# 2001 Lisbon local election

The 2001 Lisbon local election was held on 16 December 2001 to elect the members of the Lisbon City Council.
In an election that was considered an upset, incumbent mayor João Soares, running in a coalition between the Socialists, the Communists and the Greens, lost reelection against Pedro Santana Lopes, the Social Democratic candidate, who beat João Soares with a very narrow margin of less than 1000 votes. The terrible results in this election ultimately led to Prime Minister António Guterres' resignation.
Paulo Portas, the CDS – People's Party candidate, won one seat in the city council, while Miguel Portas, the Left Bloc candidate, failed to be elected.

## Background

In the 1997 election, the coalition between the Socialist Party, the Unitary Democratic Coalition and the People's Democratic Union, led by João Soares, the son of former president Mário Soares, won with an absolute majority, achieving 51.9% of the votes and 10 seats in the city council. They defeated the coalition between the Social Democratic Party and the People's Party, led by Ferreira do Amaral, who got 39.3% of the votes and 7 seats.

## Electoral system

Each party or coalition must present a list of candidates. The lists are closed and the seats in each municipality are apportioned according to the D'Hondt method. Unlike in national legislative elections, independent lists are allowed to run.

## Parties and candidates

| Party/Coalition | Party/Coalition | Party/Coalition | Political position | Candidate | 1997 result | 1997 result |
| Party/Coalition | Party/Coalition | Party/Coalition | Political position | Candidate | Votes (%) | Seats |
| | AL | Love Lisbon Amar Lisboa PS, PCP, PEV | Centre-left to left-wing | João Soares | 51.9% | 10 / 17 |
| | LF | Happy Lisbon Lisboa Feliz PPD/PSD, PPM | Centre-right | Pedro Santana Lopes | 39.3% | 6 / 17 |
| | CDS–PP | CDS – People's Party CDS – Partido Popular | Right-wing | Paulo Portas | 39.3% | 1 / 17 |
| | PCTP | Portuguese Workers' Communist Party Partido Comunista dos Trabalhadores Portugueses | Far-left | — | 1.9% | 0 / 17 |
| | BE | Left Bloc Bloco de Esquerda | Left-wing to far-left | Miguel Portas | — | 0 / 17 |
| | PH | Humanist Party Partido Humanista | Centre-left | — | — | 0 / 17 |
| | MPT | Earth Party Partido da Terra | Center-right | — | — | 0 / 17 |
| | PNR | National Renovator Party Partido Nacional Renovador | Far-right | — | — | 0 / 17 |

## Opinion polling
### Polling

Exit poll
| Polling firm/Link | Fieldwork date | Sample size | PS PCP PEV | PSD PPM | CDS | BE | O | Lead |
| 2001 local election | 16 Dec 2001 | — | 41.7 8 | 42.0 8 | 7.6 1 | 3.8 0 | 4.9 0 | 0.3 |
| CESOP–UCP | 16 Dec 2001 | ? | 41–45 | 39–43 | 6–8 | 2.5–4.5 | – | 2 |
| Euroexpansão | 8–12 Dec 2001 | ? | 41.0 | 31.0 | 6.7 | 3.9 | 17.4 | 10.0 |
| CESOP–UCP | 8–9 Dec 2001 | ? | 41.6 | 37.1 | — | — | 21.3 | 4.5 |
| SIC/Visão | 2 Dec 2001 | ? | 41.6 | 41.8 | — | — | 16.6 | 0.2 |
| SIC/Visão | 9 Nov 2001 | ? | 41.6 | 41.3 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 9.6 | 0.3 |
| Euroteste | 9 Nov 2001 | ? | 37 | 39 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 2 |
| CESOP–UCP | 6 Nov 2001 | ? | 41.9 | 42.5 | 8.4 | 4.8 | 2.4 | 0.6 |
| CESOP–UCP | 16–20 Mar 2001 | 1,192 | 38.0 | 37.5 | 11.0 | 7.7 | 5.8 | 0.5 |
| 1999 legislative election | 10 Oct 1999 | — | 50.3 (9) | 29.6 (5) | 10.2 (2) | 6.0 (1) | 3.9 (0) | 20.7 |
| 1997 local election | 14 Dec 1997 | — | 51.9 10 | 39.3 7 | 39.3 7 | — | 8.8 0 | 12.6 |

