A presidential election was held in Portugal on 13 January 1991.
Incumbent president Mário Soares was eliglbe to run for a second consecutive term, and was a candidate for re-election. Soares was easily re-elected as head of state, achieving more than 70% of the votes, the highest percentage of votes ever recorded for a presidential candidate in Portuguese democracy. Mário Soares gained a majority of the votes in every district of the country, and in 295 out of the then 305 municipalities.
As the election of a center-left candidate was assured, other left-wing parties, the Portuguese Communist Party and the People's Democratic Union, presented their own candidates. The communists presented Carlos Carvalhas, who had been Assistant General Secretary of the Party a year before (Álvaro Cunhal was the secretary-general), which polled third with 13% of the votes. Carvalhas would later be elected secretary-general of the party in 1992. Mário Soares achieved the majority of the votes in every district of the country, and 295 of the then 305 municipalities. On the right, the Social Democratic Party supported Soares, while the Democratic and Social Centre supported the candidacy of Basílio Horta, who finished second with 14% of the votes. Voter turnout had a significant drop compared with the previous election, with 62% of voters casting a ballot. Soares was sworn in for a second term as President on 9 March 1991.
Background
Mário Soares was elected president, on the second round in February 1986, with 51% of the votes. Soares' first term was marked by the calm cohabitation with PSD prime minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva, with Soares rejecting an alternative PS-PCP-PRD government after the approval of a motion of no confidence against Cavaco's minority government in April 1987, and calling an election that would result in a landslide absolute majority for the PSD. Major economic and constitutional reforms, along with modernization driven by the arrival of European funds, and strong economic growth, also characterized Soares' first term as head of state.
Pre-campaign
In the follow-up for the presidential election, divisions on the right-wing emerged, mainly in the Democratic and Social Center (CDS), regarding a candidate to face Soares. Former party leader Francisco Lucas Pires considered a run, but withdrew during the summer of 1990 due to lack of support and Soares' strong popularity, while others, namely party leader and 1986 candidate, Diogo Freitas do Amaral, rejected a "rematch" against Soares. In the end, the party gave its support to the candidacy of Basílio Horta. On the Social Democrats (PSD), the issue of the presidential elections was not seen as very important, despite Madeiran president Alberto João Jardim proposing that the party abstained from supporting any candidate, being quite critical of Soares and with some even considering his name as a possible candidate. Former president António Ramalho Eanes, another strong critic of president Soares, also rejected any idea of running again for office, especially after leading his party, the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), to a massive defeat in the 1987 legislative election.
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
Decided not to run
- Adriano Moreira – former President of the Democratic and Social Centre (1986–1988);
- Alberto João Jardim – incumbent President of the Regional Government of Madeira (1976–2015);
- António Ramalho Eanes – former President of the Republic (1976–1986); former President of the Democratic Renewal Party (1986–1988);
- Diogo Freitas do Amaral – incumbent President of the Democratic and Social Centre (1988–1992; 1974–1983); candidate in the previous presidential election;
- Francisco Lucas Pires – former President of the Democratic and Social Centre (1983–1986);
- Hermínio Martinho – former President of the Democratic Renewal Party (1985–1986; 1988–1990);
- Nuno Krus Abecasis – former Mayor of Lisbon (1979–1989).
Campaign period
Issues
With forecasts suggesting an easy reelection for Soares, plus with Prime Minister Cavaco Silva's endorsement of the incumbent President's bid, the campaign was mostly stirred by the Macau Fax case. The case involved the then-governor of Macau, Carlos Melancia, a close friend of Mário Soares, who was accused of corruption and of receiving bribes to benefit a company in the construction of the territory's new airport, with copies of the faxes from the proceedings being leaked to the press. During a debate on RTP1, CDS candidate Basílio Horta used the case to attack Soares' integrity and accuse him of being involved, while Soares vehemently denied any involvement.
Opinion polls
Exit poll