Presidential elections under the Estado Novo regime was held for the last time on 25 July 1972, the only one not controlled by late Prime MinisterAntónio de Oliveira Salazar, with the last elections for the National Assembly held the following year, less than a year before the Carnation Revolution. Incumbent President and former Naval Minister Américo Thomaz of the ruling People's National Action was endorsed by a uniform National Assembly for a third seven-year term, which would have ended in 25 July 1979.
