2005 Portuguese legislative election

The 2005 Portuguese legislative election took place on 20 February. The election renewed all 230 members of the Assembly of the Republic.

The election was called following President Jorge Sampaio's decision, on 30 November 2004, to dissolve the Parliament as an answer to the political instability caused by the government led by Pedro Santana Lopes (PSD) in coalition with the CDS–PP.

Headed by José Sócrates, the centre-left Socialist Party (PS) won the election by a landslide, winning in 19 of the 22 electoral constituencies, including in districts such as Viseu and Bragança that historically voted for the right. The Socialist Party conquered its first absolute majority, receiving 45 percent of the electorate vote and 52 percent of the seats in the Parliament, making this the Socialists' largest ever victory in terms of vote percentage and seat count as of 2022.

The centre-right parties, mainly the Social Democrats, were punished for their performance in government, and lost more than 11 percentage points they had garnered in the previous election. On the left, the Left Bloc achieved its best result ever and made the biggest climb, gaining 5 MPs, while the CDU (Communists and the Greens) gained 2 MPs and reversed their downward trend of the last elections.

Voter turnout was the highest since 1995, as 64.3 percent of the electorate cast a ballot.

Background In the aftermath of the 2002 legislative election, PSD and CDS–PP formed a coalition government, the first coalition between both parties in nearly 20 years."2002: O regresso da coligação de Direita ao poder", SIC Notícias, 1 October 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2023. During this period, several events dominated the coalition's term in office: The weak economic situation of the country; Portugal becoming a major ally of the United States in the War in Iraq, which split public opinion and also put the government at odds with president Sampaio;"Cimeira nas Lajes", RTP, 16 March 2003. Retrieved 8 December 2023. New developments in the Moderna corruption case, allegedly involving minister Paulo Portas; And the Casa Pia child sexual abuse scandal, during 2003, in which several high-profile names, from celebrities to Socialist members very close to party's leadership, then chaired by Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, were arrested.

After more than two years in office, Prime Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso announced, in June 2004, that he was resigning from office in order to become President of the European Commission."Durão Barroso apresenta demissão para ser presidente da Comissão Europeia ", RTP, 8 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2023. Pedro Santana Lopes succeeded Durão Barroso as Prime Minister.

Fall of the government

Deep disagreements and disputes within the Social Democratic Party, coupled with poor administration, began to derail the government led by Pedro Santana Lopes, the successor of Durão Barroso as prime minister."As "trapalhadas" de Santana em 2004 (que Rio apoiou e Marcelo arrasou) ", Observador, 21 December 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2022. One of them broke in October 2004, the so-called "Caso Marcelo", regarding former PSD leader Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's TVI punditry show, which ended abruptly with him accusing TVI's management of pressuring him not to be too critical of the then PSD/CDS–PP government in his television commentaries,"Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa abandona TVI após conversa com Paes do Amaral", Público, 6 October 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2026."Patrão da TVI queria Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa mais moderado nas críticas ", Público, 7 October 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2026. being considered as an attack on freedom of the press."Saída de Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa da TVI", RTP Arquivos, 8 October 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2026. Problems at the start of the 2004 school year, due to issues related to teacher allocation, also hampered the government."Educação - Problemas no concurso de professores marcaram a agenda", RTP, 15 December 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2026.

Another major dispute was the resignation of Youth and Sports Minister, Henrique Chaves, which was a close ally of Santana, and precipitated the fall of the government, as Chaves accused Santana of not being "loyal and truthful"."Henrique Chaves demite-se do Governo por falta de «lealdade e de verdade» de Santana", Jornal de Negócios, 28 November 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2022. Following this, President Jorge Sampaio had "enough" of crises and accused the government of "contradictions and lack of coordination that contributed to its discredit"."Jorge Sampaio anuncia a dissolução do Parlamento ", RTP, 8 September 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2022. Therefore, Sampaio used his power of dissolution of Parliament and called a snap election, the only time till date such extreme power was used by a president in Portuguese democracy."Jorge Sampaio vai dissolver Assembleia da República ", Público, 30 November 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2022."A bomba atómica de Sampaio", Correio da Manhã, 10 September 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2022. A new election was called, by the President, for February 2005."Jorge Sampaio assinou hoje decreto de dissolução do Parlamento ", Público, 22 December 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2022.

