Portuguese legislative election, 2005
- BE: 8
- CDU: 14
- PS: 121
- PSD: 75
- PP: 12
In the parliamentary elections in Portugal in 2005 on February 20, 2005, approximately 8.9 million Portuguese were called at home and abroad, the da República to determine 230 mandates new to the Assembleia.
The election took place outside the statutory four -year cycle, as the Portuguese president Jorge Sampaio as announced on 30 November 2004, the IX. Parliament had dissolved before the end of the legislature. Sampaio was that the political stability in Portugal was no longer guaranteed, a few months after Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes took over from his predecessor, José Manuel Durão Barroso office in the summer of 2004. The government had already survived several crises within the first months, the coalition of liberal conservative PSD and the right-wing CDS -PP was considered brittle.
Choosing won the Portuguese Socialists ( Partido Socialista, PS ). The victory had been predicted by all pollsters, but the first time the Socialists won an absolute majority. In general, the result was interpreted as a punishment of the then governing party PSD and CDS -PP by the voters. Overall, all left-wing parties of the Parliament ( PS, PCP, PEV, BE) recorded strong voices growth.
Background
The Portuguese Parliament elections in 2002 the then opposition parties PSD and CDS -PP won a clear victory and formed a coalition government led by José Manuel Durão Barroso. Paulo Portas as defense minister and Manuela Ferreira Leite as Finance Minister were Deputy Prime Minister.
After 2004 European Commission President Romano Prodi had decided to return to Italian politics and resign his position as president of the European Commission, the search began for a successor. After many discussions, the European leaders agreed on the former Portuguese Prime Minister Barroso. After he had agreed, he finished his affairs of July 17, 2003. Contrary to the usual practice sat President Jorge Sampaio on new elections, but appointed on the recommendation of Barroso's the former mayor of Lisbon, Pedro Santana Lopes, the new Prime Minister, which continues in 2002 elected government majority was available. This process is particularly criticized the opposition parties (PS, PCP, PEV, BE ), which called for new elections. They also criticized the personal choice as Santana Lopes is a particularly divisive and polemically. As a result, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues resigned from his position as the then PS- Secretary-General and Leader of the Opposition, as the new government is not legitimate at the ballot box.
The subsequent tenure Santana Lopes ' shaped crises and problems, particularly between the two coalition partners. So Santana Lopes announced several initiatives in television talk shows, which were denied on the following day by the competent ministers again. Also, he made several times to his cabinet; Henrique Chaves resigned after only four days as the Minister of Youth and Sport back. Much more severe for President Sampaio however, was the financial and economic policy Santana Lopes '. This decided - contrary to initial promises - tax cuts and wage increases in the public sector and called for a loosening of the European Stability and Growth Pact. The Portuguese National Bank as well as many leading companies continuing this policy is not for serious and criticized the economic " zig- zag ".
Finally, President Sampaio decided in November 2004 to hold elections and thus Prime Minister Santana Lopes somehow " fall ", since he no longer saw maintained political stability. The process was unique in Portuguese history, however, is provided by law. Santana Lopes nevertheless complained that the president had " assaulted " him and noticed that this was not the case in previous ( socialist ) governments. The President fully carried out this act of constitutional prerogatives at a time when the pollsters, the socialists predicted a possible election victory. Santana Lopes came on 11 December officially resigned from his post as prime minister, led the government until the election but still a caretaker.
Topics of the election campaign
The most important issue in the election was the precarious situation of the Portuguese economy. Due to the EU enlargement in 2004, the already low international competitiveness declined again. Although the government had already promised improvements under Barroso, economic success was not materialized. Another issue was the reduction of bureaucracy, particularly in Portugal as high costs and long service roads in the state apparatus are common. Almost all parties promised a reform of the state authorities.
Likewise, the issue of legalization of voluntary abortion played a role. In 1998, a referendum in this regard already taken place, in which, however, a slight majority had decided against it. Another referendum presented both major parties in view.
General election themes were very portugal centered. The European Union played only a minor role; and the Iraq war in which Portugal participated with troops of the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR ), had a far less important than, for example, in neighboring Spain. Nevertheless, this topic promised opposition candidate José Sócrates to withdraw the troops - as well as the other left parties, Santana Lopes wanted to continue to keep this in Iraq. Questions of integration of the number of migrants and human rights did not play a role to some extent.
During the election campaign died on 13 February 2005, the last witness of the Three Secrets of Fatima, Lucia dos Santos, whereupon a national mourning was announced. The parties PSD and CDS -PP brought actions for several days to campaign and also demanded to end the campaign. The other parties rejected this because of the importance of the elections and continue their campaigns in each case only for a day. A few days later also took PSD and CDS -PP campaigning again.
Choice advertiser parties
Partido Socialista (PS )
The Portuguese Socialist Party, the Partido Socialista, ruled last under António Guterres to 2002. In a direct election to the party chairmanship on 24 and 25 September 2004, which became necessary after the resignation of the Secretary Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, José Sócrates sat ( with 79 percent) over its competitors Manuel Alegre ( 17 percent) and João Soares (4 percent) by. Therefore, he appeared as a candidate for the parliamentary election, which was proclaimed two months later, on.
