List of political parties in Portugal explained
This article lists political parties in Portugal. The Portuguese political scene has been dominated by the Socialist Party and the Social Democratic Party since the 1974 Carnation Revolution although there are several important minor parties (discussed below).
As of 2024, the parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic are the Democratic Alliance (80 MPs), Socialist Party (78 MPs), the Chega party (50 MPs), the Liberal Initiative (8 MPs), the Left Bloc (5 MPs), the Unitary Democratic Coalition (4 MPs), the FREE party (4 MPs), and the People-Animals-Nature party (1 MP). Several other parties are represented in the legislatures of the autonomous regions, the Legislative Assembly of the Azores and the Legislative Assembly of Madeira.
General overview
This list presents all the existing parties recognized by the Portuguese Constitutional Court.[1]
- The Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD), despite the name, is not a traditional social democratic party, being much closer to the centre-right. A big tent party, it is the equivalent of any other liberal conservative party in Europe such as the French Republicans or the German CDU. The PSD was founded right after the 1974 Revolution as Partido Popular Democrático (Democratic People's Party) by many personalities of the so-called "liberal wing" of the fascist regime, like Francisco Sá Carneiro (the PSD historical leader), Francisco Pinto Balsemão, and Joaquim Magalhães Mota. Its leader, Luís Montenegro, is the current Prime Minister of Portugal and the current President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is a former leader.
- The Socialist Party (PS), a social democratic party, is a major party in Portugal, resembling the British Labour Party, the German SPD or the Spanish PSOE. The party was founded before the 1974 Revolution by (among others) Mário Soares, its historical leader and one of the main opponents of the dictatorial regime. The current Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres is a former leader and Prime Minister.
- Chega (CH) is a Portuguese a national conservative, right-wing populist party founded by PSD dissident André Ventura, similar to the French National Rally, the Spanish Vox or the Italian Brothers of Italy.
- The Liberal Initiative (IL) is a classical liberal and right-libertarian party.
- The Left Bloc (BE), formed as a result of the merger of three left-wing parties (the Popular Democratic Union, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, and the Politics XXI), is an overwhelmingly urban party, adopting a wide range of left-wing policies and portrays itself as the modern, progressive alternative to the Portuguese Communist Party.
- The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), founded in 1921 as the Portuguese Section of the Communist International, has its major influence among the working class and played a major role in the opposition to the Estado Novo regime, being brutally repressed in the process. After being one of the most influential parties in the years that followed the Carnation Revolution, it lost most of its power base after the fall of the Eastern Bloc, but still enjoys popularity in some sectors of Portuguese society. It also has a major influence among the biggest Portuguese labour union – General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers (CGTP). Its historical leader was Álvaro Cunhal.
- FREE (L) is a green political, social democratic, and pro-European party.
- The CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP) is a traditional Christian Democrat and conservative party, similar to the German CSU or the Spanish PP. Founded after the revolution, its historical leaders were Diogo Freitas do Amaral and Adelino Amaro da Costa. In 1976 it was the only party that voted against approval of a socialist constitution. Later, it was part of several governments in coalition with the PSD. The CDS congregates several right-wing tendencies ranging from christian democrats to neoliberals and more conservative elements.
- People-Animals-Nature (PAN) is a party inspired by environmentalism and strongly focused on the rights of animals and animal welfare and which considers itself to be socially progressive, defending LGBT rights and women's rights.
- The Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV) is the first Portuguese green party, traditionally allied with the Communist Party in the Unitary Democratic Coalition.
- The National Democratic Alternative (ADN) was founded by the former leader of the Portuguese Bar Association, António Marinho e Pinto. He ran as the Earth Party candidate for the 2014 European elections but left the party soon after to form his own party. A populist party, it became COVID-19 denialist and anti-environmentalist, defending a reform of the electoral system and reform of justice system.
- React, Include, Recycle (RIR) is a humanist, pacifist and universalist party ("Rir" in Portuguese means "laughing").
- Together for the People (JPP) was formed as an independent movement for the local elections of 2013 in the municipally of Santa Cruz in Madeira. Transformed into a political party in 2015 in order to contest the regional elections in Madeira.
