.5 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |8.1 | align="center" |83.5 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1979{{efn|name=AD}}{{efn|name=APU1}}
| align="center" |2.2 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |18.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |27.3 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | colspan="3" align="center" style="background:#CBDCEF" ; color:white;" |45.3 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |6.2 | align="center" |82.9 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1980{{efn|name=FRS}}
| align="center" |1.4 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |16.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |27.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | colspan="3" align="center" style="background:#CBDCEF" ; color:white;" |47.6 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |6.4 | align="center" |83.9 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1983{{efn|name=APU2}}
| align="center" |0.5 | align="center" | - | colspan="3" align="center" |18.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |36.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |27.2 | align="center" |12.6 | align="center" |0.5 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |5.0 | align="center" |77.8 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1985
| align="center" |1.3 | align="center" | - | colspan="3" align="center" |15.5 | align="center" | - | align="center" |20.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |17.9 | align="center" {{Party shading/PSD}}; ; color:white;" |29.9 | align="center" |10.0 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |4.6 | align="center" |74.2 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1987{{efn|name=CDU}}
| align="center" |0.9 | align="center" | - | align="center" |0.6 | colspan="2" align="center" |12.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" |22.2 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |4.9 | align="center" {{Party shading/PSD}}; ; color:white;" |50.2 | align="center" |4.4 | align="center" |0.4 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |4.3 | align="center" |71.6 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1991
| align="center" |0.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |8.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" |29.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |0.6 | align="center" {{Party shading/PSD}}; ; color:white;" |50.6 | align="center" |4.4 | align="center" |0.4 | align="center" | - | align="center" |1.7 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |4.3 | align="center" |67.8 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1995
| align="center" |0.6 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |8.6 | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |43.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |34.1 | align="center" |9.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |0.2 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |3.6 | align="center" |66.3 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1999
| align="center" | - | align="center" |2.4 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |9.0 | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |44.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |32.3 | align="center" |8.3 | align="center" |0.3 | align="center" | - | align="center" |0.2 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |3.4 | align="center" |61.1 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2002
| align="center" | - | align="center" |2.7 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |6.9 | align="center" | - | align="center" |37.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PSD}}; ; color:white;" |40.2 | align="center" |8.7 | align="center" |0.2 | align="center" | - | align="center" |0.0 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |3.5 | align="center" |61.5 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2005
| align="center" | - | align="center" |6.4 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |7.5 | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |45.0 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |28.8 | align="center" |7.2 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |5.1 | align="center" |64.3 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2009
| align="center" | - | align="center" |9.8 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |7.9 | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |36.6 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |29.1 | align="center" |10.4 | align="center" |0.3 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |5.9 | align="center" |59.7 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2011
| align="center" | - | align="center" |5.2 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |7.9 | align="center" | - | align="center" |28.0 | align="center" |1.0 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" {{Party shading/PSD}}; ; color:white;" |38.7 | align="center" |11.7 | align="center" |0.3 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |7.2 | align="center" |58.0 |
| width="60" align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2015{{efn|name=Portugal Ahead}}
