2016 Portuguese presidential election

A Portuguese presidential election was held on 24 January 2016. This election chose the successor to the President Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who was constitutionally not allowed to run for a third consecutive term.

2016 Portuguese presidential election

24 January 2016
Opinion polls
Turnout	48.7% 2.2 pp
Candidate Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa António Sampaio da Nóvoa Marisa Matias Party PSD Independent BE Popular vote 2,413,956 1,062,138 469,814 Percentage 52.0% 22.9% 10.1%
President before election Cavaco Silva PSD President-elect Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa PSD

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the candidate supported by PPD/PSD, CDS-PP and PPM, won the election on the first round with 52% of the vote. Marcelo also won in every single district in the country and only lost a few municipalities in the south of the country. Turnout was higher than that of the 2011 election, but reached a record low in a presidential election with no incumbents as only 48.66% of the electorate cast a ballot.

Background and election procedure

Aníbal Cavaco Silva had served two consecutive five-year terms as president, the maximum number, and the 2016 election was to choose a successor for a term beginning on March 9. In Portugal, the president is the head of state, has mostly ceremonial powers. However, the president does have some political influence and can dissolve the Parliament of Portugal if a crisis occurs.[1][2] The president also has an official residence in the Belém Palace in Lisbon.[2]

In order to stand for election, candidates had to each gather 7,500 signatures of support one month before the election, and submit them to the Constitutional Court of Portugal. On December 29, 2015, the Constitutional Court certified ten candidates as having met the requirements to appear on the ballot. This was a record number; the highest number of presidential candidates had previously been six.[1]

Under Portuguese law, a candidate must receive a majority of votes (50% plus one vote) to be elected. If no candidate achieved a majority in the first round, a runoff election (i.e., second round, held between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first round) would have been held on February 14.[1][2]

Portugal has about 9.7 million registered voters.[1]

Candidates

Official candidates

• Henrique Neto, member and former MP of the Socialist Party.[3][4]
• António Sampaio da Nóvoa, independent candidate and former rector of the University of Lisbon (2006–2013),[5][6][7] supported by LIVRE and the PCTP/MRPP. The Socialist Party urged its supporters to either vote for him or in Maria de Belém.
• Cândido Ferreira, nephrologist MD, independent candidate and former leader of Leiria district branch of the Socialist Party.[8]
• Edgar Silva, regional MP for the Legislative Assembly of Madeira from the Portuguese Communist Party, supported by the Portuguese Communist Party.[9][10]
• Jorge Sequeira, psychologist, researcher and university professor.[11]
• Vitorino Silva, paver and former president of the parish of Rans, also a former member of the Socialist Party, more commonly known as Tino de Rans.[12]
• Marisa Matias, sociologist who has worked in the areas of environment and public health, and European MEP of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left, supported by the Left Bloc[13][14] and the MAS.[15]
• Maria de Belém, former president of the Socialist Party (2011-2014)[16][17] The Socialist Party urged its supporters to either vote for her or in António Sampaio da Nóvoa.
• Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, former leader of the Social Democratic Party (1996–1999), supported by the Social Democratic Party and the CDS – People's Party.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]
• Paulo de Morais, independent candidate, former deputy mayor of Porto (2002–2005), anti-corruption activist.[28][29]

Unsuccessful candidates

• Manuel João Vieira, independent candidate.[30]
• Manuel Almeida, independent.[31]
• Paulo Freitas do Amaral, university professor, former mayor of Oeiras; withdrew and supported Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.[32]
• Orlando Cruz, withdrew in favour of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.[33]
• Graça Castanho, withdrew due to having lost her nomination signatures in a storm.[34]
• Castanheira Barros, independent candidate, former member of the Social Democratic Party; withdrew and supported Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.[35]
• Manuela Gonzaga, historian and writer; was supported by the People–Animals–Nature.[36]

Decided not to run

• Fernando Nobre, Independent candidate which had contested the previous presidential election.[37]
• António Vitorino, former European Commissioner (1999–2004).[38]
• Paulo Portas, former leader of the CDS – People's Party (1998–2005, 2007–2016), former Minister of National Defence (2002–2005) and of Foreign Affairs (2011–2013) and also former Deputy Prime Minister (2013–2015).[39]
• Manuela Ferreira Leite, former leader of the Social Democratic Party (2008–2010).[40]
• António Guterres, former Prime Minister (1995–2002).[41]
• Manuel Carvalho da Silva, former union leader of CGTP (1986–2012).[42]
• Pedro Santana Lopes, former Prime Minister (2004–2005).[43]
• Rui Rio, former mayor of Porto (2002–2013).[44]
• Alberto João Jardim, former President of the Regional Government of Madeira (1978-2015).[45]

