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List of prime ministers of Portugal

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The prime minister of the Portuguese Republic (Portuguese: primeiro-ministro da República Portuguesa) is the head of the Government of Portugal. The officeholder coordinates the actions of all ministers, represents the Government as a whole, reports their actions and is accountable to the Assembly of the Republic, in addition to keeping the president of the Republic informed.

There is no limit to the number of mandates as prime minister. They are appointed by the president of the Republic, after the legislative elections and after an audience with every leader of a party represented at the Assembly. It is usual for the leader of the party which receives a plurality of votes in the elections to be named prime minister.

The official residence of the prime minister is a mansion next to São Bento Palace, which, in confusion, is also often called "São Bento Palace", although many prime ministers did not live in the palace during their full mandate.

History[edit]

The origins of present office of prime minister of Portugal fall back to the beginning of the Portuguese monarchy in the 12th century. Typically, a senior official of the king of Portugal prevailed over the others, ensuring the coordination of the administration of the kingdom as a kind of prime minister. Throughout history, the prominent position fell successively on the Mayor of the Palace (Portuguese Mordomo-Mor), on the Chancellor (Chanceler-Mor), on the King's Private Secretary (Escrivão da Puridade) and on the Secretary of State (Secretário de Estado).

In 1736, three offices of secretary of state were created, with the Secretary of State of the Internal Affairs of the Kingdom (Secretário de Estado dos Negócios Interiores do Reino) occupying a prominent position over the others.

Since the 1820 Liberal Revolution of Porto, liberalism and parliamentarism were installed in the country. In the first liberal period, there were three to six secretaries of state with equal position in the hierarchy, but with the Secretary the Internal Affairs of the Kingdom (usually known by Minister of the Kingdom) continuing to occupy a prominent position. Occasionally there was a Minister Assistant to the Dispatch (Ministro Assistante ao Despacho), a coordinator of all secretaries of state, and with a post similar to that of a prime minister. After a brief absolutistic restoration, the second liberalism started. With the beginning of the Constitutional Monarchy, the office of President of the Council of Ministers (Presidente do Conselho de Ministros) was created. The presidents of the council were clearly the heads of government of the kingdom, holding the executive power that absolute monarchs had, but were restricted by the controlling power of the National Congress.

With the advent of the Republic in the 5 October 1910 revolution, the head of government was renamed President of the Ministry (Presidente do Ministério). During this period the heads of government were under the strong power of the parliament and often fell due to parliamentary turmoils and social instability.

With the 28 May 1926 coup d'état, and eventually, after the formation of the Estado Novo quasi-fascist dictatorial regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, the prime minister was again named President of the Council of Ministers, and was nominally the most important figure in the country. First Salazar and then Marcello Caetano occupied this post for almost 42 years.

With the Carnation Revolution came the prime minister, which replaced the president of the council.

Prime ministers[edit]

The official numbering of the prime ministers starts with the first president of the Council of Ministers of the constitutional monarchy. A second column is added after the establishment of the Republic, numbering the prime ministers from there to the present day. Another column is added for the numbering inside the three regimes: First Republic, the Second Republic and Third Republic, with a fourth column in the Second Republic to mark the numbering of prime ministers since the 1926 revolution that established the National Dictatorship and since the replacement of the National Dictatorship with the Salazarist Estado Novo. In the Third Republic, a fourth column is also used to distinguish the prime ministers of the provisional governments that existed during the period immediately following the Carnation Revolution of 1974 from the prime ministers that assumed office after the entry into force of Portugal's current democratic Constitution adopted 1976.

At the right hand side, a column indicates the official numbering of the Constitutional Governments. The numbering of the Constitutional Governments is not the same as the numbering of prime ministers since the Constitution because, whenever elections for a new parliament take place, a new constitutional government is installed, even if the prime minister remains the same; however, there is also a change of constitutional government when the prime minister is replaced, even if in mid-parliament. So, because some prime ministers managed to remain in office after fresh elections (thus serving as prime ministers under more than one parliament), there are more constitutional governments than there are prime ministers.

The colors indicate the political affiliation of each prime minister.

