António Cotrim / Lusa
Since the first legislative elections in democracy on April 25, 1976, only 6 governments have fulfilled all of the mandate, and there were only 6 absolute majorities. In the last 3 decades, the PS has ruled for 21 years, the PSD just over 8.
According to a study released Thursday by Pordata, which made a portrait of “the evolution of legislative elections in Portugal”, only 6 governments since April 25 have fulfilled all their mandate.
O last executive who fulfilled all his mandate was led by António Costa, between 2015 and 2019, during the ‘Geringonça’, which succeeded another government, of Pedro Passos Coelhowhich also fulfilled the four years of expected term, between 2011 and 2015.
Beyond these two executives, There was only one more Government that fulfilled the entire mandate In the 21st century: the first of José Sócratesbetween 2005 and 2009, of an absolute majority.
In the twentieth century, there was the highest period of stability governing, for 12 years, with Three successive executives to fulfill the totality of their mandate: the first two were led by Cavaco Silvabetween 1987 and 1995, with absolute majority, and the third António Guterresfrom 1995 to 1999.
In the study released by Padata, statistical database of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, it refers that in the almost 50 years since there are legislative elections in Portugal, there was only 6 elected governments with absolute majority: Four led by the PSD and two by the PS.
A first absolute majority obtained in democracy was from the former leader of the PPD/PSD, Francisco Sá Carneirowhen he competed for legislatures in 1979 under the Coalition Democratic Alliance (AD) in 1979, a done that would repeat a year to follow in the 1980 elections.
Seven years later, Cavaco Silva would be elected again with absolute majority in two consecutive legislatures (1987 and 1991).
It was necessary Wait 14 years Until an absolute majority majority in Portugal, obtained by José Sócrates, of the PS, in 2005. The most recent was in the 2022 legislatures, which António Costa won with 41.37% of the votes.
There were six governments with complete terms and six absolute majorities, but to have absolute majority does not guarantee that the mandate comes to an end – And not having it also does not prevent him: António Guterres completed the mandate without the absolute majority, and the mandate of the government of Sá Carneiro did not come to an end due to your tragic death in an aviation accident, December 4, 1980.
According to Padata, since the first legislative elections, in 1976, the PS formed government nine timesseven of which have occurred in the last three decades.
“Thus, in the last 30 years, only just over eight years corresponded to a Government led by the PSD. The PS has been ahead of the government for over 21 years, ”says the study.
2024 legislatures had more votes
The last legislative elections, on March 10, 2024, were the ones who had the most votes in democracy in absolute terms, with about six million and 400 thousand people going to the polls.
The election with higher participation rate was 1979although that of 2024 was the one that registered most votes in absolute terms (6,473,789): both gave the Victory to the Democratic Alliance (AD)– Led by Sá Carneiro, in 1979, and Luís Montenegro, in 2024.
In the 17 legislative elections that took place in Portugal, more than half of voters have always been vote, except for the 2019 legislatureswhich would translate into António Costa’s PS victory with a abstention of 51.4%.
Since the 2009 legislatures that the participation rate does not exceed 60%.
In the set of 17 legislative elections, There was only Três in which PS and AD (PSD and CDS-PP) Nthey obtained more than two thirds together Of all valid votes: in 1980 (49.9%), 1985 (52.1%) and 2024 (59.4%).
In two of these elections, the exponential growth of two parties beyond the PS and the PSD.
In 1985, the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)by António Ramalho Eanes, obtained 18.4%, from zero to 45 deputies, the highest growth of a party in democracy.
Already In 2024, the arrival arrived almost at the same level Of growth that the PRD in 1985: “with 18.1% of the vote, the party went from 12 to 50 deputies compared to the 2022 elections,” the study says.
In democracy, the party with more votes in a legislative election It was the PSD in 1991, when Cavaco Silva was reappointed the second absolute majority and obtained 2.9 million votes.
However, It was the PS that managed to elect the largest number of deputies in an election, in 2015, with 121 Deputies. It was also the party that the most deputies lost from one election to another, in the last legislatures, in 2024, when it went from 120 terms to 78.
