An election was held in Portugal on Sunday, 26 May 2019, to elect the Portuguese delegation to the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024. This was the eighth European Parliament election held in Portugal.

The Socialist Party (PS) was the winner of the election, scoring 33.4 percent of the vote. The party increased their share of the votes by 2 percentage points from the 2014 election, and won an additional seat. It was one of the only three times in Portuguese history where the government party won a European election.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) achieved its worst results ever as a standalone party, with 21.9 percent of the vote, distancing more than eleven points from the winner. The People's Party (CDS), which ran alongside the PSD in the previous election, as part of the Portugal Alliance, also fell below expectations at 6.2 percent of the vote, only being able to elect their top candidate Nuno Melo.

The Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU) scored their worst result as well, narrowly electing two European Parliament members compared with their former three. On the other hand, the Left Bloc (BE) rebounded to previous support levels, more than doubling its vote share to 9.8 percent and electing a new member.

The big surprise of the elections was the result of People-Animals-Nature (PAN). Headed by civil engineer André Silva, PAN won 5.1 percent of the votes and was able to elect its first ever European Parliament member, over-performing the polls.

Turnout, again, fell to the lowest level ever, with only 30.7 percent of voters casting a ballot. Abstention reached an unprecedented level of 99.04 percent for Portuguese citizens living abroad.Europeias. Abstenção de 99% entre os emigrantes, Expresso, 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.

Electoral system The voting method used, for the election of European members of parliament, is by proportional representation using the D'Hondt method. For the 2019 European Union elections, Portugal had 21 seats to fill. Deputies are elected in a single constituency, corresponding to the entire national territory.

This election was also the first in which the changes to the electoral law approved in 2018 were put into practice. The main changes were the automatic registration of all Portuguese citizens, at home and abroad, above 17 year's old, prompting the number of registered voters to increase from 9.7 million to almost 10.8 million, the introduction of early voting to all voters without filling an excuse, in previous elections voters could only vote early if they were unable to attend a polling station on election day, and the end of the "voting card", as voters would only need their identification card to cast a ballot.Domingo é mais fácil votar, Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, 25 May 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2019. To vote early, 19,584 voters, 0.2 percent of all registered voters, requested an early ballot. According to the government, 14,909 voters cast an early ballot.Voto antecipado nas europeias teve abstenção de 24%, Eco newspaper, 25 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.

Parties and candidates The major parties that participated in the election and their European Parliament list leaders, ranked by percentage of the vote received, were:

Socialist Party (PS), Pedro MarquesMinistro do Planeamento vai ser cabeça-de-lista do PS às europeias , SIC Notícias, 06 February 2019. Retrieved 06 February 2019. Social Democratic Party (PSD), Paulo RangelRui Rio já fez o convite. Os pormenores estão acertados. Paulo Rangel é o candidato do PSD às Europeias, Observador, 05 February 2019. Retrieved 06 February 2019. Left Bloc (BE), Marisa MatiasMarisa Matias vai ser cabeça de lista do Bloco de Esquerda às europeias, Correio da Manhã, 10 November 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018. Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU), João FerreiraJoão Ferreira é o candidato da CDU ao Parlamento Europeu, Público, 18 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018. People's Party (CDS), Nuno MeloCDS dá tiro de partida para as eleições europeias , Expresso, 19 July 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018. People–Animals–Nature (PAN), Francisco GuerreiroFrancisco Guerreiro é o cabeça de lista pelo PAN às Europeias , People–Animals–Nature 13 December 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019. Alliance (A), Paulo SandeSande é assessor de Marcelo e será cabeça de lista de Santana Lopes às europeias, Jornal de Negócios, 1 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018. LIVRE (L), Rui TavaresRui Tavares é cabeça de lista do LIVRE, 'Público, 04 March 2019. Retrieved 04 March 2019. Basta (B), André VenturaTribunal Constitucional aceita coligação Basta. André Ventura é o cabeça de lista, TSF, 12 April 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019. We, the Citizens! (NC), Paulo de MoraisPaulo de Morais avança pelo Nós, Cidadãos! mas conta com apoio do eurodeputado do MPT, Observador, 14 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019. Liberal Initiative (IL), Ricardo ArrojaArroja é cabeça de lista às Europeias por partido que defende “uma enorme redução dos impostos”, Jornal de Negócios, 23 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019. Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP), Luís JúdicePCTP/MRPP candidata-se às eleições para o parlamento europeu , Jornal da Madeira 1 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019. National Renovator Party (PNR), João Patrocínio“Eurocético” PNR quer deputado na Europa para “combater a invasão” pelos “chamados refugiados”, Observador, 23 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019. Democratic Republican Party (PDR), António Marinho e PintoMarinho e Pinto recandidata-se ao Parlamento Europeu, Observador, 01 February 2019. Retrieved 06 February 2019. United Party of Retirees and Pensioners (PURP), Fernando LoureiroFernando Loureiro é o cabeça de lista do PURP às Eleições Europeias, Sul Informação, 18 February 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019. Portuguese Labour Party (PTP), Gonçalo Madaleno, TSF, 15 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019. Socialist Alternative Movement (MAS), Vasco SantosVasco Santos é candidato às Eleições Europeias , Socialist Alternative Movement, 13 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.

