Democratic Alliance (Portugal, 1979)

Democratic Alliance Aliança Democrática
AbbreviationAD
Founded5 July 1979
Dissolved1983
IdeologyConservatism
Christian democracy
Political positionCentre-right
International affiliation List
  • Iberian links to UCD
    ‘Mesa Iberoamericana de Partidos Democráticos’
    'Reunión Iberoamericana de Partidos de Centro Derecha'
Colours  Blue,   Orange
Election symbol

The Democratic Alliance (Portuguese: Aliança Democrática, AD) was a centre-right political alliance, in Portugal composed of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM). It existed between 1979 and 1983, and was refounded for the 2024 legislative election. After its first official dissolution, the coalition was continued to operated in local elections after 1989 and presented lists across the country in every single local election after 2001.

In the first creation, the alliance was composed of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM), including also a group of dissidents of the right wing of the Socialist Party (PS) who were disappointed by the previous Soares government, called The Reformers, 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 December 1979 legislative election.

The alliance was led by Francisco Sá Carneiro and Freitas do Amaral, and won the 1979 and 1980 legislative elections, which led to Sá Carneiro becoming Prime Minister of Portugal, but lost the presidential election of 1980 to the independent candidate António Ramalho Eanes.

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 incoming PSD leader, became Prime Minister, but was unable to consolidate the support enjoyed by his predecessor. After its defeat in the 1982 local elections, it was disbanded in 1983.

The name was revived for a similar alliance between the PSD, CDS-PP, and PPM ahead of the 2024 legislative election.

Members of the Democratic Alliance

Leaders

Election results

Assembly of the Republic

Election Leader Votes % Seats +/− Government
1979 Francisco Sá Carneiro 2,719,208 45.3 (#1) 128 / 250 New Majority
1980 2,868,076 47.6 (#1) 134 / 250 Increase6 Majority

Local elections

Between 1979 and 1983

Election Votes % Councillors +/- Mayors +/- Assemblies +/- Parishes +/-
1979 1,044,642 23.5 (#2) 426 / 1,900 New 73 / 305 New 2,122 / 9,703 New 9,785 / 40,110 New
1982 988,347 19.9 (#3) 322 / 1,909 Decrease104 49 / 305 Decrease24 1,625 / 9,897 Decrease497 7,684 / 41,636 Decrease2101

Presidential elections

Election Candidate 1st round
Votes %
1980 António Soares Carneiro 2,325,481 40.2 (#2)

Second Democratic Alliance

After the 2022 legislative election and for the first time in history, CDS–PP failed to win any seats and was wiped out of parliament. In December 2023, Luís Montenegro and Nuno Melo announced a coalition for the 2024 legislative and European Parliament elections, including the Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD), the CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP) and some independent politicians under the name Democratic Alliance (AD). At first, the People's Monarchist Party (PPM) refused to join the alliance, citing the "weakness" and "lack of vision" of its leaders, but they later went back with their position and joined the coalition. The agreement for the coalition was signed on 7 January 2024 between Luís Montenegro, Nuno Melo and Gonçalo da Câmara Pereira, with Miguel Guimarães representing the independents that are also present in the coalition.

This coalition granted CDS–PP two easily eligible seats and four potentially eligible seats, while it also granted one possibly eligible seat to the PPM, basically ensuring that the CDS–PP will be returning to Parliament after the 2024 election. The coalition was also revived for the 2024 Azorean regional election.

Local elections

After 1983 (Only in contests where PSD, CDS-PP and PPM ran in a joint coalition.)

Election Votes % Councillors +/- Mayors +/- Assemblies +/- Parishes +/-
1989 193,161 3.9 (#5) 13 / 2,002 New 1 / 305 New 41 / 6,753 New 403 / 33,000 New
2001 67,094 1.3 (#9) 10 / 2,044 Decrease3 1 / 308 Steady0 40 / 6,876 Decrease1 302 / 34,569 Decrease101
2005 91,455 1.7 (#8) 20 / 2,046 Increase10 1 / 308 Steady0 73 / 6,885 Increase33 400 / 34,498 Increase98
2009 99,811 1.8 (#9) 17 / 2,078 Decrease3 1 / 308 Steady0 60 / 6,946 Decrease13 405 / 34,672 Increase5
2013 94,015 1.9 (#9) 21 / 2,086 Increase4 2 / 308 Increase1 72 / 6,487 Increase12 453 / 27,167 Increase48
2017 75,192 1.5 (#9) 15 / 2,074 Decrease6 2 / 308 Steady0 42 / 6,461 Decrease30 250 / 27,005 Decrease203
2021 70,904 1.4 (#11) 32 / 2,064 Increase15 3 / 308 Increase1 96 / 6,448 Increase54 412 / 26,790 Increase162

Presidential elections

Election Candidate 1st round
Votes %
2016 Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa 2,413,956 52.0 (#1)

Notes

  1. ^ Only PSD and CDS, 8–11 November 1979, little de facto existence
  2. ^ 9 November 1979 to 1981, little de facto existence

References

  1. ^ The Christian Democrat International, Roberto Papini, collection "Religious forces in the modern political world", Rowman and Littlefield, 1997, p. 201
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ OREJA INAUGURA LA CUMBRE DE CENTRISTAS IBEROAMERICANOS, 10 November 1979
  4. ^ Lusa, Jornal Económico com (2023-12-21). "PSD e CDS-PP vão avançar com coligação pré-eleitoral para as legislativas e europeias". O Jornal Económico (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  5. ^ Mesquita, Henrique Pinto de (2023-12-21). "PPM rejeita integrar coligação pré-eleitoral com PSD e CDS, admitida por Montenegro". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  6. ^ Mesquita, Henrique Pinto de (2024-01-03). "Afinal, PPM junta-se ao PSD e CDS e integra a Aliança Democrática". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  7. ^ Martins, Miguel Santos Carrapatoso, Igor. "Aliança Democrática entra em campo: Melo segura a direita, Montenegro tenta seduzir o centro". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Nuno Melo confirma que coligação garante pelo menos dois deputados ao CDS". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  9. ^ Antunes, Rui Pedro. "PPM em lugar difícil de eleger na nova AD. Só há deputado monárquico se coligação chegar aos 19 deputados em Lisboa". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-06.

External links

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