Jump to content

1997 Portuguese local elections

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1997 Portuguese local elections
← 1993 14 December 1997 2001 →
All 305 Portuguese municipalities and 4,260 Portuguese Parishes
All 2,021 local government councils
Turnout60.1% Decrease 3.3 pp
  First party Second party
 
Antonio Guterres 18 Jan 1996.jpeg
Марселу Ребелу де Соуза (36674108876).jpg
Leader António Guterres Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Party PS PSD
Last election 127 mayors, 40.2% 116 mayors, 33.7%
Popular vote 2,206,315[1] 1,886,242[2]
Percentage 41.3% 35.2%
Swing Increase 1.1 pp Increase 1.5 pp
Mayors 128[3] 127[4]
Mayors +/– Increase 1 Increase 11
Councillors 879[5] 810[6]
Councillors +/– Increase 57 Increase 4
  Third party Fourth party
 
Carlos Carvalhas no XIX Congresso do PCP (cropped).png
CDS
Leader Carlos Carvalhas Manuel Monteiro
Party PCP CDS
Alliance CDU
Last election 49 mayors, 12.8% 13 mayors, 8.4%
Popular vote 643,956 302,763[7]
Percentage 12.0% 6.3%
Swing Decrease 0.8 pp Decrease 2.1 pp
Mayors 41 8
Mayors +/– Decrease 8 Decrease 5
Councillors 236 87[8]
Councillors +/– Decrease 10 Decrease 48

Local elections were held in Portugal on 14 December 1997. The elections consisted of three separate elections in the 305 Portuguese municipalities, the election for the Municipal Chambers, whose winner is automatically elected mayor, similar to first-past-the-post (FPTP), another election for the Municipal Assembly and a last one for the lower-level Parish Assembly, whose winner is elected parish president. This last was held separately in the more than 4,200 parishes around the country.

The Socialist Party (PS) maintained as the largest local political force, although only just, winning 128 cities, one more compared to 1993, and increasing their vote share to above 41 percent. In reality, PS and PSD basically tied in this elections, but the Socialists were able to hold on to big cities like Lisbon, Porto, Sintra and Coimbra.[9] On the other hand, the PS lost some cities to the PSD, particularly Vila Nova de Gaia and Figueira da Foz, the latter won by Pedro Santana Lopes, future Lisbon mayor and Prime Minister.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) made big gains, winning 11 cities and basically catching up with the Socialists. They also increased their share of vote to 35 percent. The PSD gained many cities from the PS, such as Bragança, Covilhã, Silves, Tavira and Alcobaça. Although the PSD didn't performed very strongly in the big urban centers, they performed extremely well in many medium and small cities across the country, but that same bad performance in the big urban centers, such as Lisbon and Porto, created criticisms to the leadership of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.[10]

The election was quite bad for Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU), as they continued their fall in local politics. The Communist/Green coalition lost 8 cities and decreased their vote share to 12 percent. The CDU lost many of their bastions to the PS, such as Cuba, Amadora, Vila Franca de Xira and Sesimbra. They also saw a decrease in number of councillors, although here the fall was soft, as they lost just 10 councillors compared to 1993.

The People's Party (PP) also continued its decline in local politics. The party only won 8 cities, a fall of 5 cities, and dropped its share of the vote to the lowest level till that time, 5.7 percent. They lost big cities like Aveiro to the PS and Vila Verde to the PSD. One surprise in the elections was the victory of the People's Monarchist Party (PPM) in Penalva do Castelo, Viseu district, over the People's Party.

Turnout in these elections dropped in comparison with the 1993 election, as 60.1 percent of the electorate cast a ballot.

Parties

[edit]

The main political forces involved in the election were:

1 The PSD and the CDS–PP formed coalitions in some municipalities.
2 The PS formed a coalition with CDU and UDP in Lisbon.

