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1986 Portuguese presidential election

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Presidential elections were held in Portugal on 26 January 1986, with a second round on 16 February.

Quick facts Turnout, Candidate ...
1986 Portuguese presidential election
← 1980
26 January 1986 (first round)
16 February 1986 (second round)
1991 →
Turnout75.39% (first round) Decrease 9.00pp
77.99% (second round)
 
Candidate Mário Soares Diogo Freitas do
Amaral
Party PS CDS
Supported by:
Popular vote 3,010,756 2,872,064
Percentage 51.18% 48.82%
President before election

António Ramalho Eanes
Independent

 Elected President

Mário Soares
PS

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This was closest presidential election ever held in Portugal and was won by the Socialist Mário Soares, who initially had no more than 8 percent in opinion polls.[1]

The first round was easily won by Freitas do Amaral, supported by all the right-wing parties. Soares advanced to the second round by beating the other two left-wing candidates: former Prime-Minister Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, the first woman to be a candidate for the Portuguese presidency, and Salgado Zenha (supported by outgoing president António Ramalho Eanes, founder of the short-lived Democratic Renewal Party, and by the Portuguese Communist Party, whose candidate, Ângelo Veloso, left the race some days before the poll[2]). Both these candidates supported Soares in the second round.

In the first round, Soares did not achieve the majority of the votes in any district, as the left-wing strongholds in the south of Portugal voted for Zenha due to his support from the Communist Party.

As results for the second round were counted, the urban vote, traditionally more left-wing, overcame the early lead of Freitas do Amaral by fewer than 140,000 votes, and Soares was sworn in as president on 9 March 1986, the first civilian to hold the post (not counting caretakers) in 60 years.[3] From 1986 until 2006, the PS supported candidates won every presidential election in Portugal.

For 40 years this would be the only time a direct Portuguese presidential election was decided in a runoff, until 2026.[4]

Electoral system

Any Portuguese citizen over 35 years old has the opportunity to run for president. In order to do so it is necessary to gather between 7,500 and 15,000 signatures and submit them to the Portuguese Constitutional Court.

According to the Portuguese Constitution, a candidate needs a majority of votes to become elected. If no candidate gets this majority a second round will take place between the two most voted candidates.

Candidates

Official candidates

Advanced to runoff

More information Candidate, Party support ...
Candidate Party support Political office(s) Details
Mário Soares (61) Prime Minister (1976–1978; 1983–1985)
Secretary-general of the Socialist Party (1973–1985)
Minister without portfolio (1975)
Minister of Foreign Affairs (1974–1975)
Member of the Assembly of the Republic (1975–1986)		 Socialist Party (PS) founder; lawyer.
Diogo Freitas do Amaral (44)
Deputy Prime Minister (1980–1981; 1981–1983)
Minister of National Defence (1981–1983)
Minister of Foreign Affairs (1980–1981)
President of the Democratic and Social Center (1974–1983)
Member of the Assembly of the Republic (1975–1983)		 Democratic and Social Center (CDS) founder; university professor.
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Eliminated in first round

More information Candidate, Party support ...
Candidate Party support Political office(s) Details
Francisco Salgado Zenha (62)
Minister of Finance (1975–1976)
Minister of Justice (1974–1975)
President of the Socialist Party's parliamentary group (1976–1983)
Member of the Assembly of the Republic (1975–1983)		 Independent, former Socialist Party (PS) founding member; lawyer; endorsed by President António Ramalho Eanes.
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo (56)
Prime Minister (1979–1980)
Minister of Social Affairs (1974–1975)
Secretary of State for Social Security (1974)
Member of the Corporative Chamber (1969–1974)		 Independent; engineer.
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Withdrew candidacy

Unsuccessful candidacies

There were also three candidates rejected by the Portuguese Constitutional Court for not complying with the legal requirements:

Declined

  • Mário Firmino Miguel – general officer, former Defense Minister in 1974 and between 1976 and 1978;[6]
  • Daniel Proença de Carvalho – lawyer, former Minister of Social Communication between 1978 and 1979, RTP Chairman between 1980 and 1982. Later became campaign manager for Diogo Freitas do Amaral.[6][7]

Campaign period

Issues

Freitas do Amaral campaign headquarters in Lisbon.
Soares on the campaign trail in Vila Nova de Foz Côa.

