An election of MEPs representing Portugal for the 2004-2009 term of the European Parliament was held on 13 June 2004. It was part of the wider 2004 European election.

The Socialist Party (PS) was the big winner of the election, achieving their best result in a European election ever. The party won 44.5 percent of the votes, an increase of 1.5 percentage points, and held on to the 12 seats won in 1999. However the Socialist victory, and the campaign overall, was overshadowed by the sudden death of the PS top candidate, António Sousa Franco. Sousa Franco died of a heart attack while campaigning in Matosinhos, just four days before election day. António Costa, number 2 on the list, became the Socialists' top candidate after Sousa Franco's death.

The Social Democrats (PSD) and the People's Party (CDS–PP) contested the election in a coalition called "Forward Portugal" (FP). The coalition had a very weak performance, winning just 33 percent of the votes, a big drop compared with the combined total of 39 percent the PSD+CDS had in 1999. The PSD lost two seats, while CDS–PP held on to their two seats.

The Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU) dropped one point and fell below 10 percent of the votes for the first time. CDU was still able to hold on to the two seats they had won in 1999. The Left Bloc (BE) gained a seat for the EU parliament for the first time, and saw its share of vote increase to almost 5 percent, an increase of more than 3 percentage points compared with 1999.

Turnout dropped compared with 1999, with 38.6 percent of voters casting a ballot.

Electoral system The voting method used for the election of European members of parliament, is proportional representation using the d'Hondt method, which is known to benefit the largest parties slightly. In the 2004 EU elections, Portugal had 24 seats to be filled. Deputies are elected in a single constituency, corresponding to the entire national territory.

Parties and candidates The major parties that partook in the election, and their EP list leaders, were:Comissão Nacional de Eleições - Deputados, Mapa Oficial nº 1/2004

Left Bloc (BE), Miguel Portas Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU), Ilda Figueiredo Social Democratic Party (PSD)/People's Party (CDS–PP) Forward Portugal (FP), João de Deus Pinheiro Earth Party (MPT), Luís Filipe Marques Movement for the Sick (MD), Vitorino Brandão Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP), António Garcia Pereira New Democracy Party (PND), Manuel Monteiro Democratic Party of the Atlantic (PDA), José Soares National Renewal Party (PNR), Paulo Rodrigues Socialist Party (PS), António CostaCandidate chosen to lead the Socialist list after the unexpected death of the former head of the list António Sousa Franco. People's Monarchist Party (PPM), Gonçalo da Câmara Pereira Workers' Party of Socialist Unity (POUS), Carmelinda Pereira

Campaign period Party slogans Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Refs PS « Queremos um Portugal melhor » "We want a better Portugal" FP « Força Portugal! » "Forward Portugal!" CDU « Outro caminho para a Europa e para Portugal » "Another path for Europe and Portugal" BE « Estás farto? » "Had enough?"

Candidates' debates One last debate between the four main candidates was expected to be held on RTP on 10 June, but it was cancelled after the sudden death of the PS lead candidate António Sousa Franco on 9 June. Parties also cut short their campaigns.

2004 European Parliament election in Portugal debates Date Organisers Moderator(s) PS FP CDU BE Refs 1 June SIC Notícias Clara de SousaPPPP 8 June SIC Notícias Clara de SousaPPNN

Opinion polling

Polling firm/Link Date Released Lead 2004 EP election 13 June 200444.5 33.3 9.1 4.9 8.2 11.2 UCP 13 June 2004 43–47 32–36 8–10 4–6 11 Eurosondagem 13 June 2004 44.1–47.9 29.7–33.5 10.1–11.9 5.1–6.9 14.4 Intercampus 13 June 2004 42.3–47.1 30.5–35.1 7.3–10.1 4.7–6.9 11.812.0 Aximage 11 June 200440.3 39.8 8.3 6.2 5.5 0.5 UCP 11 June 200444 37 8 5 6 7 Eurosondagem 11 June 200443.3 37.8 7.7 5.6 5.6 5.5 Intercampus 11 June 200442.4 27.5 12.6 6.7 10.9 14.9 Marktest 9 June 200449.2 37.4 6.3 5.0 2.1 11.8 Aximage 5 June 200439.2 34.5 7.9 2.4 16.0 4.7 Aximage 25 May 200439.5 33.6 8.3 4.0 14.6 5.9 TNS Euroteste 20 May 2004 34 34 4 3 25 Tie Marktest 19 May 200449.2 34.8 8.1 4.1 3.8 14.4 UCP 14 May 200444.3 40.7 5.4 5.2 4.4 3.6 Aximage 7 May 200440.5 35.8 6.1 3.3 14.3 4.7 Marktest 29 March 200454.7 34.5 5.5 2.4 3.0 20.2 Eurosondagem 19 March 2004 37.037.6 5.8 4.3 15.3 0.6 Aximage 7 March 2004 39.239.7 7.0 3.7 10.4 0.5 1999 EP election 13 June 1999 43.1 31.1 8.2 10.3 1.8 5.6 12.0

Results

Distribution by European group + Summary of political group distribution in the 6th European Parliament (2004–2009) Groups Parties Seats Total % Party of European Socialists (PES) 12 12 50.00 European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP–ED) 72 9 37.50 European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) 21 3 12.50 Total 24 24 100.00

Maps

See also Politics of Portugal List of political parties in Portugal Elections in Portugal European Parliament

Notes

References

External links Comissão Nacional de Eleições Results according to the Portuguese Electoral Commission of the 13 June 2004 election of the 24 delegates from Portugal to the European Parliament