## Results
### Municipal Council

Summary of the 16 December 2001 Lisbon City Council election results :
| 881 |||||||||||
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Councillors | Councillors |
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Total | ± |
| | Social Democratic / People's Monarchist | 131,135 | 41.98 | — | 8 | 2 |
| | Socialist / Communist / The Greens | 130,279 | 41.70 | 10.2 | 8 | 2 |
| | People's | 23,584 | 7.55 | — | 1 | 0 |
| | Left Bloc | 11,877 | 3.80 | — | 0 | — |
| | Portuguese Workers' Communist | 2,419 | 0.77 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| | Humanist | 1,352 | 0.43 | — | 0 | — |
| | Earth | 1,347 | 0.43 | — | 0 | — |
| | National Renovator | 652 | 0.21 | — | 0 | — |
| Total valid | Total valid | 302,645 | 96.88 | 1.2 | 17 | 0 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 5,902 | 1.89 | 0.2 | | |
| Invalid ballots | Invalid ballots | 3,844 | 1.23 | 1.0 | | |
| Total | Total | 312,391 | 100.00 | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 567,867 | 55.01 | 6.7 | | |
| Source: Lisbon 2001 election results |||||||||||

### Municipal Assembly

Summary of the 16 December 2001 Lisbon City Council election results :
| 224235 |||||||||||
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Seats | Seats |
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp swing | Total | ± |
| | Socialist / Communist / The Greens | 129,852 | 41.57 | 9.8 | 24 | 6 |
| | Social Democratic / People's Monarchist | 124,457 | 39.84 | — | 23 | — |
| | People's | 27,100 | 8.68 | — | 5 | — |
| | Left Bloc | 15,099 | 4.83 | — | 2 | — |
| | Portuguese Workers' Communist | 2,733 | 0.87 | 1.1 | 0 | 1 |
| | Earth | 1,970 | 0.63 | — | 0 | — |
| | National Renovator | 779 | 0.25 | — | 0 | — |
| Total valid | Total valid | 301,990 | 96.68 | 1.2 | 54 | 0 |
| Blank ballots | Blank ballots | 6,633 | 2.12 | 0.1 | | |
| Invalid ballots | Invalid ballots | 3,760 | 1.20 | 1.0 | | |
| Total | Total | 312,383 | 100.00 | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 567,867 | 55.01 | 6.7 | | |
| Source: Lisbon 2001 election results |||||||||||