The 1986 presidential campaign was one of the most polarizing in Portugal's democratic history.[8] The center-right/right-wing presented a unified candidate, Diogo Freitas do Amaral, while the center-left/left-wing was divided between three candidates: Soares, Salgado Zenha and Pintasilgo.[9] Soares' unpopularity during his term as prime minister, between 1983 and 1985, when several austerity policies were inacted because of the IMF bailout leading to one of the worst social crises in Portuguese democracy,[10] plus the long feud between Soares and the Portuguese Communist Party, created a deep divide on the left.[11] Soares' candidacy was further damaged by divisions within the Socialist Party, with his longtime friend and party ally Francisco Salgado Zenha announcing his candidacy with the support of outgoing president António Ramalho Eanes, and later also with the support from the Communists.[12] The tensions on the left side of the political spectrum reached a breaking point on 15 January 1986, when Soares was violently assaulted by Communist supporters in Marinha Grande, a moment that was seen as a turning point in favour of Soares.[13]

On the first round, held on 26 January, Freitas and Soares advanced to a runoff.[14] Soares' passage to the runoff created a dilemma for the Communist Party, taking into account the acrimonious relationship between both.[15] Despite this background, the Communists decided to support Soares in the runoff, with party leader Álvaro Cunhal saying "if necessary, cover [Soares'] face on the ballot with one hand and vote with the other".[15] Freitas' campaign used this support from the PCP to attack Soares, accusing him of contradicting himself by accepting the support of the Communists,[2] while Soares accused Freitas of lack of political awareness before the 25 April 1974 revolution, pointing that Freitas "showed solidarity through silence" for the Estado Novo regime.[2]

Party slogans

More information Candidate, Original slogan ...
Candidate Original slogan English translation Refs
Mário Soares « O voto do Povo »
« Soares é fixe »		 "The vote of the People"
"Soares is cool"		 [16]
Diogo Freitas do Amaral « Está na hora! »
« Prá Frente Portugal! »		 "It's time!"
"Go Forward Portugal!"		 [17]
Francisco Salgado Zenha « Justiça e tolerância, confiança no futuro » "Justice and tolerance, confidence in the future" [18]
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo « A coragem da decisão » "The courage of the decision" [19]
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Candidates' debates

First round

More information Date, Organisers ...
1986 Portuguese presidential election debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present    A  Absent invitee  N  Non-invitee 
Soares Freitas Zenha Pintasilgo Refs
17 Dec 1985 RTP1 Margarida Marante N P P N [20]
19 Dec 1985 RTP1 Miguel Sousa Tavares P N N P [21]
26 Dec 1985 RTP1 Miguel Sousa Tavares N P N P [22]
2 Jan 1986 RTP1 Miguel Sousa Tavares P N P N [23]
7 Jan 1986 RTP1 Margarida Marante N N P P [24]
9 Jan 1986 RTP1 Miguel Sousa Tavares P P N N [25]
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Second round

More information Date, Organisers ...
1986 Portuguese presidential election debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present    A  Absent invitee  N  Non-invitee 
Soares Freitas Refs
4 Feb 1986 RTP1 Margarida Marante
Miguel Sousa Tavares		 P P [26]
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Endorsements

More information First-round candidate, First round ...
Endorsements from first-round candidates
First-round candidate First round Endorsement
Francisco Salgado Zenha 20.88% Mário Soares[27]
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo 7.38% Against Freitas do Amaral[a][28]
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Party endorsements in the second round

More information Candidate, Parties ...
Candidate Parties Ref.
Diogo Freitas do Amaral CDS [15]
PSD [15]
Mário Soares PS [15]
PCP [15]
MDP/CDE [29]
PRD [30]
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Opinion polls

