# 2005 Portuguese local elections

Local elections were held in Portugal on 9 October 2005. The election consisted of three separate elections in the 308 Portuguese municipalities, the election for the Municipal Chambers, whose winner is automatically elected mayor, similar to first-past-the-post (FPTP), another election for the Municipal Assembly and a last one for the lower-level Parish Assembly, whose winner is elected parish president. This last was held separately in the more than 4,000 parishes around the country.
The Socialist Party may be considered the major defeated party of this election due to a slight loss of mandates. The Socialists did, however, achieve a better percentage of the vote in relation to the election of 2001.
On the right, the Social Democratic Party stole some municipalities from the Socialists, some of them in coalition with the People's Party that was reduced to only one municipality in stand-alone candidacies, Ponte de Lima, continuing its decline in comparison, for example, with the 36 mayors achieved in 1976.
On the left, the Unitary Democratic Coalition, led by the Communist Party, regained some of its former influence, taking 4 municipalities and several parishes from the Socialists in the districts of Beja, Évora and Setúbal and Leiria achieving a total of 32 mayors, and winning, for the first time, the election in Peniche. The Left Bloc kept the presidency of its single municipality, Salvaterra de Magos.
The election was also remarkable for the several victories of independent candidates, most of them former Socialist, Social Democratic and People's Party candidates who were expelled or given no confidence, because of corruption accusations, by their respective parties and, even so, became mayors. The best known were Valentim Loureiro in Gondomar, Fátima Felgueiras in Felgueiras and Isaltino Morais in Oeiras.

## Parties

The main political forces involved in the election were:
* Left Bloc (BE)
* People's Party (CDS–PP)
* Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU)
* Socialist Party (PS)
* Social Democratic Party (PSD)

## Voter turnout

The table below shows voter turnout throughout election day.
| Turnout | Time | Time | Time | Time | Time | Time | Time | Time | Time |
| Turnout | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 |
| Turnout | 2001 | 2005 | ± | 2001 | 2005 | ± | 2001 | 2005 | ± |
| Total | — | 21.35% | — | 42.50% | 48.00% | 5.50 pp | 60.13% | 60.94% | 0.81 pp |
| Sources ||||||||||

## Results
### Municipal Councils
#### National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the 9 October 2005 Municipal Councils elections results :
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Candidacies | Councillors | Councillors | Mayors | Mayors |
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Candidacies | Total | ± | Total | ± |
| | Socialist | 1,933,041 | 35.87 | 1.8 | 307 | 853 | 24 | 109 | 4 |
| | Social Democratic | 1,523,526 | 28.27 | 0.1 | 245 | 742 | 32 | 138 | 4 |
| | Democratic Unity Coalition | 589,384 | 10.94 | 0.3 | 301 | 203 | 4 | 32 | 4 |
| | Social Democratic / People's | 462,199 | 8.58 | 0.4 | 42 | 131 | 17 | 18 | 3 |
| | People's | 165,192 | 3.07 | 0.6 | 185 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 2 |
| | Left Bloc | 158,953 | 2.95 | 1.8 | 111 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| | Independents | 133,380 | 2.47 | 0.9 | 27 | 45 | 14 | 7 | 4 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM | 91,455 | 1.70 | 0.4 | 12 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM / MPT | 71,153 | 1.32 | — | 3 | 11 | — | 1 | — |
| | Portuguese Workers' Communist | 15,421 | 0.29 | 0.0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Humanist | 5,096 | 0.09 | 0.0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | New Democracy | 2,045 | 0.04 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| | National Renovator | 1,759 | 0.03 | 0.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / MPT | 1,670 | 0.03 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 0 | — |
| | Earth | 1,582 | 0.03 | 0.2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| | PSD / PPM | 707 | 0.01 | 2.5 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| | PND / PPM | 439 | 0.01 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| | National Solidarity | 244 | 0.00 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| | People's / Social Democratic | 109 | 0.00 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| | CDS–PP / PSD / PPM | 11 | 0.00 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| Total valid | Total valid | 5,159,104 | 95.73 | 0.6 | — | 2,046 | 2 | 308 | 0 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 139,012 | 2.58 | 0.4 | | | | | |
| Invalid ballots | Invalid ballots | 90,919 | 1.69 | 0.2 | | | | | |
| Total | Total | 5,389,035 | 100.00 | | | | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 8,843,875 | 60.94 | 0.8 | | | | | |

