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1987 European Parliament election in Portugal
24 seats to the European Parliament
Turnout	72.4%

A European Parliament election was held in Portugal on 19 July 1987.^[1] It was the election of all 24^[1] MEPs representing the Portugal constituency for the remainder of the 1984–1989 term of the European Parliament. Portugal had acceded to the European Community on 1 January 1986 and had been represented in the European Parliament by 24 appointed delegates until elections could be held. These elections took place on the same day of the legislative elections of 1987.

The Social Democrats (PSD) won the 1st European election by a landslide over the Socialists. The PSD won more than 37 percent of the votes, 15 points ahead of the PS. Note that a large chunk of the PSD vote in the 1987 legislative elections, held simultaneously with the European election, was from CDS voters that voted PSD in the general election and CDS in the EU elections. Nonetheless, the CDS won 15 percent of the votes, compared with the 4 percent in the general election ballot. Together, the center-right parties won 53 percent of the votes.

The Socialists, headed by former PM Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, suffered a huge defeat, polling just 22 percent, matching their general election score. The Communist/Green alliance, Democratic Unity Coalition, polled 4th place and won 11.5 percent of the votes. Finally, the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), also suffered a very heavy defeat, winning just 4 percent of the votes and electing a sole member for the EU Parliament.

Turnout in these elections was quite high, with 72.4 percent of voters casting a ballot.

Electoral System

The voting method used, for the election of European members of parliament, is by proportional representation using the d'Hondt method, which is known to benefit leading parties. In the 1987 EU election, Portugal had 24 seats to be filled. Deputies are elected in a single constituency, corresponding to the entire national territory.

Parties and candidates

The major parties that partook in the election, and their EP list leaders, were:^[2]

Democratic Unity Coalition (CDU), Ângelo Veloso
Socialist Party (PS), Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), José Medeiros Ferreira
Social Democratic Party (PSD), Pedro Santana Lopes
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS), Francisco Lucas Pires

Campaign period

Party slogans

	Original slogan	English translation	Refs
PSD	« Juntos vamos ganhar »	"Together we will win"	^[3]
PS	« Portugal para todos »	"Portugal for all"	^[4]
CDS	« Na hora Europeia »	"In European time"	^[5]
CDU	« Para defender Portugal »	"To defend Portugal"	^[6]
PRD	« Mais Portugal »	"More Portugal"	^[7]

National summary of votes and seats

Summary of the results of Portugal's 19 July 1987 election to the European Parliament
National party		European party	Main candidate	Votes	%	Seats
	Social Democratic Party (PSD)	LDR	Pedro Santana Lopes	2,111,828	37.45	10
	Socialist Party (PS)	PES	Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo	1,267,672	22.48	6
	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	EPP	Francisco Lucas Pires	868,718	15.40	4
	Democratic Unitarian Coalition (CDU) • Communist Party (PCP) • Ecologist Party (PEV)	COM	Ângelo Veloso	648,700	11.50	3 3 0
	Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)	EDA^[8]	José Medeiros Ferreira	250,158	4.44	1
	People's Monarchist Party (PPM)	None	Miguel Esteves Cardoso	155,990	2.77	0
	People's Democratic Union (UDP)	None		52,835	0.94	0
	Christian Democratic Party (PDC)	None		40,812	0.72	0
	Revolutionary Socialist Party (PSR)	None		29,009	0.51	0
	Portuguese Democratic Movement (MDP/CDE)	None		27,678	0.49	0
	Communist Party (Reconstructed) (PC(R))	None		24,060	0.43	0
	Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP)	None		19,475	0.35	0
Valid votes				5,496,935	97.45
Blank and invalid votes				142,715	2.53
Totals				5,639,650	100.00	24
Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout				7,787,603	72.42
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições

Vote share

PSD			37.45%
PS			22.48%
CDS			15.40%
CDU			11.50%
PRD			4.44%
PPM			2.77%
UDP			0.92%
PDC			0.72%
PSR			0.51%
Others			1.29%
Blank/Invalid			2.53%

Seats

PSD			41.67%
PS			25.00%
CDS			16.67%
CDU			12.50%
PRD			4.17%

Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 2nd European Parliament (1984–1989)^[9]
Groups		Parties	Seats	Total	%
	Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (LDR)	Social Democratic Party (PSD)	10	10	41.67
	Socialist Group (SOC)	Socialist Party (PS)	6	6	25.00
	European People's Party (EPP)	Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)	4	4	16.67
	Communists and Allies (COM)	Portuguese Communist Party (PCP)	3	3	12.50
	European Democratic Alliance (EDA)	Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)	1	1	4.17

Total			24	24	100.00