First round

  Exit poll

More information Polling firm, Fieldwork date ...
Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
size
Freitas do Amaral
 Oth Lead
CDS PS Ind. Ind.
Election results 26 Jan 1986 N/a 46.3 25.4 20.9 7.4
—
 20.9
Ministry of Justice[2] 26 Jan 1986 N/a 46.8 25.1 21.1 7.0
—
 21.7
RTP 26 Jan 1986 N/a 43–46 24–27 18–21 9–12
—
 19
Norma 30 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986 800 41.8 21.8 14.1 18.3 4.0[31] 20.0
ZAP 28–29 Dec 1985 830 42.3 17.7 23.3 16.7 N/a 19.0
Euroexpansão 27 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986 2,237 42.5 21.5 15.0 21.0 N/a 21.0
Norma 19–23 Dec 1985 607 31.2 12.1 10.8 22.4 23.2 8.8
Norma 23 Nov 1985 ? 38.7 8.3 16.3 22.8 13.9 15.9
Marktest 26–27 Oct 1985 430 29 17 N/a 24 30[32] 5
Norma 9–17 Oct 1985 604 22.8 19.6 N/a 35.7 21.9[33] 12.9
Norma 10–16 May 1985 598 33.4 12.9 N/a 24.1 29.7 9.3
Norma Apr 1985 ? N/a 13.6 N/a 25.5 60.9[34] 11.9
N/a 13.8 N/a 25.4 60.8[35] 11.6
Marktest 1–6 Feb 1985 ? 11 8 N/a 27 54 16
Norma 14–21 Jan 1985 ? N/a 11.1 1.7 25.0 62.6[36] 11.1
N/a 9.9 3.7 26.4 60.0[37] 13.2
Norma 13–21 Dec 1984 ? N/a 16.5 N/a 26.8 56.7[38] 10.3
N/a 17.2 N/a 25.7 57.0[39] 8.5
Marktest 9–12 Nov 1984 ? N/a 13.0 N/a 23.6 63.4 10.6
Norma Nov 1984 ? N/a 12.4 N/a 22.5 65.1[40] 7.3
N/a 12.0 N/a 22.5 65.5[41] 10.5
Euroexpansão 19–25 Oct 1984 816 9.4 14.6 2.6 21.5 51.9[42] 6.9
Norma 4–15 Oct 1984 ? N/a 14.4 N/a 15.4 70.2[43] 1.0
Marktest Oct 1984 ? 12 13 1 21 53[44] 8
Marktest Sep 1984 ? 10 13 2 20 55[45] 7
Norma 27 Aug–3 Sep 1984 605 N/a 8.2 N/a 18.0 73.8[46] 9.8
Marktest Aug 1984 ? 11 11 3 19 56[47] 8
Norma Jul 1984 ? N/a 10.3 N/a 22.3 67.4[48] 12.0
Marktest Jul 1984 ? 13 12 3 23 49[49] 10
Norma Jun 1984 ? N/a 12.4 N/a 22.0 65.6[50] 9.6
Marktest 8–15 Jun 1984 ? 13 11 2 24 50[51] 11
Norma May 1984 ? N/a 13.8 N/a 26.2 60.0[52] 12.4
Marktest Mar 1984 ? 12 10 N/a 20 42 8
Marktest 4–7 Feb 1984 ? 10.5 12.8 N/a 16.9 59.8 4.1
Damião de Gois Dec 1983–Feb 1984 ? 13.8 12.6 N/a 22.2 51.4 8.4
Marktest Jan 1984 ? 10.5 12.8 N/a 16.9 59.8 4.1
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Second round

