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
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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 (A)TUA A)T 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. Originally called United Party of Retirees and Pensioners (PURP), the current name, (A)TUA, was approved in 2024, it was founded as a result of the anti-austerity movement.
National political parties
editParties represented in the Assembly of the Republic and/or the European Parliament
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Parties without representation in the Assembly of the Republic or the European Parliament
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Extinct parties
editThis 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
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- Worker-Peasant Alliance - AOC (Aliança Operário-Camponesa)
- Portuguese Marxist–Leninist Committee - CM-LP (Comité Marxista-Leninista Português)
- Marxist–Leninist Committee of Portugal - CMLP (Comité Marxista-Leninista de Portugal)
- Communist Electoral Front (Marxist-Leninist) - FEC(ML) (Frente Eleitoral Comunista (Marxista–Leninista))
- Left Revolutionary Front - FER (Frente de Esquerda Revolucionária)
- Popular Unity Force - FUP (Força de Unidade Popular)
- Internationalist Communist League - LCI (Liga Comunista Internacionalista)
- Portuguese Marxist-Leninist Communist Organization - OCMLP (Organização Comunista Marxista Leninista Portuguesa)
- Workers Politics Communist Organisation - OCPO (Organização Comunista Política Operária)
- Organization for the Reconstruction of the Communist Party (Marxist–Leninist) - ORPC(ML) (Organização para a Reconstrução do Partido Comunista (Marxista-Leninista))
- Communist Party of Portugal (Marxist-Leninist) - PCP(ML) (Partido Comunista de Portugal (Marxista-Leninista))
- Communist Party (Reconstructed) - PC(R) (Partido Comunista (Reconstruído))
- Workers' Party of Socialist Unity - POUS (Partido Operário de Unidade Socialista)
- Revolutionary Party of the Proletariat – Revolutionary Brigades - PRP-BR (Partido Revolucionário do Proletariado - Brigadas Revolucionárias)
- Workers' Revolutionary Party - PRT (Partido Revolucionário dos Trabalhadores)
- Workers' Socialist Party - PST (Partido Socialista dos Trabalhadores)
- Labour Party - PT (Partido Trabalhista, not to be confused with the Portuguese Labour Party - PTP)
- Popular Unity Party - PUP (Partido de Unidade Popular)
- Communist Union for the Reconstruction of the Party (Marxist–Leninist) - UCRP(ML) (União Comunista para a Reconstituição do Partido (Marxista-Leninista))
Left-wing to far-left
edit- United People Alliance - APU (Aliança Povo Unido)
- Electoral Front United People - FEPU (Frente Eleitoral Povo Unido)
Left-wing
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- People's Socialist Front - FSP (Frente Socialista Popular)
- Popular Unity Dynamization Groups - GDUPs (Grupos Dinamizadores da Unidade Popular)
- Socialist League of the Workers - LST (Liga Socialista dos Trabalhadores)
- Portuguese Democratic Movement - MDP (Movimento Democrático Português)
- Movement of Socialist Left - MES (Movimento de Esquerda Socialista)
- Revolutionary Socialist Party - PSR (Partido Socialista Revolucionário)
- Popular Democratic Union - UDP (União Democrática Popular)
- Politics XXI - PXXI (Política XXI)
- Left-wing Union for the Socialist Democracy - UEDS (União da Esquerda para a Democracia Socialista)
Centre-left
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- Independent Social Democratic Action - ASDI (Acção Social Democrata Independente)
- Democratic Center of Macau - CDM (Centro Democrático de Macau)
- Republican and Socialist Front - FRS (Frente Republicana e Socialista)
- Party of the Folk - PG (Partido da Gente)
- Humanist Party - PH (Partido Humanista)
- Democratic Renewal Party - PRD (Partido Renovador Democrático)
- Portuguese Democratic Labour Party - PTDP (Partido Trabalhista Democrático Português)
Centre
edit- Movement for the Sick - MD (Movimento pelo Doente)
- Hope for Portugal Movement - MEP (Movimento Esperança Portugal)
- National Solidarity Party - PSN (Partido da Solidariedade Nacional)
- New Democracy Party - PND (Partido da Nova Democracia)
- Liberal Democratic Party - PLD (Partido Liberal Democrata)
Centre-right
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- 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
edit- Democratic Party of the Atlantic - PDA (Partido Democrático do Atlântico)
- Party of the Christian Democracy - PDC (Partido da Democracia Cristã)
- Citizenship and Christian Democracy - PPV/CDC (Cidadania e Democracia Cristã)
Far-right
edit- Democratic Movement of the Liberation of Portugal - MDLP (Movimento Democrático de Libertação de Portugal)
- Independent Movement for the National Reconstruction / Party of the Portuguese Right - MIRN/PDP (Movimento Independente para a Reconstrução Nacional / Partido da Direita Portuguesa)
Historical parties
editThis list includes the defunct political parties that never reached the Third Republic, in chronological order.
