1986 Portuguese presidential election

1986 Portuguese presidential election

←  1980 26 January 1986 (first round) 16 February 1986 (second round) 1991  →
Turnout	75.39% (first round) 9.00pp 77.99% (second round)
Candidate Mário Soares Diogo Freitas do Amaral Party PS CDS Supported by: PSD PDC Popular vote 3,010,756 2,872,064 Percentage 51.18% 48.82%
First round results by district First round results by municipality Second round results by district Second round results by municipality Soares   30-40%   40-50%   50-60%   60-70%   70-80%   80-90% Amaral   30-40%   40-50%   50-60%   60-70%   70-80%   80-90%   >90% Zenha   30-40%   40-50%   50-60%   60-70%
President before election António Ramalho Eanes Independent Elected President Mário Soares PS

Presidential elections were held in Portugal on 26 January 1986, with a second round on 16 February.

This was closest presidential election ever held in Portugal and was won by the Socialist Mário Soares, who initially had no more than 5 percent at opinion polls.

The first round was easily won by Freitas do Amaral, supported by all the right-wing parties, while Soares defeated the other two left-wing candidates, the former Prime-Minister Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo –the first woman to be a candidate to the Portuguese presidency – and Salgado Zenha (supported by outgoing president António Ramalho Eanes, founder of the short-lived Democratic Renewal Party, and by the Portuguese Communist Party, whose candidate, Ângelo Veloso, left the race some days before the poll). Both these candidates supported Soares in the second round.

In the first round, Soares did not achieve the majority of the voting in any district, as the left-wing strongholds in the south of Portugal voted for Zenha due to his support by the Communist Party.

As results for the second round were counted, the urban vote, traditionally more left-wing, overcame the early lead of Freitas do Amaral by less than 140,000 votes, and Soares became president on 9 March 1986, the first civilian to hold the post (not counting caretakers) in 60 years.

As of 2021 ^[update] , this was the only time a Portuguese presidential election was taken into a second round.

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

Official candidates

• Diogo Freitas do Amaral , Interim Prime Minister between December 1980 and January 1981, leader of the Democratic and Social Centre between 1974 and 1983, supported by the Democratic and Social Centre and the Social Democratic Party;
• Mário Soares , former Prime Minister between 1976-1978 and 1983-1985, leader of the Socialist Party between 1973 and 1985, supported by the Socialist Party;
• Francisco Salgado Zenha , former Minister of Justice in Vasco Gonçalves governments, supported by the Portuguese Communist Party and Democratic Renewal Party;
• Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo , Independent candidate, former Prime Minister between 1979 and 1980;
• Ângelo Veloso , Official candidate of the Portuguese Communist Party, Left the race to support Salgado Zenha;

Unsuccessful candidacies

There were also three candidates rejected by the Portuguese Constitutional Court for not complying with the legal requirements, those were:

• Carmelinda Pereira ;
• Luís Carlos Franco;
• Álvaro Manuel Nunes;

Campaign period

Party slogans

Candidate		Original slogan	English translation	Refs
	Mário Soares	« O voto do Povo » « Soares é fixe »	"The vote of the People" "Soares is cool"	[1]
	Diogo Freitas do Amaral	« Está na hora! » « Prá Frente Portugal! »	"It's time!" "Go Forward Portugal!"	[2]
	Francisco Salgado Zenha	« Justiça e tolerancia, confiança no futuro »	"Justice and tolerance, confidence in the future"	[3]
	Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo	« A coragem da decisão »	"The courage of the decision"	[4]

Candidates' debates

First round

1986 Portuguese presidential election debates
Date	Organisers	Moderator(s)	P Present   A Absent invitee N Non-invitee
			Soares	Freitas	Zenha	Pintasilgo	Refs
17 Dec 1985	RTP1	Margarida Marante	N	P	P	N	[5]
19 Dec 1985	RTP1	Miguel Sousa Tavares	P	N	N	P	[6]
26 Dec 1985	RTP1	Miguel Sousa Tavares	N	P	N	P	[7]
2 Jan 1986	RTP1	Miguel Sousa Tavares	P	N	P	N	[8]
7 Jan 1986	RTP1	Margarida Marante	N	N	P	P	[9]
9 Jan 1986	RTP1	Miguel Sousa Tavares	P	P	N	N	[10]

