A presidential election was held in Portugal on 22 January 2006 to elect a successor to the incumbent President Jorge Sampaio, who was barred from running for a third consecutive term by the Constitution of Portugal. The result was a narrow first-round victory for former prime minister and candidate supported by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who obtained 50.54 percent of the votes, just over the majority required to avoid a runoff election.
It was the first time in which a right-wing candidate was elected President of the Republic since the 1974 Carnation Revolution, and this election would also mark the beginning of a 20-year period in which the PSD held the presidency. Former president, prime minister and PS leader, Mário Soares, suffered a massive defeat, polling third with just 14 percent of the votes, while being surpassed by his party colleague, Manuel Alegre, who came in second with almost 21 percent of the votes.
Voter turnout was 62 percent. Cavaco Silva was sworn in as President on 9 March 2006.
Background In the presidential election of 14 January 2001, the outgoing Socialist Jorge Sampaio was re-elected in the first round with 55 percent of votes. Because he was term-limited, he was forbidden by the Constitution to run for a third consecutive term. Sampaio's second term began with the continuation of the institutional relationship with Socialist prime minister António Guterres, which ended after the early election of March 2002, when a new cohabitation started, now with a PSD Prime Minister, José Manuel Durão Barroso. Portugal's role in the Iraq War, in which Barroso's government sided with the USA, created some discomfort between the government and the president. In the summer of 2004, Barroso resigned in order to become President of the European Commission,"Durão Barroso apresenta demissão para ser presidente da Comissão Europeia ", RTP, 8 September 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2026. and Sampaio nominated the Social Democrats' new leader, Pedro Santana Lopes, as prime minister, against the objection of the PS. A few months later, a series of controversies within Santana's government, led to a split between president and prime minister, with Sampaio dismissing the government and calling a snap election."A bomba atómica de Sampaio", Correio da Manhã, 10 September 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2026. In the parliamentary election of 20 February 2005, the Socialist Party (PS), led by José Sócrates, won for the first time in its history an absolute majority of seats, while the Social Democratic Party (PSD), led by Pedro Santana Lopes, fell below 30 percent, one of their worst result since 1983. The last year of Sampaio's second term was, once again, of coexistence with a prime minister from his own party.
Pre-campaign
In the follow-up for the presidential election, the candidacy of former PSD prime minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva (1985–1995) was seen as likely for months, until its confirmation in October 2005. On the Socialist side, the vacuum left by Sampaio's departure and Cavaco's candidacy split the party, resulting in two candidacies from the same political camp, former secretary-general and President of the Republic between 1986 and 1996, Mário Soares, and party member Manuel Alegre. The then leaders of the Communist Party and the Left Bloc, Jerónimo de Sousa and Francisco Louçã, respectively, also announced their candidacies.
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 Thirteen citizens sought election officially, but only six gathered the 7,500 signatures required under the constitution to be a candidate in the poll. All the candidates except for Cavaco Silva are considered to be from the Portuguese political left.
Official candidates CandidateParty supportPolitical office(s)DetailsAníbal Cavaco Silva (66)Prime Minister (1985–1995)President of the Social Democratic Party (1985–1995)Minister of Finance (1980–1981)Social Democratic Party (PSD) member; candidate in the 1996 presidential election, finishing second with 46.1% of the votes.Manuel Alegre (69)Vice President of the Assembly of the Republic (1995–2009)Member of the Assembly of the Republic (1975–2009)Member of the Council of State (1996–2002; 2005–2015)Secretary of State Adjunct of the Prime Minister (1977–1978)Secretary of State for Social Communication (1976–1977)Socialist Party (PS) member, failed to receive the support of the party; writer and poet.Mário Soares (81)Member of the European Parliament (1999–2004)President of the Republic (1986–1996)Prime Minister (1976–1978; 1983–1985)Secretary-general of the Socialist Party (1973–1985)Minister without portfolio (1975)Minister of Foreign Affairs (1974–1975)Member of the Assembly of the Republic (1975–1986)Former President after winning the 1986 presidential election in the second round with 51.2% of the votes, and after being reelected in the 1991 presidential election with 70.4% of the votes; eligible for a third non-consecutive term.Jerónimo de Sousa (58)Secretary-general of the Portuguese Communist Party (2004–2022)Member of the Assembly of the Republic (1976–2022)Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) member; candidate in the 1996 presidential election, withrew before the ballot.Francisco Louçã (49)Coordinator of the Left Bloc (1999–2012)Member of the Assembly of the Republic (1999–2012)Left Bloc (BE) founding member; former Socialist Revolutionary Party leader.António Garcia Pereira (53)Secretary-general of the Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (1982–2015)Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP) member; lawyer; candidate in the 2001 presidential election; finished fifth with 1.6% of the votes.