  No party/independent
  Chartist/Chamorro
  Chamorro
  Septemberist
  Regenerator
  Historic
  Reformist
  Regenerator/Historic
  Progressist
  Liberal Regenerator
  Republican
  Democratic
  National Republican/Sidonist
  Republican Liberal
  Reconstitution Party
  Nationalist Republican
  Democratic Leftwing Republican
  National Union/People's National Action
  Democratic Renewal Party
  Socialist
  Social Democratic
  Democratic and Social Centre

Constitutional Monarchy – Second Liberalism (1834–1910)[edit]

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Political party	Government	Monarch (Reign)
1		Pedro de Sousa Holstein, Marquis of Palmela (1781–1850)	24 September 1834	4 May 1835	Chartist/"Chamorro"	1st Dev.	Maria II (1834–1853) and Fernando II (1837–1853)
			1834
			Portugal's first official prime minister; First Devourism government.
2		Vitório Maria de Sousa Coutinho, Count of Linhares (1790–1857)	4 May 1835	27 May 1835	"Chamorro"
			—
3		João Carlos de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun, Marquis of Saldanha (1790–1876)	27 May 1835	18 November 1835	Independent	2nd Dev.
			—
			Second Devourism government; Resigned after the auction of estuarine lands of the Tejo and Sado River and for military aid to Spanish Queen Isabella II.
4		José Jorge Loureiro (1791–1860)	18 November 1835	20 April 1836	Independent	3rd Dev.
			—
			Thrid Devourism government; Government fell after failure to pass a budget.
5		António José Severim de Noronha, Duke of Terceira and Marquis of Vila Flor (1792–1860)	20 April 1836	10 September 1836	"Chamorro"	4th Dev.
			Jul.1836
			Fourth and last Devourism government; September 1836 Revolution.
6		José da Gama Carneiro e Sousa, Count of Lumiares (1788–1849)	10 September 1836	4 November 1836	Septemberist	1st Set.
			—
			Belenzada attempted coup by Queen Maria II of Portugal to remove the government; Resigned in the aftermath.
—		José Bernardino de Portugal e Castro, Marquis of Valença and Count of Vimioso (1780–1840) (did not take office)	4 November 1836	5 November 1836	Independent	—
			—
			Did not take office.
7		Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, Viscount of Sá da Bandeira (1795–1876)	5 November 1836	1 June 1837	Septemberist	2nd Set.
			Nov.1836
			Local government reform by minister Passos Manuel; Abolition of slavery traffic in Portuguese colonies.
8		António Dias de Oliveira (1804–1863)	1 June 1837	2 August 1837	Septemberist	3rd Set.
			—
			Revolt of the Marshals.
9		Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, Viscount of Sá da Bandeira (2nd time) (1795–1876)	2 August 1837	18 April 1839	Septemberist	4th Set.
			1838
			Portuguese Constitution of 1838.
10		Rodrigo Pinto Pizarro de Almeida Carvalhais, Baron of Ribeira de Sabrosa (1788–1841)	18 April 1839	26 November 1839	Septemberist	5th Set.
			—
			Last fully Septemberist government.
11		José Lúcio Travassos Valdez, Count of Bonfim (1787–1862)	26 November 1839	9 June 1841	Septemberist	6th Set.
			1840
			Coalition government; Resume of diplomatic relations with other European powers, including Spain and the Holy See.
12		Joaquim António de Aguiar (1792–1884)	9 June 1841	7 February 1842	Septemberist	7th Set.
			—
			Known as the "Friar-Killer" due to his role in the dissolution of the monasteries in Portugal; Collapse of the Portuguese Constitution of 1838; Resigned after the restoration of the Constitutional Charter of 1826.
13		Pedro de Sousa Holstein, Marquis of Palmela (2nd time) (1781–1850)	7 February 1842	9 February 1842	Independent	G.E.
			—
			3-day "Shrovetide Government"; Beginning of Cabralism.
14		António José Severim de Noronha, Duke of Terceira and Marquis of Vila Flor (2nd time) (1792–1860)	9 February 1842	20 May 1846	Chartist	1st R. Cart.
			1842, 1845
			Known as the "Restoration Government"; Torres Novas revolt; Resigned after the Revolution of Maria da Fonte; Fled to exile in Madrid; End of Cabralism.
15		Pedro de Sousa Holstein, Marquis of Palmela (3rd time) (1781–1850)	20 May 1846	6 October 1846	Chartist	2nd R. Cart.
			—
			Emboscada palace coup.
16		João Carlos de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun, Duke of Saldanha (2nd time) (1790–1876)	6 October 1846	18 June 1849	Chartist	3rd R. Cart.
			1847
			Patuleia or Little Civil War that resulted in a Chartist victory; Convention of Gramido.
17		António Bernardo da Costa Cabral, Count of Tomar (1803–1889)	18 June 1849	26 April 1851	Chartist	4th R. Cart.
			—
			Returned from exile; Resigned due to political and military unrest.
18		António José Severim de Noronha, Duke of Terceira and Marquis of Vila Flor (3rd time) (1792–1860)	26 April 1851	1 May 1851	Regenerator	5th R. Cart.
			—
			Military insurrection of 1 May 1851; Beginning of the Regeneration.
19		João Carlos de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun, Duke of Saldanha (3rd time) (1790–1876)	1 May 1851	6 June 1856	Regenerator	1st Reg.
			1851, 1852				Pedro V (1853–1861)
			Death of queen Maria II; Pedro V ascends the throne.
20		Nuno José Severo de Mendonça Rolim de Moura Barreto, Duke of Loulé (1804–1875)	6 June 1856	16 March 1859	Historic	2nd Reg.
			1856, 1858
			Opening of the first railway line in Portugal on 28 October 1856.
21		António José Severim de Noronha, Duke of Terceira and Marquis of Vila Flor (4th time) (1792–1860)	16 March 1859	1 May 1860 (died)	Regenerator	3rd Reg.
			1860
			Died in office of pneumonia.
22		Joaquim António de Aguiar (2nd time) (1792–1884)	1 May 1860	4 July 1860	Regenerator
			—
23		Nuno José Severo de Mendonça Rolim de Moura Barreto, Duke of Loulé (2nd time) (1804–1875)	4 July 1860	17 April 1865	Historic	4th Reg.
			1861, 1864				Luis I (1861–1889)
			Death of king Pedro V; Luís I ascends the throne.
24		Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, Marquis of Sá da Bandeira (3rd time) (1795–1876)	17 April 1865	4 September 1865	Reformist	5th Reg.
