A Closer Look at the 2024 Election Results in Portugal

Portugal conducted general elections on the 10th of March. The political landscape was shaped by the right coalition formed between the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the People’s Party (CDS), known as the Democratic Alliance (AD), which emerged as the leading party with 29.52% of the votes, securing 79 parliamentary seats. Despite this victory, they narrowly avoided a tie with the second-strongest political force.

The Socialist Party (PS), previously holding a majority, now ranks as the second-largest political force, attaining 28.63% of the total votes and electing 77 parliamentarians. This shift signifies a significant transformation in Portugal's political scenario, with potentially far-reaching consequences.

Vote counting for the recent election remains incomplete, awaiting the inclusion of results from 31 consulates. Consequently, the allocation of four parliamentary seats remains undecided.

The balance of power has shifted from left to right in this political election, with right-wing parties emerging as the winners. The far-right Chega party experienced an unprecedented surge in popularity, quadrupling the number of elected parliamentarians from 12 to 48. The liberal initiative (IL), another right-wing party, maintained its previous results, securing 5.08% of the votes and electing 8 parliamentarians.

The political party PAN (People-Animals-Nature), positioned outside the traditional left-right spectrum, secured 1.92% of the total votes, electing one parliamentarian to represent their interests.

On the left side of the hemicycle, the general election witnessed a notable rise of the LIVRE party, securing 3.26% of the votes and electing 4 parliamentarians—an increase from the previous elections where they had only one deputy. The Left Bloc (BE) maintained its position with 5 parliamentarians and 4.46% of the votes. The Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU), a coalition between the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party (PEV), secured 3.30% of the votes, electing 4 parliamentarians, which represents a decrease of 2 parliamentarians from the prior general elections.

It is noteworthy that abstention decreased during the 2024 general elections in Portugal, defying the prevailing trend of increasing abstention observed since the nation's transition to a free democratic state following the Carnation Revolution on the 25th of April 1974.