- The New Right (ND) is a party created by Ossanda Liber, a former candidate for mayor of Lisbon and a former member of Alliance that created a right-wing conservative party that is looking to occupy the place of CDS–PP in national politics after they left parliament following the 2022 legislative elections.
- The Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP) is a Maoist party. It had a high-profile during the Carnation Revolution, mostly due to its influence among some groups of students, although it never reached 2% of the votes or elected a single MP.
- Volt Portugal (VP), portuguese chapter of Volt Europa, is a pro-European and European federalist political movement. The organisation follows a "pan-European approach" in many policy fields such as climate change, migration, economic inequality, international conflict, terrorism and the impact of the technological revolution on the labour market. It identifies itself as a pan-European, progressive, social-liberal and environmentalist political party.
- Rise Up! (E) is a far-right nationalist party with little political expression.
- The Earth Party (MPT) is a centre-right green conservative party, founded in 1993 by a faction of the People's Monarchist Party.
- Alliance (A) is a party formed by former Social Democratic leader and former Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes.
- The Portuguese Labour Party (PTP) is a minor party of the centre-left.
- We, the Citizens! (NC) is a minor centre-right party founded as a result of the anti-austerity movement.
- The People's Monarchist Party (PPM) is a small monarchist party with little political expression. It is known that the pretender heir to the Portuguese throne, Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza, does not support this party, since the question of monarchical regime is considered to be above partisanship.
- The Socialist Alternative Movement (MAS) was formed in 2000 as a Portuguese Trotskyist political organization and it is the result of a merger between the Left Revolutionary Front (FER - Frente da Esquerda Revolucionária), and the young activists of the student movement Ruptura. The Ruptura/FER activists integrated the Left Bloc since its formation. In 2011, the movement split from the Left Bloc and formed a new party called Socialist Alternative Movement that was approved by the Constitutional Court in July 2013.
- The United Party of Retirees and Pensioners (PURP) is a small party with the goal to defend the rights of retirees and pensioners, aiming to position itself as the political voice of the members of this age group. It was founded as a result of the anti-austerity movement.
National political parties
Parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic and/or the European Parliament
Parties without representation in the Assembly of the Republic or the European Parliament
Extinct parties
This list presents the parties and coalitions of the current Third Republic that were once recognized by the Portuguese Constitutional Court but ceased to exist. It is organized by political spectrum and alphabetical order (in Portuguese).
Far-left
Left-wing to far-left
Left-wing
Centre-left
Centre
Centre-right
- Democratic Alliance - AD (Aliança Democrática)
- Association for the Defense of the Interests of Macau - ADIM (Associação para a Defesa dos Interesses de Macau)
- Portuguese Party of the Regions - PPR (Partido Português das Regiões)
Right-wing
Far-right
Historical parties
This list includes the defunct political parties that never reached the Third Republic, in chronological order.
Although the Estado Novo was a dictatorship, with the National Union being legally the only party, the opposition was sometimes allowed to compete in (sham) elections; other parties were constituted underground or in exile.
See also
External links
Notes and References
- http://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/partidos.html?pesquisa=MRPP#PESQ001 Tribunal Constitucional – Partidos registados e suas denominações, siglas e símbolos
- Book: Freire, André. The Party System of Portugal. Oskar Niedermayer. Richard Stöss. Melanie Haas. Die Parteiensysteme Westeuropas. https://books.google.com/books?id=T6BA2dHeoS0C&pg=PA373. 2007. Springer-Verlag. 978-3-531-90061-2. 373.
- Book: Lisi, Marco. The Importance of Winning Office: The PS and the Struggle for Power. Anna Bosco. Leonardo Morlino. Party Change in Southern Europe. https://books.google.com/books?id=IbHdAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA50. 2007. Routledge. 978-1-136-76777-7. 50.
- http://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/partidos.html "Partidos registados e suas denominações, siglas e símbolos"
- Web site: Portugal. Parties and Elections in Europe. Wolfram. Nordsieck. 2019. 8 October 2019.
- Book: Lisi . Marco . Freire . André . The selection of political party leaders in Portugal . Jean-Benoit Pilet . William Cross . The Selection of Political Party Leaders in Contemporary Parliamentary Democracies: A Comparative Study . https://books.google.com/books?id=_2mvBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA124 . 2014 . Routledge . 978-1-317-92945-1 . 124.
