Former President of the Republic António Ramalho Eanes today praised Francisco Pinto Balsemão’s contribution to democracy, highlighting his action as Prime Minister “at a time of great tension”, which he followed as head of State.
Ramalho Eanes attended Francisco Pinto Balsemão’s wake tonight, at the Jerónimos Monastery, in Lisbon, accompanied by his wife, Manuela Eanes, and spoke to journalists outside the church.
The former President of the Republic praised Balsemão’s role “in achieving democracy” and “the freedom and independence of the media” and in founding the then PPD, now PSD, “an extremely important party at the time and still today”.
“Like all men, he will have had his flaws and his mistakes, but I think his action was extremely important in the fight for democracy, and this since the times of the Liberal Wing, in its fight for a freer, more authentic, more responsible democracy”, he declared.
Afterwards, Ramalho Eanes highlighted Balsemão’s government action, recalling the period in which he served as President of the Republic and Prime Minister, between 1981 and 1983.
According to Eanes, Balsemão’s action as prime minister “was particularly important” “at a time of great tension, of great difficulties” in Portugal, “and from which he emerged successfully and developed with patriotism”.
The former head of state also considered that Balsemão had a “remarkable action in the liberation and independence of the media” and highlighted the creation of Expresso and SIC.
“I think it could be said that his action was an action of excellence, and that it could also be said, without exaggeration, that he has the right to remain in the memory of the Portuguese”, he concluded.
Next, Manuela Eanes wanted to “underline that Doctor Balsemão always had at his side a woman who is an example of dignity, a spirit of solidarity, a family spirit”, Mercedes Balsemão, “and who has a work, which as you know is SIC Esperança, an important work in the social aspect”.
Francisco Pinto Balsemão, who assumed the leadership of the PSD and the position of prime minister following the death of Francisco Sá Carneiro, headed the VII and VIII constitutional governments, of the AD, between 1981 and 1983.
When he headed the VIII Constitutional Government, the third of the AD, Balsemão communicated his decision to leave government functions, in September 1982, six days after local elections, declaring that he had taken this option “a long time ago”. The prime minister’s resignation led Eanes to dissolve parliament.
When announcing his decision, Balsemão argued that “the fullness of the democratic regime” had meanwhile been reached, with milestones such as the revision of the Constitution, achieved “despite much opposition, much misunderstanding and even some betrayals”.
The former prime minister, founder and number one activist of the PSD, of which he was also president, died on Tuesday, aged 88.
Francisco Pinto Balsemão presided over the media group Impresa, which includes Expresso, which he founded during the dictatorship, in 1973, and SIC, the first private television in Portugal, created in 1992.
He was a member of the Council of State, a political advisory body to the President of the Republic.