Campaign period

Candidates' slogans

Candidate		Original slogan	English translation	Refs
	Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa	« Juntos por Portugal »	"Together for Portugal"	[46]
	Sampaio da Nóvoa	« Um Cidadão Presidente »	"A Citizen President"	[47]
	Marisa Matias	« Uma por todos »	"One for all"	[48]
	Maria de Belém	« Belém, a força do caráter »	"Belém, the strength of character"	[49]
	Edgar Silva	« Um homem justo para presidente »	"A fair man for president"	[50]
	Vitorino Silva	« Portugal com Tino »	"Portugal with Tino"	[51]
	Paulo de Morais	« Meter o país em ordem »	"Get the country in order"	[52]
	Henrique Neto	« Porque Portugal precisa »	"Because Portugal needs"	[53]
	Jorge Sequeira	« Portugal somos nós »	"Portugal is us"	[54]
	Cândido Ferreira	« Pelo nosso futuro »	"For our future"	[55]

Candidates' debates

There were several number of debates between all the candidates in the three TV networks RTP, SIC, TVI. There was a radio debate between all candidates plus on January 19, there was a final debate between all of candidates on RTP1.[56]

Completed televised debates:

2016 Portuguese presidential election debates
Date	Organizers	Moderators	P  Present  NI  Non-invitee  A  Absent invitee										Notes
			Neto	Nóvoa	Ferreira	Silva	Sequeira	Vitorino	Matias	Belém	Marcelo	Morais
1 January 20:35	RTP1	José Rodrigues dos Santos	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	NI
1 January 21:30	SIC Notícias	Anselmo Crespo	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	P
1 January 22:00	TVI24	Paulo Magalhães	P	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI
1 January 23:30	TVI24	Paulo Magalhães	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	P	NI	NI	P	NI
2 January 20:40	RTP1	José Rodrigues dos Santos	P	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI
2 January 21:30	TVI24	Paulo Magalhães	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	P
2 January 22:00	SIC Notícias	Anselmo Crespo	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI
3 January 20:40	RTP1	José Rodrigues dos Santos	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P
3 January 21:30	SIC Notícias	Anselmo Crespo	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI
3 January 22:00	TVI24	Paulo Magalhães	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	P	NI	NI
4 January 10:10	Antena 1	Maria Flor Pedroso	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	[57]
4 January 20:40	RTP1	João Adelino Faria	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI
4 January 21:30	SIC Notícias	Anselmo Crespo	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	P	NI
4 January 22:00	TVI24	Paulo Magalhães	NI	P	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI
5 January 20:40	RTP1	João Adelino Faria	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI
5 January 21:30	SIC Notícias	Anselmo Crespo	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	NI
5 January 22:00	TVI24	Paulo Magalhães	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P
5 January 23:00	SIC Notícias	Anselmo Crespo	NI	P	A	NI	P	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	[58]
6 January 20:40	RTP1	João Adelino Faria	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	P	NI	NI	NI
6 January 21:45	TVI24	Paulo Magalhães	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	P
6 January 23:30	SIC Notícias	Anselmo Crespo	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P
7 January 20:50	SIC	Clara de Sousa	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI
7 January 20:40	RTP1	João Adelino Faria	NI	NI	A	NI	P	P	NI	P	NI	NI	[58]
8 January 20:40	RTP1	João Adelino Faria	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	P	NI
9 January 20:45	TVI	Judite de Sousa	NI	P	NI	NI	NI	NI	NI	P	NI	NI
19 January 21:00	RTP1	Carlos Daniel Vítor Gonçalves	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	A	P	P	[lower-alpha 1][59]

