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CWA # 1396, 24 July 2024
NIAS Europe Studies
Portugal: Democrats win over socialists by a thin margin

  Shilpa Jospeh

By Shilpa Joseph

Introduction
Portugal joined the EU in 1986 and has been a part of the Schengen area since 1995. Portugal covers 21 of the total 750 seats in the European Parliament (EP) for which elections occur every five years using the proportional representation method. The recent EP elections on 09 June 2024, saw 36.5 per cent of eligible voters cast their vote, which was 5.7 per cent higher than the previous year’s turnout. The EP elections occurred three months after Portugal’s legislative elections, which saw a narrow win for the Democratic Alliance (AD). However, in the EP elections, the Socialist Party (PS) won 8 seats with 32.1 per cent of votes against a tough fight by AD who won 7 with 31.12 per cent. The PS led by Marta Temido belongs to the Socialist and Democrats (S&D) group, whereas the AD, led by Sebastião Bugalho comes under the European People’s Party (EPP). The right-wing party, Chega (CH), from the Identity and Democracy (ID) group which gained major traction before the election and won nearly 18 per cent votes in the legislative elections, did not perform as expected in the EP elections winning only two seats. However, this was their first time winning MEP seats in the parliament winning 9.79 per cent votes. Another newcomer that gathered 9.07 per cent votes to come to the fourth position was the Iniciativa Liberal (IL) party, belonging to the Renew Europe group. Two other parties including Bloco de Esquerda (BE) and the coalition, Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) won one seat each contributing two seats in total for the GUE/NGL group. Compared to the previous election, there has been substantial changes in the list of political parties contesting and their popular support. While People-Animals-Nature (PAN) and People's Party (CDS) lost its earlier seats, new parties such as CH and IL gained momentum in 2024.

Performance of major parties in the last three-year EU Parliamentary elections
2009: The sixth EP elections, held on 07 June 2009 had a voter turnout of 36.77 per cent. The Social Democratic Party (PSD), a liberal-conservative political party won 31.7 per cent of votes and eight MEPs to become the biggest national party for the first time since 1989. The Socialist Party (PS), the social-democratic national party came second with only 26.5 per cent votes compared to the previous elections, when it won 44.5 per cent, losing five MEP seats in the parliament. The Left Bloc (BE), a left-wing populist, democratic socialist political party gained a greater foothold and won 10.7 per cent compared to 4.9 per cent in the previous elections. The other parties involved were the coalition of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party-The Greens (PEV) and PEV named The Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) and The CDS – People's Party, a conservative Christian Democratic party winning two seats each. In 2009, the EPP comprised of PSD and CSD shared ten MEP seats, with eight won by the Social Democrats. The national party PS, belonging to the S&D won seven seats. The Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) won the rest of the seats sharing between the Left Bloc (BE) and the coalition (CDU).

2014:  The national parties that took part included PS which won the highest share of 34.01 per cent of the votes and the Portugal Alliance (AP) which was a coalition of PSD and CDS, which came out as the second largest with 29.95 per cent. The PSD went through a sharp decline in support in the 2014 elections after it was the largest party on its own in 2009. The PS won against the coalition by a small margin of 4 per cent. The third largest was a coalition of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party-The Greens (PEV) named The Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) winning 13.71 per cent votes. In 2014, the European Council decided that 12 member states would each lose one seat, and Germany would lose three seats to accommodate Croatia's MEPs. After the reallocation, out of the 21 MEP seats in Portugal, S&D, comprising the PS, won the maximum of eight seats and the EPP, which includes the coalition (AP) won seven seats. The GUE/NGL group stood third with 4 seats shared by the national parties, Bloco de Esquerda, the Left Bloc (BE) and the CDU coalition. The liberal group, ALDE won two seats under Partido da Terra or the Earth Party (MPT).

2019: The eighth European parliamentary witnessed a 30.75 per cent voter turnout which was the least since the first elections. The PS won 35.88 per cent of votes and the PSD (now out of the coalition) came second at 23.56 per cent. The other significant national parties include the Left Bloc (BE), the CDU coalition and the CDS People’s Party. The elections saw a new party, People-Animals-Nature (PAN) gaining an MEP seat with 5.1 per cent votes representing the Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) group. The CDS People’s Party which ran alongside PSD in the previous elections, dropped significantly to just 6.2 per cent votes by contesting as a standalone party. The 2019 election saw a surge in the number of voters after changes in the automatic registration of all Portuguese citizens, both inside and overseas, were implemented. Among the political groups in the European Parliament, the S&D won nine seats, the EPP won seven, GUE/NGL won four and the Greens/EFA won one seat.