Unsuccessful candidacies
The other potential candidates who, according to the Constitutional Court, did not gather enough signatures, were: Josué Rodrigues Gonçalo Pedro; Luís Filipe Guerra – leader of the Humanist Party; Teresa Lameiro; Manuela Magno – nuclear physicist; Carmelinda Pereira – leader of the Workers Party of Socialist Unity (POUS); Luís Botelho Ribeiro; Diamantino da Silva;
Campaign period Issues The country's economic situation was one of the main themes of the campaign, as were each of the candidates personalities, with the strong clash between Cavaco Silva, Mário Soares and Manuel Alegre. Soares candidacy divided the Socialist Party, with his age and constant gaffes during the campaign raising questions, and PS MP Manuel Alegre broke party unity by announcing his candidacy, citing the need to "mobilize civil society". Cavaco Silva had the support of the two main right-wing parties, unlike 1996, and led all polls throughout the whole campaign. During the campaign, Cavaco was the target of most of his opponents' attacks, with Soares suggesting "illegitimate interests" behind Cavaco's campaign and Jerónimo de Sousa warning of a "cold and insensitive" presidency under Cavaco, while Alegre concentrated his campaign on the fight against "vested interests". Cavaco Silva, on the other hand, dramatized the election, saying that it would "shape the country's future" for the coming years.
Party slogans Candidate Original slogan English translation Refs Aníbal Cavaco Silva « Portugal Maior » "Greater Portugal" Mário Soares « Sempre presente nos momentos difíceis » "Always present in difficult times" Manuel Alegre « O poder dos cidadãos » "The power of citizens" Jerónimo de Sousa « Com toda a confiança » "With all confidence" Francisco Louçã « Rigor, Solidariedade » "Rigor, Solidarity" António Garcia Pereira « A coragem de mudar de rumo » "The courage to change course"
Candidates' debates 2006 Portuguese presidential election debates Date Organisers Moderator(s) Cavaco Soares Alegre Jerónimo Louçã Refs 5 Dec 2005 SIC Rodrigo Guedes de Carvalho, PNPNN 8 Dec 2005 RTP1 NPNPN 9 Dec 2005 TVI Constança Cunha e Sá, Miguel Sousa Tavares PNNNP 12 Dec 2005 RTP1 NNPNP 13 Dec 2005 TVI Constança Cunha e Sá, Miguel Sousa Tavares NPPNN 14 Dec 2005 SIC Rodrigo Guedes de Carvalho, PNNPN 15 Dec 2005 RTP1 Judite de Sousa, José Alberto CarvalhoNNNPP 16 Dec 2005 SIC NPNNP 19 Dec 2005 TVI NNPPN 20 Dec 2005 RTP1 Judite de Sousa, José Alberto CarvalhoPPNNN DateOrganisersPolling firm/Link Cavaco Soares Alegre Jerónimo Louçã Refs 5 Dec 2005 SIC Eurosondagem 27.3 15.7 12 Dec 2005 TVI Eurosondagem 19.3 20.7
Opinion polling
Voter turnout The table below shows voter turnout throughout election day including voters from Overseas. Due to lack of data from the 2001 election, it's not possible to compare the turnout throughout election day between the two elections.
