# 1986 Portuguese presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Portugal on 26 January 1986, with a second round on 16 February.
This was closest presidential election ever held in Portugal and was won by the Socialist Mário Soares, who initially had no more than 5 percent at opinion polls.
The first round was easily won by Freitas do Amaral, supported by all the right-wing parties, while Soares defeated the other two left-wing candidates, the former Prime-Minister Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo –the first woman to be a candidate to the Portuguese presidency – and Salgado Zenha (supported by outgoing president António Ramalho Eanes, founder of the short-lived Democratic Renewal Party, and by the Portuguese Communist Party, whose candidate, Ângelo Veloso, left the race some days before the poll). Both these candidates supported Soares in the second round.
In the first round, Soares did not achieve the majority of the voting in any district, as the left-wing strongholds in the south of Portugal voted for Zenha due to his support by the Communist Party.
As results for the second round were counted, the urban vote, traditionally more left-wing, overcame the early lead of Freitas do Amaral by less than 140,000 votes, and Soares became president on 9 March 1986, the first civilian to hold the post (not counting caretakers) in 60 years.
As of 2021, this was the only time a Portuguese presidential election was taken into a second round.

## Electoral system

Any Portuguese citizen over 35 years old has the opportunity to run for president. In order to do so it is necessary to gather between 7,500 and 15,000 signatures and submit them to the Portuguese Constitutional Court.
According to the Portuguese Constitution, to be elected, a candidate needs a majority of votes. If no candidate gets this majority there will take place a second round between the two most voted candidates.

## Candidates
### Official candidates

* Diogo Freitas do Amaral, Interim Prime Minister between December 1980 and January 1981, leader of the Democratic and Social Centre between 1974 and 1983, supported by the Democratic and Social Centre and the Social Democratic Party;
* Mário Soares, former Prime Minister between 1976-1978 and 1983-1985, leader of the Socialist Party between 1973 and 1985, supported by the Socialist Party;
* Francisco Salgado Zenha, former Minister of Justice in Vasco Gonçalves governments, supported by the Portuguese Communist Party and Democratic Renewal Party;
* Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, Independent candidate, former Prime Minister between 1979 and 1980;
* Ângelo Veloso, Official candidate of the Portuguese Communist Party, Left the race to support Salgado Zenha;

### Unsuccessful candidacies

There were also three candidates rejected by the Portuguese Constitutional Court for not complying with the legal requirements, those were:
* Carmelinda Pereira;
* Luís Carlos Franco;
* Álvaro Manuel Nunes;

## Campaign period
### Party slogans

| Candidate | Original slogan | English translation |
| Mário Soares | « O voto do Povo » « Soares é fixe » | "The vote of the People" "Soares is cool" |
| Diogo Freitas do Amaral | « Está na hora! » « Prá Frente Portugal! » | "It's time!" "Go Forward Portugal!" |
| Francisco Salgado Zenha | « Justiça e tolerancia, confiança no futuro » | "Justice and tolerance, confidence in the future" |
| Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo | « A coragem da decisão » | "The courage of the decision" |

### Candidates' debates
#### First round

1986 Portuguese presidential election 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 |
| Date | Organisers | Moderator(s) | Soares | Freitas | Zenha | Pintasilgo | Refs |
| 17 Dec 1985 | RTP1 | Margarida Marante | N | P | P | N | |
| 19 Dec 1985 | RTP1 | Miguel Sousa Tavares | P | N | N | P | |
| 26 Dec 1985 | RTP1 | Miguel Sousa Tavares | N | P | N | P | |
| 2 Jan 1986 | RTP1 | Miguel Sousa Tavares | P | N | P | N | |
| 7 Jan 1986 | RTP1 | Margarida Marante | N | N | P | P | |
| 9 Jan 1986 | RTP1 | Miguel Sousa Tavares | P | P | N | N | |

#### Second round

1986 Portuguese presidential election 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 | P Present  A Absent invitee N Non-invitee |
| Date | Organisers | Moderator(s) | Soares | Freitas | Refs |
| 6 Feb 1986 | RTP1 | Margarida Marante Miguel Sousa Tavares | P | P | |

