Democratic Renovator Party
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Renewal Party was a Portuguese
political party, founded in 1985 with the political support of the until-then-independent President of the Republic
, Ramalho Eanes. At the time of its foundation, it was meant to "moralize Portuguese political life" and the party positioned itself in the political centre. Its first leader was Hermínio Martinho.
A short time after its foundation, the PRD profited by the dissolution of the Portuguese parliament, occupied at the time by a grand coalition between the Socialist Party
and the Social Democratic Party
(from both of which it included dissidents: José Medeiros Ferreira, both former foreign Minister in a Mário Soares government and supporter of the AD
as a dissident, on the Socialist side and Joaquim Magalhães Mota
, co-founder of the Social Democrats, on the Social Democratic side, for example). Due to a disastrous economic policy, Ramalho Eanes dissolved parliament and called a new election
where the newly founded PRD surprisingly won 18% of the vote and got 45 MPs. The election did not give the majority of the seats to any party, so the party with the most votes, the Social Democratic Party, formed a minority government with PRD tactical support, sending the former partners, the Socialists, into opposition.
In the local elections of 1985
, however, the party began to have difficulties, achieving only 5% of the voting and few seats. In the following presidential election, in 1986
, the party supported Salgado Zenha
along with the Portuguese Communist Party
, but its candidate did not manage to reach the second round.
In 1987, the party made a decision that would lead to its dissolution, supporting a motion of no-confidence, along with the Communists and the Socialists, that led to the fall of the first government of Aníbal Cavaco Silva
, elected in 1985. In the subsequent legislative election
, the party lost most of its support, almost disappearing from parliament, losing 38 of its 45 MPs. Meanwhile, Ramalho Eanes had replaced Hermínio Martinho as leader of the party, a post he too left after the electoral disaster.
In the European Parliament election of 1989
, the party made a pact with the Socialist Party and elected one MEP from the Socialist lists, Pedro Canavarro. In the legislative election of 1991
, the party, at the time led by Canavarro, lost all of its parliamentary representation and never regained it, nor reached its previous position. Canavarro left the leadership of the party and was replaced by Manuel Vargas Loureiro, who led it until its extinction, decided by its own remaining members in the late 1990s.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
political party, founded in 1985 with the political support of the until-then-independent President of the Republic
President of the Republic
The President of the Republic is a title used for heads of government or heads of state in some republics:*President of Argentina, the Presidente de la República Argentina* President of Brazil, the Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil...
, Ramalho Eanes. At the time of its foundation, it was meant to "moralize Portuguese political life" and the party positioned itself in the political centre. Its first leader was Hermínio Martinho.
A short time after its foundation, the PRD profited by the dissolution of the Portuguese parliament, occupied at the time by a grand coalition between the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Portugal)
The Socialist Party , abbreviated to PS, is a social-democratic political party in Portugal. It was founded on 19 April 1973 in the German city of Bad Münstereifel, by militants from Portuguese Socialist Action ....
and the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party...
(from both of which it included dissidents: José Medeiros Ferreira, both former foreign Minister in a Mário Soares government and supporter of the AD
Democratic Alliance (Portugal)
The Democratic Alliance was a coalition in Portugal between the Social Democratic Party , the Democratic Social Center and the People's Monarchist Party , including also a group of...
as a dissident, on the Socialist side and Joaquim Magalhães Mota
Joaquim Magalhães Mota
Joaquim Jorge de Magalhães Saraiva da Mota , was a Portuguese lawyer and politician.-Background:...
, co-founder of the Social Democrats, on the Social Democratic side, for example). Due to a disastrous economic policy, Ramalho Eanes dissolved parliament and called a new election
Portuguese legislative election, 1985
The Portuguese legislative election of 1985 took place on October 6. In June of the same year, the former Prime-Minister, Mário Soares, had resigned from the job due to the lack of parliamentary support, the government was composed by a coalition of the two major parties, the center-right Social...
where the newly founded PRD surprisingly won 18% of the vote and got 45 MPs. The election did not give the majority of the seats to any party, so the party with the most votes, the Social Democratic Party, formed a minority government with PRD tactical support, sending the former partners, the Socialists, into opposition.
In the local elections of 1985
Portuguese local election, 1985
The Portuguese local election of 1985 took place on December 15. This was the fourth local election in Portugal since the democratic revolution of 1974 introduced the concept of democratic local power....
, however, the party began to have difficulties, achieving only 5% of the voting and few seats. In the following presidential election, in 1986
Portuguese presidential election, 1986
The Portuguese presidential election of 1986 was held on January 26, the second round took place on February 16.This was closest presidential election ever held in Portugal and was won by the Socialist Mário Soares, who initially had no more than 5% at opinion polls.In first round was easily won by...
, the party supported Salgado Zenha
Salgado Zenha
Francisco Salgado Zenha, GCL was a Portuguese left-wing politician and lawyer.As a student at the University of Coimbra, he was elected president of the Academic Association of Coimbra, being dismissed some months after because he refused to participate in a demonstration of support to the Estado...
along with the Portuguese Communist Party
Portuguese Communist Party
The Portuguese Communist Party is a major left-wing political party in Portugal. It is a Marxist-Leninist party, and its organization is based upon democratic centralism. The party also considers itself to be patriotic and internationalist....
, but its candidate did not manage to reach the second round.
In 1987, the party made a decision that would lead to its dissolution, supporting a motion of no-confidence, along with the Communists and the Socialists, that led to the fall of the first government of Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC , is the President of Portugal. He won the Portuguese presidential election on 22 January 2006 and was re-elected on 23 January 2011, for a second five-year term. Cavaco Silva was sworn in on 9 March 2006....
, elected in 1985. In the subsequent legislative election
Portuguese legislative election, 1987
The Portuguese legislative election of 1987 took place on July 19. In the last election, in 1985, the Social Democratic Party had achieved a relative majority, thing that made its government very weak, managing to survive in coalition with the Democratic Social Center and the Democratic Renovator...
, the party lost most of its support, almost disappearing from parliament, losing 38 of its 45 MPs. Meanwhile, Ramalho Eanes had replaced Hermínio Martinho as leader of the party, a post he too left after the electoral disaster.
In the European Parliament election of 1989
European Parliament election, 1989 (Portugal)
The European Parliament election of 1989 in Portugal was the election of MEP representing Portugal constituency for the 1989-1994 term of the European Parliament. It was part of the wider 1989 European election...
, the party made a pact with the Socialist Party and elected one MEP from the Socialist lists, Pedro Canavarro. In the legislative election of 1991
Portuguese legislative election, 1991
The Portuguese legislative election of 1991 took place on October 6. The Social Democratic Party, under the lead of Cavaco Silva, won a historic third term and won with an absolute majority for the second consecutive turn, achieving a higher share than in the previous election, losing, however, 13...
, the party, at the time led by Canavarro, lost all of its parliamentary representation and never regained it, nor reached its previous position. Canavarro left the leadership of the party and was replaced by Manuel Vargas Loureiro, who led it until its extinction, decided by its own remaining members in the late 1990s.