			—
25		Joaquim António de Aguiar (3rd time) (1792–1884)	4 September 1865	4 January 1868	Regenerator (with the Historic Party)	6th Reg.
			1865, 1867
			Nicknamed the "Ministry of Fusion"; Forced to resign after the Janeirinha uprising.
26		António José de Ávila, Duke of Ávila and Bolama (1807–1881)	4 January 1868	22 July 1868	Independent (with Reformists)	7th Reg.
			—
			Repeal of the tax the ignited the Janeirinha uprising; Resigned due to the bad economic situation of the country.
27		Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, Marquis of Sá da Bandeira (4th time) (1795–1876)	22 July 1868	11 August 1869	Reformist	8th Reg.
			1868, 1869
			Abolition of slavery in all Portuguese territories.
28		Nuno José Severo de Mendonça Rolim de Moura Barreto, Duke of Loulé (3rd time) (1804–1875)	11 August 1869	19 May 1870	Historic (with Reformists)	9th Reg.
			Mar.1870
			Forced to resign after the "Ajudada" and "Saldanhada" coups, led by the Duke of Saldanha.
29		João Carlos de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun, Duke of Saldanha (4th time) (1790–1876)	19 May 1870	29 August 1870	Regenerator	10th Reg.
			—
			Dismissed by King Luis I.
30		Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, Marquis of Sá da Bandeira (5th time) (1795–1876)	29 August 1870	29 October 1870	Reformist	11th Reg.
			Sep.1870
			Nominated by King Luis I.
31		António José de Ávila, Marquis of Ávila (2nd time) (1807–1881)	29 October 1870	13 September 1871	Reformist	12th Reg.
			1871
32		António Maria de Fontes Pereira de Melo (1819–1887)	13 September 1871	6 March 1877	Regenerator	13th Reg.
			1874
			Longest serving Prime Minister in the Constitutional Monarchy (3 separate terms) and 2nd longest in Portuguese history; Conducted dynamic industrial and public infrastructure policy; educational reform; start of industrialization process.
33		António José de Ávila, Marquis of Ávila (3rd time) (1807–1881)	6 March 1877	26 January 1878	Reformist	14th Reg.
			—
34		António Maria de Fontes Pereira de Melo (2nd time) (1819–1887)	26 January 1878	29 May 1879	Regenerator	15th Reg.
			1878
			Resigned due to a financial scandal surrounding the National Overseas Bank.
35		Anselmo José Braamcamp de Almeida Castelo Branco (1817–1885)	29 May 1879	23 March 1881	Progressist	16th Reg.
			1879
			Government fell after a motion of no confidence was presented.
36		António Rodrigues Sampaio (1806–1882)	23 March 1881	14 November 1881	Regenerator	17th Reg.
			1881
37		António Maria de Fontes Pereira de Melo (3rd time) (1819–1887)	14 November 1881	16 February 1886	Regenerator
			1884
			Lifetime terms in the Chamber of Most Worthy Peers; Portuguese Army reforms.
38		José Luciano de Castro Pereira Côrte-Real (1834–1914)	16 February 1886	14 January 1890	Progressist	18th Reg.
			1887, 1889				Carlos I (1889–1908)
			Pink Map crisis; Death of king Luís I; Carlos I ascends the throne; 1890 British Ultimatum.
39		António de Serpa Pimentel (1825–1900)	14 January 1890	11 October 1890	Regenerator	19th Reg.
			1890
			Resigned due to the proposed Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1891.
40		João Crisóstomo de Abreu e Sousa (1811–1895)	11 October 1890	18 January 1892	Independent	20th Reg.
			—
			31 January 1891 rebellion in Porto; Signing of the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1891.
41		José Dias Ferreira (1837–1909)	18 January 1892	22 February 1893	Independent	21st Reg.
			1892
			Crisis of "Rotativism" between Regenerators and Progressives; Formed what was known as the "Party calming government".
42		Ernesto Rudolfo Hintze Ribeiro (1849–1907)	22 February 1893	5 February 1897	Regenerator	22nd Reg.
			1894, 1895
			Insular autonomy for Azores and Madeira islands; Pharmacies' law; Forest's law.
43		José Luciano de Castro Pereira Côrte-Real (2nd time) (1834–1914)	5 February 1897	26 July 1900	Progressist	23rd Reg.
			1897, 1899
			Sanitary siege of Porto in 1899 due to bubonic plague.
44		Ernesto Rudolfo Hintze Ribeiro (2nd time) (1849–1907)	26 July 1900	20 October 1904	Regenerator	24th Reg.
			1900, 1901, 1904
			"Ignoble crap" electoral law that prevented the election of opponents of the Regenerators.
45		José Luciano de Castro Pereira Côrte-Real (3rd time) (1834–1914)	20 October 1904	19 March 1906	Progressist	25th Reg.
			1905
			"Tobacco Issue".
46		Ernesto Rudolfo Hintze Ribeiro (3rd time) (1849–1907)	19 March 1906	19 May 1906	Regenerator	26th Reg.
			Apr.1906
			Police brutality against republicans upon the arrival of Bernardino Machado in Lisbon; Resigned after just 57 days in government.
47		João Ferreira Franco Pinto Castelo-Branco (1855–1929)	19 May 1906	4 February 1908	Liberal Regenerator	27th Reg.
			Aug.1906
			Establishment of an authoritarian government; 28 January 1908 Coup; Lisbon Regicide and death of King Carlos I and other royal family members; Manuel II ascends the throne.
48		Francisco Joaquim Ferreira do Amaral (1844–1923)	4 February 1908	26 December 1908	Independent	28th Reg.	Manuel II (1908–1910)
			1908
			"Government of calm" following the assassination of King Carlos I
49		Artur Alberto de Campos Henriques (1853–1922)	26 December 1908	11 April 1909	Independent (Regenerator and Progressist)	29th Reg.
			—
50		Sebastião Custódio de Sousa Teles (1847–1921)	11 April 1909	14 May 1909	Independent	30th Reg.
			—
			1909 Benavente earthquake
51		Venceslau de Sousa Pereira de Lima (1858–1919)	14 May 1909	22 December 1909	Independent	31st Reg.
			—
52		Francisco António da Veiga Beirão (1841–1916)	22 December 1909	26 June 1910	Regenerator	32nd Reg.
			—
53		António Teixeira de Sousa (1857–1917)	26 June 1910	5 October 1910	Regenerator	33rd Reg.
			1910
			5 October 1910 revolution; End of Monarchy; royal family is exiled in the United Kingdom.