Opinion polling

Campaign budgets

Candidate (party)	Election Result	State Subsidy		Political Parties Contributions	Fundraising	Total Revenue		Expenses	Debt
		Calculated	Budgeted			Calculated	Budgeted
Marcelo R. Sousa (PSD, CDS-PP, PPM)	52.0%	€0	€90,000	€0	€67,000	€0	€157,000	€157,000	€0
Sampaio da Nóvoa (I)	22.9%	€0	€798,000	€0	€170,000	€0	€968,000	€742,000	€0
Marisa Matias (BE, MAS)	10.1%	€0	€308,660	€0	€146,000	€0	€454,660	€454,660	€0
Maria de Belém (I)	4.2%	€0	€790,656	€0	€105,970	€0	€896,626	€650,000	€0
Edgar Silva (PCP)	3.9%	€0	€377,750	€342,250	€30,000	€0	€750,000	€750,000	€0
Vitorino Silva (I)	3.3%	€0	€0	€0	€50,000	€0	€50,000	€50,000	€0
Paulo de Morais (I)	2.2%	€0	€61,000	€0	€32,000	€0	€93,000	€93,000	€0
Henrique Neto (I)	0.8%	€0	€199,000	€0	€76,000	€0	€275,000	€275,000	€0
Jorge Sequeira (I)	0.3%	€0	€0	€0	€123,500	€0	€123,500	€123,500	€0
Cândido Ferreira (I)	0.2%	€0	€0	€0	€60,000	€0	€60,000	€60,000	€0
Source: Portuguese Constitutional Court (TC)[60]

Results

Summary of the 24 January 2016 Portuguesepresidentialelection results

Candidates		Supporting parties	First round
			Votes	%
	Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa	Social Democratic Party, People's Party, People's Monarchist Party	2,413,956	52.00
	António Sampaio da Nóvoa	Independent supported by the Portuguese Workers' Communist Party, LIVRE	1,062,138	22.88
	Marisa Matias	Left Bloc, Socialist Alternative Movement	469,814	10.12
	Maria de Belém	Independent	196,765	4.24
	Edgar Silva	Portuguese Communist Party, Ecologist Party "The Greens"	183,051	3.94
	Vitorino Silva	Independent	152,374	3.28
	Paulo de Morais	Independent	100,191	2.16
	Henrique Neto	Independent	39,163	0.84
	Jorge Sequeira	Independent	13,954	0.30
	Cândido Ferreira	Independent	10,609	0.23
Total valid			4,642,015	100.00
Blank ballots			58,964	1.24
Invalid ballots			43,588	0.92
Total (turnout 48.66%)			4,744,597
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições

Vote share 1st Round Marcelo R. de Sousa   52.00% Sampaio da Nóvoa   22.88% Marisa Matias   10.12% Maria de Belém   4.24% Edgar Silva   3.94% Vitorino Silva   3.28% Paulo de Morais   2.16% Henrique Neto   0.84% Jorge Sequeira   0.30% Cândido Ferreira   0.23% Blank/Invalid   2.16%

Maps

• 
  Strongest candidate by electoral district.
• 
  Strongest candidate by municipality: Marcelo - orange; Nóvoa - magenta; Edgar Silva - red.

See also

• President of Portugal
• Politics of Portugal

Notes

1. Maria de Belém Roseira was invited to the debate, but did not participate because of the death, the day before, of António de Almeida Santos, her supporter in the campaign.