### Parish Assemblies

Results of the 16 December 2001 Lisbon Parish Assembly elections :
| Parish | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | % | S | Total S |
| Parish | PS/CDU | PS/CDU | PSD/PPM | PSD/PPM | CDS–PP | CDS–PP | BE | BE | IND | IND | PCTP | PCTP | | Total S |
| Ajuda | 56.8 | 9 | 29.9 | 4 | 6.1 | - | 3.7 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Alcântara | 53.2 | 8 | 32.5 | 5 | 6.3 | - | 4.6 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Alto do Pina | 32.0 | 4 | 52.2 | 8 | 7.8 | 1 | 4.6 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Alvalade | 28.6 | 4 | 50.2 | 7 | 12.7 | 2 | 5.8 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Ameixoeira | 46.3 | 7 | 37.1 | 5 | 8.7 | 1 | 3.7 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Anjos | 36.0 | 5 | 43.3 | 6 | 10.0 | 1 | 6.3 | 1 | | | | | 13 |
| Beato | 49.0 | 8 | 28.9 | 4 | 8.4 | 1 | 5.4 | - | | | 4.0 | - | 13 |
| Benfica | 44.6 | 10 | 40.1 | 9 | 7.4 | 1 | 4.1 | 1 | | | 1.0 | - | 21 |
| Campo Grande | 41.4 | 6 | 42.1 | 6 | 8.7 | 1 | 5.0 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Campolide | 47.7 | 7 | 36.1 | 5 | 8.1 | 1 | 4.3 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Carnide | 46.0 | 7 | 36.3 | 5 | 8.9 | 1 | 4.7 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Castelo | 62.2 | 5 | 22.1 | 2 | 6.3 | - | | | | | | | 7 |
| Charneca | 52.6 | 8 | 29.9 | 4 | 8.7 | 1 | 4.3 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Coração de Jesus | 37.8 | 6 | 42.6 | 6 | 10.9 | 1 | 5.5 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Encarnação | 45.2 | 5 | 34.8 | 3 | 9.6 | 1 | 6.2 | - | | | | | 9 |
| Graça | 42.3 | 6 | 39.1 | 6 | 7.8 | 1 | 5.9 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Lapa | 29.4 | 4 | 49.8 | 7 | 13.3 | 2 | 5.0 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Lumiar | 40.9 | 8 | 41.7 | 9 | 7.8 | 1 | 5.3 | 1 | | | | | 20 |
| Madalena | 53.0 | 4 | 32.9 | 2 | 11.1 | 1 | | | | | | | 7 |
| Mártires | 42.2 | 3 | 12.6 | 1 | 39.3 | 3 | | | | | | | 7 |
| Marvila | 54.8 | 12 | 25.4 | 5 | 7.6 | 1 | 4.4 | 1 | | | 2.9 | - | 19 |
| Mercês | 46.6 | 7 | 34.1 | 5 | 9.7 | 1 | 5.2 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Nossa Senhora de Fátima | 31.0 | 5 | 45.6 | 7 | 10.2 | 1 | 4.2 | - | 5.8 | - | | | 13 |
| Pena | 41.8 | 6 | 37.9 | 5 | 9.5 | 1 | 6.8 | 1 | | | | | 13 |
| Penha de França | 44.3 | 6 | 40.5 | 6 | 7.1 | 1 | 4.5 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Prazeres | 46.3 | 7 | 36.6 | 5 | 9.0 | 1 | 5.5 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Sacramento | 38.1 | 4 | 43.6 | 4 | 13.3 | 1 | | | | | | | 7 |
| Santa Catarina | 50.0 | 5 | 32.4 | 3 | 9.7 | 1 | 5.2 | - | | | | | 9 |
| Santa Engrácia | 36.1 | 5 | 26.1 | 4 | 6.5 | 1 | 3.2 | - | 23.4 | 3 | | | 13 |
| Santa Isabel | 33.7 | 5 | 47.0 | 7 | 10.0 | 1 | 6.0 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Santa Justa | 46.6 | 4 | 28.4 | 2 | 18.4 | 1 | | | | | | | 7 |
| Santa Maria de Belém | 38.6 | 6 | 42.7 | 6 | 10.1 | 1 | 5.5 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Santa Maria dos Olivais | 50.2 | 11 | 31.2 | 7 | 6.2 | 1 | 4.3 | 1 | | | 4.4 | 1 | 21 |
| Santiago | 53.7 | 5 | 31.4 | 3 | 10.1 | 1 | | | | | | | 9 |
| Santo Condestável | 44.3 | 6 | 39.3 | 6 | 8.0 | 1 | 4.5 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Santo Estêvão | 40.6 | 4 | 19.1 | 2 | 5.5 | - | | | 28.8 | 3 | | | 9 |
| Santos-o-Velho | 44.6 | 5 | 34.1 | 3 | 12.1 | 1 | 6.1 | - | | | | | 9 |
| São Cristóvão e São Lourenço | 49.0 | 5 | 31.8 | 3 | 13.5 | 1 | | | | | | | 9 |
| São Domingos de Benfica | 36.4 | 7 | 46.4 | 10 | 8.2 | 1 | 5.1 | 1 | | | | | 19 |
| São Francisco Xavier | 29.0 | 4 | 52.8 | 8 | 10.2 | 1 | 5.7 | - | | | | | 13 |
| São João | 46.2 | 7 | 36.2 | 5 | 8.9 | 1 | 5.2 | - | | | | | 13 |
| São João de Brito | 28.2 | 4 | 51.3 | 7 | 13.3 | 2 | 3.9 | - | | | | | 13 |
| São João de Deus | 28.4 | 4 | 51.9 | 8 | 12.6 | 1 | 4.4 | - | | | | | 13 |
| São Jorge de Arroios | 36.1 | 7 | 45.2 | 9 | 10.1 | 2 | 5.3 | 1 | | | | | 19 |
| São José | 44.0 | 4 | 38.4 | 4 | 10.3 | 1 | | | | | | | 9 |
| São Mamede | 33.1 | 5 | 48.2 | 7 | 10.8 | 1 | 4.7 | - | | | | | 13 |
| São Miguel | 62.3 | 7 | 24.9 | 2 | 7.0 | - | | | | | 2.3 | - | 9 |
| São Nicolau | 48.2 | 5 | 38.0 | 3 | 10.2 | 1 | | | | | | | 9 |
| São Paulo | 53.3 | 5 | 31.8 | 3 | 9.8 | 1 | | | | | | | 9 |
| São Sebastião da Pedreira | 24.9 | 3 | 46.6 | 7 | 20.2 | 3 | 6.2 | - | | | | | 13 |
| Santo Vicente de Fora | 57.6 | 6 | 27.6 | 2 | 10.2 | 1 | | | | | | | 9 |
| Sé | 47.2 | 5 | 27.5 | 2 | 19.9 | 2 | | | | | | | 9 |
| Socorro | 43.9 | 4 | 9.9 | 1 | 39.5 | 4 | | | | | | | 9 |
| Total | 42.6 | 309 | 38.8 | 265 | 9.1 | 60 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.6 | 6 | 0.7 | 1 | 649 |
| Source: Election Results ||||||||||||||