- Web site: Chega oficializa ligação à extrema direita europeia . www.sabado.pt . https://web.archive.org/web/20200702101151/https://www.sabado.pt/portugal/detalhe/chega-junta-se-ao-partido-europeu-de-le-pen-e-salvini . 2020-07-02 . pt.
- News: The Portugal Resident. Livre makes history in Portugal: not just first black woman MP, but first man in a skirt. 28 October 2019.
- News: Star Tribune. Portugal's Socialists win election, now eye alliances. 7 October 2019. 14 March 2021. 7 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191007204225/https://www.startribune.com/portugal-s-socialists-eye-alliances-after-election-win/562401722/. dead.
- News: Observador. Pastoral dos Ciganos considera racistas e ilegais declarações de André Ventura. 8 September 2020.
- Web site: Socialists victorious in Portuguese election – POLITICO. 6 October 2019.
- Web site: View of A Construção da Identidade dos Novos Partidos em Páginas Oficiais do Facebook . Proa.ua.pt . 13 April 2021. 2022-04-22.
- Web site: Restricted Access .
- https://books.google.com/books?id=xF3FBQAAQBAJ&dq=democratic+socialist+Left+Bloc&pg=PA1801 Radical left parties in Europe
- Web site: O que está a dividir o Bloco de Esquerda Ainda não percebi bem. Então quais são hoje as correntes dentro do BE?. Dinis. Rita. 29 August 2014. Observador. pt. What is dividing the Left Bloc Still don't get it. So what are the current tendencies inside the BE?. https://web.archive.org/web/20171114082029/https://observador.pt/explicadores/bloco-de-esquerda/09-ainda-nao-percebi-bem-entao-quais-sao-hoje-as-correntes-dentro-do-be/. 14 November 2017. live. 30 July 2018.
- Web site: fr. Risque pays du Portugal : Politique. Société Générale. 11 May 2019. 3 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181003181753/https://import-export.societegenerale.fr/fr/fiche-pays/portugal/le-risque-pays-politique?accepter_cookies=oui. dead.
- Web site: Portugal's Socialists lead election poll, but would not win majority. When the Socialists came to power in 2015, they won the parliamentary support of two left wing parties, the Left Bloc and the Communists.. Reuters. 31 July 2019.
- News: Reuters. Portugal president asks Socialist Costa to form government. 8 October 2019.
- https://europeanspring.net/ European Spring Webpage
- Web site: Rui Tavares recebe apoio da cúpula dos Verdes europeus . Maria Lopes . 23 May 2014 . 26 May 2014 . . pt.
- Web site: Portuguese socialists defend post-EU bailout austerity. The centre-right CDS-PP and PSD parties put forward the €800m/year idea.. EUobserver. 6 May 2019.
- Web site: "CDS is a right-wing party, period". Noticias ao Minuto. 23 January 2020.
- Web site: Anjos. Mafalda. 2019-06-06. Nem de esquerda nem de direita. 2021-01-19. Visão. pt-PT.
- Web site: SIC Notícias PAN quer integrar família dos Verdes na Europa. SIC Notícias. pt-PT. 2019-06-20. 2018-12-13. 2019-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20190620010241/https://sicnoticias.pt/pais/2018-12-13-PAN-quer-integrar-familia-dos-Verdes-na-Europa. dead.
- Web site: Portugal. Parties and Elections in Europe. Wolfram. Nordsieck. 2019. 18 December 2019.
- News: Partido Ecologista Os Verdes. medium.com. 17 May 2018. 4 September 2018. pt.
- Web site: The PDR, new EDP member . 2015-11-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150721202836/http://pde-edp.eu/en/news/communiques/the-pdr-new-edp-member . 2015-07-21 . dead .
- Web site: 2024-03-10 . Fenómeno ADN: o partido que cresceu seis vezes mais (e ainda não parou) . 2024-03-29 . SIC Notícias . pt.