| width="30" align="center" | - | width="30" align="center" |10.2 | width="30" align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |8.3 | width="30" align="center" |0.7 | width="30" align="center" |32.3 | width="30" align="center" |1.4 | width="30" align="center" |0.3 | width="30" align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" {{Party shading/PàF}}; ; color:white;" |38.6 | width="30" align="center" |0.3 | width="30" align="center" | - | width="30" align="center" | - | width="30" align="center" | - | width="30" align="center" | - | width="30" align="center" |8.2 | width="30" align="center" |55.8 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2019
| align="center" | - | align="center" |9.5 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |6.3 | align="center" |1.1 | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |36.3 | align="center" |3.3 | align="center" |0.2 | align="center" | - | width="30" align="center" |27.8 | width="30" align="center" |4.2 | align="center" |0.2 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |1.3 | align="center" |1.3 | align="center" |8.7 | align="center" |48.6 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2022
| align="center" | - | align="center" |4.4 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |4.3 | align="center" |1.3 | align="center" {{Party shading/PS}}; ; color:white;" |41.4 | align="center" |1.6 | align="center" |0.2 | align="center" | - | align="center" |29.1 | align="center" |1.6 | align="center" |0.0 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |4.9 | align="center" |7.2 | align="center" |4.2 | align="center" |51.5 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2024{{efn|name=AD2024}}
| align="center" | - | align="center" |4.4 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |3.2 | align="center" |3.2 | align="center" |28.0 | align="center" |1.9 | align="center" |0.3 | align="center" | - | colspan="3" align="center" style="background:#CBDCEF" ; color:white;" |28.8 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |4.9 | align="center" |18.1 | align="center" |7.5 | align="center" |59.9 |
| align=center style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2025{{efn|name=AD2025}}
| align="center" | - | align="center" |2.0 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" |2.9 | align="center" |4.1 | align="center" |22.8 | align="center" |1.4 | align="center" |0.3 | align="center" | - | colspan="2" align="center" style="background:#CBDCEF" ; color:white;" |31.8 | align="center" |0.1 | align="center" | - | align="center" | - | align="center" |5.4 | align="center" |22.8 | align="center" |6.4 | align="center" |58.3 |
| colspan="23" align="left" |*The 1975 election was for the Constituent Assembly. |
| colspan="23" align="left" |Source: [https://www.cne.pt/content/eleicoes-referendos-resultados-oficiais Comissão Nacional de Eleições] |
=Latest election=
==2025 legislative election==
{{Main|2025 Portuguese legislative election}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Summary of the 18 May 2025 Assembly of the Republic elections results | ||||||||
| colspan="11"|center | ||||||||
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:left;" alignleft|Parties
! rowspan="2" style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:right;"|Votes ! rowspan="2" style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:right;"|% ! rowspan="2" style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:right;"|±pp swing ! colspan="5" style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:center;"|MPs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;"|2024 ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;"| 2025 ! style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:right;"|± ! style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:right;"|% ! style="background:#e9e9e9; text-align:right;"|± | ||||||||
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Alliance (Portugal, 2024)}};border-bottom-style:hidden;" rowspan="3"|
| bgcolor={{party color|Democratic Alliance (Portugal, 2024)}} align="center" | | align="left" |AD – PSD/CDS Coalition {{small|(PSD/CDS–PP)}}{{efn|name=PSD/CDS}} | 1,971,602 | 31.20 | {{increase}}3.0 | 78 | 88 | {{increase}}10 | 38.26 | {{increase}}4.4 |
| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Alliance (Portugal, 2024)}}" align="center" |
|align=left|PSD/CDS/PPM coalition {{small|(PSD/CDS–PP/PPM)}}{{efn|name=PSD/CDS/PPM}} | 36,886 | 0.58 | {{decrease}}0.1 | 2 | 3 | {{increase}}1 | 1.33 | {{increase}}0.4 |
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Total AD – PSD/CDS Coalition{{efn|name=PSD/CDS}}
|width="65" align="right" |2,008,488 |width="40" align="right" |31.78 |width="40" align="right" |{{increase}}3.0 |width="40" align="right" |80 |width="40" align="right" |91 |width="40" align="right" |{{increase}}11 |width="40" align="right" |39.57 |width="40" align="right" |{{increase}}4.8 | ||||||||
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|Socialist Party (Portugal)|shortname=Socialist}} | 1,442,546 | 22.83 | {{decrease}}5.2 | 78 | 58 | {{decrease}}20 | 25.22 | {{decrease}}8.7 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="#202056" align="center" |
