The secretary-general of the Socialist Party is the leader of the Portuguese Socialist Party. Currently, the position is held by José Luís Carneiro, following his victory in the July 2025 leadership election.
The post of Secretary-general was created in 1973, after the party's foundation in Bad Münstereifel. Its first holder was Mário Soares, who held several important offices such as Prime Minister from 1976 to 1978 and again from 1983 to 1985, and President of the Republic, from 1986 to 1996.
Until 1998, party Secretary-generals were elected by delegate votes in a party congress, but in that same year, party rules were changed and registered party members, with membership fees updated, gained the right to elect the president secretary-general of delegates in a congress, with the possibility of a second round if no candidate obtains more than 50% of the votes in the first round of voting.
To this day, four Secretaries-general of the Socialist Party have become Prime Minister of Portugal: Mário Soares (1976 and 1983), António Guterres (1995), José Sócrates (2005) and António Costa (2015). In addition, Mário Soares (1986), Jorge Sampaio (1996) and António José Seguro (2026), also former Secretaries-general, held the office President of the Republic.
List of Secretaries-general of the Socialist Party Colour key #PortraitNameConstituencyTerm in officeElectionPrime MinisterRef.StartEnd1Mário Soares(1924–2017)Lisbon 1973 19851973Marcelo Caetano (1968–1974)Adelino da Palma Carlos (1974)1974Vasco Gonçalves (1974–1975)José Pinheiro de Azevedo (1975–1976)1976himself (1976–1978)Alfredo Nobre da Costa (1978)Carlos Mota Pinto (1978–1979)1979Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo (1979–1980)Francisco Sá Carneiro (1980) Diogo Freitas do Amaral (1980–1981)1981Francisco Pinto Balsemão (1981–1983)1983himself (1983–1985)–António de Almeida Santos (interim)(1926–2016)Guarda (1976–1980)Porto (1980–1995)Lisbon (1995–2002)Coimbra (2002–2005) 1985 19851985Mário Soares (1985)Aníbal Cavaco Silva (1985–1995)–António Macedo (interim)(1906–1989)Porto 1985 1986 –2Vítor Constâncio(b. 1943)Lisbon 1986 1989198619883Jorge Sampaio(1939–2021)Lisbon (1976–1987)Santarém (1987–1991)Lisbon (1991–1992) 1989 1992198919904António Guterres(b. 1949)Castelo Branco 1992 20021992himself (1995–2002)199920015Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues(b. 1949)Lisbon (1985–1987)Aveiro (1987–1991)Lisbon (1991–1999)Leiria (1999–2002)Lisbon (2002–2022) 2002 20042002António Guterres (2002)José Durão Barroso (2002–2004)Pedro Santana Lopes (2004–2005)6José Sócrates(b. 1957)Castelo Branco 2004 201120042006himself (2005–2011)2009Mar. 2011Pedro Passos Coelho (2011–2015)7António José Seguro(b. 1962)Lisbon (1985–1987)Porto (1991–1995)Guarda (1995–1999)Lisbon (2002–2005)Braga (2005–2014) 2011 2014Jul. 20112013–Maria de Belém Roseira (interim)(b. 1949)Porto (1999–2002)Aveiro (2002–2005)Lisbon (2005–2009)Aveiro (2009–2011)Lisbon (2011–2015) 2014 2014 –8António Costa(b. 1961)Lisbon (1991–2002)Leiria (2002–2005)Lisbon (2005–2024) 2014 202420142016himself (2015–2024)201820219Pedro Nuno Santos(b. 1977)Aveiro 2024 20252023António Costa (2024)Luís Montenegro (since 2024)–Carlos César (interim)(b. 1956)Azores 2025 2025– 10 José Luís Carneiro(b. 1971) Porto (2005–2022)Braga (since 2022) 2025 Incumbent 2025 2026
By time in office #NameTime in officeDuration1Mário Soares1973–198512 years, 55 days2António Guterres1992–20029 years, 330 days3António Costa2014–20249 years, 46 days4José Sócrates2004–20116 years, 299 days5António José Seguro2011–20143 years, 67 days6Jorge Sampaio1989–19923 years, 38 days7Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues2002–20042 years, 252 days8Vítor Constâncio1986–19892 years, 201 days9Pedro Nuno Santos2024–20251 year, 137 days10José Luís Carneiro2025–present (Incumbent)11António Macedo (interim)1985–1986228 days12António de Almeida Santos (interim)1985147 days13Maria de Belém Roseira (interim)201455 days14Carlos César (interim)202535 days
Deputy Secretary-general of the Socialist Party The Deputy Secretary-general of the Socialist Party is a position created in 2012 to replace the Secretary-general as the representative of the party in the case where the Secretary-general held the office of Prime Minister of Portugal. #PortraitNameConstituencyTerm in officeSecretary-generalRef.StartEnd–Vacant 2012 2015António José SeguroAntónio Costa1Ana Catarina Mendes(b. 1973)Setúbal 2015 20192José Luís Carneiro(b. 1971)Porto (2005–2022)Braga (since 2022) 2019 20223João Torres(b. 1986)Porto 2022 2024–Vacant 2024IncumbentPedro Nuno SantosJosé Luís Carneiro
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