## Opinion polls
### First round

Exit poll
| Polling firm | Date conducted | Sample size | | | | | Others | Lead |
| Polling firm | Date conducted | Sample size | Freitas CDS, PSD | Soares PS | Zenha Ind supported by PRD, PCP | Pintasilgo Ind supported by UDP | Others | Lead |
| Election results | 26 Jan 1986 | — | 46.3 | 25.4 | 20.9 | 7.4 | — | 20.9 |
| RTP | 26 Jan 1986 | — | 43.0–46.0 | 24.0–27.0 | 18.0–21.0 | 9.0–12.0 | — | 19.0 |
| Expresso | 10 Jan 1986 | 2,000 | 42.5 | 21.5 | — | — | 36.0 | 21.0 |
| Norma | 23 Nov 1985 | ? | 38.7 | 8.3 | 16.3 | 22.8 | 13.9 | 15.9 |
| Norma | 10–16 May 1985 | 598 | 33.4 | 12.9 | — | 24.1 | 29.7 | 9.3 |
| Norma | Apr 1985 | ? | — | 13.6 | — | 25.5 | 60.9 | 11.9 |
| Norma | Apr 1985 | ? | — | 13.8 | — | 25.4 | 60.8 | 11.6 |
| Norma | 14–21 Jan 1985 | ? | — | 11.1 | 1.7 | 25.0 | 62.6 | 11.1 |
| Norma | 14–21 Jan 1985 | ? | — | 9.9 | 3.7 | 26.4 | 60.0 | 13.2 |
| Norma | 13–21 Dec 1984 | ? | — | 16.5 | — | 26.8 | 56.7 | 10.3 |
| Norma | 13–21 Dec 1984 | ? | — | 17.2 | — | 25.7 | 57.0 | 8.5 |
| Norma | Nov 1984 | ? | — | 12.4 | — | 22.5 | 65.1 | 7.3 |
| Norma | Nov 1984 | ? | — | 12.0 | — | 22.5 | 65.5 | 10.5 |
| Euroexpansão | 19–25 Oct 1984 | 816 | 9.4 | 14.6 | 2.6 | 21.5 | 51.9 | 6.9 |
| Norma | 4–15 Oct 1984 | ? | — | 14.4 | — | 15.4 | 70.2 | 1.0 |
| Marktest | Oct 1984 | ? | 12 | 13 | 1 | 21 | 53 | 8 |
| Marktest | Sep 1984 | ? | 10 | 13 | 2 | 20 | 55 | 7 |
| Norma | 27 Aug–3 Sep 1984 | 605 | — | 8.2 | — | 18.0 | 73.8 | 9.8 |
| Marktest | Aug 1984 | ? | 11 | 11 | 3 | 19 | 56 | 8 |
| Norma | Jul 1984 | ? | — | 10.3 | — | 22.3 | 67.4 | 12.0 |
| Marktest | Jul 1984 | ? | 13 | 12 | 3 | 23 | 49 | 10 |
| Norma | Jun 1984 | ? | — | 12.4 | — | 22.0 | 65.6 | 9.6 |
| Marktest | Jun 1984 | ? | 13 | 11 | 2 | 24 | 50 | 11 |
| Norma | May 1984 | ? | — | 13.8 | — | 26.2 | 60.0 | 12.4 |