While there is heavy contestation between the Socialists and the Democrats, there were uprisings of the far right and the far left ideas in the last few years. New parties with specific concerns have emerged but failed to last.

Issues in voting
Partido Socialista - Socialist Party (PS Portugal) highlighted a set of priorities for the elections. With a fundamental focus on the rule of law of the EU based on democratic values and fundamental rights as the cornerstone. Gender rights, reproductive rights, and women's upliftment were major themes. The party supported migration on a humanistic stance promoted regular and safe migration channels and also welcomed refugees giving them international protection status. This was a part of the social and territorial convergence to further European integration as a part of the social cohesion policy. The third priority was developing a green, circular and digital EU. By emphasising the European Ecological Pact, the party aims to promote energy interconnection between the member states to form an Energy Union. Similarly, they campaign for the Open Strategic Autonomy of the EU by improving the economy with prosperity and competitive growth. Additionally, PS focussed on Europe’s energy sovereignty and carbon neutrality by 2050. The EU will be enlarged with the accession of new candidate states such as Ukraine, Moldova, and the western Balkan states, following reforms in the EU mechanisms to adapt for a smooth transition after the inclusions. They also highlighted the EU’s role in the world as a global geopolitical actor promoting multilateralism and with increased responsibility over its own defences.

Democratic Alliance: This party highlights the transatlantic bond and aims for geopolitical cooperation and commitment to NATO, with strong ties with the US, UK and Canada. The AD calls for an improved security and defence system and the strengthening of the Europol for Human resources. On migration, the party advocates for safe borders with fair and judicious admission. They aim at combatting illegal immigration networks by strengthening the EU borders, to make Portugal, a major contributor to the Frontex. International cooperation with third-world countries is also seen as a means to mitigate the migration crisis. They promote the enlargement of the EU, where the new candidates are supposed to make institutional reforms that adhere to the EU's rule of law. Portugal’s inclusion into the digital single market, creation of wealth, reduction of public debt, and adoption of a European competitiveness strategy are the economic focus points. The party looks at the huge potential of the Exclusive Economic Zone in Portugal, which is 20 times that of the continental territory and plans to improve jobs and the economy including coastal fishing.

CHEGA: The right-wing party defends an idea of Europe of Nations, emphasising national self-determination and Portuguese national interest. The party differentiated migrants with economic interests and refugees from war, calling for stringent measures to combat illegal migration into Portugal more than the other member states. Deportation of illegal immigrants, strengthening of Frontex, and adoption of strategies like the Rwanda Policy are advocated. The party strongly believes that European Defense must be complementary to NATO, however, Europe must be able to defend itself, and cannot be dependent on the United States and its calculations of national interest. They also focus on the economic exploitation of marine resources, safeguarding sustainable practices to guarantee the preservation of species and the long-term health of marine ecosystems. The rural world, agriculture, fishing, farmers and fishermen will be the target of the revaluation in the European Parliament according to the party.

IL: The party considers Europe based on liberal values of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, uplifting the individual, political, economic, and social freedoms and the freedom of movement. Economic growth and prosperity are planned to be achieved by rejecting bureaucracy, and European taxes, and promoting tax competition between countries and regions. Another major economic goal includes Interconnect physical infrastructure - energy, telecommunications, communication routes, logistics - and legal infrastructure on a European scale, with investments favouring PPPs. the party deals with migration and asylum policy based on liberal values. Similar to the AD, IL defends investing in Europe's greater strategic autonomy in Security & Defence. The party calls for greater growth of Portugal through the Europe framework.    

References
“European Elections, Spain, Portugal: European Elections 2024: The Outlook on the Iberian Peninsula” Freiheit.org, 07 June 2024
Portugal – European elections 2024, electionseuropeennes.eu, 27 June 2024 (Accessed date)
“Portugal celebrates democracy anniversary amid far-right surge,” Reuters, 24 April 2024
“Portugal marks 50 years of democracy with far right on the rise” Courthouse News Service, 25 April 2024
“National results Portugal | 2014 Constitutive session | 2024 European election results,” European Parliament, 28 June 2024 (Accessed date)
“Latest Polling Data and election polls for Aliança Democrática” Politpro.eu, 28 June 2024 (Accessed date)
“Manifesto - O Futuro de Portugal na Europa,” portugalnaeuropa.pt, 25 June 2024 (Accessed date)
“Compromisso do PCP para as Eleições ao Parlamento Europeu | CDU - Coligação Democrática Unitária” cdu.pt, 25 June 2024 (Accessed date)
“Programa eleitoral | Europeias 2024 | PANPAN” Pan, 25 June 2024 (Accessed date)

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