  Exit poll

More information Polling firm, Fieldwork date ...
Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
size		 Freitas Soares Lead
CDS PS
Election results 16 Feb 1986 N/a 48.8 51.2 2.4
Ministry of Justice 16 Feb 1986 N/a 48.7 51.3 2.6
RTP 16 Feb 1986 N/a 48–50 50–52 2
Norma 1 Feb 1986 ? 52.6 47.4 5.2
ZAP 28–29 Dec 1985 830 60.3 39.7 20.6
Euroexpansão 27 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986 2,237 58.8 41.2 17.6
Norma[b] 19–23 Dec 1985 607 58.7 41.3 17.4
Norma[c] 10–16 May 1985 598 66.7 33.3 33.4
Norma[d] Apr 1985 ? 50.9 49.1 1.8
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Hypothetical polling
More information Polling firm, Date conducted ...
Polling firm Date conducted Sample
size
Firmino Miguel
 Oth/
Und		 Lead
PS CDS Ind. Ind. PSD Ind. CDS
ZAP 28–29 Dec 1985 830 N/a 54.4 45.6 N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 8.8
N/a 55.1 N/a 44.9 N/a N/a N/a N/a 10.2
Euroexpansão 27 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986 2,237 57.8 N/a 42.2 N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 15.6
52.7 N/a N/a 47.3 N/a N/a N/a N/a 5.4
N/a 59.9 40.1 N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 19.8
N/a 52.7 N/a 47.3 N/a N/a N/a N/a 5.4
N/a N/a 44.3 55.7 N/a N/a N/a N/a 11.4
Norma 19–23 Dec 1985 607 31.7 N/a 28.8 N/a N/a N/a N/a 39.5 2.9
30.2 N/a N/a 38.3 N/a N/a N/a 31.5 8.1
N/a 44.1 30.2 N/a N/a N/a N/a 25.7 13.9
N/a 40.4 N/a 39.4 N/a N/a N/a 20.2 1.0
N/a N/a 18.4 37.5 N/a N/a N/a 44.1 19.1
Marktest 26–27 Oct 1985 430 N/a 35 N/a 39 N/a N/a N/a 26 4
Norma 9–17 Oct 1985 604 26.7 N/a N/a 44.3 N/a N/a N/a 29.0 17.6
N/a 27.1 N/a 48.6 N/a N/a N/a 24.3 21.5
Norma 10–16 May 1985 598 31.6 N/a N/a 31.7 N/a N/a N/a 36.7 0.1
N/a 41.2 N/a 33.6 N/a N/a N/a 25.2 7.6
Norma Apr 1985 ? 21.1 N/a N/a 31.0 N/a N/a N/a 47.9 9.9
23.2 N/a N/a N/a 23.6 N/a N/a 53.2 0.4
21.2 N/a N/a N/a N/a 17.8 N/a 61.0 3.4
Euroexpansão 19–25 Oct 1984 816 34.0 N/a 23.6 N/a N/a N/a N/a 42.4 10.4
27.9 N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 31.8 40.3 3.9
Marktest 8–15 Jun 1984 ? N/a 35 N/a 43 N/a N/a N/a 22 8
Marktest Mar 1984 ? N/a 24 N/a 45 N/a N/a N/a 31 21
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Results

National summary

More information Candidate, Party ...
CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Diogo Freitas do AmaralDemocratic Social Center[e]2,629,59746.312,872,06448.82
Mário SoaresSocialist Party1,443,68325.433,010,75651.18
Francisco Salgado ZenhaIndependent[f]1,185,86720.88
Maria de Lourdes PintasilgoIndependent[g]418,9617.38
Total5,678,108100.005,882,820100.00
Valid votes5,678,10898.875,882,82099.09
Invalid votes18,2920.3220,4360.34
Blank votes46,3340.8133,8440.57
Total votes5,742,734100.005,937,100100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,617,25775.397,612,63377.99
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições, First round[53] Second round[54]
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Results by district

