Democratic Alliance (Portugal)

The Democratic Alliance (Portuguese: Aliança Democrática, AD) was a centre-right conservative political alliance, in Portugal, between the Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD), the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM) existing between 1979 and 1983.

Democratic Alliance

Aliança Democrática
AbbreviationAD
Founded5 July 1979
Dissolved1983
IdeologyLiberal conservatism
Reformism
Christian democracy
Political positionCentre-right
International affiliationIberian links to UCD, ‘Mesa Iberoamericana de Partidos Democráticos’ (only PSD and CDS, 8–11 November 1979, little de facto existence)[1] and 'Reunión Iberoamericana de Partidos de Centro Derecha' (9 November 1979 to 1981, little de facto existence)[2][3]
ColoursBlue, Orange
Party flag
AD - Democratic Alliance, mural painting
Vote AD - The Right Majority, mural painting

History

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 municipal elections of 1982, it was disbanded in 1983.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa led an attempt to establish a new Democratic Alliance in 1998, between the PSD and the People's Party (CDS–PP; the former CDS), led by Paulo Portas. It contested the 2004 European elections as Força Portugal, but was subsequently dissolved. However, both the PSD and CDS–PP later agreed to contest the 2014 European elections under a joint list called the Portugal Alliance.

Members of the Democratic Alliance

Leaders

Election results

Assembly of the Republic
Election Assembly of the Republic Government Size Leader
Votes % ±pp Seats won +/−
1979 2,719,208 45.3%
128 / 250
 Majority gov't[4] 1st Francisco Sá Carneiro
1980 2,868,076 47.6% 2.3
134 / 250
 6 Majority gov't[5] 1st Francisco Sá Carneiro

Local elections
Election Votes % ±pp Councillors won +/− Mayors won +/− Size
1979 1,044,642 23.5%
426 / 1,900
73 / 305
 2nd
1982 988,347 19.9% 3.6
322 / 1,909
 104
49 / 305
 24 3rd

Presidential elections
Election Candidate 1st round 2nd round Size
Votes % Votes %
1980 António Soares Carneiro 2,325,481 40.2 2nd
gollark: *is egglocked with hightime kindofrare stuff*
gollark: Do hatchlings actually suffer from sickness much?
gollark: I'm pretty sure it wasn't an accident, since I do not typically go onto four hatcheries and check "add all".
gollark: I wonder who viewbombed me, and why they did it so poorly.
gollark: They missed *that*, too.

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. PSD (80 seats), CDS (43 seats), PPM (5 seats)
  5. PSD (82 seats), CDS (46 seats), PPM (6 seats)
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