1976 Portuguese presidential election

none Portugal presidential 1972 Portuguese presidential election 1972 1980 Portuguese presidential election 1980 27 June 1976 75.47% 齐奥塞斯库与埃亚内斯.jpg 540 110 150 20 75 ff0081 António Ramalho Eanes Independent 90% Supported by: off PS PPD CDS MRPP 2,967,137 61.59% Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho1976.jpg 130 110 150 10 10 810000 Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho Independent 90% Supported by: off UDP MES FSP PRP-BR 792,760 16.46% José Pinheiro de Azevedo 777777 Independent politician 692,147 14.37% Octávio Pato.png 150 110 150 0 20 Octávio Pato Portuguese Communist Party 365,586 7.59% 220px Results by district 220px Results by municipality Eanes #fad6e4 30-40% #eea3c1 40-50% #e66f9e 50-60% #db3577 60-70% #c6175d 70-80% #a60042 80-90% #7e0032 >90% Carvalho #ff7644 30-40% #f8581e 40-50% #CD3700 50-60% #973714 60-70% Pato #d78281 30-40% #cc5e5d 40-50% President Francisco da Costa Gomes Independent politician António Ramalho Eanes Independent politician A presidential election was held in Portugal on 27 June 1976. With a broad base of support that comprised the center-left and the center-right, Ramalho Eanes won the election on the first round with more than 61% of the votes 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, but performed poorly, receiving just under 8% of the votes. Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, a key figure during the Carnation Revolution in 1974, was also a candidate, polling second with 16%, while former prime minister José Pinheiro de Azevedo was narrowly behind at third place with 14% of the votes. Voter turnout stood at above 75% of registered voters. Eanes was sworn in as President on 14 July 1976.1976-07-14 Tomada de posse de António Ramalho Eanes https://arquivos.rtp.pt/conteudos/tomada-de-posse-de-antonio-ramalho-eanes/ RTP Arquivos 2026-02-18 pt-PT Background Following the approval of a new constitution in early April 1976, 4. O encerramento do processo constituinte e a institucionaçização da democracia https://50anos25abril.pt/historia/50-anos-da-constituicao-da-republica-portuguesa-1976-2026/4-o-encerramento-do-processo-constituinte-e-a-institucionalizacao-da-democracia/ Comissão 50 anos do 25 de Abril 25 August 2026. the process of electing new institutions, a new assembly and a president, began with legislative elections on 25 April, and with the scheduling of presidential elections for 27 June, confirmed by then-President Francisco da Costa Gomes in May of the same year.https://www.cne.pt/sites/default/files/dl/pr_1976_data_eleicao.pdf Decreto do Presidente da República n.º 321-A/76 pt Diário da República 4 May 1976 25 August 2026 The outgoing president, Costa Gomes, refused the idea of running for a full term, in order to facilitate the transition to democracy.https://ensina.rtp.pt/artigo/costa-gomes-biografia/ Costa Gomes, o homem dos equilibrios pt RTP 2011 25 August 2026 Early on, the role of general António Ramalho Eanes in the 25 November 1975 coup, made him the consensus candidate among the main democratic forces.https://www.publico.pt/2016/06/27/politica/noticia/em-1976-eanes-era-o-heroi-do-povo-1736523 Em 1976, Eanes era o “herói do povo” pt Público 27 June 2016 25 August 2026 Electoral system Any Portuguese citizen over 35 years old has the opportunity to run for president. In order to do so it was necessary to gather between 7500 and 15000 signatures and submit them to the Supreme Court of Justice by 28 May 1976.3 May 1976 "Quadro cronológico das operações eleitorais" https://www.cne.pt/sites/default/files/dl/cal_pr1976.pdf 6 September 2025 Comissão Nacional de Eleições Portuguese 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.3 May 1976 "Decreto-Lei n.