Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party

The party Movimento de São Tomé e Príncipe de Libertação ( MLSTP ) is a party to São Tomé and Príncipe.

Foundation

The group was founded in 1960 under the name CLSTP ( "Committee for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe " ) of exiles in Gabon. The goal was the independence of the overseas province of Portugal. Under the former authoritarian Portuguese government under António de Oliveira Salazar political activity was strictly prohibited and was largely suppressed by the police organization PIDE. Like all independence movements in the Portuguese Empire was the first CLSTP oriented Marxist. On 12 July 1972, the group was renamed MLSTP.

Unity Party

After the " Carnation Revolution " in Portugal on 25 April 1974, the new leadership in Lisbon decided to abandon the overseas territories. In November 1974 negotiations between Portugal and the MLSTP took place in Algiers, which led to the independence of São Tomé and Príncipe on July 12, 1975. The party won all 16 seats in the Constituent Assembly.

The Secretary-General of the MLSTP Manuel Pinto da Costa became the first president of the country and the MLSTP ruled until 1990 as a single party. During this time the party had close relations with the Soviet Union, Cuba, East Germany and also with the People's Republic of China. Due to the growing economic difficulties, the party broke since 1985 gradually from close ties to the Soviet bloc. End of 1989, a wing of the party for the introduction of democracy began and in August 1990 a new constitution was approved in a referendum. A party congress in October 1990 chose Carlos da Graça new Secretary-General. The party was in MLSTP - PSD ( " PSD " for " Partido Social Democrata " ) and renamed since then represents a social democratic course.

After the introduction of democracy

In the first free elections on 20 January 1991, the MLSTP - PSD reached 30.5 % of the vote and 21 of the 55 seats in Parliament and went into opposition. In the presidential elections, an independent candidate Miguel Trovoada Costas sat as a successor Manuel Pinto da.

In regional elections in December 1992, the MLSTP - PSD was successful and won in five of the seven provinces. The next parliamentary elections on 3 October 1994, the party with 27 of the 55 seats again the strongest party and presented with their president Carlos da Graça the prime minister. In March 1995, the party won in the elections to the Parliament of the island of Príncipe. In the presidential elections of 1996 President Miguel Trovoada won in the second round against the MLSTP PSD candidate, the former president Manuel Pinto da Costa.

A Congress of certain da Costa in May 1998 as President of the Party. On 8 November 1998, the MLSTP - PSD was the first time an absolute majority, now with 31 mandates. On 27 February 2001 entered da Costa again in presidential elections and lost again, this time against Fradique de Menezes, who received 55.2 % of votes. The parliamentary elections in March 2002 confirmed the Party as the largest party, but she received only 24 of the 55 seats in parliament since then and was dependent on coalition partners. The MLSTP - PSD presented as the strongest force continue changing in rapid succession Prime Minister Maria das Neves first, then Damiao Vaz d' Almeida and Maria do Carmo Silveira.

In the parliamentary elections on 26 March 2006, the MLSTP - PSD was 29.5 % of the vote and 20 seats, only the second largest party behind the Movimento Democrático Força da Mudança / Partido da Convergència Democrática ( MDFM / PCD ) and went into opposition. On 20 May 2008, she succeeded Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada of the Acção Democrática Independente (ADI ) to rush through a vote of no confidence and to form a new government under Prime Minister Joaquim Rafael Branco, after lengthy negotiations themselves.

In the parliamentary elections on August 1, 2010 MLSTP - PSD at 32.1 % of the vote and 21 seats and thus remained the second most powerful force behind the victorious ADI, which formed a minority government.

Currently Aurelio Martins is party leader.

Since 2012, the MLSTP - SDP is an associate member of the Socialist International.