The PS/PCP coalition (Portuguese: Coligação PS/PCP) was a socialist political and electoral alliance in Portugal formed by the Socialist Party (PS), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and its allies.

It was commonly formed in Lisbon from 1989 to 2001, being led by Jorge Sampaio in the 1989 and 1993 local elections, and by João Soares in 1997 and 2001.

History

In 1989, the Socialist Party, led by Jorge Sampaio, and the Portuguese Communist Party, led by Álvaro Cunhal, achieved an agreement to form a coalition to run in that year's local election in Lisbon, with Sampaio himself as the coalition's candidate. The objective of this coalition was to defeat the right wing CDS/PSD coalition, that had been in office since 1979 and whose candidate in 1989 was Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

The left-wing coalition defeated the right and Jorge Sampaio became the Mayor of Lisbon. He was re-elected in 1993, in a year where the coalition was also in practice in the Azores, both in Ponta Delgada and Corvo, losing both municipalities.

After Sampaio's resignation in order to run for President in the 1996 presidential election, he was replaced by João Soares, the son of former President Mário Soares. Soares won the election to a first full term in 1997, but lost in 2001, being defeated by the Social Democratic Party's candidate, Pedro Santana Lopes.

After the 2001 defeat, there were attempts to replicate the coalition in the 2005 Lisbon election between the PS, the PCP and the BE, but negotiations failed. The same happened during the negotiations to the creation of a left-wing coalition led by Alexandra Leitão in the 2025 Lisbon local election, where the PCP decided not to join the PS/L/BE/PAN coalition.

Designations

Lisbon

1989 – Por Lisboa (For Lisbon) – PS.PCP.PEV.MDP/CDE 1993 – Com Lisboa (With Lisbon) – PS.PCP.PEV.PSR.UDP 1997 – Mais Lisboa (More Lisbon) – PS.PCP.PEV.UDP 2001 – Amar Lisboa (Love Lisbon) – PS.PCP.PEV

Ponta Delgada

1993 – PS.PCP.PEV.UDP.PDA

Corvo

1993 – PS.PCP.PEV

Electoral results

Local elections Only in contests where PS and PCP ran in a joint coalition. ElectionVotes %Councillors+/-Mayors+/-Assemblies+/-Parishes+/-1989180,7603.7 (#6)NewNewNewNew1993211,2403.9 (#5)100221351997165,0083.1 (#5)90201192001130,2792.5 (#7)21699

Lisbon ElectionLeaderVotes%Seats+/-Government1989Jorge Sampaio180,63549.1 (#1) Coalition1993200,82256.7 (#1)2 Coalition1997João Soares165,00851.9 (#1)1 Coalition2001130,27941.7 (#2)2

See also Coalition PSD/CDS

References