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1996 Portuguese presidential election

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FieldValue
countryPortugal
typepresidential
previous_election1991 Portuguese presidential election
previous_year1991
next_election2001 Portuguese presidential election
next_year2001
election_date14 January 1996
turnout66.29% ( 4.13pp)
image1
candidate1**Jorge Sampaio**
party1PS
{{Collapsible list
title
bulletsoff
popular_vote1**3,035,056**
percentage1**53.91%**
image2
candidate2Aníbal Cavaco Silva
party2Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
popular_vote22,595,131
percentage246.09%
map_image{{switcher
map_caption
titlePresident
before_electionMário Soares
before_partySocialist Party (Portugal)
after_electionJorge Sampaio
after_partySocialist Party (Portugal)

{{Collapsible list | PCP | PEV | UDP | PCTP/MRPP

|220px |Results by district |[[File:1996 Portuguese presidential election results by municipality.svg|220px]] |Results by municipality Sampaio Cavaco Silva

Presidential elections were held in Portugal on 14 January 1996.

Incumbent president Mário Soares was constitutionally barred from a third consecutive term. The Social Democrats were coming from a clear defeat in the 1995 Portuguese legislative election, and their former leader, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who had left the office of Prime Minister after 10 years at the helm, ran against the Mayor of Lisbon, Jorge Sampaio. This election was, therefore, a rematch between Jorge Sampaio and Cavaco Silva as in the 1991 general election, Cavaco Silva defeated Jorge Sampaio by a 51 to 29 percent margin.

The other left-wing candidates, Jerónimo de Sousa and Alberto Matos, presented by the Portuguese Communist Party and the People's Democratic Union respectively, both withdrew from the race one week before the elections, announcing their support for Jorge Sampaio, in order to concentrate the left-wing vote and avoid a runoff. These parties had already supported Sampaio in a coalition that won the local elections in Lisbon. It would be the last time that People's Democratic Union presented a candidate, as two years later it merged with other small left-wing parties and formed the Left Bloc.

Cavaco Silva was supported by the Social Democratic Party, failing to get the support of the People's Party, led by Manuel Monteiro. On election day, Sampaio won with nearly 54 percent of the votes and by a more than 400,000 vote margin over Cavaco Silva, which gathered just over 46 percent of the votes and, once more, the right-wing parties did not win the presidential election.

Sampaio gained the majority of the votes in all the districts in the South of Portugal, including the Communist strongholds in Alentejo and Setúbal district. Cavaco won in the more conservative districts of the North (excluding Porto district, where Sampaio edged out Cavaco by a narrow 52 to 48 percent margin) and also in Leiria district, traditional strongholds of the right-wing parties.

With only two candidates left on the race, no second round was needed, and Sampaio was inaugurated to his first term in office on 9 March 1996.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva would have to wait ten more years to be elected president in 2006.

Electoral system

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

  • Jorge Sampaio – former Mayor of Lisbon (1989–1995); former Secretary-general of the Socialist Party (1989–1992); supported by the Socialist Party;
  • Aníbal Cavaco Silva – former Prime Minister (1985–1995); former President of the Social Democratic Party (1985–1995); supported by the Social Democratic Party;
  • Jerónimo de Sousa – Official candidate of the Portuguese Communist Party and Ecologist Party "The Greens"; left the race to support Jorge Sampaio;
  • Alberto Matos – Official candidate of the People's Democratic Union; left the race to support Jorge Sampaio.

Did not run

  • António Ramalho Eanes – former President of the Republic (1976–1986)
  • Fernando Gomes – incumbent Mayor of Porto (1989–1998)
  • Mário Sottomayor Cardia – former Minister of Education (1976–1978)

Campaign period

Party slogans

CandidateOriginal sloganEnglish translationRefs
Socialist Party (Portugal)}}"Jorge Sampaio« Um por todos »"One for all"
Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}"Aníbal Cavaco Silva« Em nome de Portugal »"In the name of Portugal"
Unitary Democratic Coalition}}"Jerónimo de Sousa« Contigo isto muda »"With you this changes"
Left Bloc (Portugal)}}"Alberto Matos« A escolha de um lado »"Choosing a side"

Candidates' debates

1996 Portuguese presidential election debatesDateOrganisersModerator(s)Present Absent invitee Non-inviteeSampaioCavacoJerónimoRefsSocialist Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Unitary Democratic Coalition}};"
14 Dec 1995RTP1Maria Elisa Domingues
José Eduardo Moniz**P****P****P**
21 Dec 1995SICMargarida Marante
Miguel Sousa Tavares**P****P****N**

Opinion polls

Note, until 2000, the publication of opinion polls in the last week of the campaign was forbidden.