Results

[edit]

Municipal Councils

[edit]

National summary of votes and seats

[edit]
Summary of the 14 December 1997 Municipal Councils elections results
Parties Votes % ±pp swing Candidacies Councillors Mayors
Total ± Total ±
Socialist 2,041,307 38.07 Increase2.0 869 Increase73 127 Increase1
Social Democratic 1,761,383 32.85 Decrease0.9 803 Decrease3 127 Increase11
Democratic Unity Coalition 643,956 12.01 Decrease0.8 236 Decrease10 41 Decrease8
People's 302,763 5.65 Decrease2.8 83 Decrease52 8 Decrease5
PS / CDU / UDP 165,008 3.08 Decrease0.8 10 Decrease7 1 Steady0
Social Democratic / People's 124,859 2.33 — 7 — 0 —
People's / Social Democratic 35,495 0.66 — 4 — 0 —
People's Democratic Union 21,079 0.39 Increase0.2 0 Steady0 0 Steady0
Portuguese Workers' Communist 18,674 0.35 Increase0.1 0 Steady0 0 Steady0
PSR / Politics XXI 9,175 0.17 — 0 — 0 —
Revolutionary Socialist 9,126 0.17 — 0 — 0 —
People's Monarchist 7,129 0.13 Increase0.1 5 Increase5 1 Increase1
Politics XXI 6,995 0.13 — 1 — 0 —
Christian Democratic 4,361 0.08 Increase0.1 1 Increase1 0 Steady0
National Solidarity 2,301 0.04 Decrease0.5 0 Decrease3 0 Steady0
Earth 1,884 0.04 Decrease0.4 2 Steady0 0 Steady0
Democratic Renewal 1,483 0.03 Steady0.0 0 Steady0 0 Steady0
Democratic Party of the Atlantic 567 0.01 Steady0.0 0 Steady0 0 Steady0
Left Revolutionary Front 120 0.00 — 0 — 0 —
Total valid 5,157,665 96.18 Decrease0.4 — 2,021 Increase6 305 Steady0
Blank ballots 117,360 2.19 Increase0.3
Invalid ballots 87,584 1.63 Increase0.1
Total 5,362,609 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 8,922,182 60.12 Decrease3.3
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Archived 2017-11-25 at the Wayback Machine

Municipality map

[edit]
Most voted parties or coalitions in each Municipality. Municipalities won by:
■ - PSD: 127
■ - PS: 128
■ - CDU: 41
■ - CDS–PP: 8
■ - PPM: 1

City control

[edit]

The following table lists party control in all district capitals, highlighted in bold, as well as in municipalities above 100,000 inhabitants. Population estimates from the 1991 Census.[11]

Municipality Population Previous control New control
Almada 151,783 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Amadora 181,774 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Socialist Party (PS)
Aveiro 66,444 CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP) Socialist Party (PS)
Barcelos 111,733 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Beja 35,827 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Braga 141,256 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Bragança 33,055 Socialist Party (PS) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Cascais 153,294 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Castelo Branco 54,310 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Socialist Party (PS)
Coimbra 139,052 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Évora 53,754 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Faro 50,761 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Funchal 115,403 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Gondomar 143,178 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Guarda 38,765 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Guimarães 157,589 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Leiria 102,762 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Lisbon 663,394 PS / CDU / UDP PS / CDU / UDP
Loures 322,158 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Matosinhos 151,682 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Oeiras 151,342 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Ponta Delgada 61,989 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Portalegre 26,111 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Socialist Party (PS)
Porto 302,472 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Santarém 62,621 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Santa Maria da Feira 135,964 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Santo Tirso 102,593 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Seixal 116,912 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Setúbal 103,634 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Sintra 260,951 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Viana do Castelo 83,095 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Vila Franca de Xira 103,571 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Socialist Party (PS)
Vila Nova de Famalicão 114,338 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Vila Nova de Gaia 248,565 Socialist Party (PS) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Vila Real 46,300 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Viseu 83,601 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)

Municipal Assemblies

[edit]