Second round

1986 Portuguese presidential election debates
Date	Organisers	Moderator(s)	P Present   A Absent invitee N Non-invitee
			Soares	Freitas	Refs
6 Feb 1986	RTP1	Margarida Marante Miguel Sousa Tavares	P	P	[11]

Opinion polls

First round

  Exit poll

Polling firm	Date conducted	Sample size					Oth/ Und	Lead
			Freitas CDS, PSD	Soares PS	Zenha Ind supported by PRD, PCP [12]	Pintasilgo Ind supported by UDP [13]
Election results	26 Jan 1986	—	46.3	25.4	20.9	7.4	—	20.9
RTP	26 Jan 1986	—	43–46	24–27	18–21	9–12	—	19
Norma	30 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986	800	41.8	21.8	14.1	18.3	4.0 [14]	20.0
ZAP	28–29 Dec 1985	830	42.3	17.7	23.3	16.7	—	19.0
Euroexpansão	27 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986	2,237	42.5	21.5	15.0	21.0	—	21.0
Norma	19–23 Dec 1985	607	31.2	12.1	10.8	22.4	23.2	8.8
Norma	23 Nov 1985	?	38.7	8.3	16.3	22.8	13.9	15.9
Marktest	26–27 Oct 1985	430	29	17	—	24	30 [15]	5
Norma	9–17 Oct 1985	604	22.8	19.6	—	35.7	21.9 [16]	12.9
Norma	10–16 May 1985	598	33.4	12.9	—	24.1	29.7	9.3
Norma	Apr 1985	?	—	13.6	—	25.5	60.9 [17]	11.9
			—	13.8	—	25.4	60.8 [18]	11.6
Marktest	1–6 Feb 1985	?	11	8	—	27	54	16
Norma	14–21 Jan 1985	?	—	11.1	1.7	25.0	62.6 [19]	11.1
			—	9.9	3.7	26.4	60.0 [20]	13.2
Norma	13–21 Dec 1984	?	—	16.5	—	26.8	56.7 [21]	10.3
			—	17.2	—	25.7	57.0 [22]	8.5
Marktest	9–12 Nov 1984	?	—	13.0	—	23.6	63.4	10.6
Norma	Nov 1984	?	—	12.4	—	22.5	65.1 [23]	7.3
			—	12.0	—	22.5	65.5 [24]	10.5
Euroexpansão	19–25 Oct 1984	816	9.4	14.6	2.6	21.5	51.9 [25]	6.9
Norma	4–15 Oct 1984	?	—	14.4	—	15.4	70.2 [26]	1.0
Marktest	Oct 1984	?	12	13	1	21	53 [27]	8
Marktest	Sep 1984	?	10	13	2	20	55 [28]	7
Norma	27 Aug–3 Sep 1984	605	—	8.2	—	18.0	73.8 [29]	9.8
Marktest	Aug 1984	?	11	11	3	19	56 [30]	8
Norma	Jul 1984	?	—	10.3	—	22.3	67.4 [31]	12.0
Marktest	Jul 1984	?	13	12	3	23	49 [32]	10
Norma	Jun 1984	?	—	12.4	—	22.0	65.6 [33]	9.6
Marktest	8–15 Jun 1984	?	13	11	2	24	50 [34]	11
Norma	May 1984	?	—	13.8	—	26.2	60.0 [35]	12.4
Marktest	Mar 1984	?	12	10	—	20	42	8
Marktest	4–7 Feb 1984	?	10.5	12.8	—	16.9	59.8	4.1
Damião de Gois	Dec 1983–Feb 1984	?	13.8	12.6	—	22.2	51.4	8.4
Marktest	Jan 1984	?	10.5	12.8	—	16.9	59.8	4.1

Second round

  Exit poll

Polling firm	Date conducted	Sample size			Lead
			Freitas CDS, PSD	Soares PS
Election results	16 Feb 1986	—	48.8	51.2	2.4
Ministry of Justice	16 Feb 1986	—	48.7	51.3	2.6
RTP	16 Feb 1986	—	48–50	50–52	2
Norma	1 Feb 1986	?	52.6	47.4	5.2
ZAP	28–29 Dec 1985	830	60.3	39.7	20.6
Euroexpansão	27 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986	2,237	58.8	41.2	17.6
Norma [a]	19–23 Dec 1985	607	58.7	41.3	17.4
Norma [b]	10–16 May 1985	598	66.7	33.3	33.4
Norma [c]	Apr 1985	?	50.9	49.1	1.8