Sócrates promised to modernize the country, but he presented a number of initiatives for education, training and research as well as plans for a technological offensive, which he described as " technological shock" ( choque tecnológico ). Furthermore Sócrates announced a new referendum on the legalization of abortion. To rehabilitate the economy or to give new impetus, struck before half Sócrates state investment program with a focus on the development of infrastructure, environmental protection and social activities in the amount of 20 billion euros. Other economic policy objectives of the platform were the reduction in the government deficit below the permissible three percent and the retention of current taxes. Critics complained that the economic policies of the PS differ only in nuances of the liberal democratic PSD.
The PS was aimed mainly to the centrist voters who had previously voted the PSD. The target Sócrates announced an absolute majority. Whether and which party should serve as a coalition partner, if only a relative majority should be achieved, he did not say.
Partido Social Democrata (PSD )
The Social Democratic Party, the Partido Social Democrata, entered, although President Sampaio dissolved the parliament just because of the style of government of Prime Minister Santana Lopes, mangelns alternatives again with Santana Lopes. The board of the PSD elected him with 93 percent ( 93 out of 100 votes ) as the new candidate of the election.
Also the choice of the PSD program was shaped by it to redevelop the Portuguese economy. The PSD responded with a management shock ( choque de Gestão ) on the propagated by Sócrates technology shock. Thus, the productivity of the Portuguese economy should increase to 2010 from 64 to 75 percent of the average of the 15 old EU members. Moreover, the share of government spending should be reduced from 48 to 40 percent of gross domestic product by 2010 as well.
Company Politically, Santana Lopes spoke out against the legalization of abortion, but pursued as Sócrates, the idea of a referendum. He also promised the students a new funding model for the tuition and continuity in courses at the high schools and universities.
The target Santana Lopes spent, to remain in the government. As a coalition partner, the conservative CDS -PP should continue to be maintained. Meanwhile, it was also discussed that the PSD and CDS -PP would take (similar to the former Aliança Democrática ) together in a combined list, but this was soon discarded.
During the election campaign, the PSD also campaigned with her party membership and EU Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso. In particular, the Group of European Socialists criticized this operation. Former Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva refused to consent to a joint election poster with the candidate Santana Lopes, because he was not as capable of this.
Centro Democrático e Social - Partido Popular ( CDS -PP)
The People's Party (Centro Democrático e Social - Partido Popular) promoted - as well as in the last election - with Defense Minister Paulo Portas. This stood as a candidate in the constituency itself Aveiro.
Also, the CDS -PP promoted - as well as the PS and PSD - with a shock in his election program, but with a "shock values " ( choque de valores ). The election program was focused on the areas of education, health, social security, economy and environment. However Portas put a high value on education. Thus, the school system should economically tested and textbooks are not only used one year as usual in Portugal. To combat unemployment, hit Portas plans to invest in future technologies and particularly in tourism. Similarly, the tax burden should generally - which was 48 percent, according Portas - be reduced. In addition, the CDS -PP rejected the legalization of abortion, and homosexual marriages should not be allowed.
In general, the party set themselves high goals for the election. So more votes and seats than PCP and BE should be achieved together and at least ten percent. In addition, the CDS -PP wanted to be the third strongest force and prevent the absolute majority of a single party.
Coligação Democrática Unitaria (CDU )
The list connecting Coligação Democrática Unitaria ( " United Democratic Coalition " ) - a coalition of Partido Comunista Português ( PCP) and the Partido Ecologista Os Verdes ( PEV ) - performed with the Gene Real secretary in 2004 selected the PCP, Jerónimo de Sousa, on.
Although common antretend in a list combination, were the two parties with different selection programs. The Portuguese Greens ( PEV ) campaigned in its election manifesto ( Manifesto Eleitoral ) especially for its environmental and energy policy. So were the Greens and for the nationalization of the water supply, a more effective coastal protection and for a program to avoid the usual in Portugal in the summer forest fires. They also called for an expansion of renewable energies and thus higher energy self-sufficiency, as the current dependency on electricity imports would be at 90 percent. In addition, they called for ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, a revision and the associated flexibility of the European Stability and Growth Pact, a referendum on the EU constitution, the withdrawal of the GNR from Iraq and to increase support for public schools.
The Portuguese Communist Party, Partido Comunista Português that, just presented a choice program that does the election manifesto of the Greens was similar, but more emphasized the aspects of labor and social policy. So called for the PCP to increase the minimum wage to 400 euros per month, an amendment to the labor law ( Código do Trabalho ), an increase in pensions and maintaining the retirement age at 65 ( for men) or 62 ( for women). In addition, the PCP called for the increase in VAT from 17 to 19 percent increase, to stop the privatization and hospitals to nationalize again to legalize abortion to expand ( without a referendum ), free school learning materials, the social ticket for transport in the Lisbon area to all transport modes and introduce a similar ticket in the Porto area and the withdrawal of the GNR from Iraq.