First round

More information District, Freitas ...
District Freitas Soares Zenha Pintasilgo Turnout
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
  Aveiro 200,008 57.00% 102,684 29.26% 30,868 8.80% 17,345 4.94% 76.06%
  Azores 61,274 58.57% 32,841 26.23% 8,235 6.94% 4,586 3.87% 61.50%
  Beja 22,648 21.30% 19,347 18.19% 58,233 54.76% 6,117 5.75% 71.58%
  Braga 206,747 52.74% 112,263 28.64% 52,751 13.46% 20,218 5.16% 78.95%
  Bragança 60,868 66.02% 22,972 24.92% 6,125 6.64% 2,234 2.42% 66.29%
  Castelo Branco 72,295 53.00% 31,812 23.32% 24,671 18.09% 7,638 5.60% 72.77%
  Coimbra 113,913 46.12% 78,894 32.23% 33,429 13.66% 19,570 7.99% 71.39%
  Évora 31,613 27.71% 15,734 13.79% 60,061 52.65% 6,665 5.84% 78.88%
  Faro 77,570 40.57% 51,410 26.89% 48,564 25.40% 13.644 7.14% 73.25%
  Guarda 71,902 62.94% 29,625 25.93% 9,007 7.88% 3,704 3.24% 69.85%
  Leiria 145,554 60.26% 55,653 23.04% 26,816 11.10% 13,525 5.60% 74.48%
  Lisbon 512,158 39.91% 296,395 23.09% 338,470 26.37% 136,397 10.63% 78.45%
  Madeira 74,688 62.96% 31,123 26.23% 8,235 6.94% 4,586 3.87% 69.34%
  Portalegre 28,961 32.42% 22,024 24.66% 33,137 37.10% 5,196 5.82% 78.05%
  Porto 413,407 45.17% 284,250 31.06% 152,919 16.71% 64,566 7.06% 79.05%
  Santarém 117,657 43.10% 61,661 22.59% 68,133 24.96% 25,522 9.35% 75.99%
  Setúbal 104,122 25.23% 72,116 17.47% 187,907 45.53% 48,600 11.77% 79.07%
  Viana do Castelo 81,815 58.92% 32,869 23.64% 14,702 10.59% 9,506 6.85% 72.01%
  Vila Real 84,459 63.73% 35,050 26.45% 9,362 7.06% 3,655 2.76% 68.59%
  Viseu 147,519 66.20% 54,344 24.39% 14,378 6.45% 6,584 2.95% 70.18%
Source: SGMAI Presidential Election Results
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Second round

More information District, Soares ...
District Soares Freitas Turnout
Votes % Votes %
  Aveiro 152,472 41.21% 217,352 58.79% 79.95%
  Azores 44,464 40.55% 65,177 59.45% 79.95%
  Beja 82,278 75.98% 26,015 24.02% 72.76%
  Braga 190,746 46.42% 220,150 53.58% 82.77%
  Bragança 32,196 32.28% 67,531 67.72% 72.40%
  Castelo Branco 65,986 45.66% 78,534 54.34% 76.37%
  Coimbra 137,735 52.79% 123,192 47.21% 76.01%
  Évora 79,552 69.49% 34,920 30.51% 79.37%
  Faro 113,089 56.81% 85,961 43.19% 75.50%
  Guarda 44,187 36.10% 78,217 63.90% 74.93%
  Leiria 94,791 37.29% 159,401 62.71% 78.16%
  Lisbon 736,144 56.74% 561,189 43.26% 79.26%
  Madeira 47,776 37.31% 80,290 62.69% 74.22%
  Portalegre 59,550 65.25% 31,712 34.75% 79.68%
  Porto 510,335 53.53% 443,050 46.47% 82.24%
  Santarém 153,084 54.33% 128,675 45.67% 77.95%
  Setúbal 289,199 70.88% 118,790 29.12% 78.44%
  Viana do Castelo 56,176 38.41% 90,094 61.59% 75.33%
  Vila Real 49,210 34.72% 92,505 65.28% 73.05%
  Viseu 76,380 32.07% 161,793 67.93% 75.15%
Source: SGMAI Presidential Election Results
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Maps

  • Most voted candidate by district - 1st Round.
    Most voted candidate by district - 1st Round.
  • Most voted candidate by district - 2nd Round.
    Most voted candidate by district - 2nd Round.
  • Strongest candidate by municipality - 1st Round.
    Strongest candidate by municipality - 1st Round.
  • Strongest candidate by municipality - 2nd Round.
    Strongest candidate by municipality - 2nd Round.

Notes

  1. [a]
    While not endorsing officially Soares, Pintasilgo refused to vote for Freitas do Amaral.
  2. [b]
    Results presented here exclude undecideds (31.2%). With their inclusion results are: Freitas do Amaral: 40.4%; Mário Soares: 28.4%;
  3. [c]
    Results presented here exclude undecideds (37.0%). With their inclusion results are: Freitas do Amaral: 42.0%; Mário Soares: 21.0%;
  4. [d]
    Results presented here exclude undecideds (54.2%). With their inclusion results are: Freitas do Amaral: 23.3%; Mário Soares: 22.5%;
  5. [e]
    Also supported by the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Party.
  6. [f]
    Supported by the Democratic Renewal Party, the Portuguese Communist Party and the Portuguese Democratic Movement.
  7. [g]
    Supported by the Popular Democratic Union.

References

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