Portuguese presidential election, 2011

2006 ←

January 23, 2011

→ 2016



Candidate	Aníbal Cavaco Silva	Manuel Alegre	Fernando Nobre
Party	Social Democratic	Socialist	Independent
Popular vote	2,231,956	831,838	593,021
Percentage	53.0%	19.7%	14.1%

President before election

Cavaco Silva
Social Democratic

President-elect

Cavaco Silva
Social Democratic

Portugal

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v t e

The 2011 Portuguese presidential election was held on January 23, 2011. This election resulted in the re-election of Aníbal Cavaco Silva to a second term as President of Portugal. Turnout in this election was very low, where only 46.52% of the electorate cast their ballots. Cavaco Silva won by a landslide winning all 18 districts, both Autonomous regions of Azores and Madeira and 292 municipalities of a total of 308.

1 Procedure
2 Political context
3 Candidates
- 3.1 Official candidates
- 3.2 Unsuccessful candidacies
4 Opinion polling
5 Campaign Budgets
6 Results
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

Procedure [edit]

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 7500 and 15000 signatures and submit them to the Portuguese Constitutional Court.

According to the Portuguese Constitution, to be elected, a candidate needs a majority (50% + 1). If no candidate gets this majority there will take place a second round between the two most voted candidates.

Political context [edit]

During the 2006 presidential elections, former Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva, the only candidate of the center-right had won the ballot in the first round with 50.5% of the votes cast. He had faced two particular candidates from the ruling Socialist Party, the official candidate Mário Soares, former President of the Republic came in third with 14.3%, Manuel Alegre, a dissident, ranked second with 20.7% of votes . This historic victory of a conservative candidate, the first after the Carnation Revolution, inaugurated a period of "political cohabitation" with Socialist Prime Minister José Sócrates.

The general elections of September 2009 confirmed this situation, and brought the PS once again to power, however depriving him of his absolute majority. The situation of economic and financial crisis that the country lives led to the adoption of an austerity plan and budget for more frequent intervention of the Head of State in politics to promote agreement among political parties in the country.

Candidates [edit]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2011)

Official candidates [edit]

Aníbal Cavaco Silva: President since 2006 and eligible for a second term. Supported by:
Social Democratic Party,
People's Party,
Hope for Portugal Movement
Manuel Alegre: Former member of the Assembly of the Republic. Supported by:
Socialist Party,
Left Bloc,
Portuguese Workers' Communist Party,
Fernando Nobre: Independent.
Defensor de Moura: Member of the Socialist Party, running as an independent.
Francisco Lopes: Supported by:
Portuguese Communist Party,
Ecologist Party "The Greens"
José Manuel Coelho: Independent, supported by the New Democracy Party.

Unsuccessful candidacies [edit]

Luís Botelho Ribeiro: Leader of the Pro-life Party. His application was formalised on Monday, 20 December, with over 8,000 signatures. His candidacy was analysed by the Constitutional Court. On 29 December, the court concluded that his candidady did not meet the requirements provided by law.
José Ribeiro e Castro: Member of the Democratic and Social Centre – People´s Party, especulated to run as an alternative right-wing candidate, because of Cavaco's decision to approve same-sex marriage. However, he did not go forward with his candidacy.
José Pinto Coelho: Leader of the far-right National Renovator Party. He declared that his candidacy for the presidency "was been cut short" by failing to gather the 7,500 signatures required. He claimed to have gathered 5,878 signatures.