National summary of votes and seats

[edit]
Summary of the 14 December 1997 Municipal Assemblies elections results
Parties Votes % ±pp swing Candidacies Mandates
Total ±
Socialist 2,030,025 37.85 Increase2.2 2,887 Increase258
Social Democratic 1,633,778 30.46 Decrease3.4 2,579 Decrease92
Democratic Unity Coalition 668,896 12.47 Decrease0.6 798 Decrease5
People's 395,209 7.37 Decrease0.9 437 Decrease119
PS / CDU / UDP 163,411 3.05 Decrease0.7 30 Decrease6
Social Democratic / People's 124,472 2.32 — 22 —
People's / Social Democratic 42,321 0.79 — 13 —
People's Democratic Union 25,552 0.48 Increase0.3 2 Steady0
Portuguese Workers' Communist 12,309 0.23 Increase0.0 1 Steady0
PSR / Politics XXI 11,150 0.21 — 1 —
Revolutionary Socialist 8,850 0.16 Decrease0.0 1 Increase1
Politics XXI 6,483 0.12 — 8 —
People's Monarchist 6,008 0.11 Increase0.1 16 Increase16
Christian Democratic 4,254 0.08 — 5 —
National Solidarity 3,940 0.07 Decrease0.4 0 Decrease16
Earth 1 844 0.03 Decrease0.4 5 Decrease6
Democratic Renewal 1,341 0.03 Steady0.0 2 Steady0.
Democratic Party of the Atlantic 576 0.01 — 0 —
Total valid 5,140,419 95.83 Decrease0.5 — 6,807 Increase38
Blank ballots 135,738 2.53 Increase0.4
Invalid ballots 87,800 1.64 Increase0.0
Total 5,363,957 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 8,922,182 60.12 Decrease3.3
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine

Parish Assemblies

[edit]

National summary of votes and seats

[edit]
Summary of the 14 December 1997 Parish Assemblies elections results
Parties Votes % ±pp swing Candidacies Mandates Presidents
Total ± Total ±
Socialist 1,952,468 36.56 Increase2.0 13,626 Increase1,314
Social Democratic 1,615,100 30.24 Decrease3.4 12,960 Decrease719
Democratic Unity Coalition 661,254 12.38 Decrease0.9 2,731 Decrease16
People's 287,724 5.39 Decrease2.4 1,840 Decrease339
Social Democratic / People's 206,839 3.87 — 561 — —
PS / CDU / UDP 169,893 3.18 Decrease0.7 408 Decrease119
Independents 152,055 2.85 Increase0.6 1,594 Increase360
People's / Social Democratic 43,267 0.81 — 77 — —
People's Democratic Union 16,116 0.30 Increase0.2 6 Increase4
People's Monarchist 5,501 0.10 Increase0.1 80 Increase78
Portuguese Workers' Communist 4,575 0.09 Increase0.0 2 Increase1
Earth 3,162 0.06 Decrease0.2 39 Increase1
Christian Democratic 2 598 0.05 — 8 — —
National Solidarity 2,025 0.04 Decrease0.4 6 Decrease10
Democratic Renewal 1 549 0.03 Steady0.0 9 Increase7
Democratic Party of the Atlantic 395 0.01 — 3 — —
Portuguese Party of Regions 394 0.01 — 3 — —
Revolutionary Socialist 34 0.00 — 0 — —
Total valid 5,124,949 96.05 Decrease0.6 — 33,953 Increase495
Blank ballots 119,778 2.24 Increase0.4
Invalid ballots 96,014 1.80 Increase0.1
Total 5,340,741 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 8,922,182 59.86 Decrease3.3
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Archived 2019-10-01 at the Wayback Machine

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sum of votes between PS-only lists and lists with other parties.
  2. ^ Sum of votes between PSD-only lists and lists with other parties.
  3. ^ Number of municipalities won between PS-only lists and lists with other parties. PS-only lists: 127; PS-coalition lists: 1.
  4. ^ Number of municipalities won between PSD-only lists and lists with other parties. PSD-only lists: 127; PSD-coalition lists: 0.
  5. ^ Sum of councillors between PS-only lists and lists with other parties.
  6. ^ Sum of councillors between PSD-only lists and lists with other parties.
  7. ^ Sum of votes between CDS-only lists and lists with other parties.
  8. ^ Sum of councillors between CDS-only lists and lists with other parties.
  9. ^ "As cores políticas que pintam o mapa do poder local de 1976 a 2013". Jornal de Negócios (in Portuguese). 2017.
  10. ^ "A primeira vez em que os 10 foram notícia". Expresso newspaper (in Portuguese). 2016.
  11. ^ "Instituto Nacional de Estatística (Recenseamentos Gerais da População)". www.ine.pt (in Portuguese). Statistics Portugal. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1997_Portuguese_local_elections&oldid=1243135741"