First Republic (1910–1926)[edit]

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Political party	Government	President (Mandate)
54		Joaquim Teófilo Fernandes Braga (1843–1924)	5 October 1910	4 September 1911	Republican	1st	Teófilo Braga (1910–1911)
			1911
			5 October 1910 revolution; 1911 Constitution of Portugal; New flag and national anthem; Catholic Church assets nationalized and public manifestations of worship supervised; Severance of relations between the Holy See and Portugal.
55		João Pinheiro Chagas (1863–1925)	4 September 1911	13 November 1911	Republican	2nd	Manuel de Arriaga (1911–1915)
			—
56		Augusto César de Almeida de Vasconcelos Correia (1867–1951)	13 November 1911	16 June 1912	Republican	3rd
			—
57		Duarte Leite Pereira da Silva (1864–1950)	16 June 1912	23 September 1912	Republican	4th
			—
			Royalist attack on Chaves.
—		Augusto César de Almeida de Vasconcelos Correia (1867–1951) (interim)	23 September 1912	30 September 1912	Republican
			—
		Duarte Leite Pereira da Silva (1864–1950)	30 September 1912	9 January 1913	Republican
			—
58		Afonso Augusto da Costa (1871–1937)	9 January 1913	9 February 1914	Democratic	5th
			—
59		Bernardino Luís Machado Guimarães (1851–1944)	9 February 1914	12 December 1914	Democratic	6th, 7th
			—
			Portugal in World War I.
60		Victor Hugo de Azevedo Coutinho (1871–1955)	12 December 1914	28 January 1915	Democratic	8th
			—
61		Joaquim Pereira Pimenta de Castro (1846–1918)	28 January 1915	14 May 1915	Independent	9th
			—
—		Constitutional Junta composed of: José Norton de Matos António Maria da Silva José de Freitas Ribeiro Alfredo de Sá Cardoso Álvaro de Castro	14 May 1915	15 May 1915	None	—
			—
—		João Pinheiro Chagas (did not take office) (1863–1925)	15 May 1915	17 May 1915	Independent	10th, 11th
			—
62		José Augusto Soares Ribeiro de Castro (1868–1929)	17 May 1915	29 November 1915	Democratic		Teófilo Braga (1915)
			1915
63		Afonso Augusto da Costa (2nd time) (1871–1937)	29 November 1915	16 March 1916	Democratic	12th	Bernardino Machado (1915–1917)
			—
			Germany declares war on Portugal.
64		António José de Almeida (1866–1929)	16 March 1916	25 April 1917	Sacred Union (Evolutionist Party with the Democrats)	13th
			—
65		Afonso Augusto da Costa (3rd time) (1871–1937)	25 April 1917	7 October 1917	Democratic	14th
			—
			Sacred Union government.
—		José Maria Mendes Ribeiro Norton de Matos (1867–1955) (interim)	7 October 1917	25 October 1917	Democratic
			—
		Afonso Augusto da Costa (1871–1937)	25 October 1917	17 November 1917	Democratic
			—
		José Maria Mendes Ribeiro Norton de Matos (1867–1955) (interim)	17 November 1917	8 December 1917	Democratic
			—
			December 1917 coup d'état.
66		Sidónio Bernardino Cardoso da Silva Pais (1872–1918)	8 December 1917	14 December 1918 (died)	National Republican	15th, 16th	Sidónio Pais (1918)
			1918
			Known as the President-King; establishment of an authoritarian regime; Spanish flu outbreak; assassinated.
67		João do Canto e Castro da Silva Antunes Júnior (1862–1934)	14 December 1918	23 December 1918	National Republican		João do Canto e Castro (1918–1919)
			—
68		João Tamagnini de Sousa Barbosa (1883–1948)	23 December 1918	27 January 1919	National Republican	17th, 18th
			—
			Monarchy of the North.
69		José Maria Mascarenhas Relvas (1858–1929)	27 January 1919	30 March 1919	Independent	19th
			—
70		Domingos Leite Pereira (1882–1956)	30 March 1919	30 June 1919	Independent	20th
			—
71		Alfredo Ernesto de Sá Cardoso (1864–1950)	30 June 1919	15 January 1920	Democratic	21st
			1919
—		Francisco José Fernandes Costa (did not take office) (1857–1925)	15 January 1920		Republican Liberal	22nd	António José de Almeida (1919–1923)
			—
			Resigned before being sworn in; Known as the "Five minutes government".
—		Alfredo Ernesto de Sá Cardoso (reconducted) (1864–1950)	15 January 1920	21 January 1920	Democratic	21st
			—
