Democratic Alliance (Portugal)

Democratic Alliance Aliança Democrática
Alliance poster
Founded	1979
Dissolved	1983
Ideology	Liberal conservatism Conservatism Social conservatism
Political position	Centre-right
National affiliation	Social Democratic Party Democratic and Social Centre – People´s Party People's Monarchist Party
International affiliation	None
Official colours	Blue, Orange
Politics of Portugal Political parties Elections

AD - Democratic Alliance, mural painting

Vote AD, mural painting

The Democratic Alliance (Portuguese: Aliança Democrática or AD) was a coalition in Portugal between the Social Democratic Party (Portuguese: Partido Social Democrata or PSD), the Democratic Social Center (Portuguese: Centro Democrático Social or CDS) and the People's Monarchist Party (Portuguese: Partido Popular Monárquico or PPM), including also a group of dissidents of the rightwing of the Socialist Party which were disapointed by the last Soares government called The Reformists (Os Reformistas), including José Medeiros Ferreira (who would later rejoin the PS), António Barreto (who remained a more or less rightwing aligned independent) and Francisco Sousa Tavares (who joind the Social Democratic Party afterwards). The coalition was first formed in 1979 in order to run to the legislative election of the same year. It was led by Francisco Sá Carneiro and Freitas do Amaral and won the legislative elections of 1979 and 1980, but lost the presidential election of 1980.

After the death of Sá Carneiro on 4 December 1980, the coalition was unable to find a leader with his charisma. Francisco Pinto Balsemão, the new Social Democratic leader, became Prime Minister, but was unable to consolidate the support enjoyed by his predecessor. After its defeat in the municipal elections of 1982, it was disbanded in 1983.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa led an attempt to establish a new Democratic Alliance in 1998, between the Social Democrats and the People's Party (the former CDS), led by Paulo Portas. It contested the European Parliament elections of 2004 under the Força Portugal label, but was subsequently dissolved.

Leaders

• Francisco Sá Carneiro : 1979 - 1980
• Diogo Freitas do Amaral (interim) : 1980 - 1981
• Francisco Pinto Balsemão : 1981 - 1983

Election Results

Assembly of the Republic

Election	# of votes	% of vote	# of seats
1979	2,719,208	45.3%	128
1980	2,868,076	47.6%	134

Local elections

Election	# of votes	% of vote	# of mandates	# of mayors
1979	1,044,642	23.9%	426	73
1982	988,347	19.9%	322	49

Presidential elections

Election	Candidate	# of votes	% of vote	Elected?
1980	Soares Carneiro	2,325,481	40.2%	No