1993 Portuguese local elections

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1993 Portuguese local elections
Flag of Portugal (official).svg
  1989 12 December 1993 1997  

All 305 Portuguese municipalities and 4,260 Portuguese Parishes
All 2,015 local government councils
Turnout63.4% Increase2.svg 2.5 pp
 First partySecond party
 
Antonio Guterres 18 Jan 1996.jpeg
Cavaco Silva 1988.png
Leader António Guterres Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Party PS PSD
Last election120 mayors, 36.8%114 mayors, 35.4%
Popular vote2,175,954 [1] 1,824,519
Percentage40.2%33.7%
SwingIncrease2.svg 3.4 pp Decrease2.svg 1.7 pp
Mayors127 [2] 116
Mayors +/–Increase2.svg 7Increase2.svg 2
Councillors822 [3] 806
Councillors +/–Increase2.svg 70Increase2.svg 13

 Third partyFourth party
 
Carlos Carvalhas no XIX Congresso do PCP (cropped).png
CDS
Leader Carlos Carvalhas Manuel Monteiro
Party PCP CDS
Alliance CDU
Last election50 mayors, 12.9%20 mayors, 9.1%
Popular vote689,923454,047
Percentage12.8%8.4%
SwingDecrease2.svg 0.1 pp Decrease2.svg 0.7 pp
Mayors4913
Mayors +/–Decrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 7
Councillors246135
Councillors +/–Decrease2.svg 7Decrease2.svg 44

Local elections were held in Portugal on 12 December 1993. The elections consisted of three separate elections in the 305 Portuguese municipalities, the election for the Municipal Chambers, another election for the Municipal Assembly and a last one for the lower-level Parish Assembly, whose winner is elected parish president. This last was held separately in the more than 4,200 parishes around the country.

Contents

The Socialist Party (PS) maintained and increased their status as the largest local party. The party won 7 more cities compared with 1989 and, for the first time ever, polled above 40 percent of the votes in an nationwide election. [4] The PS hold on the control of big cities like Lisbon, here with a record 57 percent of the votes, Porto and Coimbra, and were also able to win two big cities in the Lisbon area from the PSD, Cascais and Sintra. Note for the very narrow defeat of the PS, under the candidacy of future Prime Minister António Costa, in Loures. [5]

The Social Democratic Party (PSD), although winning 2 more cities compared with last time, saw the gap between them and the PS widen, but, at the same, were able to hold onto their ground. The party suffered some losses, like they did in 1989, in the big urban centers but were able to win some cities from the PS like Pombal and Ponta Delgada. The elections happened as Cavaco Silva's government celebrated 8 years in power, and, at the same time Portugal was exiting the early 1990s recession, which may have damaged, in some degree, the Social Democrats prospects in this election.

The Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU) was able to hold on to their 1989 scores losing just one city and 7 councillors. The coalition between the Communists and the Greens were able to hold on to their bastions of Beja, Évora and Almada. The share of the vote for the CDU was also unchanged compared with 1989.

The People's Party (CDS) was the big loser of the elections. The party lost 7 cities, most of them for the PSD and PS, achieving their worst results till that date as they only won 13 cities out of 305. The party lost many of their bastions like Mirandela or Paredes to the PS or the PSD. The party also achieved their worst share of vote till that time, 8.4 percent.

Turnout in these elections increased compared with the 1989 election, as 63.4 percent of the electorate cast a ballot, the best turnout showing since 1982.

Electoral system

All 305 municipalities are allocated a certain number of councilors to elect corresponding to the number of registered voters in a given municipality. Each party or coalition must present a list of candidates. The winner of the most voted list for the municipal council is automatically elected mayor, similar to first-past-the-post (FPTP). The lists are closed and the seats in each municipality are apportioned according to the D'Hondt method. [6]

Parties

The main political forces involved in the election were:

