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2019 European Parliament election in Portugal

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An election was held in Portugal on Sunday, 26 May 2019, to elect the Portuguese delegation to the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024. This was the eighth European Parliament election held in Portugal.

Quick facts All 21 Portuguese seats to the European Parliament, Turnout ...
2019 European Parliament election in Portugal
← 2014
26 May 2019
2024 →
All 21 Portuguese seats to the European Parliament
Turnout30.7% Decrease 3.1 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Pedro Marques Paulo Rangel Marisa Matias
Party PS PSD BE
Alliance S&D EPP GUE/NGL
Last election 8 seats, 31.5% 6 seats (AP)[a] 1 seats, 4.6%
Seats won 9 6 2
Seat change Increase 1 Steady 0 Increase 1
Popular vote 1,104,694 725,399 325,093
Percentage 33.4% 21.9% 9.8%
Swing Increase 1.9 pp [a] Increase 5.3 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader João Ferreira Nuno Melo Francisco Guerreiro
Party CDU CDS–PP PAN
Alliance GUE/NGL EPP Greens/EFA
Last election 3 seats, 12.7% 1 seat (AP)[a] 0 seats, 1.7%
Seats won 2 1 1
Seat change Decrease 1 Steady 0 Increase 1
Popular vote 228,045 204,792 168,015
Percentage 6.9% 6.2% 5.1%
Swing Decrease 5.8 pp [a] Increase 3.4 pp
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The Socialist Party (PS) was the winner of the election, scoring 33.4 percent of the vote. The party increased their share of the votes by 2 percentage points from the 2014 election, and won an additional seat. It was one of the only three times in Portuguese history where the government party won a European election.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) achieved its worst results ever as a standalone party, with 21.9 percent of the vote, distancing more than eleven points from the winner. The People's Party (CDS), which ran alongside the PSD in the previous election, as part of the Portugal Alliance, also fell below expectations at 6.2 percent of the vote, only being able to elect their top candidate Nuno Melo.

The Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU) scored their worst result as well, narrowly electing two European Parliament members compared with their former three. On the other hand, the Left Bloc (BE) rebounded to previous support levels, more than doubling its vote share to 9.8 percent and electing a new member.

The big surprise of the elections was the result of People-Animals-Nature (PAN). Headed by civil engineer André Silva, PAN won 5.1 percent of the votes and was able to elect its first ever European Parliament member, over-performing the polls.

Turnout, again, fell to the lowest level ever, with only 30.7 percent of voters casting a ballot. Abstention reached an unprecedented level of 99.04 percent for Portuguese citizens living abroad.[1]

Electoral system

The voting method used, for the election of European members of parliament, is by proportional representation using the D'Hondt method. For the 2019 European Union elections, Portugal had 21 seats to fill. Deputies are elected in a single constituency, corresponding to the entire national territory.

This election was also the first in which the changes to the electoral law approved in 2018 were put into practice. The main changes were the automatic registration of all Portuguese citizens, at home and abroad, above 17 year's old, prompting the number of registered voters to increase from 9.7 million to almost 10.8 million, the introduction of early voting to all voters without filling an excuse, in previous elections voters could only vote early if they were unable to attend a polling station on election day, and the end of the "voting card", as voters would only need their identification card to cast a ballot.[2] To vote early, 19,584 voters, 0.2 percent of all registered voters, requested an early ballot. According to the government, 14,909 voters cast an early ballot.[3]

Parties and candidates

The major parties that participated in the election and their European Parliament list leaders, ranked by percentage of the vote received, were:

Campaign period

Party slogans

More information Party or alliance, Original slogan ...
Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Refs
PS « #Somos Europa » "#We are Europe" [21]
PSD « Marcar a diferença em Portugal e na Europa » "Making a difference in Portugal and in Europe" [22]
CDU « Defender o povo e o País » "Defending the people and the country" [23]
CDS–PP « Portugal, a Europa é aqui » "Portugal, Europe is here" [24]
BE « Lado a Lado, pelo que é de todos » "Side by side, by what is everyone's" [25]
PDR « A voz em Português que faz a diferença no Parlamento Europeu » "The Portuguese voice that makes the difference in the European Parliament" [26]
PAN « A Europa começa em ti » "Europe starts with you" [27]
A « Para ganhar uma Europa nova » "To win a new Europe" [28]
LIVRE « Faz a tua Europa » / «Todos votam. Todos contam » "Make your Europe" / «Everyone votes. Everyone counts. » [29]
PNR « Portugal português numa Europa europeia » "Portuguese Portugal in a European Europe" [30]
B « Basta! » "Enough! " [31]
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Candidates' debates

