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Electoral Systems

Portugal Portugal

ES001

Head of State
Question:How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s): c. Directly elected in general elections (absolute majority with 2nd round if necessary)
Comments: Article 121 (Election) 1. The President of the Republic is elected by the universal, direct and secret suffrage of Portuguese citizens who are registered to vote in Portuguese territory and, in accordance with the following paragraph, of Portuguese citizens who reside abroad. Article 126 (Electoral system) 1. The candidate who receives more than half of the validly cast votes shall be elected President of the Republic. Blank ballot papers are considered not to have been validly cast. 2. If none of the candidates obtains this number of votes, a second ballot shall be held within twenty-one days of the first one. 3. Only the two candidates who received most votes in the first ballot and have not withdrawn their candidatures shall stand in the second ballot.
Source: Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision, 2005, Articles 120, 121(1), 126: https://www.parlamento.pt/Legislacao/Paginas/ConstituicaoRepublicaPortuguesa.aspx - Portuguese https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/pt/pt045en.pdf - English
Verified: 2024/10/26
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
ES002

Head of Government
Question:How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer: e. Appointed
Comments: Article 133 (Competences in relation to other entities) In relation to other entities and organs the President of the Republic has the competences: f) To appoint the Prime Minister pursuant to Article 187(1); Article 187 (Formation) 1. The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister after consulting the parties with seats in Assembly of the Republic and in the light of the electoral results.
Source: Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision, 2005, Articles 133 (f), 187(1): https://www.parlamento.pt/Legislacao/Paginas/ConstituicaoRepublicaPortuguesa.aspx - Portuguese https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/pt/pt045en.pdf - English
Verified: 2024/10/26
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
ES003

President
Question:Does the country have a president?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments: Article 120 (Definition) The President of the Republic represents the Portuguese Republic, guarantees national independence, the unity of the state and the proper operation of the democratic institutions, and is ex officio Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces.
Source: Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision, 2005, Articles 120-140: https://www.parlamento.pt/Legislacao/Paginas/ConstituicaoRepublicaPortuguesa.aspx - Portuguese https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/pt/pt045en.pdf - English
Verified: 2024/10/26
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
ES004

Number of Chambers
Question:The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer: a. One chamber
Comments: In Portugal, the national legislature consists of one chamber, known as the Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República). Article 147 (Definition) The Assembly of the Republic is the assembly that represents all Portuguese citizens. Article 148 (Composition) The Assembly of the Republic shall have a minimum of one hundred and eighty and a maximum of two hundred and thirty Members, as laid down by electoral law.
Source: Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision, 2005, Articles 147, 148, 149: https://www.parlamento.pt/Legislacao/Paginas/ConstituicaoRepublicaPortuguesa.aspx - Portuguese https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/pt/pt045en.pdf - English
Verified: 2024/10/26
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
ES005

Electoral System (Chamber 1)
Question:What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s): g. List Proportional Representation
Comments: Article 113 (General principles of electoral law) 5. Votes are converted into seats in harmony with the principle of proportional representation. Article 149 (Constituencies) 1. Members of the Assembly of the Republic are elected for constituencies that shall be geographically defined by law. The law may order the creation of plurinominal and uninominal constituencies and lay down the nature and complementarity thereof, in such a way as to ensure that votes are converted into numbers of seats in accordance with the proportional representation system and using d’Hondt’s highest average rule. Article 151 (Nominations) 1. Nominations are submitted by political parties as laid down by law. Parties may submit nominations individually or in coalition, and the lists may include citizens who are not registered members of the respective parties
Source: Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Seventh Revision, 2005, Articles 113(5), 149 (1), and 151 (1): https://www.parlamento.pt/Legislacao/Paginas/ConstituicaoRepublicaPortuguesa.aspx - Portuguese https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/pt/pt045en.pdf - English
Verified: 2024/10/26
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
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