# 1989 European Parliament election in Portugal

An election of MEP representing Portugal constituency for the 1989-1994 term of the European Parliament was held on 18 June 1989. It was part of the wider 1989 European election.
The Social Democratic Party (PSD) won the elections with almost 33 percent of the votes, but lost much ground compared with 1987. Although the country was experiencing a significant economic growth at that time, the PSD saw the gap between them and the Socialists narrow to around 4 percentage points. On the other hand, the Socialist Party (PS), although failing to topple the PSD as the largest party, performed quite well gaining more than 6% of the votes and polling above 28 percent, compared with the 22 percent in 1987. They also gained 2 MEP, while the PSD lost one.
The Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU), also performed very well, winning 14 percent and becoming the third political force. The Communist/Green alliance was also able to win one more MEP than in 1987. The CDS saw its share of vote drop a bit, to also 14 percent and was surpassed by CDU, as it fell to fourth place.
Turnout fell dramatically in these election, with just 51 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 1989 EU elections, Portugal had 24 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:
* Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU), Carlos Carvalhas
* Socialist Party (PS), João Cravinho
* Social Democratic Party (PSD), António Capucho
* Democratic and Social Centre (CDS), Francisco Lucas Pires

## Campaign period
### Party slogans

| Party or alliance | Original slogan | English translation |
| PSD | « Ganhar 92 » | "Win 92" |
| PS | « Vamos mudar Portugal para Portugal ganhar » | "Let's change Portugal for Portugal to win" |
| CDS | « Com Lucas Pires, no coração da Europa » | "With Lucas Pires, at the heart of Europe!" |
| CDU | « CDU: é melhor para Portugal » | "CDU: it's better for Portugal" |

### Candidates' debates

1989 European Parliament election in Portugal debates :
| Date | Organisers | Moderator(s) | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee |
| Date | Organisers | Moderator(s) | PSD Capucho | PS Cravinho | CDS Pires | CDU Carvalhas | Refs |
| 22 May | RTP1 | António Amaral Pais | P | P | P | P | |

## National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the results of Portugal's 18 June 1989 election to the European Parliament :
| National party | National party | European party | Main candidate | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– |
| | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | LDR | António Capucho | 1,358,958 | 32.75 | 4.70 | 9 | 1 |
| | Socialist Party (PS)* | PES | João Cravinho | 1,184,380 | 28.54 | 6.26 | 8 | 2 |
| | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) • Communist Party (PCP) • Ecologist Party (PEV) | LU | Carlos Carvalhas | 597,759 | 14.40 | 2.90 | 4 3 1 | 0 1 |
| | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | EPP | Lucas Pires | 587,497 | 14.16 | 1.34 | 3 | 1 |
| | People's Monarchist Party (PPM) | None | Miguel Esteves Cardoso | 84,272 | 2.03 | 0.74 | 0 | 0 |
| | Democratic Movement (MDP/CDE) | None | António Victorino de Almeida | 56,900 | 1.37 | 0.88 | 0 | 0 |
| | People's Democratic Union (UDP) | None | Luís Fazenda | 45,017 | 1.08 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 |
| | Revolutionary Socialist Party (PSR) | None | | 31,775 | 0.77 | 0.26 | 0 | 0 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (PDC) | None | | 29,745 | 0.72 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 |
| | Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP) | None | António Garcia Pereira | 26,682 | 0.64 | 0.29 | 0 | 0 |
| | Workers Party of Socialist Unity (POUS) | None | Carmelinda Pereira | 11,182 | 0.27 | new | 0 | new |
| | Left Revolutionary Front (FER) | None | | 7,833 | 0.19 | new | 0 | new |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 4,022,000 | 96.92 | | | |
| Blank and invalid votes | Blank and invalid votes | Blank and invalid votes | Blank and invalid votes | 127,756 | 3.08 | | | |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 4,149,756 | 100.00 | — | 24 | 0 |
| Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout | Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout | Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout | Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout | 8,121,564 | 51.10 | 21.32 | | |
| Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições * = The Socialist Party list included 1 MP elected by the Democratic Renewal Party. |||||||||
Vote share
PSD
32.75%
PS
28.54%
CDU
14.41%
CDS
14.16%
PPM
2.03%
MDP/CDE
1.37%
UDP
1.09%
PSR
0.77%
PDC
0.72%
PCTP/MRPP
0.64%
Others
0.46%
Blank/Invalid
3.08% :
Vote share
PSD
37.50%
PS
33.33%
CDU
16.67%
CDS
12.50% :

### Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 3rd European Parliament (1989–1994) :
| Groups | Groups | Parties | Seats | Total | % |
| | Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (LDR) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | 9 | 9 | 37.50 |
| | Socialist Group (SOC) | Socialist Party (PS) | 8 | 8 | 33.33 |
| | European United Left (EUL) | Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) | 3 | 3 | 12.50 |
| | European People's Party (EPP) | Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) | 3 | 3 | 12.50 |
| | The Green Group in the European Parliament (G) | Ecologist Party (PEV) | 1 | 1 | 4.17 |
| Total | Total | Total | 24 | 24 | 100.00 |

### Maps

* Most voted political force by district. (Azores and Madeira not shown)
* Most voted political force by municipality.