1999 European Parliament election in Portugal

An election of MEP representing Portugal constituency for the 1999–2004 term of the European Parliament was held on 13 June. It was part of the wider 1999 European election.

1999 European Parliament election in Portugal

13 June 1999
25 seats to the European Parliament
Turnout	39.9% 4.4 pp
First party Second party   Leader Mário Soares Pacheco Pereira Party PS PSD Alliance PES EPP Last election 10 seats, 34.9% 9 seats, 34.4% Seats won 12 9 Seat change 2 0 Popular vote 1,493,146 1,078,528 Percentage 43.1% 31.1% Swing 8.2 pp 3.3 pp   Third party Fourth party   Leader Ilda Figueiredo Paulo Portas Party CDU CDS–PP Alliance GUE/NGL UFE Last election 3 seats, 11.2% 3 seats, 12.5% Seats won 2 2 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 357,671 283,067 Percentage 10.3% 8.2% Swing 0.9 pp 4.3 pp

In the runner up for the 1999 general elections, the Socialist Party (PS) won the EU elections by a landslide. The party, headed by its founder and former President of the Republic and Prime Minister Mário Soares, scored a convincing victory over the Social Democrats. The PS increased its share of vote more than 8 percent and won 2 more seats compared with 1994. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) had a bad performance, but was able to hold on to its 9 seats, but, at the same time, the party saw their share of vote drop to 31 percent, around 3 points lower than in 1994.

The Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU) performed quite well, although it dropped compared with 1994. The Communist/Green alliance won more than 10 percent of the votes, a drop of around 1 point, and lost one seat but was able to reclaim the title of 3rd largest party. The People's Party (CDS–PP), was the party that suffered the most. The People's Party dropped to fourth place and had the biggest fall in terms of share of the vote, winning just 8 percent of the vote, a fall of more than 4 points. They also lost one seat compared to 1994.

Turnout increased compared with 1994, with 39.9 percent of voters casting a ballot.

Electoral system

The voting method used, for the election of European members of parliament, is by proportional representation using the d'Hondt method, which is known to benefit leading parties. In the 1999 EU elections, Portugal had 25 seats to be filled. Deputies are elected in a single constituency, corresponding to the entire national territory.

Parties and candidates

The major parties that partook in the election, and their EP list leaders, were:

• Left Bloc (BE), Miguel Portas
• Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU), Ilda Figueiredo
• Socialist Party (PS), Mário Soares
• Social Democratic Party (PSD), José Pacheco Pereira
• People's Party (CDS–PP), Paulo Portas

National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the results of Portugal's 13 June 1999 election to the European Parliament

National party		European party	Main candidate	Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Socialist Party (PS)	PES	Mário Soares	1,493,146	43.07	8.20	12	2
	Social Democratic Party (PSD)	EPP	José Pacheco Pereira	1,078,528	31.11	3.28	9	0
	Democratic Unitarian Coalition (CDU) • Communist Party (PCP) • Ecologist Party (PEV)	GUE/NGL	Ilda Figueiredo	357,671	10.32	0.87	2 2 0	1 0
	People's Party (CDS–PP)	UFE	Paulo Portas	283,067	8.16	4.29	2	1
	Left Bloc (BE)	None	Miguel Portas	61,920	1.79	new	0	new
	Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP)	None	António Garcia Pereira	30,446	0.88	0.09	0	0
	People's Monarchist Party (PPM)	None	-	16,182	0.45	0.20	0	0
	Earth Party (MPT)	ELDR	Paulo Trancoso	13,924	0.40	0.03	0	0
	National Solidarity Party (PSN)	None	-	8,413	0.24	0.13	0	0
	Workers Party of Socialist Unity (POUS)	None	Carmelinda Pereira	5,565	0.16	0.06	0	0
	Democratic Party of the Atlantic (PDA)	None	-	5,089	0.15	0.08	0	0
Valid votes				3,353,951	96.74
Blank and invalid votes				113,134	3.26
Totals				3,467,085	100.00	—	25	0
Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout				8,681,854	39.93	4.39
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Archived 2005-04-08 at the Wayback Machine

Vote share PS   43.07% PSD   31.11% CDU   10.32% CDS-PP   8.16% BE   1.79% PCTP/MRPP   0.88% Others   1.43% Blank/Invalid   3.27%

Seats PS   48.00% PSD   36.00% CDU   8.00% CDS-PP   8.00%

Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 5th European Parliament (1999–2004)

Groups		Parties	Seats	Total	%
	Party of European Socialists (PES)	Socialist Party (PS)	12	12	48.00
	European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP–ED)	Social Democratic Party (PSD)	9	9	36.00
	European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)	Portuguese Communist Party (PCP)	2	2	8.00
	Union for Europe (UFE)	People's Party (CDS–PP)	2	2	8.00
Total			25	25	100.00

Maps

• 
  Most voted political force by district. (Azores and Madeira not shown)
• 
  Strongest party by municipality.

See also

• Politics of Portugal
• List of political parties in Portugal
• Elections in Portugal
• European Parliament