			Invited again to form government; Lasted just 6 days in office.
72		Domingos Leite Pereira (2nd time) (1882–1956)	21 January 1920	8 March 1920	Independent	23rd
			—
73		António Maria Baptista (1866–1920)	8 March 1920	6 June 1920 (died)	Democratic	24th
			—
			Died during a meeting of the council of ministers, due to a stroke, after reading an insulting letter.
74		José Ramos Preto (1871–1949)	6 June 1920	26 June 1920	Democratic
			—
			Resigned just 12 days after being sworn in due to backlash for increasing salaries of members of ministerial cabinets.
75		António Maria da Silva (1872–1950)	26 June 1920	19 July 1920	Democratic (with the Socialists and Populars)	25th
			—
76		António Joaquim Granjo (1881–1921)	19 July 1920	20 November 1920	Republican Liberal (with the Reconstitution Party)	26th
			—
77		Álvaro Xavier de Castro (1878–1928)	20 November 1920	30 November 1920	Democratic (with Reconstitution Party and Populars)	27th
			—
			Held office for just 10 days.
78		Liberato Damião Ribeiro Pinto (1880–1949)	30 November 1920	2 March 1921	Democratic (with Reconstitution Party and Populars)	28th
			—
			Social unrest; Calls to take power in a dictatorship.
79		Bernardino Luís Machado Guimarães (2nd time) (1851–1944)	2 March 1921	23 May 1921	Democratic (with Reconstitution Party and Populars)	29th
			—
			Accused of planning a coup to overthrow President António José de Almeida; Forced to resign.
80		Tomé José de Barros Queirós (1872–1925)	23 May 1921	30 August 1921	Republican Liberal	30th
			—
			Economic crisis; Request for a loan of 50 million dollars from the United States.
81		António Joaquim Granjo (2nd time) (1881–1921)	30 August 1921	19 October 1921 (Died)	Republican Liberal	31st
			1921
			Bloody Night revolt. Assassination of Prime Minister António Granjo.
82		António Manuel Maria Coelho (1857–1943)	19 October 1921	5 November 1921	Independent	32nd
			—
			Resigned because of fears of a foreign intervention, due to the social and political chaos, of English, French and Spanish warships.
83		Carlos Henrique da Silva Maia Pinto (1866–1932)	5 November 1921	16 December 1921	Independent	33rd
			—
			Resigned after just 40 days in office due to lack of legitimacy after the fallout of the Bloody Night revolt.
84		Francisco Pinto da Cunha Leal (1888–1970)	16 December 1921	7 February 1922	Democratic	34th
			—
			Social and political unrest; Resigned after a small diplomatic clash with the United Kingdom.
85		António Maria da Silva (2nd time) (1872–1950)	7 February 1922	15 November 1923	Democratic	35th, 36th, 37th
			1922
86		António Ginestal Machado (1874–1940)	15 November 1923	18 December 1923	Nationalist Republican	38th	Manuel Teixeira Gomes (1923–1925)
			—
			10 December 1923 failed coup; Resigned due to the fallout.
87		Álvaro Xavier de Castro (2nd time) (1878–1928)	18 December 1923	7 July 1924	Nationalist Republican (with the Democratics)	39th
			—
			Conflict between the government and the military aviation; Fights in a duel one of the members of the military aviation revolt; Resigns shortly after.
88		Alfredo Rodrigues Gaspar (1865–1938)	7 July 1924	22 November 1924	Democratic	40th
			—
89		José Domingues dos Santos (1885–1958)	22 November 1924	15 February 1925	Democratic Leftwing Republican	41st
			—
			Resigned after a motion of censorship in Parliament was approved.
90		Vitorino Máximo de Carvalho Guimarães (1876–1957)	15 February 1925	1 July 1925	Democratic	42nd
			—
91		António Maria da Silva (3rd time) (1872–1950)	1 July 1925	1 August 1925	Democratic	43rd
			—
			Held office for just 30 days.
92		Domingos Leite Pereira (3rd time) (1882–1956)	1 August 1925	18 December 1925	Democratic	44th
			—
			Portuguese Bank Note Crisis, also known as the "Alves dos Reis scandal".
93		António Maria da Silva (4th time) (1872–1950)	18 December 1925	30 May 1926	Democratic	45th	Bernardino Machado (1925–1926)
			1925
			28 May 1926 coup d'état; Fall of the First Republic.