Opinion polling [edit]

Date released	Institute	Cavaco Silva	Manuel Alegre	Fernando Nobre	Defensor Moura	Francisco Lopes	José Manuel Coelho	Others / None / Undecided	Lead
January 23, 2011	Election Results	53.0%	19.7%	14.1%	1.6%	7.1%	4.5%	—	33.3% over Alegre
January 23, 2011 - 20:00h	Exit Poll - RTP1 Universidade Católica	52.0% 58.0%	18.0% 21.0%	13.5% 16.5%	1.0% 2.0%	5.0% 8.0%	2.0% 4.0%	—	34.0% 37.0% over Alegre
January 23, 2011 - 20:00h	Exit Poll - SIC Eurosondagem	51.6% 56.0%	17.1% 20.9%	13.1% 16.3%	1.1% 2.1%	6.3% 7.5%	3.3% 4.5%	—	34.5% 35.1% over Alegre
January 23, 2011 - 20:00h	Exit Poll - TVI INTERCAMPUS	51.4% 55.4%	17.2% 21.2%	12.4% 16.4%	0.7% 2.7%	5.8% 8.8%	3.1% 5.1%	—	34.2% over Alegre
January 21, 2011	Sol (average)	58.0%	22.0%	11.0%	2.0%	5.0%	2.0%	—	36.0% over Alegre
January 21, 2011	Universidade Católica	59.0%	22.0%	10.0%	1.0%	6.0%	2.0%	—	37.0% over Alegre
January 21, 2011	Eurosondagem	56.3%	25.0%	10.1%	2.0%	5.2%	1.4%	—	31.3% over Alegre
January 21, 2011	Aximage	54.7%	25.6%	10.7%	1.8%	6.3%	0.9%	—	29.1% over Alegre
January 20, 2011	INTERCAMPUS	54.6%	22.8%	9.1%	2.6%	8.2%	2.7%	—	31.8% over Alegre
January 19, 2011	Marktest	61.5%	15.0%	12.7%	1.2%	3.3%	2.1%	4.2%	46.5% over Alegre
January 8, 2011	Aximage	57.1%	20.8%	8.7%	3.1%	2.0%	0.5%	7.8%	36.3% over Alegre
January 7, 2011	INTERCAMPUS	60.1%	25.3%	4.2%	2.5%	6.3%	1.6%	—	34.8% over Alegre
December 23, 2010	Eurosondagem	60.0%	30.0%	4.8%	0.7%	4.5%	—	—	30.0% over Alegre
December 19, 2010	INTERCAMPUS	64.3%	20.7%	5.5%	1.0%	4.5%	—	—	43.6% over Alegre
November 27, 2010	Eurosondagem	57.0%	32.0%	5.2%	1.0%	4.8%	—	—	25.0% over Alegre
November 26, 2010	Marktest	78.3%	15.0%	4.0%	0.0%	0.7%	—	—	63.3% over Alegre
November 21, 2010	INTERCAMPUS	61.5%	26.1%	4.5%	0.5%	3.7%	—	3.7%	35.4% over Alegre
October 29, 2010	Marktest	71.3%	20.2%	5.0%	0.9%	1.1%	—	—	51.1% over Alegre
October 29, 2010	Universidade Católica	63.0%	20.0%	7.0%	1.0%	3.0%	—	—	43.0% over Alegre
October 13, 2010	Aximage	55.1%	35.7%	7.1%	0.2%	1.9%	—	—	19.4% over Alegre
October 9, 2010	INTERCAMPUS	55.5%	30.7%	4.9%	1.2%	5.6%	—	—	24.8% over Alegre
September 25, 2010	Marktest	71.0%	22.0%	4.0%	0.2%	1.0%	—	—	49.0% over Alegre
September 24, 2010	Eurosondagem	54.9%	33.0%	6.2%	1.1%	4.8%	—	—	21.9% over Alegre
September 12, 2010	Aximage	58.1%	32.1%	5.4%	0.0%	4.4%	—	—	26.0% over Alegre
July 31, 2010	Marktest	67.1%	19.6%	10.0%	0.7%	—	—	—	47.5% over Alegre
July 24, 2010	INTERCAMPUS	59.4%	26.8%	9.1%	2.9%	—	—	—	32.6% over Alegre
July 12, 2010	Euroexpansão	51.1%	14.7%	4.1%	—	—	—	22.1%	36.4% over Alegre
July 11, 2010	Aximage	55.3%	26.9%	11.6%	—	—	—	6.2%	28.4% over Alegre
June 28, 2010	Universidade Católica	50.0%	19.0%	7.0%	—	—	—	25.0%	31.0% over Alegre
June 13, 2010	Aximage	53.4%	28.1%	8.6%	—	—	—	9.9%	25.3% over Alegre
March 14, 2010	Universidade Católica	57.0%	19.0%	8.0%	—	—	—	16.0%	38.0% over Alegre
March 13, 2010	Aximage	56.0%	21.6%	13.8%	—	—	—	8.6%	34.4% over Alegre
March 12, 2010	Eurosondagem	36.9%	25.0%	9.6%	—	(5.0%)	—	23.5%	11.9% over Alegre
January 22, 2010	Aximage	60.3%	39.7%	—	—	—	—	—	20.6% over Alegre