#### City control

The following table lists party control in all district capitals, highlighted in bold, as well as in municipalities above 100,000 inhabitants. Population estimates from the 2001 Census.
| Municipality | Population | Previous control | New control |
| Almada | 160,825 | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) |
| Amadora | 175,872 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Aveiro | 73,335 | Socialist Party (PS) | PSD / CDS–PP |
| Barcelos | 122,096 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Beja | 35,762 | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) |
| Braga | 169,192 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Bragança | 34,750 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Cascais | 170,683 | PSD / CDS–PP | PSD / CDS–PP |
| Castelo Branco | 55,708 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Coimbra | 148,443 | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM |
| Évora | 56,519 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Faro | 58,051 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Funchal | 103,961 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Gondomar | 159,096 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Independent (IND) |
| Guarda | 43,822 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Guimarães | 159,576 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Leiria | 119,847 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Lisbon | 564,657 | PSD / PPM | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Loures | 199,059 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Maia | 120,111 | PSD / CDS–PP | PSD / CDS–PP |
| Matosinhos | 167,026 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Odivelas | 133,847 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Oeiras | 162,128 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Independent (IND) |
| Ponta Delgada | 65,854 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Portalegre | 25,980 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Porto | 263,131 | PSD / CDS–PP | PSD / CDS–PP |
| Santarém | 63,563 | Socialist Party (PS) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Santa Maria da Feira | 135,964 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Seixal | 150,271 | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) |
| Setúbal | 113,934 | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) | Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) |
| Sintra | 363,749 | PSD / CDS–PP | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM / MPT |
| Viana do Castelo | 88,631 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Vila Franca de Xira | 122,908 | Socialist Party (PS) | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Vila Nova de Famalicão | 127,567 | PSD / CDS–PP | PSD / CDS–PP |
| Vila Nova de Gaia | 288,749 | PSD / CDS–PP | PSD / CDS–PP |
| Vila Real | 49,957 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| Viseu | 93,501 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |

### Municipal Assemblies
#### National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the 9 October 2005 Municipal Assemblies elections results :
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Candidacies | Mandates | Mandates |
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Candidacies | Total | ± |
| | Socialist | 1,923,468 | 35.68 | 1.7 | 307 | 2,794 | 73 |
| | Social Democratic | 1,454,256 | 26.98 | 0.2 | 245 | 2,416 | 52 |
| | Democratic Unity Coalition | 628,881 | 11.67 | 0.6 | 301 | 722 | 13 |
| | Social Democratic / People's | 454,972 | 8.44 | 0.9 | 41 | 407 | 20 |
| | Left Bloc | 212,652 | 3.95 | 2.4 | 115 | 114 | 86 |
| | People's | 175,927 | 3.26 | 1.0 | 162 | 190 | 63 |
| | Independents | 115,999 | 2.15 | 1.0 | 25 | 121 | 28 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM | 90,670 | 1.68 | 0.5 | 13 | 73 | 33 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM / MPT | 66,190 | 1.23 | — | 3 | 27 | — |
| | Portuguese Workers' Communist | 8,620 | 0.16 | 0.0 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| | People's / Social Democratic | 2,768 | 0.05 | 0.0 | 2 | 6 | 13 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / MPT | 1,641 | 0.03 | — | 1 | 6 | — |
| | Earth | 1,590 | 0.03 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| | New Democracy | 1,590 | 0.03 | — | 2 | 1 | — |
| | People's Monarchist | 1,011 | 0.02 | 0.0 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| | PND / PPM | 831 | 0.02 | — | 1 | 0 | — |
| | PSD / PPM | 760 | 0.01 | 2.4 | 1 | 2 | 21 |
| | Humanist | 200 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| | CDS–PP / PSD / PPM | 8 | 0.00 | — | 1 | 0 | — |
| Total valid | Total valid | 5,161,181 | 95.72 | 0.3 | — | 6,885 | 9 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 138,424 | 2.57 | 0.1 | | | |
| Invalid ballots | Invalid ballots | 92,140 | 1.71 | 0.2 | | | |
| Total | Total | 5,391,745 | 100.00 | | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 8,847,385 | 60.94 | 0.8 | | | |

