List of political parties in Portugal - Definition and Overview

Political parties in Portugal lists political parties in Portugal. Portugal has a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties, with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party.

The parties

The general rule on naming applies. That means: the parties are named in the English translation and the original native name is placed on the first line of the article unless the native form is more commonly used in English than the English form. Rationale and specifics: See: Wikipedia:Naming conventions (use English).

• Partido Socialista (Socialist Party) - Social Democrat party which resembles the English Labour Party or the German SPD.
• Partido Social Democrata (Social Democratic Party) - The name might be somewhat misleading, as the PSD is not a traditional Social Democratic Party, being itself much closer to the right-wing. It is the Portuguese equivalent of any other centre-right party in Europe such as the UK Conservatives, the Spanish PP, or the German CDU.
• Partido Popular (Popular Party) - A traditional Christian Democrat party, very similar to the German CSU. It is to the right of the PSD, and advocates stringent social and religious conservatism.
• Partido Comunista Português (Portuguese Communist Party) - The major leftwing party in Portugal, which played a major role in the opposition to the Salazar regime. Still enjoys popularity in sectors of Portuguese society, particularly in the rural areas of the Alentejo.
• Bloco de Esquerda (Leftwing Bloc) - Formed in 1999 by several left-wing parties, it adopts a wide range of left-wing policies, concentrating its efforts on the legalization of abortion and light drugs. It portrays itself as a modern alternative to the monolithic Communist Party.
• Os Verdes (The Greens) - Traditionally allied in a coaliation with the Communist Party (CDU), they have little expression in the political life, although they are represented in the Parliament.
• Nova Democracia (New Democracy) - A new party which resulted from a separatism from the PP. It resembles the American Republican Party.
• Partido Comunista dos Trabalhadores Portugueses - Movimento Reorganisativo do Partido do Proletariado (Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers - Reorganizative Movement of the Party of the Proletariat) - An old Maoist party. Although one of the most important parties during the Carnation Revolution, it has already lost all political expression.
• Partido Nacional Renovador (Partido Nacional Renovador) - Nationalist party, very close to the French Front National. Although fascist parties are forbidden under the Portuguese Constitution, this party is legal, assuming itself as neo-nationalist.
• Partido Democrata do Atlântico (Democrat Party of the Atlantic) - Small party whose electorate concentrates itself in the Azores. It defends the independence of the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands and the formation of an Atlantic Island Federation.
• Partido Popular Monárquico (People's Monarchist Party) - Small monarchist party with some political expression. It is known that the heir to the Portuguese Throne, Dom Duarte Pio, does not support this party.

See also

• Index of political parties to browse parties by name
• List of political parties to browse parties by country
• List of political parties by ideology to browse parties by name
• Membership of internationals to browse parties by membership of internationals
• Liberalism in Portugal