Campaign period Party slogans Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Refs PS « #Somos Europa » "#We are Europe" PSD « Marcar a diferença em Portugal e na Europa » "Making a difference in Portugal and in Europe" CDU « Defender o povo e o País » "Defending the people and the country" CDS–PP « Portugal, a Europa é aqui » "Portugal, Europe is here" BE « Lado a Lado, pelo que é de todos » "Side by side, by what is everyone's" PDR « A voz em Português que faz a diferença no Parlamento Europeu » "The Portuguese voice that makes the difference in the European Parliament" PAN « A Europa começa em ti » "Europe starts with you" A « Para ganhar uma Europa nova » "To win a new Europe" LIVRE « Faz a tua Europa » / «Todos votam. Todos contam » "Make your Europe" / «Everyone votes. Everyone counts. » PNR « Portugal português numa Europa europeia » "Portuguese Portugal in a European Europe" B « Basta! » "Enough! "

Candidates' debates With parties represented in the European Parliament 2019 European Parliament election in Portugal debates Date Organisers Moderator(s) PS PSD CDU CDS–PP BE PDR Refs 1 May SIC BentoRodriguesPPPPPP 2 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves NNNPPN 3 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves NPPNNN 4 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves PNNPNN 5 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves NPNNPN 6 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves PNPNNN 7 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves NPNPNN 8 May TVI José AlbertoCarvalho PPPPPP 8 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves NNPNPN 9 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves PNNNPN 10 May RTP3 CristinaEsteves NNPPNN 11 May RTP1 CristinaEsteves PPNNNN 20 May RTP1 Maria FlorPedrosoPPPPPN

With parties not represented in the European Parliament 2019 European Parliament election in Portugal debates Date Organisers Moderator(s) PDR PAN L NC B PCTP A IL PNR PTP PURP MAS Refs 7 May SIC BentoRodriguesNPPPPPPPNNNN 13 May RTP1 Maria FlorPedrosoAPPPAPPPPPPP

