The article discusses upcoming internal elections within Portugal's Socialist Party (PS), where José Luís Carneiro is expected to be re-elected as secretary-general with little opposition. However, voter turnout is expected to be low due to limited campaign activity and internal disinterest. The piece highlights broader political challenges, including low engagement across parties, exemplified by recent local elections where many councils failed to elect leaders. It also notes internal criticisms of Carneiro's leadership style and the broader decline of traditional party structures, exacerbated by social media and digital communication. Despite internal issues, the recent victory of António José Seguro provides some optimism for the PS amid a weakened opposition, especially after significant losses by the PSD and the rise of new political figures like André Ventura.
Carneiro sem rebanho | SOL
Context & Explainers
Socialist Party (PS)
- Leader: José Luís Carneiro (since June 2025)
- Ideology: Center-left, Social democracy, pro-Europeanism
Portugal's other traditional major party suffered a historic collapse in the 2025 election, dropping from 78 to 58 seats and falling to third place for the first time in democratic history. The party was led by Pedro Nuno Santos from January 2024 until his resignation following the May 2025 defeat. José Luís Carneiro, a 53-year-old former Minister of Internal Administration known for his moderate positioning within the party, was elected unopposed as the new Secretary-General with 95% of votes in June 2025. The Socialist Party governed Portugal from 2015 to 2024, including an absolute majority from 2022 to 2024 under António Costa, who resigned in November 2023 amid a corruption investigation. The PS previously led the innovative "Geringonça" (contraption) coalition government from 2015-2019, a minority government supported by the Left Bloc and Portuguese Communist Party that reversed austerity measures and presided over economic recovery.
