1842 Portuguese legislative election explained

Election Name:1842 Portuguese legislative election
Country:Portugal
Flag Year:1830
Type:Parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1840 Portuguese legislative election
Previous Year:1840
Next Election:1845 Portuguese legislative election
Next Year:1845
Election Date:5 & 19 June 1842
Seats For Election:145 seats to the Chamber of Deputies
Majority Seats:73
Colour1:376091
Seats1:72
Colour2:FFA500
Party2:Septembrism
Seats2:10
Prime Minister
Before Election:1st Duke of Terceira
Before Party:Chartist
After Election:1st Duke of Terceira
After Party:Chartist

Parliamentary elections were held in Portugal on 5 and 19 June 1842.[1]

Electoral system

Prior to the elections, the Constitutional Charter of 1826 was reintroduced on 10 February, having previously been in force from 1826 to 1828 and again from 1834 until 1836.[2] [1] The direct electoral system used in 1838 and 1840 was replaced by an indirect system in which voters elected provincial assemblies, who in turn elected members of the Chamber of Deputies; the appointed Chamber of Most Worthy Peers replaced the elected Senate as the upper house.[2]

The 145 members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected from multi-member constituencies, with 119 representing the mainland, 12 representing islands and 14 representing overseas colonies.[1]

Campaign

On 30 March the Miguelistas and Setembristas formed a united front under the name 'Broad Coalition'.[1] The Cartistas released a manifesto on 3 June, which was critical of Minister and Secretary for Royal State Affairs Costa Cabral.[1]

Results

When the Cortes Gerais met for the first time on 10 July the government was supported by 72 Cabralista deputies, with only 10 deputies representing the Setembristas, Miguelistas and anti-Cabralistas.[1]

PartyVotes%Seats
Cartistas72
Septemberist10
Others63
align=left colspan=2Total100145
align=left colspan=5Source:

Notes and References

  1. http://www.iscsp.ulisboa.pt/~cepp/eleicoes_portuguesas/1842.htm Elections of 1842 (5 and 18 June)
  2. [Dieter Nohlen]