2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary

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2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary
PS Logo (Text version).png
  2011 28 September 2014 2023  
Turnout70.7%
 
Antonio Costa 2014 (cropped) 2.jpg
Antonio Jose Seguro-26 2.jpg
Nominee António Costa António José Seguro
Popular vote120,18855,928
Percentage67.8%31.5%

Winner by municipality in the Portuguese Socialist Party Secretary-General primary, 2014.png
Winner by municipality
Red: Costa
Pink: Seguro

The 2014 Socialist Party General Secretary primary elections was held on 28 September 2014, the first primary open for non-members of the Socialist Party (PS). It elected the party's candidate for Prime Minister of Portugal in the 2015 legislative election. It was the first time in Portugal that a party had an open primary. There were only two candidates running: António José Seguro, the incumbent general secretary of the party, and António Costa, the mayor of Lisbon. António Costa won the primary by a landslide, achieving about 68% of the votes against the 32% of António José Seguro.

Contents

After the first results were announced, Seguro conceded defeat and resigned as Secretary-General of the Party. [1]

Background

Following the narrow victory of the Socialist Party over the coalition between the PSD and the CDS-PP in the European elections on 25 May 2014, many Socialist Party members and supporters considered the result a disappointment and many blamed Seguro for not being a real alternative to the Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho (PSD). On 27 May, António Costa announced that he would seek the leadership of the Socialist Party. [2]

António José Seguro refused to initiate a leadership contest and accused António Costa of being an opportunist who had broken the deal the two made in early 2013, when António Costa was considering challenging Seguro. [3]

After a bitter meeting of the party leadership members, António Costa included, it was agreed to call a primary election open to supporters of the Socialist Party that would elect the party's candidate for Prime Minister for the following legislative elections in October 2015. [4]

Voting procedures

Calendar

Nominations for the candidacy were opened on 15 July 2014 and closed on 14 August 2014. To be able to vote, voters had to register between 15 July 2014 and 12 September 2014.

Conditions

Unlike previous Socialist Party leadership elections, this was the first primary to be open to the general public. In order to participate to the open primary, voters had to meet the following conditions:

Members of the party were automatically eligible to participate.

Candidates

NameBornExperience
Antonio Jose Seguro-26 2.jpg
António José Seguro
11 March 1962
(age 52)
Penamacor
Secretary-general of the Socialist Party (2011–2014)
Member of the Council of State (2011–2014)
Member of Parliament for Braga (2005–2014)
Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister (2001–2002)
Secretary of State Assistant to the Prime Minister (1997–1999)
Secretary of State for Youth Affairs (1995–1997)
Leader of the Socialist Parliamentary Caucus (2004–2005)
Member of the European Parliament (1999–2001)
Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1985–1987; 2002–2005)
Member of Parliament for Guarda (1995–1999)
Member of Parliament for Porto (1991–1995)
Secretary-general of the Socialist Youth (1990–1994)
Antonio Costa 2014 (cropped) 2.jpg
António Costa
17 July 1961
(age 53)
Lisbon
Mayor of Lisbon (2007–2015)
Minister of Internal Administration (2005–2007)
Minister of Justice (1999–2002)
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (1997–1999)
Vice-President of the European Parliament (2004–2005)
Leader of the Socialist Parliamentary Caucus (2002–2004)
Member of the European Parliament (2004–2005)
Member of the Parliament for Lisbon (1991–1995)
Member of the Parliament for Leiria (2002–2004)

Opinion polling

Date(s)
administered
Poll sourceSample size
Antonio Jose Seguro-26 2.jpg
Antonio Costa 2014 (cropped) 2.jpg Others/
Undecided
Lead
Seguro Costa
29 SepElection result177,35031.567.80.736.3
24–25 Sep Eurosondagem 1,00133.050.416.617.4
4–9 Sep Eurosondagem 1,01132.955.112.022.2
31 Aug–3 Sep Aximage 60226.460.912.734.5
31 Jul–6 Aug Eurosondagem 1,03330.059.210.829.2
3–9 Jul Eurosondagem 1,01424.968.36.843.4
4–7 Jul Aximage 59326.464.19.537.7
2–5 Jun Eurosondagem 1,02536.056.27.820.2
1–4 Jun Aximage 60819.662.817.643.2
30 May–1 Jun Pitagórica 50618.260.521.342.3
2014

Results

Candidate28 September 2014
Votes %
António Costa 120,18867.77
António José Seguro 55,92831.54
Total176,116
Valid votes176,11699.30
Invalid and blank ballots1,2340.70
Votes cast / turnout177,35070.71
Registered voters250,811
Source: Primárias 2014 Resultados
Vote share
António Costa
67.77%
António José Seguro
31.54%
Blank/Invalid
0.70%

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References

  1. Miguel, Marujo (28 September 2014). "Seguro assume derrota e demite-se da liderança do PS". Diário de Notícias . Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  2. Nuno, Sá Lourenço (27 May 2014). "António Costa avança para a liderança do PS". Público . Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  3. João Pedro, Henriques (15 June 2014). "Seguro acusa Costa de oportunismo". Diário de Notícias . Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  4. Telma, Roque (6 June 2014). "Aprovada a realização de eleições primárias no PS a 28 de setembro". Jornal de Notícias . Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  5. "SÍNTESE DA DECLARAÇÃO DE PRINCÍPIOS DO PARTIDO SOCIALISTA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-06. Retrieved 2014-09-06.
Official campaign websites