2008 Portuguese Social Democratic Party leadership election

2008 Social Democratic Party leadership election
Turnout	59.1% 3.3 pp
Leader before election; Luís Filipe Menezes;	Elected Leader ; Manuela Ferreira Leite;

The 2008 Portuguese Social Democratic Party leadership election was held on 31 May 2008. This was a snap leadership election following the surprise resignation of then party leader Luís Filipe Menezes, elected just seven months before in September 2007, from the party's leadership.^[1]

Menezes was facing heavy internal criticism for his leadership and opposition strategy but, nonetheless, his resignation surprised party members and structures.^[2] Four candidates entered in this snap race: Manuela Ferreira Leite, Pedro Passos Coelho, Pedro Santana Lopes and Mário Patinha Antão.

On election day, Ferreira Leite won the leadership by capturing almost 38% of the votes, while Passos Coelho got 31% of the votes and Santana Lopes polled just below 30%.^[3] Patinha Antão polled well below 1%, just 0.7% of the party members votes.

Manuela Ferreira Leite became the first woman to lead a major political party in Portuguese history.^[4]

Ferreira Leite would lead the PSD to victory in the 2009 European Parliament election in Portugal,^[5] but was defeated in the 2009 general elections held in the fall of the same year.^[6]

Candidates

Name	Born	Experience	Announcement date	Ref.
Pedro Passos Coelho	24 August 1964 (age 43) Coimbra	Social Democratic Youth leader (1990–1995) Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1991–1999)	18 April 2008	^[7]
Patinha Antão	26 June 1945 (age 62) Loulé	Member of Parliament for Braga (1999–2002) Member of Parliament for Faro (2002–2009)	21 April 2008	^[8]
Pedro Santana Lopes	29 June 1956 (age 52) Lisbon	Prime Minister (2004-2005) President of the Social Democratic Party (2004–2005) Mayor of Lisbon (2002-2004); (2005) Mayor of Figueira da Foz (1997-2001) Secretary of State of Culture (1990-1994) Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1980–1991); (1999–2002); (2005–2009) Member of the European Parliament (1987–1989)	24 April 2008	^[9]
Manuela Ferreira Leite	3 December 1940 (age 67) Lisbon	Minister of Finance (2002–2004) Minister of Education (1993–1995) Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1999–2005); (2009–2011) Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1995–1999)	28 April 2008	^[10]

Opinion polls

All voters

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size					Others /Undecided	Lead

			Ferreira Leite	Passos Coelho	Santana Lopes	Patinha Antão
Marktest	17–20 May 2008	800	27.3	12.2	9.6	—	50.9	15.1

PSD voters

Polling firm/Commissioner	Fieldwork date	Sample size					Others /Undecided	Lead

			Ferreira Leite	Passos Coelho	Santana Lopes	Patinha Antão
Marktest	17–20 May 2008	800	43.2	9.1	17.4	—	30.3	25.8

Results

Summary of the May 2008 PSD leadership election results
Candidate		31 May 2008
Candidate		Votes	%
	Manuela Ferreira Leite	17,278	37.90
	Pedro Passos Coelho	14,160	31.06
	Pedro Santana Lopes	13,495	29.60
	Patinha Antão	308	0.68

Total		45,241

Valid votes		45,241	99.23
Invalid and blank ballots		351	0.77
Votes cast / turnout		45,592	59.14
Registered voters		77,090

Sources: Official results

Vote share

Manuela Ferreira Leite			37.90%
Pedro Passos Coelho			31.06%
Pedro Santana Lopes			29.60%
Patinha Antão			0.68%
Blank/Invalid			0.77%

References

^ "Menezes abandona liderança e convoca eleições", TVI24, 17 April 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ "Crise no PSD: distritais surpreendidas com Menezes", TVI24, 18 April 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ "Manuela Ferreira Leite é a nova líder do PSD", Jornal de Negócios, 31 May 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ "Manuela Ferreira Leite, a primeira mulher a dirigir o partido de Sá Carneiro - Perfil", RTP, 31 May 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ "Resultados oficiais: PSD ganha europeias", TVI24, 7 June 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ "PS vence com 36,56 por cento, mais 7,47 por cento que o PSD", TSF, 28 September 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ Público (18 April 2008). "Passos Coelho é candidato às eleições no PSD". Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ Público (21 April 2008). "PSD: Patinha Antão apresenta candidatura irreversível e para vencer". Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^ TVI24 (24 April 2008). "Santana é candidato à liderança do PSD". Retrieved 6 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ TVI24 (28 April 2008). "Manuela Ferreira Leite dá início à campanha". Retrieved 6 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

PSD Official Website

[1] "Menezes abandona liderança e convoca eleições", TVI24, 17 April 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[2] "Crise no PSD: distritais surpreendidas com Menezes", TVI24, 18 April 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[3] "Manuela Ferreira Leite é a nova líder do PSD", Jornal de Negócios, 31 May 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[4] "Manuela Ferreira Leite, a primeira mulher a dirigir o partido de Sá Carneiro - Perfil", RTP, 31 May 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[5] "Resultados oficiais: PSD ganha europeias", TVI24, 7 June 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[6] "PS vence com 36,56 por cento, mais 7,47 por cento que o PSD", TSF, 28 September 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[7] Público (18 April 2008). "Passos Coelho é candidato às eleições no PSD". Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[8] Público (21 April 2008). "PSD: Patinha Antão apresenta candidatura irreversível e para vencer". Retrieved 6 March 2022.

[9] TVI24 (24 April 2008). "Santana é candidato à liderança do PSD". Retrieved 6 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[10] TVI24 (28 April 2008). "Manuela Ferreira Leite dá início à campanha". Retrieved 6 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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