### Second round

Exit poll
| Polling firm | Date conducted | Sample size | | | Lead |
| Polling firm | Date conducted | Sample size | Freitas CDS, PSD | Soares PS | Lead |
| Election results | 16 Feb 1986 | — | 48.8 | 51.2 | 2.4 |
| Ministry of Justice | 16 Feb 1986 | — | 48.7 | 51.3 | 2.6 |
| RTP | 16 Feb 1986 | — | 48.0–50.0 | 50.0–52.0 | 2.0 |
| Norma | 10–16 May 1985 | 598 | 66.7 | 33.3 | 33.4 |
| Norma | Apr 1985 | — | 50.9 | 49.1 | 1.8 |
| Polling firm | Date conducted | Sample size | Mário Soares | Freitas do Amaral | Salgado Zenha | Lourdes Pintasilgo | Alberto João Jardim | Firmino Miguel | Lucas Pires | Oth/ Und | Lead |
| Polling firm | Date conducted | Sample size | PS | CDS | Ind. | Ind. | PSD | Ind. | CDS | Oth/ Und | Lead |
| Norma | 10–16 May 1985 | 598 | 31.6 | — | — | 31.7 | — | — | — | 36.7 | 0.1 |
| Norma | 10–16 May 1985 | 598 | — | 41.2 | — | 33.6 | — | — | — | 25.2 | 7.6 |
| Norma | Apr 1985 | ? | 21.1 | — | — | 31.0 | — | — | — | 47.9 | 9.9 |
| Norma | Apr 1985 | ? | 23.2 | — | — | — | 23.6 | — | — | 53.2 | 0.4 |
| Norma | Apr 1985 | ? | 21.2 | — | — | — | — | 17.8 | — | 61.0 | 3.4 |
| Euroexpansão | 19–25 Oct 1984 | 816 | 34.0 | — | 23.6 | — | — | — | — | 42.4 | 10.4 |
| Euroexpansão | 19–25 Oct 1984 | 816 | 27.9 | — | — | — | — | — | 31.8 | 40.3 | 3.9 |

## Results

| Candidate | Candidate | Party | First round | First round | Second round | Second round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Diogo Freitas do Amaral | Democratic and Social Centre–Social Democratic Party | 2,629,597 | 46.31 | 2,872,064 | 48.82 |
| | Mário Soares | Socialist Party | 1,443,683 | 25.43 | 3,010,756 | 51.18 |
| | Francisco Salgado Zenha | Independent supported by Democratic Renewal Party–Portuguese Communist Party | 1,185,867 | 20.88 | | |
| | Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo | Independent supported by Popular Democratic Union | 418,961 | 7.38 | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,678,108 | 100.00 | 5,882,820 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 5,678,108 | 98.87 | 5,882,820 | 99.09 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 18,292 | 0.32 | 20,436 | 0.34 |
| Blank votes | Blank votes | Blank votes | 46,334 | 0.81 | 33,844 | 0.57 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,742,734 | 100.00 | 5,937,100 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 7,617,257 | 75.39 | 7,612,633 | 77.99 |
| Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições (first round), Comissão Nacional de Eleições (second round) |||||||

