2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary

2014 Portuguese Socialist Party prime ministerial primary
Turnout	70.7%
	Winner by municipality; Red: Costa; Pink: Seguro

Last updated December 20, 2023

The 2014 Socialist Party General Secretary primary elections was held on 28 September 2014, the first primary open for non-members of the Socialist Party (PS). It elected the party's candidate for Prime Minister of Portugal in the 2015 legislative election. It was the first time in Portugal that a party had an open primary. There were only two candidates running: António José Seguro, the incumbent general secretary of the party, and António Costa, the mayor of Lisbon. António Costa won the primary by a landslide, achieving about 68% of the votes against the 32% of António José Seguro.

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 27 May, 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 register 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:

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

Members of the party were automatically eligible to participate.

Candidates

Name		Born	Experience
António José Seguro		11 March 1962 (age 52) Penamacor	Secretary-general of the Socialist Party (2011–2014) Member of the Council of State (2011–2014) Member of Parliament for Braga (2005–2014) Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister (2001–2002) Secretary of State Assistant to the Prime Minister (1997–1999) Secretary of State for Youth Affairs (1995–1997) Leader of the Socialist Parliamentary Caucus (2004–2005) Member of the European Parliament (1999–2001) Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1985–1987; 2002–2005) Member of Parliament for Guarda (1995–1999) Member of Parliament for Porto (1991–1995) Secretary-general of the Socialist Youth (1990–1994)
António Costa		17 July 1961 (age 53) Lisbon	Mayor of Lisbon (2007–2015) Minister of Internal Administration (2005–2007) Minister of Justice (1999–2002) Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (1997–1999) Vice-President of the European Parliament (2004–2005) Leader of the Socialist Parliamentary Caucus (2002–2004) Member of the European Parliament (2004–2005) Member of the Parliament for Lisbon (1991–1995) Member of the Parliament for Leiria (2002–2004)

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

Candidate		28 September 2014
Candidate		Votes	%
	António Costa	120,188	67.77
	António José Seguro	55,928	31.54

Total		176,116

Valid votes		176,116	99.30
Invalid and blank ballots		1,234	0.70
Votes cast / turnout		177,350	70.71
Registered voters		250,811

Source: Primárias 2014 Resultados

Vote share

António Costa			67.77%
António José Seguro			31.54%
Blank/Invalid			0.70%

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References

↑ Miguel, Marujo (28 September 2014). "Seguro assume derrota e demite-se da liderança do PS". Diário de Notícias . 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 Notícias . 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). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-06. Retrieved 2014-09-06.

External links

Official campaign websites

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[Primarias-1] Miguel, Marujo (28 September 2014). "Seguro assume derrota e demite-se da liderança do PS". Diário de Notícias . Retrieved 29 September 2014.

[leadership-2] Nuno, Sá Lourenço (27 May 2014). "António Costa avança para a liderança do PS". Público . Retrieved 6 September 2014.

[Segurodership-3] João Pedro, Henriques (15 June 2014). "Seguro acusa Costa de oportunismo". Diário de Notícias . Retrieved 6 September 2014.

[primary-4] Telma, Roque (6 June 2014). "Aprovada a realização de eleições primárias no PS a 28 de setembro". Jornal de Notícias . Retrieved 6 September 2014.

[5] "SÍNTESE DA DECLARAÇÃO DE PRINCÍPIOS DO PARTIDO SOCIALISTA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-06. Retrieved 2014-09-06.

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