Second Republic (1926–1974)[edit]

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Political party	Government	President (Mandate)
Ditadura Nacional – Military Dictatorship (1926–1932)
94		José Mendes Cabeçadas Júnior (1883–1965)	30 May 1926	19 June 1926	None	1st Dict.	José Mendes Cabeçadas (1926)
			—
			28 May 1926 coup d'état; Forced to resign.
95		Manuel de Oliveira Gomes da Costa (1863–1929)	19 June 1926	9 July 1926	None	2nd Dict.	Manuel Gomes da Costa (1926)
			—
			9 July 1926 Counter-revolution; Forced to resign and sent to exile in the Azores.
96		António Óscar Fragoso Carmona (1869–1951)	9 July 1926	18 April 1928	None	3rd Dict.	António Óscar Carmona (1926–1951)
			—
			February 1927 Revolt; Nomination of António de Oliveira Salazar as Finance Minister; Strong austerity and fiscal consolidation.
97		José Vicente de Freitas (1869–1952)	18 April 1928	8 July 1929	None	4th Dict. 5th Dict.
			—
			Resigned due to internal government disagreements over separation of church and state.
98		Artur Ivens Ferraz (1870–1933)	8 July 1929	21 January 1930	None	6th Dict.
			—
			Resigned due to disagreements with Salazar over the future of the regime.
99		Domingos Augusto Alves da Costa e Oliveira (1873–1957)	21 January 1930	5 July 1932	National Union	7th Dict.
			—
			1931 Madeira uprising; 26 August 1931 Revolt.
Estado Novo – New State (1932–1974)
100		António de Oliveira Salazar (1889–1970)	5 July 1932	25 September 1968	National Union	8th Dict. 9th Dict. 10th Dict.
			1934, 1938, 1942, 1945, 1949, 1953, 1957, 1961, 1965				Francisco Craveiro Lopes (1951–1958)
			Longest-serving prime minister in Portuguese history; Formation of the Estado Novo; Portuguese Constitution of 1933; Strong economic and fiscal stabilization; Spanish Civil War; 1936 Naval Revolt; Concordat of 1940 between Portugal and the Holy See; Portugal neutrality during World War II; Marshall Plan; Repression of civil liberties and political freedoms; co-founder of United Nations, NATO, OCDE and EFTA; 1958 Presidential election fallout; 1960s Economic expansion; lossofPortuguese India; 1961 "Abrilada" attempted coup; Portuguese Colonial War; 1962 Academic Crisis; 1967 Lisbon floods; Replaced after suffering a brain hemorrhage.				Américo Tomás (1958–1974)
101		Marcello José das Neves Alves Caetano (1906–1980)	25 September 1968	25 April 1974	National Union from 1970 People's National Action	11th Dict.
			1969, 1973
			Marceloist Spring of 1968–70; 1969 Portugal earthquake; Economic expansion (until 1973), Portuguese Colonial War; 1973 oil crisis; Attempted March 1974 coup "Caldas Resurgence"; Carnation Revolution; Flown under custody to Madeira and, later, went into exile to Brazil;