With parties represented in the European Parliament

More information Date, Organisers ...
2019 European Parliament election in Portugal debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present    A  Absent invitee  N  Non-invitee 
PS PSD CDU CDS–PP BE PDR Refs
1 May SIC Bento
Rodrigues		 P
Marques		 P
Rangel		 P
Ferreira		 P
Melo		 P
Matias		 P
Pinto		 [32]
2 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 N
 N
 N
 P
Melo		 P
Matias		 N
3 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 N
 P
Rangel		 P
Ferreira		 N
 N
 N
4 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 P
Marques		 N
 N
 P
Melo		 N
 N
5 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 N
 P
Rangel		 N
 N
 P
Matias		 N
6 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 P
Marques		 N
 P
Ferreira		 N
 N
 N
7 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 N
 P
Rangel		 N
 P
Melo		 N
 N
8 May TVI José Alberto
Carvalho		 P
Marques		 P
Rangel		 P
Ferreira		 P
Melo		 P
Matias		 P
Pinto		 [33]
8 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 N
 N
 P
Ferreira		 N
 P
Matias		 N
9 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 P
Marques		 N
 N
 N
 P
Matias		 N
10 May RTP3 Cristina
Esteves		 N
 N
 P
Ferreira		 P
Melo		 N
 N
11 May RTP1 Cristina
Esteves		 P
Marques		 P
Rangel		 N
 N
 N
 N
 [34]
20 May RTP1 Maria Flor
Pedroso		 P
Marques		 P
Rangel		 P
Ferreira		 P
Melo		 P
Matias		 N
 [34]
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With parties not represented in the European Parliament

More information Date, Organisers ...
2019 European Parliament election in Portugal debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present    A  Absent invitee  N  Non-invitee 
PDR PAN L NC B PCTP A IL PNR PTP PURP MAS Refs
7 May SIC Bento
Rodrigues		 N
 P
Guerreiro		 P
Tavares		 P
Morais		 P
Ventura		 P
Júdice		 P
Sande		 P
Arroja		 N
 N
 N
 N
 [35]
13 May RTP1 Maria Flor
Pedroso		 A[b]
Pinto		 P
Guerreiro		 P
Tavares		 P
Morais		 A
Ventura		 P
Júdice		 P
Sande		 P
Arroja		 P
Patrocínio		 P
Madaleno		 P
Loureiro		 P
Santos		 [35]
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Opinion polls

