The 6th Legislature of the Third Portuguese Republic () ran from 4 November 1991 to 26 October 1995. This legislature saw a reduction in the total number of elected MPs, from 250 to 230, following a constitutional review in 1989. The composition of the Assembly of the Republic, the legislative body of Portugal, was determined by the results of the 1991 legislative election, held on 6 October 1991.
Election The 7th Portuguese legislative election was held on 6 October 1991. In the election, the Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD) won for the third consecutive time and renewed the absolute majority achieved four years earlier.Official Results — National Election Commission
Party Assembly of the Republic Votes % Seats +/−PPD/PSD 2,902,351 50.60 135 –13PS 1,670,758 29.13 72 +12 CDU 504,583 8.80 17 –14CDS 254,317 4.43 5 +1PSN 96,096 1.68 1 +1 Other/blank/invalid 307,326 5.36 0 –1 Total 5,735,431 100.00 230 –20
Composition (1991–1995) Party Parliamentary group leaderElectedDissolution Seats % Seats % Montalvão Machado (Lisbon) (1991–1992)Duarte Lima (Bragança) (1992–1995)José Pacheco Pereira (Porto) (1995)13558.713558.7 Jaime Gama (Lisbon) (1991–1992)António de Almeida Santos (Porto) (1992–1993)Jaime Gama (Lisbon) (1993–1995)7231.37231.3 Carlos Carvalhas (Lisbon) (1991–1992)Octávio Teixeira (Setúbal) (1992–1995)156.5146.1 António Lobo Xavier (Porto)52.241.7PEVIsabel Castro (Lisbon)20.920.9PSNManuel Sérgio (Lisbon)10.410.4 IndependentMário Tomé (Lisbon)Diogo Freitas do Amaral (Lisbon)00.020.8 Total230100.0230100.0
Changes Mário Tomé, Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) → Independent: A member of the Popular Democratic Union (UDP), he left the PCP caucus at the beginning of the legislature. Diogo Freitas do Amaral, Democratic Social Center (CDS) → Independent: Left the CDS parliamentary group, and the party itself, following deep disagreements with the new leader, Manuel Monteiro, elected in 1992.
Election for President of the Assembly of the Republic To be elected, a candidate needs to reach a minimum of 116 votes. Two ballots were needed to elected a new President. António Barbosa de Melo, from the Social Democratic Party, faced MP Alberto Oliveira e Silva, from the Socialist Party, in both rounds. On the second round, Barbosa de Melo was elected by a narrow majority:
Election of the President of the Assembly of the Republic 1st Ballot → 7 November 1991 Required majority → 116 out of 230 António Barbosa de Melo (PPD/PSD) Alberto Oliveira e Silva (PS) Blank ballots Invalid ballots Absentees Sources:
Election of the President of the Assembly of the Republic 2nd Ballot → 7 November 1991 Required majority → 116 out of 230 António Barbosa de Melo (PPD/PSD) Alberto Oliveira e Silva (PS) Blank ballots Invalid ballots Absentees Sources:
References