References

1. 10 candidates to run in Portugal's presidential election Archived 2016-02-06 at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press (December 30, 2015).
2. Portugal presidential election likely to go into runoff, Deutsche Welle (January 21, 2016).
3. Henrique Neto recolhe mais de 7900 assinaturas TSF, 11 December 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015
4. Henrique Neto candidata-se a Belém com soluções à esquerda e à direita, Jornal i, 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
5. Sampaio da Nóvoa. O novo ídolo da esquerda, Jornal i, 15 September 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
6. https://visao.sapo.pt/sampaio-da-novoa-avanca-oficialmente-a-29-de-abril=f816976
7. Candidato presidencial Sampaio da Nóvoa “praticamente seguro” de segunda volta, Observador, 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
8. Médico Cândido Ferreira apresenta candidatura a 25 de abril em Cantanhede
9. Edgar Silva formaliza candidatura à Presidência e garante não ter “amarras”, Público, 7 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
10. PCP já tem candidato às presidenciais. Saiba quem é o padre Edgar Silva, Diário Económico, 8 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
11. Jorge Sequeira apresenta assinaturas e quer Portugal sem "partidocracia" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, Porto Canal, 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
12. Tino de Rans é candidato e tem 8.118 apoiantes, Diário de Notícias, 23 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
13. Marisa Matias formaliza candidatura a Presidente da República, Esquerda.net, 17 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
14. Marisa Matias é candidata à Presidência da República, Esquerda.net, 18 de Outubro de 2015.
15. Contra a austeridade, votar Marisa Matias nas Presidenciais e exigir que o Governo devolva o que a direita roubou
16. Maria de Belém entrega assinaturas no Tribunal Constitucional e diz confiar na vitória , RTP Notícias, 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
17. Oficial: Maria de Belém comunicou a Costa que será candidata à Presidência, Observador, 17 August 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
18. Passos e Portas formalizam apoio a Marcelo, Observador, 10 de Novembro de 2015. Vista em10 de Novembro de 2015.
19. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa admite candidatura às presidenciais de 2016, SIC Notícias, 27 de Outubro de 2013. Vista em 24 de Agosto de 2014.
20. PSD começa a acreditar que Marcelo é candidato, SOL, 5 de Abril de 2015. Vista em 5 de Abril de 2015.
21. Marcelo já decidiu avançar, SOL, 21 de Agosto de 2015. Vista em 21 de Agosto de 2015.
22. Belém: Caminho mais aberto para Marcelo, Observador, 29 de Agosto de 2015. Vista em 29 de Agosto de 2015.
23. Passos Coelho não afasta apoio nas presidenciais. Marcelo sorri, Observador, 5 de Setembro de 2015. Vista em 5 de Setembro de 2015.
24. Marcelo aproxima-se de Passos. “Tem de ser”, Expresso, 20 de Setembro de 2015. Vista em 20 de Setembro de 2015.
25. Marcelo: “Estou mais bem situado” que Rui Rio para as presidenciais, Observador, 2 de Outubro de 2015. Vista em 3 de Outubro de 2015.
26. Presidenciais: Marcelo já tomou a decisão e tudo indica que avança, Público, 5 de Outubro de 2015. Vista em 6 de Outubro de 2015.
27. Marcelo apresenta candidatura hoje às 18h00, Observador, 9 de Outubro de 2015. Vista em 9 de Outubro de 2015.
28. Mais um candidato a Belém. Agora é Paulo Morais, Observador, 9 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April.
29. Paulo Morais, o primeiro candidato oficial
30. Candidato Vieira - Página Oficial
31. Pronto para a rentrée? Responda ao quiz da silly season, Observador, 13 August 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
32. (26 November 2015) "Paulo Freitas do Amaral desiste da candidatura presidencial" TVI 24. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
33. (14 December 2016) Orlando Cruz e António Araújo da Silva desistem da corrida a Belém Observador. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
35. (21 December 2015) Castanheira Barros desiste da cirrida a Belém Correio da Manhã. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
36. (23 December 2015) Manuela Gonzaga desiste de candidatura à Presidência. "Não vale a pena inventar desculpas" Expresso. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
37. Presidenciais Nobre a caminho de Belém? "Sou um putativo candidato", Notícias ao Minuto, 14 February 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
38. (7 February 2015) "PS vira-se para Vitorino, mas não confirma desistência de Guterres", Publico. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
39. (9 January 2014) Pires de Lima: "Paulo Portas é um bom candidato a Presidente da República", Dinheiro Vivo. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
40. (19 February 2015) "Manuela Ferreira Leite não afasta candidatura a Belém" Público. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
41. António Guterres diz que não é candidato a ser candidato às presidenciais de 2016, Observador, 10 April 2015. Retrieved 08 August 2015.
42. Carvalho da Silva quebra silêncio e diz que não é candidato às presidenciais, Diário Económico, 08 May 2015. Retrieved 08 August 2015.
43. Santana Lopes anuncia que não é candidato a Belém, Expresso, 27 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
44. Rio desiste da candidatura a Belém , Expresso, 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
45. Jardim não se candidata a Belém e apoia Marcelo, SOL, 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
46. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
47. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE SAMPAIO DA NÓVOA". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
48. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE MARISA MATIAS". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
49. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE MARIA DE BELÉM". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
50. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE EDGAR SILVA". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
51. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – VITORINO SILVA (TINO DE RANS)". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
52. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – PAULO DE MORAIS". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
53. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE HENRIQUE NETO". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
54. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE JORGE SEQUEIRA". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
55. "ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS DE 2016 – CANDIDATURA DE CÂNDIDO FERREIRA". EPHEMERA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
56. Maria de Belém e Sampaio da Nóvoa enfrentam-se a 9 de janeiro. Todas as datas dos debates presidenciais, Observador, 21 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
57. Rádio Debate
58. Cândido Ferreira was invited but didn't attend the debate.
59. Maria de Belém suspende campanha e também não vai ao debate a 10 na RTP, Rádio Renascença, 19 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
60. Campaign Budgets for the 2016 Presidential election, Portuguese Constitutional Court, retrieved 20 January 2016.

External links

• Official results site, Portuguese Justice Ministry
• Portuguese Electoral Commission
• ERC - Official publication of polls