Turnout Time 12:00 16:00 19:00 2001 2006 2001 2006 2001 2006 ± Total 19.32% 45.56% 49.71% 61.53% 11.82 pp Sources
Results National summary
Results by district District Cavaco Alegre Soares Jerónimo Louçã Garcia Pereira Turnout Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Aveiro 228,343 59.74% 68,101 17.82% 51,696 13.52% 16,209 4.24% 16,668 4.36% 1,222 0.32% 65.06% Azores 45,065 55.57% 13,424 16.55% 16,001 19.73% 2,250 2.77% 4,018 4.95% 345 0.43% 43.04% Beja 21,708 27.33% 21,235 26.74% 10,633 13.39% 21,685 27.53% 3,649 4.59% 336 0.42% 58.41% Braga 266,000 56.98% 76,836 16.46% 73,257 15.69% 26,618 5.70% 22,661 4.85% 1,464 0.31% 67.61% Bragança 53,747 67.30% 12,714 15.92% 8,554 10.71% 2,183 2.73% 2,410 3.02% 253 0.32% 53.91% Castelo Branco 56,618 49.70% 26,401 23.17% 18,130 15.91% 6,799 5.97% 5,513 4.84% 466 0.41% 61.37% Coimbra 113,320 49.22% 62,908 27.32% 30,199 13.12% 13,157 5.71% 9,836 4.27% 830 0.36% 62.02% Évora 28,166 31.48% 24,334 27.19% 12,857 14.37% 19,836 22.17% 3,982 4.45% 305 0.34% 61.97% Faro 93,021 48.72% 44,268 23.18% 24,946 13.06% 14,540 7.61% 13,107 6.86% 1,064 0.56% 59.92% Guarda 58,568 60.33% 18,984 19.55% 11,557 11.90% 3,964 4.08% 3,608 3.72% 400 0.41% 58.26% Leiria 151,956 62.30% 42,424 17.39% 25,022 10.26% 12,324 5.05% 11,238 4.61% 955 0.39% 64.14% Lisbon 498,470 44.62% 266,680 23.87% 161,411 14.45% 119,116 10.66% 64,877 5.81% 6,497 0.58% 63.84% Madeira 76,598 58.47% 20,601 15.72% 15,595 11.90% 6,757 5.16% 10,206 7.79% 1,252 0.96% 58.19% Portalegre 24,544 37.80% 17,184 26.46% 10,609 16.34% 9,355 14.41% 2,988 4.60% 254 0.39% 60.96% Porto 487,852 51.29% 169,741 17.84% 168,772 17.74% 65,668 6.90% 55,959 5.88% 3,262 0.34% 66.16% Santarém 115,032 47.75% 56,585 23.49% 31,244 12.97% 23,408 9.72% 13,513 5.61% 1,119 0.46% 63.19% Setúbal 129,053 32.14% 109,052 27.16% 49,228 12.26% 85,117 21.20% 27,063 6.74% 1,984 0.49% 61.92% Viana do Castelo 83,542 60.64% 22,108 16.05% 18,816 13.66% 6,616 4.80% 6,145 4.46% 530 0.38% 59.47% Vila Real 78,465 64.61% 17,656 14.54% 17,131 14.11% 4,065 3.35% 3,738 3.08% 392 0.32% 55.17% Viseu 136,621 65.68% 33,841 16.27% 23,123 11.22% 6,660 3.20% 7,082 3.40% 692 0.33% 58.87% Overseas 12,048 64.63% 2,395 12.85% 2,732 14.66% 853 4.58% 495 2.66% 118 0.63% 10.07% Source: 2006 Presidential election results
Maps
Notes
References
External links Portuguese Electoral Commission Official results site, Portuguese Justice Ministry NSD: European Election Database - Portugal publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1990–2010
fr:Élections présidentielles portugaises#2006