º 319-A/76, de 3 de maio" https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/decreto-lei/319-a-1976-655916 6 September 2025 Diário da República Portuguese Candidates Official candidates António Ramalho Eanes – Military officer, Main leader against the Coup of 25 November 1975, former chairman of RTP, supported by the Socialist Party, Democratic People's Party, Democratic and Social Centre and the Portuguese Workers' Communist Party; José Pinheiro de Azevedo – Navy officer, Prime Minister between 1975 and 1976, Independent candidate; Octávio Pato – supported by the Portuguese Communist Party; Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho – Military officer, Independent candidate supported by the Popular Democratic Union, Movement of Socialist Left, People's Socialist Front and the Revolutionary Party of the Proletariat – Revolutionary Brigades. Unsuccessful candidacies There was also one candidate rejected by the Portuguese Constitutional Court for not complying with the legal requirements: Venceslau Pompílio da Cruz. Withrawn candidates Arlete Vieira da Silva – supported by the Internationalist Communist League and the Workers' Revolutionary Party.Amaral Bruno Vieira Camarada Arlete a Belém! A trotskista vigarista https://observador.pt/especiais/camarada-arlete-belem-trotskista-vigarista/ 2026-05-12 Observador pt-PT Campaign period Issues The campaign was held under a rather tense and unstable environment. Otelo Saraiva's campaign was met with stones and gunfire in Lamego,https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/politica/militares-na-linha-da-frente-e-os-anos-de-eanes_n1706491 Militares na linha da frente e os anos de Eanes pt RTP 29 December 2025 28 June 2026 while Eanes campaign was also received with gunshots in Évora, resulting in one death and six injured. Pinheiro de Azevedo's campaign, on the other hand, endured a setback in the last days of the campaign trail with the candidate suffering a heart attack and being hospitalized. Party slogans Candidate Original slogan English translation Refs António Ramalho Eanes « Muitos prometem... Eanes cumpre »« Candidato de Portugal » "Many promise ... Eanes delivers""Portugal's Candidate" https://acervo.publico.pt/multimedia/infografia/os-cartazes-das-eleicoes-presidenciais-desde-1976-182 Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976 pt Público 26 May 2020 Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho « O 25 de Abril à Presidência » "April 25 to the Presidency" José Pinheiro de Azevedo « Vota Pinheiro de Azevedo » "Vote Pinheiro de Azevedo" Octávio Pato « Pela democracia e o socialismo » "For democracy and socialism" Candidates' debates 1976 Portuguese presidential election debates Date Organisers Moderator(s)    black #D0FFD0  P  Present   black #ffffdd  A  Absent invitee black #FFD0D0  N  Non-invitee  Eanes Otelo Azevedo Pato Refs 9 Jun 1976 RTP1 Joaquim LetriaPPPP 9 June 1976 https://arquivos.rtp.pt/conteudos/confronto-4-candidatos-para-belem-parte-i/ Confronto: 4 Candidatos para Belém – Parte I pt RTP 26 May 20209 June 1976 https://arquivos.rtp.pt/conteudos/confronto-4-candidatos-para-belem-parte-ii/ Confronto: 4 Candidatos para Belém – Parte II pt RTP 26 May 20209 June 1976 https://arquivos.rtp.pt/conteudos/confronto-4-candidatos-para-belem-parte-iii/ Confronto: 4 Candidatos para Belém – Parte III pt RTP 26 May 2020 Opinion polls Polling firmDate releasedSamplesize1 Ramalho Eanes1 Otelo1 Pinheiro Azevedo1 Octávio Pato Oth OthersLead Ind. Ind. Ind. PCP Election results 26 Jun 1976 61.6 16.5 14.4 7.6 —45.1 ExpressoExpresso 9 Jun 1976 53.2 17.7 22.6 4.8 1.730.6 Results National summary António Ramalho Eanes #ff0081 IndependentSupported by the Socialist Party, the Democratic People's Party, the Democratic Social Center and the Portuguese Workers' Communist Party. 2967137 Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho #810000 IndependentSupported by the Popular Democratic Union, the Movement of Socialist Left, the People's Socialist Front and the Revolutionary Party of the Proletariat – Revolutionary Brigades. 792760 José Pinheiro de Azevedo #777777 Independent 692147 Octávio Pato Portuguese Communist Party 365586 43242 20253 6467480 Comissão Nacional de Eleições Results by district 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 Notes Expresso Results presented here exclude undecideds (27%), did not respond (10%) and vote none (1%). With their inclusion results are: António Ramalho Eanes: 33%; Pinheiro de Azevedo: 14%; Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho: 11%; Octávio Pato: 3%; Venceslau Pompílio da Cruz: 1%. References External links National Election Commission Category:Presidential elections in Portugal Presidential Portugal