  Exit poll

More information Polling firm/Link, Fieldwork date ...
Polling firm/Link Fieldwork date Sample
size		 TO PS PSD CDS–PP CDU BE PAN PDR A BASTA! O Lead
2019 EP election 26 May 2019 N/a 30.7 33.4
9		 21.9
6		 6.2
1		 6.9
2		 9.8
2		 5.1
1		 0.4
0		 1.9
0		 1.5
0		 12.9
0		 11.5
CESOP–UCP 26 May 2019 12,227 32.5 30–34
8/9		 20–24
5/6		 5–7
1/2		 7–9
1/2		 9–12
2/3		 4–6
1/2		 – – – – 10
GfK/Metris 26 May 2019 7,169 31.5 30.9–
34.9
8/9		 21.8–
25.8
6/7		 4.7–
7.3
1/2		 5.3–
8.3
2		 8.5–
11.5
2/3		 4.7–
7.3
1/2		 – – – 13.1–
16.1
0		 9.1
Aximage 16–23 May 2019 766 34.9 32.4
8/9		 25.1
6/7		 7.1
1		 8.3
2		 11.1
3		 1.8
0		 2.5
0		 11.7
0		 7.3
Eurosondagem 15–22 May 2019 2,025 ? 35.5
8/10		 25.5
7		 7.0
1/2		 7.6
2		 6.9
1/2		 2.5
0/1		 2.5
0/1		 12.5
0		 10.0
Aximage 16–20 May 2019 622 34.2 32.5
8/9		 25.4
6/7		 6.8
1/2		 9.3
2		 11.4
3		 1.4
0		 2.5
0		 10.7
0		 7.1
Pitagórica 10–19 May 2019 605 ? 32.4
7/8		 24.8
6/7		 6.7
1/2		 7.1
1/2		 12.9
2/3		 3.3
1		 2.1
0/1		 1.2
0		 1.0
0		 8.5
0		 7.6
CESOP–UCP 16–19 May 2019 1,882 ? 33
8/9		 23
5/6		 8
2		 8
2		 9
2		 3
0/1		 3
0/1		 13
0		 10
GfK/Metris 7–12 May 2019 803 ? 36
8/9		 28
6/7		 8
1/2		 8
1/2		 9
2		 2
0		 9
0		 8
GfK/Metris 22 Apr–3 May 2019 802 ? 34
8		 28
7		 9
2		 9
2		 8
2		 3
0		 9
0		 6
Eurosondagem 28 Apr–2 May 2019 2,010 ? 34.0
9/10		 27.1
7/8		 7.1
1/2		 8.1
2		 7.1
1/2		 3.3
0/1		 3.3
0/1		 10.0
0		 6.9
Aximage 13–16 Apr 2019 612 40.6 31.7
8/9		 29.0
7/8		 7.7
1/2		 8.4
2		 8.3
2		 1.3
0		 1.3
0		 1.8
0		 10.5
0		 2.7
Pitagórica 3–13 Apr 2019 605 ? 30.3
7/8		 28.0
7/8		 7.6
2		 6.5
1		 11.3
2/3		 1.7
0		 14.6
0		 2.3
Aximage 30 Mar–1 Apr 2019 602 43.8 33.6
8		 31.1
8		 6.8
1		 9.4
2		 8.0
2		 1.3
0		 1.3
0		 8.5
0		 2.5
Aximage 9–13 Mar 2019 600 44.5 34.1
8/9		 29.1
7/8		 7.3
1/2		 9.2
2		 7.6
2		 1.9
0		 2.0
0		 8.8
0		 5.0
Aximage[c] 5–10 Feb 2019 602 38.2 36.0
9		 26.2
6		 8.6
2		 8.8
2		 9.7
2		 1.5
0		 1.9
0		 7.3
0		 9.8
Aximage [d] 4–7 Jan 2019 608 36.0 38.5
8/10		 23.4
5/7		 9.9
2/3		 13.4
2/3		 7.4
2/3		 2.4
0		 1.4
0		 3.5
0		 15.1
2015 legislative elections 4 Oct 2015 N/a 55.8 32.4
(8)		 38.6
(9)		 8.3
(2)		 10.2
(2)		 1.4
(0)		 1.1
(0)		 N/a N/a 8.0
(0)		 6.2
2014 EP election 25 May 2014 N/a 33.7 31.5
8		 27.7
6+1		 12.7
3		 4.6
1		 1.7
0		 *[e] N/a 0.9
0		 20.9
2[f]		 3.8
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Voter turnout

The table below shows voter turnout throughout election day including voters from Overseas.

More information Turnout, Time ...
Turnout Time
12:00 16:00 19:00
2014 2019 ± 2014 2019 ± 2014 2019 ±
Total 12.14% 11.56% Decrease 0.58 pp 26.31% 23.37% Decrease 2.94 pp 33.67% 30.75% Decrease 2.92 pp
Sources[36][37]
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Results

More information Party and European Parliament group, Votes ...
Party and European Parliament groupVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Socialist PartyS&D1,104,69433.40+1.919+1
Social Democratic PartyEPP725,39921.93[a]60
Left BlocGUE/NGL325,0939.83+5.272+1
Unitary Democratic CoalitionGUE/NGL228,0456.89–5.802–1
CDS – People's PartyEPP204,7926.19[a]10
People Animals NatureG/EFA168,0155.08+3.361+1
AllianceRenew61,6521.86New0New
LIVREG/EFA60,4461.83–0.3500
Basta![g]NI49,3881.49+0.5800
We, the Citizens!Renew34,6341.05New0[38]–1
Liberal InitiativeRenew29,1140.88New0New
Portuguese Workers' Communist PartyNI27,2110.82–0.8500
National Renewal PartyNI16,1350.49+0.0400
Democratic Republican PartyRenew15,7510.48New0[39]–1
United Party of Retirees and PensionersNI13,5080.41New0New
Portuguese Labour PartyNI8,4120.25–0.4400
Socialist Alternative MovementNI6,6120.20–0.1800
Total3,078,901100.00–210
Valid votes3,078,90193.08+0.50
Invalid votes88,0992.66–0.38
Blank votes140,6444.25–0.13
Total votes3,307,644100.00–
Registered voters/turnout10,757,19230.75–2.92
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições
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Vote share
PS
 