The main objective of the CDU was to halt the downward trend of past elections. Likewise, the CDU set the goal to be at least the third strongest party in parliament. Critics praised especially the CDU top candidate Jerónimo de Sousa, the pragmatic and non-ideological showed during the election campaign and seemed ready for a coalition with the PS.
Bloco de Esquerda (BE)
The Left Bloc, the Bloco de Esquerda was, and is the youngest party that is represented in the Assembleia da República. The Alliance was formed in 1999 from the four União Democrática Popular leftist parties (UDP), the Partido Socialista Revolucionario ( PSR), the Política XXI and the FER Ruptura. The party joined with its recently elected Secretary General Francisco Louçã as a top candidate.
The election program of BE was titled Tempo de viragem ( " the turn " ) and was presented by Louçã in January 2005. The most important part of the program was the announcement of ten points, which should be implemented in the first hundred days of government. These included the creation of jobs, the legalization of abortion, the nationalization of privatized hospitals, an amendment to the European Stability and Growth Pact, the lifting of bank secrecy, withdrawal of GNR from Iraq, simplified procedures for immigrants, modernization of the system and the abolition the exam in 9th grade.
The Bloco de Esquerda lit the goal to anchor itself as a strong force on the extreme left of the political landscape in Portugal and there to remain in the Assembleia República. A coalition of parties with the PSD, CDS -PP and PS joined Secretary Louçã.
Other parties
Besides the already mentioned parties, including six others took part in the election. The most votes from these parties Partido Comunista won the dos Trabalhadores Portugueses - Movimento Reorganizativo do Partido do Proletariado ( PCTP / MRPP, Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers - reorganizing motion of the party of the proletariat ), a Marxist- Leninist- Maoist party, especially before is by its chairperson, the lawyer Garcia Pereira, known.
Other participating parties were the Partido da Nova Democracia (PND; party of the new democracy ), a liberal secession led by former CDS -PP- Chairman Manuel Monteiro; the left Partido Humanista (PH; Humanist Party ), the ultra-right Partido Nacional Renovador (PNR; National renewing party ), the Trotskyist Partido Operário de Unidades Socialista ( POUS; Workers Party of Socialist Unity ) and the Partido Democrático do Atlântico (PDA, Democratic Party of the Atlantic ), which advocates for further autonomy of the Portuguese islands ( Azores and Madeira).
The two conservative parties Partido da Terra (MPT; Movement Party of the Earth) and Partido Popular Monárquico (PPM; Royalist People's Party ) occurred in this election on lists of the Portuguese Social Democrats. In this way, both parties were able to secure each two seats in parliament.
Apart from the two non- independent parties not be beaten moved into Parliament.
Final result
5,747,834 of a total of about 8.9 million eligible Portuguese took part in the taking place in accordance with the system of proportional representation voting. Was chosen depending on a party list in one of the 22 electoral districts, which are composed of all Portuguese districts, the Azores, the island group around Madeira, and of one constituency for the European countries and outside Europe. There is no threshold in Portugal, the seats are allocated according to the Hare - Niemeyer method.
In each constituency a certain standing in relation to population number number was assigned to mandates. The highest number of to-reach mandates existed in the electoral districts Lisbon ( 48) and Porto ( 38), the lowest in the district of Porto Alegre ( 2), other European countries voting district ( 2) and in non-European countries voting district (just 2). Only in Lisbon were all reported to select parties to present their own candidates.
Compared with the results of the parliamentary elections of 2002, the PS won overwhelming thanks to the many voices from the political center. Especially the middle voters chose the PS to punish the PSD for the past two governments. Similarly, the proportion of non-voters had dropped significantly, the turnout was 65 percent compared to 62 percent in the election before. So the votes winning the PS was not at the expense of other left-wing parties. Also this could significantly win votes, especially the connection list CDU, which was able to existing since 20 years trend of losing mandates stop, for the first time. The Bloco de Esquerda almost tripled its number of seats, especially young voters from the cities chosen to only in 1999 resulting from UDP, PSR and other parties Left Bloc.
Accordingly, particularly the ruling parties have lost significant votes. The PSD, which presented the last two Prime Ministers, was without doubt the biggest loser in this election. But her coalition party, the CDS-PP, lost a lot of votes and dropped to fourth place. None of their objectives ( more votes and seats than PCP and BE together, at least ten percent, the third-strongest force, an absolute majority of PS prevent ) could reach the party. After the election, joined the chairman of the CDS -PP, Paulo Portas, back, in a direct dial José Ribeiro e Castro was elected as his successor. Pedro Santana Lopes convened a special party and also announced, no longer wanting to run for the presidency of the party. His successor was the former Minister for Parliamentary Affairs under Durão Barroso, Luís Marques Mendes.
The new government was sworn in on 12 March, when Prime Minister José Sócrates was elected. The PS was a no coalitions and ruled for the first time in Portuguese history alone.
Election results
1 The Coligação Democrática Unitaria is a combined list of PCP and PEV, which also appeared together in the election campaign. Broken received the PCP twelve mandates and PEV two.