Portuguese parliamentary election, 6 October 2019

Author (Corporate)
Publication Date 2019
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Summary:

Reports, analyses and information relating to the legislative election held in Portugal in October 2019.

Further information:

The 230 seats of the Portuguese Parliament are elected through the country's 18 disctrict-based electoral constituencies, together with the two autonomous regions and two constituencies grouping those residing outside the national territory. Political parties and coalitions can put forward lists of candidates, which are closed so electors are not able to vote for individual candidates.

The electoral campaign was dominated by the improved economic situation of the country, the quality of public services and judicial cases involving former members of the cabinet. As predicted by pre-electoral polls, the governing centre-left Socialist Party (PS) won the election and increased and vote share but was unable to secure an outright majority. The centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) was second, followed by the leftist Left Bloc (BE). The Animals-People-Nature Party (PAN) increased its presence in Parliament, and three new political parties secured representation for the first time: the green-left Free Party (Livre), the Liberalist Initative (IL) and the far-right Enough Party (Chega). Each of these parties managed to secure a single seat each.

Related Links
Official
European Council: Letter of congratulations from President Donald Tusk to the Prime Minister of Portugal António Costa, 7 October 2019 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/10/07/letter-of-congratulations-from-president-donald-tusk-to-the-prime-minister-of-portugal-antonio-costa/

News
Politico, 23/09/2019: Portugal’s Costa gets Madeira boost ahead of election https://www.politico.eu/article/portugal-antonio-costa-madeira-boost-ahead-of-general-election/
The Guardian, 03/10/2019: Portugal election: Europe's beacon of social democracy heads to the polls https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/03/portugal-election-europes-beacon-of-social-democracy-heads-to-the-polls
Reuters, 06/10/2019: Portugal's ruling Socialists win election but fall short of outright majority https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1WK0L4
Politico, 06/10/2019: Socialists victorious in Portuguese election https://www.politico.eu/article/antonio-costa-portugal-elections/
BBC News, 07/10/2019: Portugal election: Socialists win without outright majority https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49955686
The Guardian, 07/10/2019: Portugal election: Socialists retain power with increased share of the vote https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/06/socialists-on-course-for-victory-but-no-majority-in-portugal-election
EUObserver, 07/10/2019: Ruling socialists win Portugal election, but no majority https://euobserver.com/political/146180
The Economist, 07/10/2019: Portugal’s Socialists fall short of a majority in the general election https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/10/07/portugals-socialists-fall-short-of-a-majority-in-the-general-election
Euronews, 09/10/2019: Portugal's far-left open to working with new minority Socialist government https://www.euronews.com/2019/10/09/portugal-s-far-left-open-to-working-with-new-minority-socialist-government

Commentary and Analysis
IFES Election Guide: Election for Portuguese Parliament http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3178/
Politico: Poll of Polls for Portugal https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/portugal/
Wikipedia: 2019 Portuguese legislative election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Portuguese_legislative_election
Reuters, 27/09/2019: 'Not just for the pooches': Portugal's 'animal party' could be kingmaker https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1WC16V
Reuters, 30/09/2019: Europe's loneliest far-right party losing election battle in Portugal https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1WF0L1
Spiegel Online International, 01/10/2019: A Socialist Success Story in Portugal https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/antonio-costa-a-socialist-success-story-in-portugal-a-1288837.html
The Irish Times, 02/10/2019: Portugal’s Socialist miracle offers lessons for a divided Spain https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/portugal-s-socialist-miracle-offers-lessons-for-a-divided-spain-1.4038021
Euro|topics, October 2019: Arms scandal casts shadow on Portuguese elections https://www.eurotopics.net/en/227947/
Euronews, 03/10/2019: Portugal elections: is it the end of the 'contraption' left-wing coalition? https://www.euronews.com/2019/10/03/portugal-elections-is-it-the-end-of-the-contraption-left-wing-coalition
France24, 03/10/2019: Portugal set to keep faith with Socialists https://www.france24.com/en/20191003-portugal-set-to-keep-faith-with-socialists
Bloomberg, 03/10/2019: Only True Reformers Make It Into the History Books https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-10-03/portugal-s-antonio-costa-needs-to-embrace-reform-after-election
Social Europe, 03/10/2019: Portuguese elections: Socialists expected to return to power but without a majority https://www.socialeurope.eu/portuguese-elections-socialists-expected-to-return-to-power-but-without-a-majority
Bloomberg, 03/10/2019: Europe’s Model of Stability Is Hiding a Major Weakness https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-03/europe-s-model-of-stability-is-hiding-a-major-weakness
France24, 03/10/2019: Portugal economic crisis a fading memory ahead of polls https://www.france24.com/en/20191003-portugal-economic-crisis-a-fading-memory-ahead-of-polls
Politico, 04/10/2019: António Costa’s last-minute popularity dip https://www.politico.eu/article/antonio-costa-prime-minister-portugal-election-contraption-tancos-weapons-last-minute-popularity-dip/
Euro|topics, October 2019: PM Costa's Socialists win in Portugal https://www.eurotopics.net/en/228118/
EUROPP, 10/10/2019: Five minutes with António Costa Pinto on Portugal’s election: “Left-wing voters preferred the renewal of the previous agreement to a single Socialist majority” https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2019/10/09/five-minutes-with-antonio-costa-pinto-on-portugals-election-left-wing-voters-preferred-the-renewal-of-the-previous-agreement-to-a-single-socialist-majority/

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