International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine

No absolute majority for the SP, the right suffers an historic defeat

Alda Sousa, Luis Branco — 2019-10-12T15:33:45Z

The 6 October general election saw the left increase its parliamentary majority thanks to the increase in votes for the PS (Socialist Party). However the latter did not achieve its objective of a working parliamentary majority on its own. The Bloco de Esquerda (BE – Left Bloc) consolidated its position as the third national political force.

- IV537 - October 2019 / Portugal

Local elections sharpen defeat for the right

Luis Branco — 2017-10-13T04:59:24Z

In the local elections on 1 October Portugal's ruling Socialist Party won 38 per cent of the vote. The major rightwing opposition party, the PSD only won 16 per cent and lost control of 8 cities. Abstention was 45 per cent.

- IV513 - October 2017 / Portugal

The loss of the rightwing majority and the rise of the Left Bloc

Luis Branco — 2015-10-05T15:37:07Z

The Portuguese right wing coalition has lost its absolute majority in parliament, but remains the main political force in Sunday's election. The Left Bloc made a spectacular comeback with the best result ever, almost doubling its voters and more than doubling the number of elected MPs.

- IV489 - October 2015 / Portugal

Government defeat and high abstention in Portuguese municipal elections

Luis Branco — 2013-10-01T17:24:31Z

The September 29th municipal elections in Portugal gave another sign of popular opposition to the troika's austerity policies in Portugal. Only three weeks ahead of the presentation of the state Budget, that will bring more cuts in wages and retirement pensions above 600 euros, these local elections were a good opportunity for a strong rejection of the government parties. And that opportunity was seized, starting in the biggest cities - Porto, Gaia, Sintra, Coimbra, where the old PSD mayors were replaced by new ones from the Socialist Party or "independent" citizens' lists in conflict with the ruling PSD.

- IV465 - October 2013 / Portugal

Mass demonstration against austerity

Luis Branco — 2013-03-03T20:47:27Z

The demonstration "Screw the Troika! Power to the People!" gathered 1.5 million people in dozens of Portuguese cities on 2 March. The main demand was the resignation of the Government and the immediate halt of the austerity measures that drove Portugal into a deep recession.

- IV458 - March 2013

One of the biggest strikes ever

Luis Branco — 2012-11-20T09:46:47Z

The week of struggles in Portugal began on November 12th, with the arrival of Angela Merkel in Lisbon. Two demonstrations in Lisbon - one organized by the CGTP trade union confederation and another by the movements that organized the civic demonstration on September 15 – brought together thousands of people to protest against the austerity programme and debt dictatorship that is sinking the country in recession.

- IV454 - November 2012 / Portugal, European Union

The Portuguese people are not standing for it

Jorge Costa , Luis Branco — 2012-04-04T15:09:51Z

The general strike on March 22 in Portugal reinforced the struggle against the Troika and the right-wing PSD-CDS government.
On March 22, Portuguese workers were called out in the first general strike of the year. Contrary to the previous one, last November, the strike was called only by the CGTP trade union confederation (close to the Communist Party), the UGT (close to the Socialist Party) having this time decided not to support it. The leadership of the UGT thus signed an agreement with the right-wing government and the employers, involving new attacks against wages and social rights. In disagreement with this orientation, nearly twenty trade unions affiliated to the UGT nevertheless called on workers to take part in the strike.

- IV447 - April 2012 / Portugal, Trade unions/workplace organizing, European Union

The biggest general strike ever

Luis Branco — 2010-11-29T13:22:33Z

November 24th was a great day for the Portuguese workers' movement in mobilizing against austerity and social cuts. The first general strike organized by both trade unions (CGTP and UGT) since 1988 mobilized more than 3 million workers. The transportation sector gave the example with closed seaports, no air traffic and massive participation in the public and private transport companies, in all major cities and across the whole country. In Autoeuropa (Ford/Volkswagen, the biggest factory in the country), not one car was built in that day, despite of these workers had previously achieved a company agreement for 2011 of 3,9% salary raise, no firing and integration of workers without contract.

- IV430 - November 2010 / Portugal

Municipal elections open political crisis

Luis Branco — 2002-03-07T00:00:00Z

Contrary to the predictions of the polls, the Socialist Party (PS) suffered defeats in all the most important towns, including Lisbon and Porto, in the Portuguese municipal elections on December 16, 2001 while the Social Democratic Party (despite its name, a bourgeois party) won the majority of municipalities.

- IV338 - March 2002 / Portugal

After the presidential elections

Luis Branco — 2001-04-03T00:00:00Z

The erosion of Portugal's Socialist government is accelerating. At the beginning of March, the tragic collapse of the bridge at Entre-os-Rios, in the north of the country, led to 70 deaths and to the fall of Jorge Coelho, minister for infrastructure and strongman of the Socialist Party (PS) apparatus.

- IV330 - April 2001 / Portugal