1976 Portuguese presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Portugal on 27 June 1976.

1976 Portuguese presidential election

← 1972 27 June 1976 1980 →
Turnout75.47%
 
President Eanes restored.jpg
Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho1976.jpg
Candidate António Ramalho Eanes Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho
Party Independent[a] Independent[b]
Popular vote 2,967,137 792,760
Percentage 61.59% 16.46%

 
IND
Octávio Pato.png
Candidate José Pinheiro de Azevedo Octávio Pato
Party Independent PCP
Popular vote 692,147 365,586
Percentage 14.37% 7.59%


President before election

Francisco da Costa Gomes
Independent

Elected President

António Ramalho Eanes
Independent

With a broad base of support that comprised the center-left and the center-right, Ramalho Eanes won the election on the first round and became the first elected President of Portugal after the Carnation Revolution.

The Portuguese Communist Party presented its own candidate, Octávio Pato, a well known anti-fascist. One of the major responsibles for the military operations during the Carnation Revolution, in 1974, Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, was also a candidate.

Electoral system

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Any Portuguese citizen over 35 years old has the opportunity to run for president. In order to do so it is necessary to gather between 7,500 and 15,000 signatures and submit them to the Portuguese Constitutional Court.

According to the Portuguese Constitution, to be elected, a candidate needs a majority of votes. If no candidate gets this majority there will take place a second round between the two most voted candidates.

Candidates

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Official candidates

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Unsuccessful candidacies

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There was also one candidate rejected by the Portuguese Constitutional Court for not complying with the legal requirements:

  • Venceslau Pompílio da Cruz;

Campaign period

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Party slogans

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Candidate Original slogan English translation Refs
António Ramalho Eanes « Muitos prometem... Eanes cumpre »
« Candidato de Portugal »
"Many promise ... Eanes delivers"
"Portugal's Candidate"
[1]
Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho « O 25 de Abril à Presidência » "April 25 to the Presidency" [2]
José Pinheiro de Azevedo « Vota Pinheiro de Azevedo » "Vote Pinheiro de Azevedo" [3]
Octávio Pato « Pela democracia e o socialismo » "For democracy and socialism" [4]

Candidates' debates

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1976 Portuguese presidential election debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present    A  Absent invitee  N  Non-invitee 
Eanes Otelo Azevedo Pato Refs
9 Jun 1976 RTP1 Joaquim Letria P P P P [5][6][7]

Results

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CandidatePartyVotes%
António Ramalho EanesIndependent supported by the PS, PSD, CDS and the PCTP2,967,13761.59
Otelo Saraiva de CarvalhoIndependent supported by the UDP, MES, FSP and the PRP-BR792,76016.46
José Pinheiro de AzevedoIndependent692,14714.37
Octávio PatoPortuguese Communist Party365,5867.59
Total4,817,630100.00
Valid votes4,817,63098.70
Invalid votes20,2530.41
Blank votes43,2420.89
Total votes4,881,125100.00
Registered voters/turnout6,467,48075.47
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições

Results by district

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District Eanes Otelo Azevedo Pato Turnout
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
  Aveiro 217,589 74.47% 20,634 6.97% 46,346 15.86% 7,866 2.69% 77.38%
  Azores 30,646 86.06% 9,510 9.01% 17,076 16.18% 2,562 2.43% 71.13%
  Beja 36,219 34.59% 34,339 32.80% 7,296 6.97% 26,844 25.64% 74.37%
  Braga 218,459 70.20% 25,089 8.06% 59,093 18.99% 8,550 2.75% 82.34%
  Bragança 67,593 82.59% 2,725 3.33% 9,357 11.43% 2,167 2.65% 68.71%
  Castelo Branco 98,828 76.25% 14,393 11.33% 10,927 8.61% 4,833 3.81% 73.66%
  Coimbra 147,906 71.93% 19,801 9.63% 29,038 14.12% 8,887 4.32% 67.51%
  Évora 39,847 36.03% 38,509 34.82% 10,500 9.50% 21,726 19.65% 81.28%
  Faro 87,590 52.88% 41,018 24.76% 24,331 14.69% 12,698 7.67% 70.81%
  Guarda 88,451 82.87% 4,528 4.24% 11,194 10.49% 2,558 2.40% 72.64%
  Leiria 156,404 76.63% 18,682 9.15% 20,109 9.85% 8,915 4.37% 73.26%
  Lisbon 582,103 53.55% 259,915 23.91% 132,600 12.20% 112,395 10.34% 75.93%
  Madeira 76,417 72.39% 9,510 9.01% 17,076 16.18% 2,562 2.43% 74.81%
  Portalegre 47,665 56.12% 14,122 16.63% 10,893 12.82% 12,258 14.43% 78.24%
  Porto 450,236 60.43% 86,356 11.59% 169,940 22.81% 38,548 5.17% 80.76%
  Santarém 141,397 58.68% 48,370 20.07% 31,564 13.10% 19,634 8.15% 73.53%
  Setúbal 96,739 29.87% 135,495 41.83% 31,166 9.62% 60,519 18.68% 77.78%
  Viana do Castelo 87,136 74.64% 8,075 6.92% 17,174 14.71% 4,362 3.74% 72.36%
  Vila Real 91,261 81.59% 4,552 4.07% 12,604 11.27% 3,433 3.07% 67.59%
  Viseu 155,520 81.19% 7,447 3.90% 25,071 13.09% 3,490 1.82% 69.81%
Source: SGMAI Presidential Election Results

Maps

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Notes

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  1. ^ Independent supported by the Socialist Party (PS), Social Democratic Party (PSD), Democratic Social Center (CDS) and the Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (PCTP).
  2. ^ Independent supported by the Popular Democratic Union (UDP), Movement of Socialist Left (MES), People's Socialist Front (FSP) and the Revolutionary Party of the Proletariat – Revolutionary Brigades (PRP-BR).

References

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  1. ^ "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Confronto: 4 Candidatos para Belém – Parte I". RTP (in Portuguese). 9 June 1976. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Confronto: 4 Candidatos para Belém – Parte II". RTP (in Portuguese). 9 June 1976. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Confronto: 4 Candidatos para Belém – Parte III". RTP (in Portuguese). 9 June 1976. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
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