| align="left" |CHEGA | 1,438,554 | 22.76 | {{increase}}4.7 | 50 | 60 | {{increase}}10 | 26.09 | {{increase}}4.4 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="#00ADEF" align="center" |
| align="left" |Liberal Initiative | 338,974 | 5.36 | {{increase}}0.3 | 8 | 9 | {{increase}}1 | 3.91 | {{increase}}0.4 |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|LIVRE}} | 257,291 | 4.07 | {{increase}}0.8 | 4 | 6 | {{increase}}2 | 2.61 | {{increase}}0.9 |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|Unitary Democratic Coalition|shortname=Unitary Democratic Coalition}} | 183,686 | 2.91 | {{decrease}}0.2 | 4 | 3 | {{decrease}}1 | 1.30 | {{decrease}}0.4 |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|Left Bloc (Portugal)|shortname=Left Bloc}} | 125,808 | 1.99 | {{decrease}}2.5 | 5 | 1 | {{decrease}}4 | 0.43 | {{decrease}}1.8 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="teal" align="center" |
| align="left" |People–Animals–Nature | 86,930 | 1.38 | {{decrease}}0.6 | 1 | 1 | {{steady}}0 | 0.43 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="blue" align="center" |
| align="left" |National Democratic Alternative | 81,660 | 1.29 | {{decrease}}0.3 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|Together for the People|colour=green|shortname=Together for the People}} | 20,900 | 0.33 | {{increase}}0.0 | 0 | 1 | {{increase}}1 | 0.43 | {{increase}}0.4 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="LightSeaGreen" align="center" |
| align="left" |React, Include, Recycle | 14,021 | 0.22 | {{decrease}}0.2 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="{{party color|Volt Europa}}" align="center" |
| align="left" |Volt Portugal | 12,150 | 0.19 | {{increase}}0.0 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers / Reorganizative Movement of the Party of the Proletariat|shortname=Portuguese Workers' Communist}} | 11,896 | 0.19 | {{decrease}}0.0 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="#012257" align="center" |
| align="left" |New Right | 10,216 | 0.16 | {{decrease}}0.1 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="#002147" align="center" |
| align="left" |Rise Up | 9,046 | 0.14 | {{increase}}0.1 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="#fbca44" align="center" |
| align="left" |Liberal Social | 7,332 | 0.12 | {{N/A}} | {{N/A}} | 0 | {{N/A}} | 0.00 | {{N/A}} |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|People's Monarchist Party (Portugal)|shortname=People's Monarchist}} | 5,616 | 0.09 | {{increase}}0.1 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|We, the Citizens!|shortname=We, the Citizens!}} | 3,304 | 0.05 | {{increase}}0.1 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" {{Party name with colour|Earth Party|shortname=Earth}}{{efn|name=MPT}} | 478 | 0.01 | {{decrease}}0.1 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan="2" style="width: 10px" bgcolor="#CC0033" align="center" |
| align="left" |Labour | 425 | 0.01 | {{decrease}}0.0 | 0 | 0 | {{steady}}0 | 0.00 | {{steady}}0.0 |
| colspan=3 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total valid
|width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|6,059,321 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|95.88 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|{{increase}}0.2 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|230 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|230 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|{{steady}}0 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|100.00 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|{{steady}}0.0 | ||||||||
| colspan=3|Blank ballots | 87,654 | 1.39 | {{steady}}0.0 | colspan=5 rowspan=4| | ||||
| colspan=3|Invalid ballots | 172,994 | 2.74 | {{decrease}}0.2 | |||||
| colspan=3 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total
|width="50" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|6,319,969 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|100.00 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| | ||||||||
| colspan=3|Registered voters/turnout | 10,848,816 | 58.25 | {{decrease}}1.6 | |||||
| colspan=11 align=left | Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições{{cite news |url=https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/mapa-oficial/2-a-2025-920155552|title=Mapa Oficial n.º 2-A/2025, de 31 de maio |language=pt |publisher=Diário da República|location=Lisbon |date=31 May 2025|access-date=31 May 2025}} |
{{anchor|Presidential elections}}Presidential elections
Under the Portuguese Constitution adopted in 1976, in the wake of the 1974 Carnation Revolution, the President is elected to a five-year term; there is no limit to the number of terms a president may serve, but a president who serves two consecutive terms may not serve again in the next five years after the second term finishes or in the following five years after his resignation.{{Cite web |year=2005 |url=http://www.en.parlamento.pt/Legislation/CRP/Constitution7th.pdf |title=Constitution of the Portuguese Republic |publisher=Assembly of the Republic |access-date=6 June 2014 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222446/http://www.en.parlamento.pt/Legislation/CRP/Constitution7th.pdf |url-status=dead }} The official residence of the Portuguese President is the Belém Palace.