### Parish Assemblies
#### National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the 9 October 2005 Parish Assemblies elections results :
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Candidacies | Mandates | Mandates | Presidents | Presidents |
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Candidacies | Total | ± | Total | ± |
| | Socialist | 1,903,166 | 35.37 | 1.5 | 3,711 | 13,460 | 265 | 1,518 | 5 |
| | Social Democratic | 1,433,256 | 26.64 | 0.1 | 3,065 | 12,447 | 299 | 1,723 | 74 |
| | Democratic Unity Coalition | 648,622 | 12.05 | 0.9 | 2,239 | 2,576 | 110 | 244 | 12 |
| | Social Democratic / People's | 411,633 | 7.65 | 0.6 | 529 | 2,065 | 59 | 219 | 4 |
| | Independents | 245,659 | 4.57 | 0.2 | 568 | 2,201 | 206 | 292 | 19 |
| | Left Bloc | 146,898 | 2.73 | 1.6 | 448 | 229 | 183 | 3 | 3 |
| | People's | 144,575 | 2.69 | 0.9 | 1,043 | 826 | 144 | 65 | 14 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM / MPT | 95,175 | 1.77 | — | 45 | 216 | — | 19 | — |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / PPM | 84,398 | 1.57 | 0.7 | 125 | 400 | 98 | 34 | 2 |
| | Portuguese Workers' Communist | 3,635 | 0.07 | 0.0 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | New Democracy | 3,184 | 0.06 | — | 16 | 7 | — | 0 | — |
| | Earth | 3,100 | 0.06 | 0.1 | 7 | 23 | 97 | 3 | 15 |
| | PSD / CDS–PP / MPT | 1,756 | 0.03 | — | 12 | 32 | — | 3 | — |
| | People's / Social Democratic | 1,448 | 0.03 | 0.1 | 2 | 10 | 57 | 2 | 6 |
| | Humanist | 824 | 0.02 | 0.0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | PSD / PPM | 807 | 0.02 | 2.3 | 5 | 6 | 259 | 0 | 18 |
| | National Solidarity | 72 | 0.00 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| | National Renovator | 38 | 0.00 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| | People's Monarchist | 27 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total valid | Total valid | 5,130,086 | 95.31 | 0.7 | — | 34,498 | — | 4,125 | — |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 151,527 | 2.82 | 0.5 | | | | | |
| Invalid ballots | Invalid ballots | 101,067 | 1.88 | 0.2 | | | | | |
| Total | Total | 5,382,680 | 100.00 | | | | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 8,832,693 | 60.94 | 0.9 | | | | | |

### Maps

* The first and the second most voted parties in Municipal Assemblies in each district. (Azores and Madeira are not shown)
* The first and the second most voted parties in Parish Assemblies in each district. (Azores and Madeira are not shown)

### End notes

* The source of the voting data is the Portuguese Electoral Commission Archived 2005-04-08 at the Wayback Machine
Further Notes:
* Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU) is composed of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), "The Greens" (PEV) and the Democratic Intervention (ID).
* The different coalitions between the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the People's Party (CDS–PP), the People's Monarchist Party (PPM) or the Earth Party (MPT) appear because each municipality has its own election.
* The number of candidacies expresses the number of municipalities or parishes in which the party or coalition presented lists.
* The number of mandates expresses the number of municipal deputies in the Municipal Assembly election and the number of parish deputies in the Parish Assembly election.
* The turnout varies because one may choose not to vote for all the organs.