Constitutional Monarchy (1834–1910)
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- Chartism (Cartismo)
- Septemberism (Setembrismo)
- Regenerator Party - PR (Partido Regenerador)
- Historic Party - PH (Partido Histórico)
- Reformist Party - PR (Partido Reformista)
- Constituent Party - PC (Partido Constituinte)
- Progressive Party - PP (Partido Progressista)
- Portuguese Socialist Party - PSP (Partido Socialista Português)
- Portuguese Republican Party - PRP (Partido Republicano Português)
- Liberal Regenerator Party - PRL (Partido Regenerador Liberal)
- Progressive Dissidence - DP (Dissidência Progressista)
First Republic (1910–1926)
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- Democratic Party (Partido Democrático)
- Evolutionist Party - PRE (Partido Republicano Evolucionista)
- Republican Union - PUR (Partido da União Republicana)
- Lusitanian Integralism - IL (Integralismo Lusitano)
- Monarchist Cause - CM (Causa Monárquica)
- Catholic Centre Party - PCC (Partido do Centro Católico)
- National Republican Party - PNR (Partido Nacional Republicano)
- Republican Liberal Party - PLR (Partido Liberal Republicano)
- Reconstitution Party - PRRN (Partido Republicano da Reconstituição Nacional)
- Regionalist Party - PR (Partido Regionalista)
- Nationalist Republican Party - PRN (Partido Republicano Nacionalista)
- Democratic Leftwing Republican Party - PRED (Partido Republicano Esquerdista Democrático)
- Union of Economic Interests - UIE (União dos Interesses Económicos)
Ditadura Nacional (1926–1933)
edit- National Syndicalists - MNS (Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista)
Estado Novo (1933–1974)
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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.
- National Union - UN (União Nacional)
- Movement of National Antifascist Unity - MUNAF (Movimento de Unidade Nacional Antifascista)
- Movement of Democratic Unity - MUD (Movimento de Unidade Democrática)
- Portuguese National Liberation Front - FPLP (Frente Portuguesa de Libertação Nacional)
- Portuguese Socialist Action - ASP (Acção Socialista Portuguesa)
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ Tribunal Constitucional – Partidos registados e suas denominações, siglas e símbolos
- ^ a b "Partidos registados e suas denominações, siglas e símbolos" Tribunal Constitucional. (in Portuguese)
- ^ Freire, André (2007). "The Party System of Portugal". In Oskar Niedermayer; Richard Stöss; Melanie Haas (eds.). Die Parteiensysteme Westeuropas. Springer-Verlag. p. 373. ISBN 978-3-531-90061-2.
- ^ Lisi, Marco (2007). "The Importance of Winning Office: The PS and the Struggle for Power". In Anna Bosco; Leonardo Morlino (eds.). Party Change in Southern Europe. Routledge. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-136-76777-7.
- ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Portugal". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ Lisi, Marco; Freire, André (2014). "The selection of political party leaders in Portugal". In Jean-Benoit Pilet; William Cross (eds.). The Selection of Political Party Leaders in Contemporary Parliamentary Democracies: A Comparative Study. Routledge. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-317-92945-1.
- ^ "Chega oficializa ligação à extrema direita europeia". www.sabado.pt (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Livre makes history in Portugal: not just first black woman MP, but first man in a skirt". The Portugal Resident. 28 October 2019.
- ^ "Portugal's Socialists win election, now eye alliances". Star Tribune. 7 October 2019. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "Pastoral dos Ciganos considera racistas e ilegais declarações de André Ventura". Observador. 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Socialists victorious in Portuguese election – POLITICO". 6 October 2019.
- ^ "View of A Construção da Identidade dos Novos Partidos em Páginas Oficiais do Facebook". Proa.ua.pt. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
- ^ "Restricted Access".
- ^ Radical left parties in Europe. p.1801. Author - Luke March. Published by Routledge. Published December 2011.
- ^ Dinis, Rita (29 August 2014). "O que está a dividir o Bloco de Esquerda | Ainda não percebi bem. Então quais são hoje as correntes dentro do BE?" [What is dividing the Left Bloc | Still don't get it. So what are the current tendencies inside the BE?]. Observador (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Risque pays du Portugal : Politique". Société Générale (in French). Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
- ^ "Portugal's Socialists lead election poll, but would not win majority". Reuters. 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on July 31, 2019.