- In portuguese:"O R.I.R. é um partido político que nasceu com o propósito integrador de aproximar os cidadãos da política e vice-versa(...)Incluir os cidadãos nas decisões do bem comum, incluir o bem-estar e o equilíbrio nos objectivos económicos, incluir todas as raças e culturas nos espaços habitáveis e incluir toda a população nos privilégios do Século XXI" in http://partido-rir.pt/
- In portuguese: "O R.I.R adopta corno método de participação e actuação política “ouvir, aprender e propor” soluções participadas pelos vários saberes, por quem está directamente envolvido em diversas áreas fundamentais da sociedade desde a Academia, a Arte, o Engenho à vivência prática dos agentes económicos (empreendedores, investidores e assalariados)." in https://partido-rir.pt/sobre-o-r-i-r/
- Web site: Sobre o R.I.R. – RIR . Partido-rir.pt . 2022-02-21 . 2022-04-22.
- In portuguese: "Questionado na altura se o partido se identifica com a direita ou com a esquerda, Vitorino Silva defendeu que o RIR “é um partido 360 graus, porque o próprio nome diz incluir. " in https://tvi24.iol.pt/politica/partidos/constitucional-aceita-partido-rir-de-tino-de-rans
- Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20180507040614/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/madeira.html. 7 May 2018. 2015. Madeira/Portugal. Nordsieck. Wolfram. Parties and Elections in Europe. dead.
- Web site: TC aceita inscrição de partido Nova Direita após três rejeições por irregularidades . Lusa. PÚBLICO. pt. 2024-01-10.
- Web site: Forthomme . Claude . Volt Europa: An Electric Jolt to Wake Up Europe . Impakter . 27 February 2020 . 28 February 2019.
- da Costa. José Mourão. 2011. O Partido Nacional Renovador: a novadireita na democracia portuguesa. Análise Social. 46. 201. 765–787. 41494872.
- Web site: A Campanha de Cavaco Silva em Portugal (2011): A Retórica da Direita. opiniaopublica.ufmg.br. 2018-11-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305004125/http://www.opiniaopublica.ufmg.br/emdebate/Artigo_EAnita12.pdf. 5 March 2016. dead.
- Tostes. Ana Paula. June 2009. Reasons for intolerance in integrated Europe. Dados. 52. 2. 335–376. 10.1590/S0011-52582009000200003. 0011-5258. free.
- Rocha. Frederico Pedroso. March 2014. A Direita Radical E As Eleições Europeias Em 2014: Nacionalistas Em Busca De Pontes. Relações Internacionais (R:I). 41. 63–79. 1645-9199.
- Book: Close, Caroline. 2019. The liberal party family ideology: Distinct, but diverse. Liberal Parties in Europe. https://books.google.com/books?id=RceHDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT431. Close. Caroline. van Haute. Emilie. Routledge. 338–339. 9781351245487.
- Book: Tom Lansford. Political Handbook of the World 2013. 2013. SAGE Publications. 978-1-4522-5825-6. 1172.
- Web site: Novo partido de Pedro Santana Lopes vai chamar-se Aliança . SAPO 24 . pt . 18 August 2018.
- Web site: Investigador Joaquim Rocha Afonso eleito presidente do partido Nós, Cidadãos! – Observador.
- http://www.publico.pt/politica/noticia/nos-cidadaos-novo-partido-em-formacao-1624559 Nós, Cidadãos é o novo partido de centro-direita em formação
- Web site: Azores/Portugal. https://web.archive.org/web/20180507040437/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/azores.html. 7 May 2018. 2016. Nordsieck. Wolfram. Parties and Elections in Europe. dead.
- Web site: Partido Popular Monárquico | EUROPEIAS 2014. Partido Popular Monárquico. 31 December 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121002035216/http://www.ppm.com.pt/#!europeias-2014/csln. 2 October 2012.
- Web site: Partido Popular Monárquico | Programa Político. Partido Popular Monárquico. 31 December 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121002035216/http://www.ppm.com.pt/#!programa/cl32. 2 October 2012.
- Web site: Monarchist Conference - Members. International Monarchist Conference. 31 December 2014.
- Web site: Declaração conjunta de MAIS (Brasil) e MAS (Portugal). Administrador. MAS. pt-pt. 2018-12-13.
- Web site: Partido Unido dos Reformados e Pensionistas quer concorrer às próximas eleições. Lusa. PÚBLICO. pt. 2019-10-16.
- Web site: TC > Jurisprudência > Acordãos > Acórdão 370/2015 .. www.tribunalconstitucional.pt. pt. 2019-10-16.