Hypothetical polling

Polling firm	Date conducted	Sample size	Mário Soares	Freitas do Amaral	Salgado Zenha	Lourdes Pintasilgo	Alberto João Jardim	Firmino Miguel	Lucas Pires	Oth/ Und	Lead
			PS	CDS	Ind.	Ind.	PSD	Ind.	CDS
ZAP	28–29 Dec 1985	830	—	54.4	45.6	—	—	—	—	—	8.8
			—	55.1	—	44.9	—	—	—	—	10.2
Euroexpansão	27 Dec 1985–5 Jan 1986	2,237	57.8	—	42.2	—	—	—	—	—	15.6
			52.7	—	—	47.3	—	—	—	—	5.4
			—	59.9	40.1	—	—	—	—	—	19.8
			—	52.7	—	47.3	—	—	—	—	5.4
			—	—	44.3	55.7	—	—	—	—	11.4
Norma	19–23 Dec 1985	607	31.7	—	28.8	—	—	—	—	39.5	2.9
			30.2	—	—	38.3	—	—	—	31.5	8.1
			—	44.1	30.2	—	—	—	—	25.7	13.9
			—	40.4	—	39.4	—	—	—	20.2	1.0
			—	—	18.4	37.5	—	—	—	44.1	19.1
Marktest	26–27 Oct 1985	430	—	35	—	39	—	—	—	26	4
Norma	9–17 Oct 1985	604	26.7	—	—	44.3	—	—	—	29.0	17.6
			—	27.1	—	48.6	—	—	—	24.3	21.5
Norma	10–16 May 1985	598	31.6	—	—	31.7	—	—	—	36.7	0.1
			—	41.2	—	33.6	—	—	—	25.2	7.6
Norma	Apr 1985	?	21.1	—	—	31.0	—	—	—	47.9	9.9
			23.2	—	—	—	23.6	—	—	53.2	0.4
			21.2	—	—	—	—	17.8	—	61.0	3.4
Euroexpansão	19–25 Oct 1984	816	34.0	—	23.6	—	—	—	—	42.4	10.4
			27.9	—	—	—	—	—	31.8	40.3	3.9
Marktest	8–15 Jun 1984	?	—	35	—	43	—	—	—	22	8
Marktest	Mar 1984	?	—	24	—	45	—	—	—	31	21

Results

National summary

Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Diogo Freitas do Amaral	CDS, PPD/PSD, PDC	2,629,597	46.31	2,872,064	48.82
	Mário Soares	PS	1,443,683	25.43	3,010,756	51.18
	Francisco Salgado Zenha	Independent supported by PRD, PCP	1,185,867	20.88
	Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo	Independent supported by UDP	418,961	7.38
Total			5,678,108	100.00	5,882,820	100.00
Valid votes			5,678,108	98.87	5,882,820	99.09
Invalid votes			18,292	0.32	20,436	0.34
Blank votes			46,334	0.81	33,844	0.57
Total votes			5,742,734	100.00	5,937,100	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			7,617,257	75.39	7,612,633	77.99
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições, First round [36] Second round [37]

Results by district

First round

District		Freitas		Soares		Zenha		Pintasilgo		Turnout
		Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%
	Aveiro	200,008	57.00%	102,684	29.26%	30,868	8.80%	17,345	4.94%	76.06%
	Azores	61,274	58.57%	32,841	26.23%	8,235	6.94%	4,586	3.87%	61.50%
	Beja	22,648	21.30%	19,347	18.19%	58,233	54.76%	6,117	5.75%	71.58%
	Braga	206,747	52.74%	112,263	28.64%	52,751	13.46%	20,218	5.16%	78.95%
	Bragança	60,868	66.02%	22,972	24.92%	6,125	6.64%	2,234	2.42%	66.29%
	Castelo Branco	72,295	53.00%	31,812	23.32%	24,671	18.09%	7,638	5.60%	72.77%
	Coimbra	113,913	46.12%	78,894	32.23%	33,429	13.66%	19,570	7.99%	71.39%
	Évora	31,613	27.71%	15,734	13.79%	60,061	52.65%	6,665	5.84%	78.88%
	Faro	77,570	40.57%	51,410	26.89%	48,564	25.40%	13.644	7.14%	73.25%
	Guarda	71,902	62.94%	29,625	25.93%	9,007	7.88%	3,704	3.24%	69.85%
	Leiria	145,554	60.26%	55,653	23.04%	26,816	11.10%	13,525	5.60%	74.48%
	Lisbon	512,158	39.91%	296,395	23.09%	338,470	26.37%	136,397	10.63%	78.45%
	Madeira	74,688	62.96%	31,123	26.23%	8,235	6.94%	4,586	3.87%	69.34%
	Portalegre	28,961	32.42%	22,024	24.66%	33,137	37.10%	5,196	5.82%	78.05%
	Porto	413,407	45.17%	284,250	31.06%	152,919	16.71%	64,566	7.06%	79.05%
	Santarém	117,657	43.10%	61,661	22.59%	68,133	24.96%	25,522	9.35%	75.99%
	Setúbal	104,122	25.23%	72,116	17.47%	187,907	45.53%	48,600	11.77%	79.07%
	Viana do Castelo	81,815	58.92%	32,869	23.64%	14,702	10.59%	9,506	6.85%	72.01%
	Vila Real	84,459	63.73%	35,050	26.45%	9,362	7.06%	3,655	2.76%	68.59%
	Viseu	147,519	66.20%	54,344	24.39%	14,378	6.45%	6,584	2.95%	70.18%
Source: SGMAI Presidential Election Results

