António de Sousa Franco

António Luciano Pacheco de Sousa Franco, GCC, GCSE (Lisbon, September 21, 1942 – Hospital Pedro Hispano at Matosinhos, June 9, 2004) was a Portuguese economist and politician.

Background

He was a son of António de Sousa Franco and wife Maria de Jesus Pacheco, in turn sister of Óscar Pacheco (Setúbal, São Julião, August 10, 1904 – February 17, 1970), Isabel Pacheco and Clóvis Pacheco and daughter of Joaquim Pacheco, born in Setúbal, and wife Deolinda Baptista.

Career

He was a Licentiate, Doctorate and Cathedratic Professor of Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon.

He joined the Popular Democratic Party, who adopted the name of Social Democratic Party, in 1976. In 1978, he was the interim leader of the party, due to Francisco Sá Carneiro absence. He latter left the party and was Finance Minister at Maria de Lurdes Pintasilgo government, in 1979.

He was the Account Court President and come close to the Socialist Party, during Aníbal Cavaco Silva governments. He was Finance Minister in the first socialist government lead by António Guterres, from 1995 to 1999. In that year he returned to his academic career and became the new President of the Directive Counsil of his Faculty.

He was critical of the socialists in the following years, but accept to be the number one in the Socialist Party list for the European Parliament elections, in 2004. He died of a heart attack during the campaign, few days before the elections, as a result of trying to stop a quarrel between two of his Party elements.

Decorations

He was awarded with the Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ and the Order of Saint James of the Sword.

Family

He married in Coimbra at the Old Cathedral Maria Matilde Pessoa de Magalhães Figueiredo, born at São Domingos de Benfica, Lisbon, on July 8, 1943, a Licentiate in History, daughter of João Correia de Magalhães de Figueiredo (Vouzela, Vouzela, March 2, 1908), a decorated Portuguese Army Officer, and wife (m. Lisbon, Benfica, July 27, 1935) Carlota Matilde Sérgio Pessoa (Lisbon, São Jorge de Arroios, November 19, 1912 – Lisbon, February 11, 2006), a maternal niece of António Sérgio, without issue. She was previously married in Lisbon, São Domingos de Benfica, on May 8, 1971, marriage later annulled by the Holy See, to António Manuel Delgado Tamagnini (b. Tomar, Santa Maria dos Olivais, December 5, 1942), a lawyer, by whom she had an only daughter, Inês Pessoa de Figueiredo Tamagnini (b. Lisbon, São Sebastião da Pedreira, December 4, 1973), unmarried and without issue. She is the sister of Eduardo Sérgio Pessoa de Magalhães Figueiredo, 2nd Baron of a Costeira.