1998 Portuguese regionalisation referendum

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A referendum on creating administrative regions was held in Portugal on 8 November 1998. [1] Two proposals were put to voters, the first on implementing the regions, and the second specifically asking whether voters approved of the new region for their area. The proposals were rejected by wide margins by voters. [2]

Contents

Background

Proposal of eight administrative regions put forward in the referendum Proposta Regionalizacao 1998.png
Proposal of eight administrative regions put forward in the referendum

The creation of administrative regions in mainland Portugal was an electoral promise of the Socialist Party (PS) in the 1995 legislative election campaign. [3] By 1996, the newly elected leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, defended that regionalisation should be decided by a referendum, while Prime Minister António Guterres wasn't that supportive of the referendum idea. [4] A poll, in April 1996, showed that 53 percent of voters wanted a referendum, with support for regionalisation being 49 percent in favour and 29 percent against. [5]

In May 1996, a new administrative regions law, drafted by the PS and the Communist Party (PCP), was approved by Parliament, despite the boycott from PSD and People's Party (PP) members. [6] A year later, in March 1997, PS and PSD signed a Constitutional review in which a referendum would always have to be mandatory for the creation of administrative regions. [7] In the following year, 1998, Parliament voted on a proposed map to be put on referendum, with only PS and PCP presenting maps, while PSD and PP refused to enter in the debate. A consensus was reached between PS and PCP on the map, which proposed 8 administrative regions in mainland Portugal. A referendum was then called in September 1998 to be held on 8 November of the same year. [8]

Party positions

The major parties in Portugal at the time listed with their political positioning and their official answer to the referendum question:

Campaign

Issues

The Socialist Party campaigned strongly in favour of the YES vote, defending that regions would help to resolve territorial poverty in Portugal. [9] On the other side, the Social Democrats rejected the proposed map by calling for a NO vote, warning that regionalisation would raise taxes and would just create political jobs. [10]

Choices slogans

ChoiceOriginal sloganEnglish translationRefs
Yes« Sim, por Portugal. »
« A união faz a força. »		"Yes, for Portugal"
"Unity is strength."		 [11]
No« Vota Não à regionalização. »
« Não e Não. »		"Vote No to regionalization"
"No and No."		 [11] [12]

Results

QuestionForAgainstInvalid/
blank		Total
votes		Registered
voters		TurnoutOutcome
Votes%Votes%
Do you agree with implementing administrative region? [2] 1,453,74936.482,530,80263.52172,9764,157,5278,640,02648.12Rejected
Do you agree with concretely implementing the administrative region for the area where you live? [2] [a] 1,386,71836.072,457,60463.93121,5313,965,8538,243,03048.11Rejected
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, STAPE

Notes

  1. ↑ Question only given to registered citizens in Continental Portugal

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References

  1. ↑ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1542 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. 1 2 3 Nohlen & Stöver, p1551
  3. ↑ "A regionalização que o PS prometeu e deixou cair". Público (in Portuguese). 22 August 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  4. ↑ "Posição de Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa e de António Guterres sobre a Regionalização". RTP (in Portuguese). 26 April 1996. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Sondagem sobre regionalização". RTP (in Portuguese). 26 April 1996. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Processo de criação e instituição das regiões administrativas". Assembly of the Republic (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "Regionalização: os avanços e os recuos". Porto Canal (in Portuguese). 4 July 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Primeiro e único referendo à Regionalização aconteceu há 25 anos. Recorde o processo". Porto Canal (in Portuguese). 8 November 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  9. ↑ "Campanha do PS para o Referendo à Regionalização". RTP (in Portuguese). 18 October 1998. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "PSD Contra a Regionalização". RTP (in Portuguese). 18 October 1998. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  11. 1 2 "1998 - Referendo da regionalização". Ephemera (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "Reações ao referendo à regionalização". RTP (in Portuguese). 9 November 1998. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
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