Second round

District		Soares		Freitas		Turnout
		Votes	%	Votes	%
	Aveiro	152,472	41.21%	217,352	58.79%	79.95%
	Azores	44,464	40.55%	65,177	59.45%	79.95%
	Beja	82,278	75.98%	26,015	24.02%	72.76%
	Braga	190,746	46.42%	220,150	53.58%	82.77%
	Bragança	32,196	32.28%	67,531	67.72%	72.40%
	Castelo Branco	65,986	45.66%	78,534	54.34%	76.37%
	Coimbra	137,735	52.79%	123,192	47.21%	76.01%
	Évora	79,552	69.49%	34,920	30.51%	79.37%
	Faro	113,089	56.81%	85,961	43.19%	75.50%
	Guarda	44,187	36.10%	78,217	63.90%	74.93%
	Leiria	94,791	37.29%	159,401	62.71%	78.16%
	Lisbon	736,144	56.74%	561,189	43.26%	79.26%
	Madeira	47,776	37.31%	80,290	62.69%	74.22%
	Portalegre	59,550	65.25%	31,712	34.75%	79.68%
	Porto	510,335	53.53%	443,050	46.47%	82.24%
	Santarém	153,084	54.33%	128,675	45.67%	77.95%
	Setúbal	289,199	70.88%	118,790	29.12%	78.44%
	Viana do Castelo	56,176	38.41%	90,094	61.59%	75.33%
	Vila Real	49,210	34.72%	92,505	65.28%	73.05%
	Viseu	76,380	32.07%	161,793	67.93%	75.15%
Source: SGMAI Presidential Election Results

Maps

• 
  Most voted candidate by district - 1st Round.
• 
  Most voted candidate by district - 2nd Round.
• 
  Strongest candidate by municipality - 1st Round.
• 
  Strongest candidate by municipality - 2nd Round.

Notes

1. Results presented here exclude undecideds (31.2%). With their inclusion results are: Freitas do Amaral: 40.4%; Mário Soares: 28.4%;
2. Results presented here exclude undecideds (37.0%). With their inclusion results are: Freitas do Amaral: 42.0%; Mário Soares: 21.0%;
3. Results presented here exclude undecideds (54.2%). With their inclusion results are: Freitas do Amaral: 23.3%; Mário Soares: 22.5%;