1 The PS formed a coalitions with CDS, CDU and UDP in several municipalities.

Results

Municipal Councils

National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the 12 December 1993 Municipal Councils elections results
Parties Votes%±pp swing CandidaciesCouncillorsMayors
Total±Total±
Socialist 1,953,27936.10Increase2.svg3.7796Increase2.svg68126Increase2.svg10
Social Democratic 1,824,51933.72Increase2.svg2.3806Increase2.svg26116Increase2.svg3
Democratic Unity Coalition 689,92312.75Decrease2.svg0.1246Decrease2.svg749Decrease2.svg1
People's 454,0478.39Decrease2.svg0.7135Decrease2.svg4413Decrease2.svg7
PS / CDU / UDP / PSR 200,8163.71Increase2.svg0.011Increase2.svg21Steady2.svg0
National Solidarity 28,7160.5330
Earth 23,2250.4320
Portuguese Workers' Communist 16,0900.30Decrease2.svg0.20Steady2.svg00Steady2.svg0
Socialist / People's 11,4350.21Decrease2.svg0.27Decrease2.svg80Decrease2.svg3
PS / CDU / UDP / PDA 10,2340.1940
People's Democratic Union 8,1610.15Decrease2.svg0.20Decrease2.svg40Decrease2.svg1
Democratic Renewal 1,4560.03Decrease2.svg0.80Decrease2.svg40Steady2.svg0
Portuguese Democratic Movement 1,3870.03Decrease2.svg0.21Steady2.svg00Steady2.svg0
Democratic Party of the Atlantic 2870.01Steady2.svg0.00Steady2.svg00Steady2.svg0
People's Monarchist 2690.00Decrease2.svg0.10Decrease2.svg10Steady2.svg0
Christian Democratic 2160.00Decrease2.svg0.10Decrease2.svg10Steady2.svg0
PS / CDU 1900.0040
Total valid5,223,67396.54Decrease2.svg0.02,015Increase2.svg13305Steady2.svg0
Blank ballots103,6861.92Increase2.svg0.1
Invalid ballots83,2511.54Decrease2.svg0.1
Total5,410,610100.00
Registered voters/turnout8,529,73763.43Increase2.svg2.5
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine

Municipality map

Most voted parties or coalitions in each Municipality. Municipalities won by:
# - PSD: 116
# - PS: 127
# - CDU: 49
# - CDS-PP: 13 Autarquicas portuguesas de 1993 (Mapa Camara).png
Most voted parties or coalitions in each Municipality. Municipalities won by:
- PSD: 116
- PS: 127
- CDU: 49
- CDS–PP: 13

City control

The following table lists party control in all district capitals, highlighted in bold, as well as in municipalities above 100,000 inhabitants. Population estimates from the 1991 Census. [7]

MunicipalityPopulationPrevious controlNew control
Almada 151,783 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Amadora 181,774 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Aveiro 66,444 CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP) CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP)
Barcelos 111,733 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Beja 35,827 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Braga 141,256 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Bragança 33,055 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Cascais 153,294 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Socialist Party (PS)
Castelo Branco 54,310 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Coimbra 139,052 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Évora 53,754 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Faro 50,761 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Funchal 115,403 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Gondomar 143,178 Socialist Party (PS) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Guarda 38,765 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Guimarães 157,589 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Leiria 102,762 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Lisbon 663,394 PS / CDU / UDP / PSR PS / CDU / UDP / PSR
Loures 322,158 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Matosinhos 151,682 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Oeiras 151,342 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Ponta Delgada 61,989 PS / CDS–PP Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Portalegre 26,111 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Porto 302,472 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Santarém 62,621 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Santa Maria da Feira 135,964 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Santo Tirso 102,593 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Seixal 116,912 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Setúbal 103,634 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Sintra 260,951 PSD / CDS–PP / PPM Socialist Party (PS)
Viana do Castelo 83,095 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Socialist Party (PS)
Vila Franca de Xira 103,571 Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU)
Vila Nova de Famalicão 114,338 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Vila Nova de Gaia 248,565 Socialist Party (PS) Socialist Party (PS)
Vila Real 46,300 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Viseu 83,601 Social Democratic Party (PSD) Social Democratic Party (PSD)

