Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary, 2014

28 September 2014



Nominee	António Costa	António José Seguro
Party	PS	PS
Popular vote	120,188	55,928
Percentage	67.77%	31.54%

The 2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary was held on 28 September 2014 and was the first primary open for non members of the Socialist Party and it elected the party's candidate for Prime Minister for the 2015 general election. It's the first time in Portugal that a party has an open primary. There were only two candidates running, António José Seguro current general secretary of the party and António Costa current mayor of Lisbon. António Costa won the primary by a landslide, achieving about 68% of the votes against the 32% of António José Seguro.

After the first results were announced, Seguro conceded defeat and resigned as Secretary-General of the Party.^[1]

Background

Following the narrow victory of the Socialist Party over the coalition between the PSD and the CDS-PP in the European elections on 25 May 2014, many Socialist Party members and supporters considered the result a disappointment and many blamed Seguro for not being a real alternative to the Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho (PSD). On May 27, António Costa announced that he would seek the leadership of the Socialist Party.^[2]

António José Seguro refused to initiate a leadership contest and accused António Costa of being an opportunist who had broken the deal the two made in early 2013, when António Costa was considering challenging Seguro.^[3]

After a bitter meeting of the party leadership members, António Costa included, it was agreed to call a primary election open to supporters of the Socialist Party that would elect the party's candidate for Prime Minister for the following legislative elections in October 2015.^[4]

Voting procedures

Calendar

Nominations for the candidacy were opened on 15 July 2014 and closed on 14 August 2014. To be able to vote, voters had to registered between 15 July 2014 and 12 September 2014.

Conditions

Unlike previous Socialist Party leadership elections, this was the first primary to be open to the general public. In order to participate to the open primary, voters had to meet the following conditions:

Members of the party are automatically registered to vote;
Registered in the Portuguese electoral lists;
Sign a declaration of political principles to the values of the Party: "freedom, equality and solidarity and with the compromise of fighting for human rights, justice and peace.";^[5]

Candidates

António José Seguro, Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (2011-present).
António Costa, Mayor of Lisbon (2007-present).

Opinion Polling

Date(s) administered	Poll source	Sample size			Others/ Undecided	Lead

			Seguro	Costa
29 Sep	Election result	177,350	31.5	67.8	0.7	36.3
24–25 Sep	Eurosondagem	1,001	33.0	50.4	16.6	17.4
4–9 Sep	Eurosondagem	1,011	32.9	55.1	12.0	22.2
31 Aug–3 Sep	Aximage	602	26.4	60.9	12.7	34.5
31 Jul–6 Aug	Eurosondagem	1,033	30.0	59.2	10.8	29.2
3–9 Jul	Eurosondagem	1,014	24.9	68.3	6.8	43.4
4–7 Jul	Aximage	593	26.4	64.1	9.5	37.7
2–5 Jun	Eurosondagem	1,025	36.0	56.2	7.8	20.2
1–4 Jun	Aximage	608	19.6	62.8	17.6	43.2
30 May–1 Jun	Pitagórica	506	18.2	60.5	21.3	42.3
2014

Results

Winner by Municipality

**Summary of the 28 September 2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary**
Candidates		Parties		Votes	%
	António Costa	Socialist Party (Partido Socialista)	PS	120,188	67.77
	António José Seguro	Socialist Party (Partido Socialista)	PS	55,928	31.54

Total Valid				176,116	99.30

Spoilt and null votes				1,234	0.70
Total				177,350	100.00
Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout				250,811	70.71

Source: Primárias 2014 Resultados

References

↑ Miguel, Marujo (28 September 2014). "Seguro assume derrota e demite-se da liderança do PS". Diário de Noticias. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
↑ Nuno, Sá Lourenço (27 May 2014). "António Costa avança para a liderança do PS". Público. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
↑ João Pedro, Henriques (15 June 2014). "Seguro acusa Costa de oportunismo". Diário de Noticias. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
↑ Telma, Roque (6 June 2014). "Aprovada a realização de eleições primárias no PS a 28 de setembro". Jornal de Notícias. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
↑ "SÍNTESE DA DECLARAÇÃO DE PRINCÍPIOS DO PARTIDO SOCIALISTA" (PDF). line feed character in |title= at position 36 (help)

External links

Official campaign websites

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