Parliamentary elections were held in Portugal on 12 November 1961.[1] The ruling National Union won all 130 seats unopposed.[2]
Electoral system
The number of seats in the National Assembly was increased from 120 to 130 prior to the elections.[3] The number of seats for Angola and Mozambique was increased from four each to seven each, whilst Portuguese India and Cape Verde each gained a seat, taking their totals to three and two respectively.[3] Mainland Portugal also gained two seats.[3]
Following the granting of Portuguese citizenship to the indigenous inhabitants of Angola and Mozambique, they were entitled to vote for the first time as long as they were literate, held a job in a recognised profession, or were taxpayers.[3]
Campaign
A total of 25 opposition candidates registered to run in the elections on 12 lists.[2][4] They officially withdrew their candidacies on 7 November, protesting against the government's failure to allow "free and clean elections".[2] The Monarchist list was rejected in Lisbon after arriving to hand in their list a minute late.[4]