Campaign Budgets [edit]

Candidate (party)	Election Result	State Subsidy		Political Parties Contributions	Fundraising	Total Recipes		Expenses	Debt
Candidate (party)	Election Result	Calculated	Budgeted	Political Parties Contributions	Fundraising	Calculated	Budgeted	Expenses	Debt
Silva, CavacoCavaco Silva (PSD, CDS-PP, MEP)	53.0%	€1,920,000	€1,570,000	€0	€550,000	€2,470,000	€2,120,000	€2,120,000	€0
Alegre, ManuelManuel Alegre (PS, BE, PDA, PCTP)	19.7%	€836,000	€1,350,000	€500,000	€50,000	€1,386,000	€1,900,000	€1,640,000	€254,000
Nobre, FernandoFernando Nobre (I)	14.1%	€653,000	€511,200	€0	€331,460	€984,460	€842,660	€842,660	€0
Lopes, FranciscoFrancisco Lopes (PCP, PEV)	7.1%	€425,000	€512,000	€270,000	€18,000	€713,000	€800,000	€800,000	€87,000
Moura, DefensorDefensor Moura (I)	1.6%	€0	€225,000	€0	€25,000	€25,000	€250,000	€250,000	€225,000
Coelho, José ManuelJosé Manuel Coelho (PND)	4.5%	€0	€10,000	€30,000	€50,000	€80,000	€90,000	€90,000	€10,000
Ribeiro, Luís BotelhoLuís Botelho Ribeiro (PPV)	-	-	€7,000	€0	€0	€7,000	€7,000	€7,000	€0
Source: Portuguese Constitutional Court (TC)^[1] (Note that some candidates filed with the TC, but did not pursue their candidacy.)

Results [edit]

Candidate receiving most votes, per district (Azores and Madeira not shown)

e • d **Summary of the 23 January 2011 Portuguese presidential election results**
Candidates		Supporting parties	First round
Candidates		Supporting parties	Votes	%
	Aníbal Cavaco Silva	Social Democratic Party, People's Party, Hope for Portugal Movement	2,231,956	52.95
	Manuel Alegre	Socialist Party, Left Bloc, Democratic Party of the Atlantic, PCTP/MRPP	831,838	19.74
	Fernando Nobre	Independent	593,021	14.07
	Francisco Lopes	Portuguese Communist Party, Ecologist Party "The Greens"	301,017	7.14
	José Manuel Coelho	New Democracy Party	189,918	4.51
	Defensor Moura	Independent	67,110	1.59
Total valid			4,214,860	100.00
Blank ballots			192,127	4.28
Invalid ballots			85,466	1.90
Total (turnout 46.52%)			4,492,453
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições

References [edit]

^ Campaign Budgets for the 2011 Presidential election, Portuguese Constitutional Court, retrieved 2010-12-24 .

External links [edit]

Official campaign websites

Other websites

Portuguese Electoral Commission
Official results site, Portuguese Justice Ministry
Publication of Polls (ERC)
NSD: European Election Database - Portugal publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1990–2010

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