# VI Constitutional Government of Portugal

The VI Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: VI Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the sixth government of the Third Portuguese Republic, in office from 3 January 1980 to 9 January 1981. It was formed by a centre-right coalition between the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Democratic and Social Center (CDS) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM), which ran together in the 1979 and 1980 legislative elections as the Democratic Alliance (AD). Francisco Sá Carneiro, leader of the PSD, was the Prime Minister, and Diogo Freitas do Amaral, leader of the CDS, was Vice Prime Minister.
On 4 December 1980, Sá Carneiro and the Minister of National Defense Adelino Amaro da Costa were killed in an air crash in Camarate, shortly after the plane carrying them took off from the Lisbon Airport. Following the disaster, Freitas do Amaral acted as interim Prime Minister until the dissolution of the government on 9 January 1981.

## Composition

The government was composed of the Prime Minister, one Deputy Prime Minister, and 14 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries and sub-secretaries of state. The government also included the Ministers of the Republic for the Autonomous Regions of Azores and Madeira.
Ministers of the VI Constitutional Government of Portugal :
| Office | Minister | Minister | Party | Start of term | End of term |
| Prime Minister | | Francisco Sá Carneiro | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 4 December 1980 |
| Prime Minister | | Diogo Freitas do Amaral (interim) | CDS | 4 December 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Deputy Prime Minister (Vice-Primeiro-Ministro) | | Diogo Freitas do Amaral | CDS | 3 January 1980 | 4 December 1980 |
| Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister (Ministro Adjunto do Primeiro Ministro) | | Francisco Pinto Balsemão | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | | Diogo Freitas do Amaral | CDS | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of National Defence | | Adelino Amaro da Costa | CDS | 3 January 1980 | 4 December 1980 |
| Minister of Internal Administration | Eurico de Melo | Eurico de Melo | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Justice | Mário Raposo | Mário Raposo | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Finance and Planning | | Aníbal Cavaco Silva | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Education and Science | Vítor Crespo | Vítor Crespo | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Labour | Eusébio Marques de Carvalho | Eusébio Marques de Carvalho | Independent | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Social Affairs | João Morais Leitão | João Morais Leitão | CDS | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | António Cardoso e Cunha | António Cardoso e Cunha | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Commerce and Tourism | Basílio Horta | Basílio Horta | CDS | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Industry and Energy | Álvaro Barreto | Álvaro Barreto | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Housing and Public Works | João Porto | João Porto | CDS | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of Transports and Communications | José Carlos Viana Baptista | José Carlos Viana Baptista | PSD | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of the Republic for the Autonomous Region of Azores | Henrique Afonso da Silva Horta | Henrique Afonso da Silva Horta | Independent | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |
| Minister of the Republic for the Autonomous Region of Madeira | Lino Miguel | Lino Miguel | Independent | 3 January 1980 | 9 January 1981 |