The President is elected in a two-round system: if no candidate reaches 50% of the votes during the first round, the two candidates with the most votes face each other in a second round held two weeks later. {{As of|2021}}, the 1986 presidential election was the only time a Portuguese presidential election was taken into a second round.
The most recent election was held in 2021 and the next is expected to be in 2026.
=Latest election=
==2021 presidential election==
{{main|2021 Portuguese presidential election}}
{{election table|title=Summary of the 24 January 2021 Portuguese presidential election results}}
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:left;" colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Candidates
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|Supporting parties
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" colspan="2"|First round
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;"|Votes
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;"|%
|-
|style="width: 10px" bgcolor=#FF9900 align="center" |
|align=left|Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
|align=left|Social Democratic Party, People's Party
|align="right" |2,531,692
|align="right" |60.66
|-
|style="width: 5px" bgcolor=#D02090 align="center" |
|align=left|Ana Gomes
|align=left|Independent supported by People–Animals–Nature, LIVRE
|align="right" |540,823
|align="right" |12.96
|-
|style="width: 5px" bgcolor=#202056 align="center" |
|align=left|André Ventura
|align=left|CHEGA
|align="right" |497,746
|align="right" |11.93
|-
|style="width: 5px" bgcolor=red align="center" |
|align=left|João Ferreira
|align=left|Portuguese Communist Party, Ecologist Party "The Greens"
|align="right" |179,764
|align="right" |4.31
|-
|style="width: 5px" bgcolor={{party color|Left Bloc (Portugal)}} align="center" |
|align=left|Marisa Matias
|align=left|Left Bloc, Socialist Alternative Movement
|align="right" |165,127
|align="right" |3.96
|-
|style="width: 5px" bgcolor=#00ADEF align="center" |
|align=left|Tiago Mayan Gonçalves
|align=left|Liberal Initiative
|align="right" |134,991
|align="right" |3.23
|-
|style="width: 5px" bgcolor=LightSeaGreen align="center" |
|align=left|Vitorino Silva
|align=left|React, Include, Recycle
|align="right" |123,031
|align="right" |2.95
|-
|colspan="3" align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total valid
|width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|4,173,174
|width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|100.00
|-
|align=right colspan="3"|Blank ballots
|width="65" align="right" |47,164
|width="40" align="right" |1.11
|-
|align=right colspan="3" |{{efn|Includes votes for candidate Eduardo Baptista.}}Invalid ballots
|width="65" align="right"|38,018
|width="40" align="right"|0.89
|-
|colspan="3" align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total
|width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|4,258,356
|width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|colspan=3|Registered voters/turnout
||10,847,434||39.26
|-
|colspan=5 align=left|Source: [https://dre.pt/application/conteudo/156971146 Comissão Nacional de Eleições]
|}
{{Clear}}
Local elections
File:Boletins de voto das eleições autárquicas de 2017 (Castro Verde e Casével, Castro Verde).jpg.]]
- 1976 Portuguese local elections
- 1979 Portuguese local elections
- 1982 Portuguese local elections
- 1985 Portuguese local elections
- 1989 Portuguese local elections
- 1993 Portuguese local elections
- 1997 Portuguese local elections
- 2001 Portuguese local elections
- 2005 Portuguese local elections
- 2009 Portuguese local elections
- 2013 Portuguese local elections
- 2017 Portuguese local elections
- 2021 Portuguese local elections
The next local elections are scheduled to be held in September/October 2025.
