1st Constitutional Government of Portugal

Cabinet of Portugal between 1976 and 1978, led by Mário Soares 1st Constitutional Government Portugal Flag of Portugal (official).svg true File:Mário Soares 1975 (cropped).jpg Prime Minister Mário Soares 1976 7 23 yes 1978 1 23 yes Mário Soares António Ramalho Eanes Socialist Party (PS) Minority government Democratic People's Party (PPD) Democratic and Social Center (CDS) Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) Popular Democratic Union (UDP) 1976 Portuguese legislative election (25 April 1976) 6th Provisional Government 2nd Constitutional Government President of the Republic Prime Minister The 1st Constitutional Governmentpt I Governo Constitucional de Portugal was the first non-provisional government of the Third Portuguese Republic, following the promulgation of the new Constitution of Portugal in April 1976. It had Mário Soares as the Prime Minister and lasted from 23 July 1976 to 23 January 1978.I Governo Constitucional - 1976-1978 - Composição https://www.historico.portugal.gov.pt/pt/o-governo/arquivo-historico/governos-constitucionais/gc01/composicao.aspx 8 May 2023 portugal.gov.pt Portuguese Background 1976 Portuguese legislative election Following the Carnation Revolution on 25 April 1974, Portugal entered a period of transition to democracy. During this period, which lasted for about two years, several provisional administrations governed the country, starting with the National Salvation Junta, which was followed by six other provisional governments composed of military and civilian members. On 25 April 1975, one year after the revolution, elections were carried out in Portugal to elect the 250 members of the Constituent Assembly. The main goal of this Constituent Assembly was to write a new Constitution of Portugal to replace the Estado Novo's Constitution of 1933. This assembly had a one-year mandate with no governing functions, as the country continued to be governed by a military-civilian provisional government during the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly. The Socialist Party (PS), with 38% of the votes, was the party with most representation. The new Constitution of Portugal, drafted over the course of a year, was finally promulgated on 2 April 1976. Immediately after the promulgation, the Constituent Assembly was disbanded. On 25 April 1976, the first legislative elections were carried out to elect the members of the Assembly of the Republic (the new official name of the Portuguese Parliament) and the new Constitutional Government of Portugal. The Socialist Party won the election with 34.89% of the votes, and got the approval of the President of Portugal António Ramalho Eanes to form a minority government. As the leader of PS, Mário Soares was sworn as Prime Minister, and became the first democratically-elect Prime Minister of the Third Portuguese Republic. Party breakdown Party breakdown of cabinet ministers by the end of the government's time in office: (Prime Minister not included) Socialist Party 12 Independents 7 Composition The government was composed of the Prime Minister, one Minister of State, a Minister without portfolio, and 15 ministries comprising Ministers, Secretaries and Sub-secretaries of State. The government also included the Ministers of the Republic for the Autonomous Regions of Azores and Madeira.Diário da República 213/76 Conselho de Ministros Portugal 10 September 1976 Portuguese Lei Orgânica do I Governo Constitucional https://www.historico.portugal.gov.pt/pt/o-governo/arquivo-historico/governos-constitucionais/gc01/lei-organica/lei-organica-i-governo-constitucional.aspx +Ministers of the I Constitutional Government of PortugalOfficeMinister PartyStart of termEnd of termPrime Minister120x120pxMário SoaresPS23 July 1976 23 January 1978Minister of StateHenrique de BarrosPS23 July 1976 23 January 1978Minister without portfolio85x85pxJorge CampinosPS23 July 1976 23 January 1978Minister of National DefenceMário Firmino MiguelIndependent23 July 1976 23 January 1978Minister of the Economic Plan and CoordinationAntónio Sousa GomesPS23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of the Internal AdministrationManuel da Costa BrásIndependent23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of Justice120x120pxAntónio de Almeida SantosPS23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of Finance 85x85pxHenrique Medina CarreiraPS23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of Foreign Affairs120x120pxJosé Medeiros FerreiraPS23 July 197611 October 1977120x120pxMário SoaresPS12 October 197723 January 1978Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesAntónio Lopes CardosoPS23 July 19765 November 1976127x127pxAntónio BarretoPS5 November 197623 January 1978Minister of Industry and TechnologyWalter RosaPS23 July 19767 January 1977António Sousa GomesPS7 January 197725 March 1977Alfredo Nobre da CostaIndependent25 March 197723 January 1978Minister of Commerce and Tourism127x127pxAntónio BarretoPS23 July 197625 March 1977Carlos Mota PintoIndependent25 March 197723 January 1978Minister of LabourFrancisco Marcelo CurtoPS23 July 197625 March 1977António Maldonado GonelhaPS25 March 197723 January 1978Minister of Education and Scientific ResearchMário Sottomayor CardiaPS23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of Social AffairsArmando BacelarPS23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of Transports and CommunicationsEmílio Rui VilarPS23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of Housing, City Planning and ConstructionEduardo PereiraPS23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of Public WorksJoão Almeida PinaIndependent23 July 197623 January 1978Minister of the Republic for the Autonomous Region of AzoresOctávio Galvão de FigueiredoIndependent25 March 197723 January 1978Minister of the Republic for the Autonomous Region of MadeiraLino MiguelIndependent25 March 197723 January 1978 Dissolution By the second half of 1977, the situation of the Portuguese economy was deteriorating. During the summer of 1977, Prime Minister Mário Soares asked for a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and several austerity measures were implemented, such as the rise of interest rates, devalue of the escudo and budget cuts. 1º Programa de Assistência Económico-Financeira do FMI a Portugal https://on.eapn.pt/acontecimento/1o-programa-de-assistencia-economico-financeira-do-fundo-monetario-internacional/ 30 May 2022 Observatório Nacional de Luta contra a Pobreza pt25 August 1977 Comunicação ao país do Primeiro-ministro Mário Soares https://arquivos.rtp.pt/conteudos/comunicacao-ao-pais-do-primeiro-ministro-mario-soares/ 30 May 2022 RTP pt However, the policies were quite unpopular and by late 1977 Soares was facing significant opposition in the Parliament. In November 1977, Soares proposed a sizeable memorandum between parties and associations to seek common economic and social policies, which was rejected.25 August 1977 Mário Soares https://www.museu.presidencia.pt/pt/conhecer/presidentes-da-republica-biografias/presidentes-da-democracia/mario-soares/ Museu da Presidência da Republica pt Because of this rejection, Soares presented a motion of confidence to the Parliament, which he lost by a 59 vote margin.8 December 1977 Queda do I Governo Constitucional https://arquivos.rtp.pt/conteudos/queda-do-i-governo-constitucional/ RTP pt Consequently, Soares announced the dissolution of the government, which took effect on 23 January 1978. Notes References Category:1976 establishments in Portugal Category:1978 disestablishments in Portugal Category:Cabinets established in 1976 Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1978 Category:Constitutional Governments of Portugal