Municipal Assemblies

National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the 12 December 1993 Municipal Assemblies elections results
Parties Votes%±pp swing CandidaciesMandates
Total±
Socialist 1,930,81635.70Increase2.svg2.52,629Increase2.svg200
Social Democratic 1,829,08733.82Increase2.svg1.32,671Increase2.svg98
Democratic Unity Coalition 704,98013.04Decrease2.svg0.8803Decrease2.svg46
People's 445,0658.23Decrease2.svg1.1556Decrease2.svg156
PS / CDU / UDP / PSR 194,5013.60Decrease2.svg0.232Decrease2.svg9
National Solidarity 23,2600.4316
Earth 22,6530.4211
Portuguese Workers' Communist 12,0630.22Decrease2.svg0.01Increase2.svg1
Socialist / People's 11,9050.22Decrease2.svg0.524Decrease2.svg17
People's Democratic Union 11,0090.20Decrease2.svg0.22Decrease2.svg12
PS / CDU / UDP / PDA 9,9580.1811
Revolutionary Socialist 9,7330.180
People's Monarchist 3,4940.06Increase2.svg0.10Decrease2.svg2
Democratic Renewal 1,4760.03Decrease2.svg0.92Decrease2.svg24
Portuguese Democratic Movement 1,3400.02Decrease2.svg0.24Decrease2.svg2
PS / CDU 960.007
Total valid5,211,43696.36Decrease2.svg0.16,769Increase2.svg16
Blank ballots111,8342.07Decrease2.svg0.0
Invalid ballots85,0421.57Decrease2.svg0.1
Total5,408,312100.00
Registered voters/turnout8,530,29763.40Increase2.svg3.6
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine

Parish Assemblies

National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the 12 December 1993 Parish Assemblies elections results
Parties Votes%±pp swing CandidaciesMandatesPresidents
Total±Total±
Socialist 1,860,18834.53Increase2.svg2.312,312Increase2.svg1,124
Social Democratic 1,810,84133.62Increase2.svg0.713,679Increase2.svg442
Democratic Unity Coalition 714,00113.26Decrease2.svg0.82,747Decrease2.svg177
People's 418,9987.78Decrease2.svg0.62,719Decrease2.svg725
PS / CDU / UDP / PSR 199,2753.70Decrease2.svg0.2447Increase2.svg55
Independents123,3512.29Increase2.svg0.41,234Increase2.svg225
National Solidarity 21,4620.4055
Earth 12,4900.2338
Socialist / People's 11,9130.22Decrease2.svg0.5124Decrease2.svg57
PS / CDU / UDP / PDA 10,5930.2080
People's Democratic Union 7,6390.14Decrease2.svg0.42Decrease2.svg28
Portuguese Workers' Communist 3,8200.07Decrease2.svg0.01Increase2.svg1
Democratic Renewal 1,5250.03Decrease2.svg0.610Decrease2.svg48
Portuguese Democratic Movement 1,1630.02Decrease2.svg0.28Decrease2.svg5
People's Monarchist 3060.01Decrease2.svg0.02Decrease2.svg7
Left Revolutionary Front 770.000
Total valid5,197,64296.49Increase2.svg0.133,458Increase2.svg458
Blank ballots99,5181.85Steady2.svg0.0
Invalid ballots89,4901.66Decrease2.svg0.1
Total5,386,650100.00
Registered voters/turnout8,530,29763.15Increase2.svg7.9
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Archived 2019-10-06 at the Wayback Machine

See also

References

  1. Sum of votes between PS-only lists and lists with other parties.
  2. Number of municipalities won between PS-only lists and lists with other parties. PS-only lists: 126; PS-coalition lists: 1.
  3. Sum of councillors between PS-only lists and lists with other parties.
  4. "As cores políticas que pintam o mapa do poder local de 1976 a 2013". Jornal de Negócios (in Portuguese). 2017.
  5. "Quando o burro de Costa ganhou ao ferrari mas costa perdeu, Salvou se o casaco". Público (in Portuguese). 3 November 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  6. Eleição dos titulares dos órgãos das autarquias locais. Diário da República (in Portuguese.) Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  7. "Instituto Nacional de Estatística (Recenseamentos Gerais da População)". www.ine.pt (in Portuguese). Statistics Portugal . Retrieved 17 July 2021.