Democratic Alliance (Portugal, 1979)
Democratic Alliance Aliança Democrática | |
|---|---|
| File:Aliancademocratica pt.png Alliance poster | |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Dissolved | 1983 |
| Ideology | Centrism Rightwing Liberal conservatism Conservatism Social conservatism Ecologism Social democracy |
| Political position | Centre/Centre-right |
| National affiliation | coalition of Social Democratic Party Democratic and Social Centre – People´s Party People's Monarchist Party |
| International affiliation | Iberian links to UCD, ‘Mesa Iberoamericana de Partidos Democráticos’ (only PSD and CDS, 8-11 November 1979, little de facto existence)[1] and 'Reunión Iberoamericana de Partidos de Centro Derecha' (9 November 1979 to 1981, little de facto existence)[2][3] |
| Colours | Blue, Orange |
The Democratic Alliance (Portuguese: Aliança Democrática or AD) was a coalition in Portugal between the Social Democratic Party (Portuguese: Partido Social Democrata or PSD), the Democratic and Social Center (Portuguese: Centro Democrático Social or CDS) and the People's Monarchist Party (Portuguese: Partido Popular Monárquico or PPM), including also a group of dissidents of the rightwing of the Socialist Party which were disappointed by the previous Soares government, called The Reformers (Os Reformadores), including José Medeiros Ferreira (who would later rejoin the PS), António Barreto (who remained a more or less centre/rightwing aligned independent) and Francisco Sousa Tavares (who joined the Social Democratic Party afterwards). The coalition was first formed in 1979 in order to run to the legislative election of the same year. It was led by Francisco Sá Carneiro and Freitas do Amaral and won the legislative elections of 1979 and 1980, but lost the presidential election of 1980.
After the death of Sá Carneiro on 4 December 1980, the coalition was unable to find a leader with his charisma. Francisco Pinto Balsemão, the new Social Democratic leader, became Prime Minister, but was unable to consolidate the support enjoyed by his predecessor. After its defeat in the municipal elections of 1982, it was disbanded in 1983.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa led an attempt to establish a new Democratic Alliance in 1998, between the Social Democrats and the People's Party (the former CDS), led by Paulo Portas. It contested the European Parliament election of 2004 under the Força Portugal label, but was subsequently dissolved.
Leaders
- Francisco Sá Carneiro : 1979 - 1980
- Diogo Freitas do Amaral (interim) : 1980 - 1981
- Francisco Pinto Balsemão : 1981 - 1983
Election Results
Assembly of the Republic
| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats won |
+/- | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 2,719,208 | 45.3 (#1) | 128 / 250
|
PSD (80 seats), CDS (43 seats), PPM (5 seats) | |
| 1980 | 2,868,076 | 47.6 (#1) | 134 / 250
|
 6
|
PSD (82 seats), CDS (46 seats), PPM (6 seats) |
Local elections
| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall councillors won |
+/- | # of overall mayors elected |
+/- | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 1,044,642 | 23.9 (#2) | 426 / 1,900
|
73 / 305
|
|||
| 1982 | 988,347 | 19.9 (#3) | 322 / 1,909
|
 104
|
49 / 305
|
24
|
Presidential elections
| Election year | Candidate | 1st round | 2nd round | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall votes |
% of overall vote | ||
| 1980 | Soares Carneiro | 2,325,481 | 40.2 (#2) | ||
References
- ^ The Christian Democrat International, Roberto Papini, collection "Religious forces in the modern political world", Rowman and Littlefield, 1997, p. 201
- ^ Entre los Autoritarismos de Castro y Pinochet – LA CUMBRE CENTRISTA EN MADRID PUEDE ABRIR UNA TERCERA VIA POLITICA PARA IBEROAMERICA, Pedro J. Ramirez, ABC de Madrid, 10 November 1979
- ^ OREJA INAUGURA LA CUMBRE DE CENTRISTAS IBEROAMERICANOS, 10 November 1979