### Results by district
#### First round

| District | District | Freitas | Freitas | Soares | Soares | Zenha | Zenha | Pintasilgo | Pintasilgo | Turnout |
| District | District | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Turnout |
| | Aveiro | 200,008 | 57.00% | 102,684 | 29.26% | 30,868 | 8.80% | 17,345 | 4.94% | 76.06% |
| | Azores | 61,274 | 58.57% | 32,841 | 26.23% | 8,235 | 6.94% | 4,586 | 3.87% | 61.50% |
| | Beja | 22,648 | 21.30% | 19,347 | 18.19% | 58,233 | 54.76% | 6,117 | 5.75% | 71.58% |
| | Braga | 206,747 | 52.74% | 112,263 | 28.64% | 52,751 | 13.46% | 20,218 | 5.16% | 78.95% |
| | Bragança | 60,868 | 66.02% | 22,972 | 24.92% | 6,125 | 6.64% | 2,234 | 2.42% | 66.29% |
| | Castelo Branco | 72,295 | 53.00% | 31,812 | 23.32% | 24,671 | 18.09% | 7,638 | 5.60% | 72.77% |
| | Coimbra | 113,913 | 46.12% | 78,894 | 32.23% | 33,429 | 13.66% | 19,570 | 7.99% | 71.39% |
| | Évora | 31,613 | 27.71% | 15,734 | 13.79% | 60,061 | 52.65% | 6,665 | 5.84% | 78.88% |
| | Faro | 77,570 | 40.57% | 51,410 | 26.89% | 48,564 | 25.40% | 13.644 | 7.14% | 73.25% |
| | Guarda | 71,902 | 62.94% | 29,625 | 25.93% | 9,007 | 7.88% | 3,704 | 3.24% | 69.85% |
| | Leiria | 145,554 | 60.26% | 55,653 | 23.04% | 26,816 | 11.10% | 13,525 | 5.60% | 74.48% |
| | Lisbon | 512,158 | 39.91% | 296,395 | 23.09% | 338,470 | 26.37% | 136,397 | 10.63% | 78.45% |
| | Madeira | 74,688 | 62.96% | 31,123 | 26.23% | 8,235 | 6.94% | 4,586 | 3.87% | 69.34% |
| | Portalegre | 28,961 | 32.42% | 22,024 | 24.66% | 33,137 | 37.10% | 5,196 | 5.82% | 78.05% |
| | Porto | 413,407 | 45.17% | 284,250 | 31.06% | 152,919 | 16.71% | 64,566 | 7.06% | 79.05% |
| | Santarém | 117,657 | 43.10% | 61,661 | 22.59% | 68,133 | 24.96% | 25,522 | 9.35% | 75.99% |
| | Setúbal | 104,122 | 25.23% | 72,116 | 17.47% | 187,907 | 45.53% | 48,600 | 11.77% | 79.07% |
| | Viana do Castelo | 81,815 | 58.92% | 32,869 | 23.64% | 14,702 | 10.59% | 9,506 | 6.85% | 72.01% |
| | Vila Real | 84,459 | 63.73% | 35,050 | 26.45% | 9,362 | 7.06% | 3,655 | 2.76% | 68.59% |
| | Viseu | 147,519 | 66.20% | 54,344 | 24.39% | 14,378 | 6.45% | 6,584 | 2.95% | 70.18% |
| Source: SGMAI Presidential Election Results |||||||||||

#### Second round

| District | District | Soares | Soares | Freitas | Freitas | Turnout |
| District | District | Votes | % | Votes | % | Turnout |
| | Aveiro | 152,472 | 41.21% | 217,352 | 58.79% | 79.95% |
| | Azores | 44,464 | 40.55% | 65,177 | 59.45% | 79.95% |
| | Beja | 82,278 | 75.98% | 26,015 | 24.02% | 72.76% |
| | Braga | 190,746 | 46.42% | 220,150 | 53.58% | 82.77% |
| | Bragança | 32,196 | 32.28% | 67,531 | 67.72% | 72.40% |
| | Castelo Branco | 65,986 | 45.66% | 78,534 | 54.34% | 76.37% |
| | Coimbra | 137,735 | 52.79% | 123,192 | 47.21% | 76.01% |
| | Évora | 79,552 | 69.49% | 34,920 | 30.51% | 79.37% |
| | Faro | 113,089 | 56.81% | 85,961 | 43.19% | 75.50% |
| | Guarda | 44,187 | 36.10% | 78,217 | 63.90% | 74.93% |
| | Leiria | 94,791 | 37.29% | 159,401 | 62.71% | 78.16% |
| | Lisbon | 736,144 | 56.74% | 561,189 | 43.26% | 79.26% |
| | Madeira | 47,776 | 37.31% | 80,290 | 62.69% | 74.22% |
| | Portalegre | 59,550 | 65.25% | 31,712 | 34.75% | 79.68% |
| | Porto | 510,335 | 53.53% | 443,050 | 46.47% | 82.24% |
| | Santarém | 153,084 | 54.33% | 128,675 | 45.67% | 77.95% |
| | Setúbal | 289,199 | 70.88% | 118,790 | 29.12% | 78.44% |
| | Viana do Castelo | 56,176 | 38.41% | 90,094 | 61.59% | 75.33% |
| | Vila Real | 49,210 | 34.72% | 92,505 | 65.28% | 73.05% |
| | Viseu | 76,380 | 32.07% | 161,793 | 67.93% | 75.15% |
| Source: SGMAI Presidential Election Results |||||||

### Maps

* Most voted candidate by district - 1st Round.
* Most voted candidate by district - 2nd Round.
* Strongest candidate by municipality - 1st Round.
* Strongest candidate by municipality - 2nd Round.