Autonomous Regions elections
Portugal has two autonomous regions, Azores and Madeira, that elect their own representatives for the regional parliaments every 4 years. The first elections were in 1976 and usually they were both held in the same day until 2007 when Madeira held an early election and Azores held its election the next year. The last election in Azores was on 4 February 2024, and Madeira was on 23 March 2025.
European Parliament elections
= Election results 1987–2024 =
Parties are listed from left-wing to right-wing.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%; line-height:16px;"
|+Summary of Portuguese elections for the European Parliament, 1987–2024 |
| style="height:30px;"
! rowspan="2" |Election !BE !CDU !L !PS !PAN !PRD !MPT !PSD !CDS !PPM !IL !CH ! width="30" rowspan="2" |{{abbr|O/I|Other parties and Invalid/Blank votes}} ! rowspan="2" |Turnout |
| class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|Left Bloc (Portugal)}};"|
! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|Portuguese Communist Party}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|LIVRE}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|People-Animals-Nature}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|Earth Party}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:{{party color|People's Monarchist Party (Portugal)}};" | ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:#00ADEF;"| ! class="sortable" width="30" style="background:#202056;"| |
|---|
| 1987
| - |11.5 | - |22.5 | - |4.4 | - |{{Party shading/PSD}}|37.5 |15.4 |2.8 | - | - |6.0 |72.4 |
| 1989
| - |14.4 | - | 28.5 | - | {{small|w.PS}} | - |{{Party shading/PSD}}|32.8 |14.2 |2.0 | - | - |8.1 |51.1 |
| 1994
| - |11.2 | - |{{Party shading/PS}}|34.9 | - |0.2 |0.4 |34.4 |12.5 |0.3 | - | - |6.2 |35.5 |
| 1999
|1.8 |10.3 | - |{{Party shading/PS}}|43.1 | - | - |0.4 |31.1 |8.2 |0.5 | - | - |4.7 |39.9 |
| 2004
|4.9 |9.1 | - |{{Party shading/PS}}|44.5 | - | - |0.4 | colspan="2" |33.3 |0.5 | - | - |7.4 |38.6 |
| 2009
|10.7 |10.6 | - |26.5 | - | - |0.7 |{{Party shading/PSD}}|31.7 |8.4 |0.4 | - | - |11.0 |36.8 |
| 2014
|4.6 |12.7 |2.2 |{{Party shading/PS}}|31.5 |1.7 | - |7.2 | colspan="2" |27.7 |0.5 | - | - |12.0 |33.7 |
| 2019
|9.8 |6.9 |1.8 |{{Party shading/PS}}|33.4 |5.1 | - | - |21.9 |6.2 |{{small|w.CH}} |0.9 |1.5 |12.5 |30.7 |
| 2024
|4.3 |4.1 |3.8 |{{Party shading/PS}}|32.1 |1.2 | - |0.1 | colspan="3" |31.1 |9.1 |9.8 |4.4 |36.6 |
| colspan="15" align="left" |Source: [https://www.cne.pt/content/eleicoes-referendos-resultados-oficiais Comissão Nacional de Eleições] |
Referendums
The Constitution of Portugal defines referendum in Article 115.{{cite web |url = http://www.partylaw.leidenuniv.nl/party-law/4c8b8c7e-c554-4daa-9307-1a1e7287acdc.pdf |title = Constitution of Portugal |website = Party Law in Modern Europe |access-date = 2013-11-05}} The referendum is called by the President of Portugal, on a proposal submitted by the Assembly or the Government. The President can refuse a proposal for referendum submitted to him by the Assembly or the Government if it is found to be unconstitutional or illegal. Referendums are binding if turnout is higher than 50% of registered voters.