 33.40%
PSD
 
 21.93%
BE
 
 9.83%
CDU
 
 6.89%
CDS-PP
 
 6.19%
PAN
 
 5.08%
Alliance
 
 1.86%
L
 
 1.83%
Basta!
 
 1.49%
NC
 
 1.05%
IL
 
 0.88%
PCTP/MRPP
 
 0.82%
Others
 
 1.83%
Blank/Invalid
 
 6.92%
Seats
PS
 
 42.86%
PSD
 
 28.57%
BE
 
 9.52%
CDU
 
 9.52%
CDS-PP
 
 4.76%
PAN
 
 4.76%

Distribution by European group

More information Groups, Parties ...
Summary of political group distribution in the 9th European Parliament (2019–2024)
Groups Parties Seats Total %
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) 9 9 42.86
European People's Party (EPP) 6
1		 7 33.33
European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) 2
2		 4 19.05
Greens–European Free Alliance (G/EFA) 1 1 4.76
Total 21 21 100.00
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Maps

Electorate

More information Demographic, Size ...
Demographic Size PS PSD BE CDU CDS–PP PAN Others
Total vote 100% 33.4% 21.9% 9.7% 6.9% 6.2% 5.1% 16.8%
Sex
Men 47% 33.1% 22.2% 8.1% 8.1% 6.0% 4.0% 18.5%
Women 53% 33.6% 21.6% 11.3% 5.8% 6.4% 6.1% 15.2%
Age
18–24 years old 8% 22.2% 17.2% 9.9% 4.6% 6.6% 13.9% 25.5%
25–34 years old 10% 18.9% 17.9% 13.7% 5.5% 7.0% 11.2% 25.9%
35–44 years old 17% 26.0% 20.9% 12.1% 7.0% 6.7% 7.3% 20.0%
44–54 years old 21% 25.1% 24.6% 10.8% 7.7% 8.5% 4.4% 18.9%
55–64 years old 18% 38.0% 22.1% 11.3% 5.9% 5.9% 2.4% 14.3%
65 and older 26% 50.2% 23.4% 5.1% 8.0% 3.8% 1.1% 8.4%
Education
No High-school 14% 54.8% 17.9% 6.6% 6.7% 2.8% 2.1% 9.0%
High-school 34% 37.4% 20.2% 8.5% 8.2% 4.5% 4.9% 16.3%
College graduate 52% 24.9% 24.2% 11.6% 6.0% 8.3% 6.0% 19.1%
Source: CESOP–UCP exit poll
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    The Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the People's Party (CDS–PP) contested the 2014 election in a coalition called Portugal Alliance (AP) and won a combined 27.7% of the vote and elected 7 MP's to the European parliament.
  2. [b]
    PDR main candidate, António Marinho e Pinto, was a MEP elected in 2014 and he refused to attend the debate with the minor parties with no representation in the European Parliament.
  3. [c]
    Results presented here exclude undecideds (5.3%). With their inclusion results are: PS: 34.1%; PSD: 24.8%; BE: 9.2%; CDU: 8.3%; PP: 8.1%; A: 1.8%; PAN: 1.4%; Others: 7.0%.
  4. [d]
    Results presented here exclude undecideds (15.4%). With their inclusion results are: PS: 32.6%; PSD: 19.8%; CDU: 11.3%; PP: 8.4%; BE: 6.3%; PAN: 2.0%; A: 1.2%; Others: 3.0%.
  5. [e]
    The main candidate for the Earth Party (MPT) in 2014, António Marinho e Pinto, left MPT in late 2014 and formed his own party, the Democratic Republican Party (PDR).
  6. [f]
    Includes the 7.2%, and 2 seats, won by MPT in the 2014 EP elections. MPT dropped out from the 2019 EP elections due to internal infighting.
  7. [g]
    Compared with the combined total of 0.91% of PPM and PPV/CDC in the 2014 EP elections.

References

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