References

1. "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
2. "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
3. "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
4. "Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
5. "Primeiro frente a frente entre Zenha Freitas". Diário de Lisboa (in Portuguese). 18 December 1985. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
6. "Programação RTP". Diário de Lisboa (in Portuguese). 19 December 1985. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
7. "Programação RTP". Diário de Lisboa (in Portuguese). 26 December 1985. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
8. "Nenhum foi surpreendido". Diário de Lisboa (in Portuguese). 3 January 1986. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
9. "Programação RTP". Diário de Lisboa (in Portuguese). 7 January 1986. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
10. "Programação RTP". Diário de Lisboa (in Portuguese). 9 January 1986. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
11. "Os debates". Comunicar Política (in Portuguese). 18 February 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
12. "Presidenciais 86: Debate Mário Soares vs Salgado Zenha – Parte I". RTP.
13. "Carta sobre o interesse da União Democrática Popular (UDP) na vitória presidencial de Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, oferecendo o seu esforço e colaboração para ampliar a sua candidatura presidencial" (PDF). arquivopintasilgo.pt.
14. Ângelo Veloso (PCP): 4.0%
15. Manuel Costa Brás (Ind.): 2%; Others/Undecided: 28%
16. Candidate supported by Eanes: 2.8%; Others/Undecided: 19.1%
17. Alberto João Jardim (PSD): 13.0%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 9.2%; Others/Undecided: 38.7%
18. Francisco Lucas Pires (CDS): 10.6%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 10.5%; Adelino da Palma Carlos (Ind.): 3.6%; Others/Undecided: 36.1%
19. Francisco Lucas Pires (CDS): 13.9%; Francisco Pinto Balsemão (PSD): 3.3%; Others/Undecided: 45.1%
20. Alberto João Jardim (PSD): 13.2%; Others/Undecided: 46.8%
21. Alberto João Jardim (PSD): 13.2%; Álvaro Cunhal (PCP): 3.4%; Others/Undecided: 40.1%
22. Francisco Pinto Balsemão (PSD): 7.1%; Francisco Lucas Pires (CDS): 5.4%; Álvaro Cunhal (PCP): 3.9%; Others/Undecided: 40.6%
23. Alberto João Jardim (PSD): 15.2%; Álvaro Cunhal (PCP): 7.4%; Others/Undecided: 42.5%
24. Álvaro Cunhal (PCP): 7.7%; Francisco Lucas Pires (CDS): 7.2%; Francisco Pinto Balsemão (PSD): 4.2%; Others/Undecided: 39.2%
25. Alberto João Jardim (PSD): 6.8%; Francisco Lucas Pires (CDS): 6.6%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 6.0%; Francisco Pinto Balsemão (PSD): 4.2%; Carlos Brito (PCP): 2.9%; Others/Undecided: 25.4%
26. Francisco Lucas Pires (CDS): 9.8%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 6.7%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 4.6%; Alberto Franco Nogueira (Ind.): 2.2%; Manuel Costa Braz (Ind.): 1.5%; Others/Undecided: 45.7%
27. João Bosco Mota Amaral (PSD): 9%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 7%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 3%; Amadeu Garcia dos Santos (Ind.): 1%; Vasco Almeida e Costa (Ind.): 0%; Others/Undecided: 33%
28. João Bosco Mota Amaral (PSD): 9%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 5%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 3%; Amadeu Garcia dos Santos (Ind.): 1%; Vasco Almeida e Costa (Ind.): 0%; Others/Undecided: 39%
29. Francisco Lucas Pires (CDS): 6.2%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 5.4%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 5.1%; Manuel Costa Braz (Ind.): 0.7%; Others/Undecided: 56.3%
30. João Bosco Mota Amaral (PSD): 10%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 4%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 2%; Amadeu Garcia dos Santos (Ind.): 1%; Vasco Almeida e Costa (Ind.): 0%; Others/Undecided: 38%
31. Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 4.4%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 3.4%; Others/Undecided: 49.7%
32. João Bosco Mota Amaral (PSD): 10%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 4%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 1%; Amadeu Garcia dos Santos (Ind.): 1%; Vasco Almeida e Costa (Ind.): 0%; Others/Undecided: 32%
33. Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 8.7%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 5.8%; Manuel Costa Braz (Ind.): 1.0%; Others/Undecided: 36.0%
34. João Bosco Mota Amaral (PSD): 11%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 4%; Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 2%; Amadeu Garcia dos Santos (Ind.): 1%; Vasco Almeida e Costa (Ind.): 0%; Others/Undecided: 33%
35. Carlos Mota Pinto (PSD): 8.2%; Mário Firmino Miguel (Ind.): 1.3%; Others/Undecided: 34.0%
36. "Mapa oficial. D.R. n.º 37, Série I de 1986-02-14" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Diário da República. 14 February 1986. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
37. "Mapa oficial. D.R. n.º 55, Série I de 1983-05-26" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Diário da República. 7 March 1986. Retrieved 22 June 2025.

• "CNE Resultados". Comissão Nacional de Eleições. Archived from the original on 8 April 2005. Retrieved 17 May 2005.
• "Centro de Estudos do Pensamento Político". Archived from the original on 2006-08-18. Retrieved 17 May 2005.

External links

• Portuguese Electoral Commission