2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary

The 2014 Socialist Party General Secretary primary elections was held on 28 September 2014, the first primary open for non-members of the Socialist Party (PS). It elected the party's candidate for Prime Minister of Portugal in the 2015 legislative election. It was the first time in Portugal that a party had an open primary. There were only two candidates running: António José Seguro, the incumbent general secretary of the party, and António Costa, the mayor of Lisbon. António Costa won the primary by a landslide, achieving about 68% of the votes against the 32% of António José Seguro.

2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary

← 2011 28 September 2014 2023 →
Turnout70.7%
 
António Costa 2014 (cropped) 2.jpg
António José Seguro-26 2.jpg
Nominee António Costa António José Seguro
Popular vote 120,188 55,928
Percentage 67.8% 31.5%

Winner by municipality
Red: Costa
Pink: Seguro

After the first results were announced, Seguro conceded defeat and resigned as Secretary-General of the Party.[1]

Background

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Following the narrow victory of the Socialist Party over the coalition between the PSD and the CDS-PP in the European elections on 25 May 2014, many Socialist Party members and supporters considered the result a disappointment and many blamed Seguro for not being a real alternative to the Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho (PSD). On 27 May, António Costa announced that he would seek the leadership of the Socialist Party.[2]

António José Seguro refused to initiate a leadership contest and accused António Costa of being an opportunist who had broken the deal the two made in early 2013, when António Costa was considering challenging Seguro.[3]

After a bitter meeting of the party leadership members, António Costa included, it was agreed to call a primary election open to supporters of the Socialist Party that would elect the party's candidate for Prime Minister for the following legislative elections in October 2015.[4]

Voting procedures

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Calendar

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Nominations for the candidacy were opened on 15 July 2014 and closed on 14 August 2014. To be able to vote, voters had to register between 15 July 2014 and 12 September 2014.

Conditions

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Unlike previous Socialist Party leadership elections, this was the first primary to be open to the general public. In order to participate to the open primary, voters had to meet the following conditions:

  • Registered in the Portuguese electoral lists;
  • Sign a declaration of political principles committing to the values of the Party: "freedom, equality and solidarity, and with the compromise of fighting for human rights, justice and peace."[5]

Members of the party were automatically eligible to participate.

Candidates

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Name Born Experience
António José Seguro
11 March 1962
(age 52)
Penamacor
Secretary-general of the Socialist Party (2011–2014)
Member of the Council of State (2011–2014)
Member of Parliament for Braga (2005–2014)
Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister (2001–2002)
Secretary of State Assistant to the Prime Minister (1997–1999)
Secretary of State for Youth Affairs (1995–1997)
Leader of the Socialist Parliamentary Caucus (2004–2005)
Member of the European Parliament (1999–2001)
Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1985–1987; 2002–2005)
Member of Parliament for Guarda (1995–1999)
Member of Parliament for Porto (1991–1995)
Secretary-general of the Socialist Youth (1990–1994)
 
António Costa
17 July 1961
(age 53)
Lisbon
Mayor of Lisbon (2007–2015)
Minister of Internal Administration (2005–2007)
Minister of Justice (1999–2002)
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (1997–1999)
Vice-President of the European Parliament (2004–2005)
Leader of the Socialist Parliamentary Caucus (2002–2004)
Member of the European Parliament (2004–2005)
Member of the Parliament for Lisbon (1991–1995)
Member of the Parliament for Leiria (2002–2004)

Opinion polling

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Date(s)
administered
Poll source Sample size
  Others/
Undecided
Lead
Seguro Costa
29 Sep Election result 177,350 31.5 67.8 0.7 36.3
24–25 Sep Eurosondagem 1,001 33.0 50.4 16.6 17.4
4–9 Sep Eurosondagem 1,011 32.9 55.1 12.0 22.2
31 Aug–3 Sep Aximage 602 26.4 60.9 12.7 34.5
31 Jul–6 Aug Eurosondagem 1,033 30.0 59.2 10.8 29.2
3–9 Jul Eurosondagem 1,014 24.9 68.3 6.8 43.4
4–7 Jul Aximage 593 26.4 64.1 9.5 37.7
2–5 Jun Eurosondagem 1,025 36.0 56.2 7.8 20.2
1–4 Jun Aximage 608 19.6 62.8 17.6 43.2
30 May–1 Jun Pitagórica 506 18.2 60.5 21.3 42.3
2014

Results

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Candidate 28 September 2014
Votes %
António Costa 120,188 67.77
António José Seguro 55,928 31.54
Total 176,116
Valid votes 176,116 99.30
Invalid and blank ballots 1,234 0.70
Votes cast / turnout 177,350 70.71
Registered voters 250,811
Source: Primárias 2014 Resultados
Vote share
António Costa
67.77%
António José Seguro
31.54%
Blank/Invalid
0.70%

References

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  1. ^ Miguel, Marujo (28 September 2014). "Seguro assume derrota e demite-se da liderança do PS". Diário de Notícias. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  2. ^ Nuno, Sá Lourenço (27 May 2014). "António Costa avança para a liderança do PS". Público. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  3. ^ João Pedro, Henriques (15 June 2014). "Seguro acusa Costa de oportunismo". Diário de Notícias. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  4. ^ Telma, Roque (6 June 2014). "Aprovada a realização de eleições primárias no PS a 28 de setembro". Jornal de Notícias. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  5. ^ "SÍNTESE DA DECLARAÇÃO DE PRINCÍPIOS DO PARTIDO SOCIALISTA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-06. Retrieved 2014-09-06.
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Official campaign websites