Leadership changes and challenges Social Democratic Party Following the resignation of José Manuel Durão Barroso as Prime Minister and PSD leader, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) initiated the process to elect a new leader."Durão Barroso demite-se oficialmente", Jornal de Notícias, 5 July 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2023. Pedro Santana Lopes, by then Mayor of Lisbon, was the sole candidate for the leadership"Santana Lopes considera legítima eleição pelo Conselho Nacional do PSD ", Público, 30 June 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2023. and his name was overwhelmingly confirmed in a National Party Council meeting on 1 July 2004."Santana Lopes indigitado pelo PSD para primeiro-ministro", Público, 11 July 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2023. The results were the following:

Two weeks later, on 17 July 2004, Santana Lopes was sworn in as Prime Minister."Um Governo de amigos, políticos e estreantes ", Público, 17 July 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2023.

Socialist Party

On early July 2004, PS leader Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues resigned from the leadership against President Jorge Sampaio decision to nominate Pedro Santana Lopes as Prime Minister, following the resignation of Durão Barroso, rather than calling a snap legislative election."Ferro Rodrigues demite-se da liderança do PS ", Público, 9 July 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2021. New elections to select a new leader were called for 25 and 26 September 2004. Former environment minister José Sócrates, Manuel Alegre and the son of former President Mário Soares, João Soares, contested the leadership ballot."DEBATER AS IDEIAS ESCOLHER OS PROTAGONISTAS", Acção Socialista, 29 July 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2021. José Sócrates was elected by a landslide"Sócrates eleito Secretário Geral do PS", RTP, 26 September 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2021. and the results were the following:

Portuguese Communist Party In the fall of 2004, PCP leader Carlos Carvalhas decided to step down from the party's leadership after 12 years in the post."Carlos Carvalhas abandona liderança do PCP", Público, 5 October 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2021. Jerónimo de Sousa was selected as candidate for the leadership and was elected in the party's congress during the weekend of 27 and 28 November 2004."PCP: Jerónimo de Sousa eleito secretário-geral", Público, 28 November 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2021. The results were the following:

Electoral system

The Assembly of the Republic has 230 members elected to four-year terms. Governments do not require absolute majority support of the Assembly to hold office, as even if the number of opposers of government is larger than that of the supporters, the number of opposers still needs to be equal or greater than 116 (absolute majority) for both the Government's Programme to be rejected or for a motion of no confidence to be approved.

The number of seats assigned to each district depends on the district magnitude. The use of the d'Hondt method makes for a higher effective threshold than certain other allocation methods such as the Hare quota or Sainte-Laguë method, which are more generous to small parties.Gallaher, Michael (1992). "Comparing Proportional Representation Electoral Systems: Quotas, Thresholds, Paradoxes and Majorities"

For these elections, and compared with the 2002 elections, the MPs distributed by districts were the following: District Number of MPs Map Lisbon 48 Porto 38 Braga 18 Setúbal 17 Aveiro 15 Leiria, Santarém and Coimbra 10 Viseu 9 Faro 8 Madeira and Viana do Castelo 6 Azores, Castelo Branco and Vila Real 5 Bragança and Guarda 4 Beja and Évora 3 Portalegre, Europe and Outside Europe 2

Parties Having been in a governing coalition for the past 3 years, the possibility of a PSD/CDS–PP coalition was debated, but it generated many divisions within the Social Democrats (PSD) and the idea was abandoned."AD pré-eleitoral divide direcção do PSD", Público, 3 December 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2026. Despite this, the PSD signed an agreement with the Earth Party (MPT) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM), in which it would accept the inclusion of some members of these parties on the PSD's electoral lists."PSD estabelece "plataformas" com MPT e PPM", RTP, 24 December 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2026. The table below lists the parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic during the 9th legislature (2002–2005) and that also partook in the election: Name Ideology Political position Leader 2002 result % Seats PPD/PSD Social Democratic Party Centre-right Pedro Santana Lopes 40.2% PS Socialist Party Social democracyThird Way Centre-left to Centre José Sócrates 37.8% CDS–PP CDS – People's Party Christian democracyConservatism Paulo Portas 8.7% PCP Portuguese Communist Party CommunismMarxism–Leninism Far-left Jerónimo de Sousa6.9% PEV Ecologist Party "The Greens" Eco-socialismGreen politicsLeft-wing Heloísa Apolónia BE Left Bloc Left-wing Francisco Louçã 2.7%

Campaign period Issues

2005 Portuguese legislative election

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