Citizens of Portugal have the right to submit to the Assembly an initiative for a referendum.
The referendum can be held only on "important issues concerning the national interest which the Assembly of the Republic or the Government must decide by approving an international convention or passing a legislative act" (paragraph 3). The referendum cannot be held on amendments to the Constitution, budget, taxes, finances and competences of the Assembly, except when issue is the object of an international convention, except when the international convention concerns peace or the rectification of borders.
There have been four nationwide referendums in the History of Portugal:
- Constitutional referendum, in 1933
- First abortion referendum, in 1998
- Regionalization referendum, in 1998
- Second abortion referendum, in 2007
The Constitutional referendum of 1933 did not comply with the standards of a democratic suffrage, as, for example, abstentions were counted as supportive votes. It resulted in the establishing of the Estado Novo regime.
The later three referendums, held in the context of a Western-style liberal democracy had turnout less than 50%, so they were not binding. Nonetheless, decisions of all three referendums were honoured.
See also
Notes
{{notes
| refs =
{{efn
| name = Portugal Ahead
| The Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the People's Party (CDS–PP) contested the 2015 election in a coalition called Portugal Ahead (PàF) and won a combined 38.6% of the vote and elected 107 MP's to parliament.
}}
{{efn
| name = PSD/CDS
| Compared with the 2024 Democratic Alliance (PSD/CDS/PPM)
}}
{{efn
| name = PSD/CDS/PPM
| Only in Azores.
}}
{{efn
| name = MPT
| Compared with the 2024 Alternative 21 coalition (MPT/Alliance).
}}
{{efn
| name = AD
|In the 1979 and 1980 elections, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Democratic Social Center (CDS) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM) ran in a joint coalition called Democratic Alliance (AD). In the Madeira and Azores islands, however, the parties ran in separate lists but are added in total sum of the coalition.
}}
{{efn
| name = APU1
|In the 1979 and 1980 elections, the Communist Party (PCP) and the Portuguese Democratic Movement (MDP) ran in a joint coalition called United People Alliance (APU).
}}
{{efn
| name = FRS
|In the 1980 election, the Socialist Party (PS), the Leftwing Union for the Socialist Democracy (UEDS) and the Independent Social Democratic Action (ASDI) ran in a joint coalition called Republican and Socialist Front (FRS). In the Madeira and Azores islands, plus the foreign electoral constituencies, however, the parties ran in separate lists but are added in total sum of the coalition.
}}
{{efn
| name = APU2
|In the 1983 and 1985 elections, the Communist Party (PCP), Portuguese Democratic Movement (MDP) and the Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV) ran in a joint coalition called United People Alliance (APU).
}}
{{efn
| name = CDU
|After the 1987 elections, and still today, the Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV) run in a joint coalition called Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU).
}}
{{efn
| name = AD2024
|In the 2024 election, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the People's Party (CDS–PP) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM) ran in a joint coalition called Democratic Alliance (AD). In Madeira, the PSD and CDS–PP ran in a coalition without PPM, but the results are added in total sum of the coalition.
}}
{{efn
| name = AD2025
|In the 2025 election, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the People's Party (CDS–PP) ran in a joint coalition called AD – PSD/CDS Coalition. In Azores, the PSD and CDS–PP ran in a coalition with PPM, but the results are added in total sum of the coalition.
}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/p/portugal/ Adam Carr's Election Archive]
- [http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/portugal.html Parties and elections]
- [http://www.eleicoes.mai.gov.pt/ Election results]
- [http://www.cne.pt/ Comissão Nacional de Eleições]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100310142315/http://www.iscsp.utl.pt/~cepp/indexfro1.php3?http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iscsp.utl.pt%2F~cepp%2Fclasse_politica%2Fmonarcon%2Fmonarcona.html Portuguese General Elections since 1820]
{{Portuguese elections|state=expanded}}
{{Elections in Europe}}
{{Portugal topics}}