Opinion polls

Polling firm/Link Fieldwork date Samplesize Lead 2019 EP election 26 May 2019 30.7 33.4 21.9 6.2 6.9 9.8 5.1 0.4 1.9 1.5 12.9 11.5 CESOP–UCP 26 May 2019 12,227 32.5 30–34 20–24 5–7 7–9 9–12 4–6 – – – – 10 GfK/Metris 26 May 2019 7,169 31.5 30.9–34.9 21.8–25.8 4.7–7.3 5.3–8.3 8.5–11.5 4.7–7.3 – – – 13.1–16.1 9.1 Aximage 16–23 May 2019 766 34.9 32.4 25.1 7.1 8.3 11.1 1.8 2.5 11.7 7.3 Eurosondagem 15–22 May 2019 2,025? 35.5 25.5 7.0 7.6 6.9 2.5 2.5 12.5 10.0 Aximage 16–20 May 2019 622 34.2 32.5 25.4 6.8 9.3 11.4 1.4 2.5 10.7 7.1 Pitagórica 10–19 May 2019 605? 32.4 24.8 6.7 7.1 12.9 3.3 2.1 1.2 1.0 8.5 7.6 CESOP–UCP 16–19 May 2019 1,882? 33 23 8 8 9 3 3 13 10 GfK/Metris 7–12 May 2019 803? 36 28 8 8 9 2 9 8 GfK/Metris 22 Apr–3 May 2019 802? 34 28 9 9 8 3 9 6 Eurosondagem 28 Apr–2 May 2019 2,010? 34.0 27.1 7.1 8.1 7.1 3.3 3.3 10.0 6.9 Aximage 13–16 Apr 2019 612 40.6 31.7 29.0 7.7 8.4 8.3 1.3 1.3 1.8 10.5 2.7 Pitagórica 3–13 Apr 2019 605? 30.3 28.0 7.6 6.5 11.3 1.7 14.6 2.3 Aximage 30 Mar–1 Apr 2019 602 43.8 33.6 31.1 6.8 9.4 8.0 1.3 1.3 8.5 2.5 Aximage 9–13 Mar 2019 600 44.5 34.1 29.1 7.3 9.2 7.6 1.9 2.0 8.8 5.0 Aximage 5–10 Feb 2019 602 38.2 36.0 26.2 8.6 8.8 9.7 1.5 1.9 7.3 9.8 Aximage 4–7 Jan 2019 608 36.0 38.5 23.4 9.9 13.4 7.4 2.4 1.4 3.5 15.1 2015 legislative elections 4 Oct 2015 55.8 32.4 38.6 8.3 10.2 1.4 1.1 8.0 6.2 2014 EP election 25 May 2014 33.7 31.527.7 12.7 4.6 1.7 * 0.9 20.9 3.8

Voter turnout The table below shows voter turnout throughout election day including voters from Overseas.

Turnout Time 12:00 16:00 19:00 2014 2019 ± 2014 2019 ± 2014 2019 ± Total 12.14% 11.56% 0.58 pp 26.31% 23.37% 2.94 pp 33.67% 30.75% 2.92 pp Sources

Results

Distribution by European group + Summary of political group distribution in the 9th European Parliament (2019–2024) Groups Parties Seats Total % Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) 9 9 42.86 European People's Party (EPP) 61 7 33.33 European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) 22 4 19.05 Greens–European Free Alliance (G/EFA) 1 1 4.76 Total 21 21 100.00

Maps

Electorate Demographic Size PS PSD BE CDU CDS–PP PAN Others Total vote 100% 33.4% 21.9% 9.7% 6.9% 6.2% 5.1% 16.8% Sex Men 47% 33.1% 22.2% 8.1% 8.1% 6.0% 4.0% 18.5% Women 53% 33.6% 21.6% 11.3% 5.8% 6.4% 6.1% 15.2% Age 18–24 years old 8% 22.2% 17.2% 9.9% 4.6% 6.6% 13.9% 25.5% 25–34 years old 10% 18.9% 17.9% 13.7% 5.5% 7.0% 11.2% 25.9% 35–44 years old 17% 26.0% 20.9% 12.1% 7.0% 6.7% 7.3% 20.0% 44–54 years old 21% 25.1% 24.6% 10.8% 7.7% 8.5% 4.4% 18.9% 55–64 years old 18% 38.0% 22.1% 11.3% 5.9% 5.9% 2.4% 14.3% 65 and older 26% 50.2% 23.4% 5.1% 8.0% 3.8% 1.1% 8.4% Education No High-school 14% 54.8% 17.9% 6.6% 6.7% 2.8% 2.1% 9.0% High-school 34% 37.4% 20.2% 8.5% 8.2% 4.5% 4.9% 16.3% College graduate 52% 24.9% 24.2% 11.6% 6.0% 8.3% 6.0% 19.1% Source: CESOP–UCP exit poll

See also 2019 European Parliament election Politics of Portugal List of political parties in Portugal

Notes

References

External links Official results site, Portuguese Ministry of Internal Administration Portuguese Electoral Commission ERC – Official publication of polls