1994 European Parliament election in Portugal

1994 European Parliament election in Portugal
12 June 1994
25 seats to the European Parliament
Turnout35.5% 15.6 pp
  First party Second party
 
Leader António Vitorino Eurico de Melo
Party PS PSD
Alliance PES EPP
Last election 7 seats, 28.5%[a] 9 seats, 32.8%
Seats won 10 9
Seat change 3 0
Popular vote 1,061,560 1,046,918
Percentage 34.9% 34.4%
Swing 6.3 pp 1.6 pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Manuel Monteiro Luis Manuel de Sá
Party CDS–PP CDU
Alliance EDA GUE/NGL
Last election 3 seats, 14.2% 4 seats, 14.4%
Seats won 3 3
Seat change 0 1
Popular vote 379,044 340,725
Percentage 12.5% 11.2%
Swing 1.7 pp 3.2 pp

An election of MEP representing Portugal constituency for the 1994-1999 term of the European Parliament was held on 12 June 1994. It was part of the wider 1994 European election.

In the closest nationwide election in Portuguese history, the Socialist Party (PS) polled just less than 0.5 percent ahead of the Social Democrats (PSD). Nonetheless, it was a very strong performance from the Socialists, as they gained 6 percent more than in 1989, and also won three more MEP. It was also the first nationwide election victory for the PS since the 1983 general elections. At that time, the PSD was in government for nearly 9 years, under Prime Minister Cavaco Silva, but the party suffered little wear. The Social Democrats won 34.4 percent of the votes, a gain of more than 1.5 compared with 1989, and were able to hold on to the 9 seats they won in 1989.

The People's Party (CDS–PP), although losing some ground, was able to win back 3rd place with a very nationalist and anti-Europe speech. The CDS–PP won 12.5 percent of the votes, a drop of almost 2 percent, but maintained their 3 seats. The Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU) had a very poor performance, falling to 4th place, and losing both share of vote and seats. The Communist/Green alliance won just 11 percent of the votes, a drop of 3 percent, and lost one seat from the Ecologist Party "The Greens".

Turnout fell to all-time low levels, with just 35.5 percent of voters casting a ballot.

Electoral system

The voting method used, for the election of European members of parliament, is by proportional representation using the d'Hondt method, which is known to benefit leading parties. In the 1994 EU elections, Portugal had 25 seats to be filled. Deputies are elected in a single constituency, corresponding to the entire national territory.

Parties and candidates

The major parties that partook in the election, and their EP list leaders, were:[1]

Campaign period

Party slogans

Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Refs
PSD « Europa Sim, Portugal Sempre » "Europe Yes, Portugal Always" [2]
PS « Connosco na Europa, os Portugueses têm voz » "With us in Europe, the Portuguese have a voice" [3]
CDU « Vota CDU: é melhor para Portugal » "Vote CDU: it's better for Portugal" [4]
CDS–PP « Viva Portugal » "Long live Portugal" [5]

Candidates' debates

1994 European Parliament election in Portugal debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present    A  Absent invitee  N  Non-invitee 
PSD
Melo 		PS
Vitorino 		CDU
Sá 		CDS–PP
Monteiro 		Refs
5 May TSF Maria Flor Pedroso P P P P [6]

Opinion polling

See also: Exit poll and Opinion poll

The following table shows the opinion polls of voting intention of the Portuguese voters before the election. Those parties that are listed were represented in the EU parliament (1989-1994). Included is also the result of the Portuguese EP elections in 1989 and 1994 for reference.