When the Socialists came to power in 2015, they won the parliamentary support of two left wing parties, the Left Bloc and the Communists.
- ^ "Portugal president asks Socialist Costa to form government". Reuters. 8 October 2019.
- ^ European Spring Webpage (retrieved on 17 October 2018)
- ^ Maria Lopes (23 May 2014). "Rui Tavares recebe apoio da cúpula dos Verdes europeus". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ David Art (2011), "Memory Politics in Western Europe", in Uwe Backes; Patrick Moreau (eds.), The Extreme Right in Europe, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, p. 364, ISBN 978-3-525-36922-7
- ^ "Portuguese socialists defend post-EU bailout austerity". EUobserver. 6 May 2019.
The centre-right CDS-PP and PSD parties put forward the €800m/year idea.
- ^ ""CDS is a right-wing party, period"". Noticias ao Minuto. 23 January 2020.
- ^ Martins, Paula (25 January 2022). "The politics of Portugal – who are the parties?". Reuters. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ Anjos, Mafalda (2019-06-06). "Nem de esquerda nem de direita". Visão (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-01-19.
- ^ "SIC Notícias | PAN quer integrar família dos Verdes na Europa". SIC Notícias (in European Portuguese). 2018-12-13. Archived from the original on 2019-06-20. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
- ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Portugal". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ "Partido Ecologista Os Verdes" (in Portuguese). medium.com. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
- ^ "The PDR, new EDP member". Archived from the original on 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
- ^ "Fenómeno ADN: o partido que cresceu seis vezes mais (e ainda não parou)". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 2024-03-10. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ 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/
- ^ "Sobre o R.I.R. – RIR". Partido-rir.pt. 2022-02-21. Retrieved 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
- ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2015). "Madeira/Portugal". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018.
- ^ Lusa. "TC aceita inscrição de partido Nova Direita após três rejeições por irregularidades". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ Forthomme, Claude (28 February 2019). "Volt Europa: An Electric Jolt to Wake Up Europe". Impakter. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ da Costa, José Mourão (2011). "O Partido Nacional Renovador: a novadireita na democracia portuguesa". Análise Social. 46 (201): 765–787. JSTOR 41494872.
- ^ "A Campanha de Cavaco Silva em Portugal (2011): A Retórica da Direita" (PDF). opiniaopublica.ufmg.br. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
- ^ Tostes, Ana Paula (June 2009). "Reasons for intolerance in integrated Europe". Dados. 52 (2): 335–376. doi:10.1590/S0011-52582009000200003. ISSN 0011-5258.
- ^ 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. ISSN 1645-9199.
- ^ Close, Caroline (2019). "The liberal party family ideology: Distinct, but diverse". In Close, Caroline; van Haute, Emilie (eds.). Liberal Parties in Europe. Routledge. pp. 338–339. ISBN 9781351245487.
- ^ Tom Lansford, ed. (2013). Political Handbook of the World 2013. SAGE Publications. p. 1172. ISBN 978-1-4522-5825-6.
- ^ "Novo partido de Pedro Santana Lopes vai chamar-se Aliança". SAPO 24 (in Portuguese). 18 August 2018.
- ^ "Investigador Joaquim Rocha Afonso eleito presidente do partido Nós, Cidadãos! – Observador".
- ^ Nós, Cidadãos é o novo partido de centro-direita em formação, Publico.pt, retrieved 17 September 2015 (Portuguese)
- ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2016). "Azores/Portugal". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018.
- ^ "Partido Popular Monárquico | EUROPEIAS 2014". Partido Popular Monárquico. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Partido Popular Monárquico | Programa Político". Partido Popular Monárquico. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Monarchist Conference - Members". International Monarchist Conference. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ Administrador. "Declaração conjunta de MAIS (Brasil) e MAS (Portugal)". MAS (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-12-13.
- ^ Lusa. "Partido Unido dos Reformados e Pensionistas quer concorrer às próximas eleições". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2019-10-16.
- ^ "TC > Jurisprudência > Acordãos > Acórdão 370/2015 ". www.tribunalconstitucional.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2019-10-16.
- ^ ""Traição". Por Amaral Dias, PURP mudou de nome - ela acabou no ADN". Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
External links
edit- Portuguese Constitutional Court - current parties (in Portuguese)
- "Partidos Políticos". Comissão Nacional de Eleições. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
- "Arquivo Electrónico da Democracia Portuguesa - História dos Partidos". Centro de Documentação 25 de Abril. Archived from the original on 2006-05-05. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
- "Partidos e Movimentos Portugueses". Centro de Estudos do Pensamento Político. Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2005-05-17.