Third Republic (1974–)[edit]

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office — Electoral mandates		Political party	Government	President (Mandate)
Provisional Governments of the Revolutionary Period (1974–1976)
—		National Salvation Junta composed of: António de Spínola, Francisco da Costa Gomes Jaime Silvério Marques, Diogo Neto, Carlos Galvão de Melo José Baptista Pinheiro de Azevedo, António Alva Rosa Coutinho	25 April 1974	16 May 1974	None	—	António de Spínola (1974)
			—
			Military junta designated to maintain government following the Carnation Revolution.
102		Adelino da Palma Carlos (1905–1992)	16 May 1974	18 July 1974	Independent	Prov. I
			—
			Lawyer, opponent of the Estado Novo, appointed by Presidential nomination; Led a broad-based cabinet; Resigned due to disagreements with the electoral calendar.
103		Vasco dos Santos Gonçalves (1921–2005)	18 July 1974	19 September 1975	Independent	Prov. II
						Prov. III
						Prov. IV	Francisco da Costa Gomes (1974–1976)
						Prov. V
			1975 Cst.
			Army colonel; Beginning of the decolonization of the Portuguese colonies in Africa; Nationalization of banks and insurance companies after the events of 11 March 1975; Land reform; Introduction of a minimum wage; PREC; Dismissed by President Costa Gomes.
104		José Baptista Pinheiro de Azevedo (1917–1983)	19 September 1975	23 June 1976	Independent	Prov. VI
			—
			Admiral; Signature of the declaration of independence of Angola and official end of the Portuguese Colonial War; November 1975 Parliament siege; Coup of 25 November 1975; Approval of the new Constitution.
—		Vasco Fernando Leotte de Almeida e Costa (1932–2010) interim[1]	23 June 1976	23 July 1976	Independent	(Prov. VI)
			—
			Minister of Internal Administration under Pinheiro de Azevedo; Becomes interim Prime Minister when Azevedo suffered a heart attack.
Prime Ministers heading Constitutional Governments (1976–present[update])
105		Mário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soares (1924–2017)	23 July 1976	28 August 1978	Socialist	I[Min.]	António Ramalho Eanes (1976–1986)
						II[a]
			1976
			First democratically appointed prime minister; 1976-1978 economic crisis; International Monetary Fund loan; Submission of the candidacy of Portugal to the EEC; Resigned after disagreements with CDS.
106		Alfredo Jorge Nobre da Costa (1923–1996)	28 August 1978	22 November 1978	Independent	III
			—
			Appointed by Presidential nomination. Resigned after his cabinet failed to gain Parliamentary support.
107		Carlos Alberto da Mota Pinto (1936–1985)	22 November 1978	1 August 1979	Independent	IV
			—
			Appointed by Presidential nomination; Resigned after failure to pass policies in Parliament.
108		Maria de Lourdes Ruivo da Silva de Matos Pintasilgo (1930–2004)	1 August 1979	3 January 1980	Independent	V
			—
			Appointed by Presidential nomination. First and only female Prime Minister of Portugal; Foundation of the NHS (National Health Service).
109		Francisco Manuel Lumbrales de Sá Carneiro (1934–1980)	3 January 1980	4 December 1980 (died)	Social Democratic	VI[b]
			1979, 1980
			First centre-right prime minister since the Revolution; 1980 Azores Islands earthquake; Died in a plane crash. The accident triggered a number of conspiracy theories.
—		Diogo Pinto de Freitas do Amaral (1941–2019) interim	4 December 1980	9 January 1981	Democratic and Social Centre	(VI)[b]
			—
			Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister under Francisco Sá Carneiro; interim Prime Minister upon Sá Carneiro's death.
110		Francisco José Pereira Pinto Balsemão (1937–)	9 January 1981	9 June 1983	Social Democratic	VII[b]
						VIII[b]
			—
			1982 constitutional revision; Abolition of the Council of the Revolution; Creation of the Constitutional Court; First general strike in democracy; Resigned after a poor result in the 1982 local elections.
111		Mário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soares (1924–2017) (2nd time)	9 June 1983	6 November 1985	Socialist	IX[c]
			1983
			Central Bloc (PS/PSD) coalition; Portugal's entry to the EEC; Dona Branca scandal; 1983-1985 economic crisis; International Monetary Fund loan; Moimenta-Alcafache train crash; Resigned after the Central Bloc coalition split.