Polling firmDate releasedSample
sizeSampaioCavacoOth/
UndLeadPSPSDSocialist Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"
**Election results****14 Jan 1996****53.9**46.1**7.8**
[Euroteste/RTP](http://www.pedro-magalhaes.org/revisitar-as-sondagens-presidenciais/)14 Jan 1996**56–60**40–4416
[Metris/SIC](http://www.pedro-magalhaes.org/revisitar-as-sondagens-presidenciais/)14 Jan 1996**56.8–61.2**38.8–43.218.0
[UCP/TVI](http://www.pedro-magalhaes.org/revisitar-as-sondagens-presidenciais/)14 Jan 1996**54.6–58.2**41.8–45.612.8
[UCP](http://www.pedro-magalhaes.org/revisitar-as-sondagens-presidenciais/)6 Jan 1996**52.1**47.94.2
[Metris](http://www.pedro-magalhaes.org/revisitar-as-sondagens-presidenciais/)6 Jan 1996**57.1**42.914.2
[Euroteste](http://www.pedro-magalhaes.org/revisitar-as-sondagens-presidenciais/)6 Jan 1996**57.5**42.515.0
[Euroexpansão](http://www.pedro-magalhaes.org/revisitar-as-sondagens-presidenciais/)6 Jan 1996**57.7**42.315.4
[Independente](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)5 Jan 1996**56.7**43.313.4
[Visão](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)4 Jan 1996**51.2**38.110.713.1
[Euroteste](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)1 Jan 1996**58.7**41.317.4
[Jornal de Notícias](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)1 Jan 1996**50.7**42.66.78.1
[Metris](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)30 Dec 1995**56.4**41.71.914.7
[Euroexpansão](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)30 Dec 1995**58.8**40.01.218.8
[Independente](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)29 Dec 1995**58.3**41.716.6
[Euroexpansão](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)23 Dec 1995**60.0**36.53.523.5
[Independente](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)22 Dec 1995**56.8**43.213.6
[UCP](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)21 Dec 1995**54.1**43.72.210.4
[Metris](https://repositorio.ipl.pt/bitstream/10400.21/2932/1/tese_doutoramento.pdf)15 Dec 1995**53.8**42.63.611.2

Results

National summary

Results by district

DistrictSampaioCavacoTurnoutVotes%Votes%Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"
Aveiro162,49543.04%; color:#000;"**215,046**; color:#000;"**56.96%**69.01%
Azores40,74643.60%; color:#000;"**52,715**; color:#000;"**56.40%**50.81%
Beja; color:#000;"**71,833**; color:#000;"**79.15%**18,92620.85%61.31%
Braga204,06945.79%; color:#000;"**241,580**; color:#000;"**54.21%**71.55%
Bragança34,35840.17%; color:#000;"**51,173**; color:#000;"**59.83%**57.42%
Castelo Branco; color:#000;"**69,136**; color:#000;"**55.50%**55,42844.50%63.13%
Coimbra; color:#000;"**133,644**; color:#000;"**54.37%**112,18145.63%65.90%
Évora; color:#000;"**72,369**; color:#000;"**73.32%**26,39826.68%67.16%
Faro; color:#000;"**110,748**; color:#000;"**58.45%**78,73641.55%63.09%
Guarda45,82044.00%; color:#000;"**58,306**; color:#000;"**56.00%**60.75%
Leiria98,57740.41%; color:#000;"**145,352**; color:#000;"**59.59%**66.95%
Lisbon; color:#000;"**740,987**; color:#000;"**60.98%**474,06039.02%66.75%
Madeira49,24339.58%; color:#000;"**75,160**; color:#000;"**60.42%**62.99%
Portalegre; color:#000;"**52,647**; color:#000;"**69.38%**23,23130.62%66.84%
Porto; color:#000;"**500,903**; color:#000;"**51.82%**465,80348.18%70.28%
Santarém; color:#000;"**149,119**; color:#000;"**57.50%**110,20242.50%67.25%
Setúbal; color:#000;"**313,083**; color:#000;"**74.51%**107,08025.49%67.36%
Viana do Castelo58,62141.57%; color:#000;"**82,411**; color:#000;"**58.43%**64.34%
Vila Real51,08739.64%; color:#000;"**77,779**; color:#000;"**60.36%**59.10%
Viseu78,99636.97%; color:#000;"**134,669**; color:#000;"**63.03%**61.63%
Source: [SGMAI Presidential Election Results](https://www.sg.mai.gov.pt/AdministracaoEleitoral/EleicoesReferendos/PresidenciaRepublica/Paginas/default.aspx?FirstOpen=1)

Maps

File:Eleições presidenciais 1996.png|Strongest candidate by electoral district. File:Eleições presidenciais portuguesas de 1996.png|Strongest candidate by municipality.

Notes

References

References

  1. (8 January 1996). "Jerónimo de Sousa desiste da candidatura". RTP.
  2. Lourenço, Eunice. (2004-03-08). "Como Paulo Portas apoiou Cavaco em 1996".
  3. (1994-03-02). "Candidatura de Sottomayor Cardia".
  4. (1994-10-29). "Ramalho Eanes almoça com grupo de trabalho".
  5. Lusa. (2017-03-14). "Sampaio revela que Guterres ficou "à rasca" com anúncio da candidatura a Belém".
  6. "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público.
  7. (14 December 1995). "Candidatos à Presidência da República – Parte I". RTP.
  8. "Os debates".
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