Note, until 2000, the publication of opinion polls in the last week of the campaign was forbidden.[7][8][9]

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Link Date Released PS O Lead
1994 EP election 12 Jun 1994 34.4
9 		34.9
10 		11.2
3 		12.5
3 		7.1
0 		0.5
Compta RH 12 Jun 1994 28.1–33.1
9 		35.3–40.3
10 		10.0–13.0
3 		8.9–11.9
3 		7.2
Euroteste 6 Jun 1994 31.0 32.4 11.2 10.3 15.1 1.4
Norma 6 Jun 1994 28.6 33.0 10.1 10.6 17.7 4.4
Euroexpansão 6 Jun 1994 28.2 39.5 7.2 7.8 17.3 11.3
Euroexpansão 21 May 1994 26.2 39.4 9.0 7.4 18.0 13.2
Visão 12 May 1994 28.1 47.1 5.2 10.6 9.0 19.0
1989 EP election 18 Jun 1989 32.8
9 		28.5
8[a] 		14.4
4 		14.2
3 		10.1
0 		4.3

Results

Party and European Parliament groupVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Socialist Party[a]PES1,061,56034.87+6.3310+2
Social Democratic PartyEPP1,046,91834.39+1.6490
CDS – People's PartyEDA379,04412.45–1.7130
Unitary Democratic CoalitionEUL340,72511.19–3.213–1
Portuguese Workers' Communist PartyNI24,0220.79+0.1500
Popular Democratic UnionNI18,8840.62–0.4600
Revolutionary Socialist PartyNI17,7800.58–0.1900
Earth PartyELDR12,9550.43New0New
Politics XXINI12,4020.41New0New
National Solidarity PartyNI11,2140.37New0New
People's Monarchist PartyNI8,3000.27–1.7900
Democratic Party of the AtlanticNI7,1270.23New0New
Democratic Renewal PartyRBW5,9410.20[a]0–1
Unity Movement for WorkersNI2,8930.10–0.1700
Total2,949,765100.00–25+1
Valid votes2,949,76596.90–0.02
Invalid votes45,3201.490.00
Blank votes48,9161.61+0.02
Total votes3,044,001100.00–
Registered voters/turnout8,565,82235.54–15.56
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições
Vote share
PS
 
 34.87%
PSD
 
 34.39%
CDS-PP
 
 12.45%
CDU
 
 11.19%
PCTP/MRPP
 
 0.79%
UDP
 
 0.62%
PSR
 
 0.58%
Others
 
 2.01%
Blank/Invalid
 
 3.10%
Seats
PS
 
 40.00%
PSD
 
 36.00%
CDS-PP
 
 12.00%
CDU
 
 12.00%

Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 4th European Parliament (1994–1999)[10]
Groups Parties Seats Total %
Party of European Socialists (PES) 10 10 40.00
European People's Party (EPP) 9 9 36.00
European United Left (EUL) 3 3 12.00
European Democratic Alliance (EDA)
3 3 12.00
Total 25 25 100.00

Maps

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d The Democratic Renewal Party (PRD) elected one MEP within the PS lists in 1989. The party contested the 1994 election alone.

References

  1. ^ Comissão Nacional de Eleições - Deputados
  2. ^ "Campanha eleitoral do PSD para as eleições europeias". RTP (in Portuguese). 31 May 1994. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Pré-campanha dos partidos para as eleições europeias". RTP (in Portuguese). 20 May 1994. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Campanha eleitoral da CDU para as eleições europeias". RTP (in Portuguese). 31 May 1994. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Campanha do CDS para o Parlamento Europeu". RTP (in Portuguese). 3 March 1994. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Debate com candidatos ao Parlamento Europeu". RTP (in Portuguese). 5 May 1989. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Restrições à publicação de sondagens políticas em períodos eleitorais". Marktest (in Portuguese). 17 September 2003. Retrieved 28 June 2005.
  8. ^ "Lei n.º 31/91, de 20 de julho". Diário da República (in Portuguese). 20 July 1991. Retrieved 28 June 2005.
  9. ^ "REGIME JURÍDICO DA PUBLICAÇÃO OU DIFUSÃO DE SONDAGENS E INQUÉRITOS DE OPINIÃO" (PDF). Comissão Nacional de Eleições (in Portuguese). 21 June 2000. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Elecciones al Parlamento Europeo: Resultados por países 1979 - 2014". historiaelectoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 November 2017.
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