Luís Montenegro's appearance on Sunday, as leader of the PSD, at a campaign event to support Luís Marques Mendes marked the second day of campaigning, during which the candidates had already travelled from the north to the south of the country. Luís Marques Mendes began the day at the well-known weekly market in Espinho, in the Aveiro district, a ...
On the second day, Montenegro's entrance onto the scene was the dominant theme
Monday, 5 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
The Social Democratic Party ('Partido Social Democrata' or 'PSD') is a liberal-conservative political party in Portugal that is the leading partner of the The Democratic Alliance (AD) which is the country's ruling party, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
The Social Democratic Party, despite its name, occupies the centre-right of Portugal's political spectrum. Luís Montenegro, who became Prime Minister in April 2024, leads Portugal's current minority government. The PSD has been one of Portugal's two dominant parties since 1974, having formed nine governments including four with absolute majorities. Montenegro, a former party leader from 1996-1999, was elected with the highest approval rating among party leaders at 10.7 points out of 20.
The Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition that includes the smaller CDS – People's Party, a Christian democratic party that has historically been the PSD's coalition partner. Together, they govern without a parliamentary majority, requiring case-by-case support from opposition parties to pass legislation.