112		Aníbal António Cavaco Silva (1939–)	6 November 1985	28 October 1995	Social Democratic	X[Min.]
						XI	Mário Soares (1986–1996)
						XII
			1985, 1987, 1991
			Longest serving prime minister in democracy and 3rd longest in Portuguese history; economic expansion; privatization of many previously government-owned industries; First time a single party won an absolute majority since the revolution; Chiado 1988 fire; 1989 and 1992 constitutional revisions; "Secos e molhados" police protests; Signing of the Maastricht Treaty; End of the Cold War; Bicesse Accords; Gulf War; 1992 Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union; Legalization of private TV channels; Early 1990s recession; Riots against tolls on 25 April Bridge.
113		António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (1949–)	28 October 1995	6 April 2002	Socialist	XIII[Min.]
						XIV[Min.]	Jorge Sampaio (1996–2006)
			1995, 1999
			Economic expansion; Expo 98; 1998 Abortion and Regionalisation referendums; 1998 Azores Islands earthquake; Macau handover; East Timor issue; 1997 and 2001 constitutional revisions; 2000 Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union; Hintze Ribeiro Bridge disaster; Decriminalization of drug use; Portugal joins the European single currency; Resigned after a disastrous result in the 2001 local elections.
114		José Manuel Durão Barroso (1956–)	6 April 2002	17 July 2004	Social Democratic	XV[d]
			2002
			Prestige disaster; 2003 Portuguese wildfires; Casa Pia child sexual abuse scandal; Iraq War; UEFA Euro 2004; 2004 constitutional revision; Resigned to become President of the European Commission.
115		Pedro Miguel de Santana Lopes (1956–)	17 July 2004	12 March 2005	Social Democratic	XVI[e]
			—
			Mayor of Lisbon (2002–2004, 2005). Replaced José Manuel Barroso as Prime Minister; Resigned due to the dissolution of Parliament by the President.
116		José Sócrates de Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (1957–)	12 March 2005	21 June 2011	Socialist	XVII
						XVIII[Min.]	Aníbal Cavaco Silva (2006–2016)
			2005, 2009
			First time the Socialist Party won an absolute majority; 2005 constitutional revision; 2005 Portuguese wildfires; 2007 Abortion referendum; 2007 Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union; Treaty of Lisbon; Independente affair; Face Oculta scandal; Nationalization of BPN; Same-sex marriage legislation; 2011 Portuguese protests; 2010–2014 Portuguese financial crisis; Resigned after failure to pass austerity measures in Parliament.
117		Pedro Manuel Mamede Passos Coelho (1964–)	21 June 2011	26 November 2015	Social Democratic	XIX[f]
						XX[Min.][g]
			2011, 2015
			2010–2014 Portuguese financial crisis; 2011 Portuguese IMF/ECB bailout; Secret Services and Ongoing espionage scandal; 15 September 2012 mass protests; European Fiscal Union approval; 2013 governmental crisis and reshuffle; 2014 Banco Espírito Santo bankruptcy and money laundering scandal; Arrest of former Prime Minister José Sócrates; Won the 2015 election but lost his majority; Defeated in a vote of no confidence and removed from office.
118		António Luís Santos da Costa (1961–)	26 November 2015	2 April 2024	Socialist	XXI[Min.]
						XXII[Min.]	Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (2016–)
						XXIII
			2019, 2022
			First Prime Minister from the second largest party in the elections; Formed a parliamentary agreement with BE, PCP and PEV; June 2017 Portugal wildfires; Tancos arms theft scandal; October 2017 Iberian wildfires; COVID-19 pandemic; 2020 stock market crash and subsequent recession; 2021 Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union; 2021–2023 inflation surge; Resigned following the Operation Influencer corruption investigation.
119		Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves (1973–)	2 April 2024	Incumbent	Social Democratic	XXIV[Min.][h]
			2024
			Minority government led by the Democratic Alliance coalition.

Timeline[edit]

See also[edit]

• List of prime ministers of Portugal by time in office
• List of presidents of Portugal
• Politics of Portugal

Notes[edit]

^Min. Minority government

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prime ministers of Portugal.

• WORLD STATESMEN.org (Portugal)
• Prime Ministers since 1910
• Portuguese General Elections since 1820