2021
Coins was the surprise of the night
The center-right’s slight improvements were magnified by Carlos Moedas’ victory in the Lisbon Chamber, which put an end to 14 years of socialist governance in the capital. Coimbra and Funchal also stopped being PS municipalities, which still maintained a clear advantage on the map and saw Ricardo Leão conquer Loures from the communists.
PS 148 + 1 in coalition = 149
PSD 73 + 41 in coalition with CDS + 1 in coalition with others = 115
CDU 19
Citizen movements 19
CDS 6
Together for the People 1
Changes in district capitals and main municipalities
Lisboa
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS+Others
Coimbra
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS+Others
Guard
Era PSD
It became Citizens Movement
Portalegre
Era Citizens Movement
It became PSD+CDS
Funchal
Era PS+Others
It became PSD+CDS
Loures
Era CDU
It became PS
2017
Socialist advances on the South Bank
Almada and Barreiro became socialist municipalities, like Beja, in a new break in communist hegemony south of the Tagus. It was also the year of Isaltino Morais’ return, at the head of a citizens’ movement that defeated that of his former dauphin, Paulo Vistas.
PS 159 + 2 in coalition = 161
PSD 79 + 19 in coalition with CDS = 98
CDU 24
Citizen movements 17
CDS 6
JPP 1
We Citizens 1
Changes in district capitals and main municipalities
Beja
Era CDU
It became PS
Oeiras
Era Citizens movement
It became Citizen movements
Almada
Era CDU
It became PS
Barreler
Era CDU
It became PS
2013
Socialists take the lead on a night of uncertainty
In times of troika, the center-right suffered an expected setback, and the PSD was left without the presidency of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities. Rui Moreira’s citizens’ movement won the Porto Chamber, in one of the heaviest defeats for the parties that supported Passos Coelho’s government, such as Sintra, Vila Nova de Gaia and Coimbra, which began to have socialist management. But the PS lost Évora and Beja to the CDU, which recovered in the number of presidencies.
PS 149 + 1 in coalition = 150
PSD 86 + 19 in coalition with CDS + 1 in coalition with Others = 106
CDU 34
Citizen movements 13
CDS 5
Changes in district capitals and main municipalities
Porto
Era PSD-CDS
It became Citizens Movement
Braga
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS+Others
Vila Real
Era PSD
It became PS
Guard
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS
Coimbra
Era PSD+CDS+Others
It became PS
Portalegre
Era PSD
It became Citizens Movement
Évora
Era PS
It became CDU
Beja
Era PS
It became CDU
Funchal
Era PSD
It became PS+Others
Sintra
Era PSD+CDS+Others
It became PS
Vila Nova de Gaia
Era PSD+CDS
It became PS
Loures
Era PS
It became CDU
2009
Few changes in the antechamber of the change of power
The big change had taken place two years earlier, when the socialist António Costa won the mid-term elections for the Lisbon Chamber. In the 2009 municipal elections, the socialists lost Leiria and Faro to the center-right, winning Beja from the CDU.
PSD 117 + 22 in coalition with CDS = 139
PS 132
CDU 28
Citizen movements 7
CDS 1
Left Block 1
Changes in district capitals and main municipalities
Leiria
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS+Others
Beja
Era CDU
It became PS
Faro
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS+Others
2005
Another victory for the center-right
Four years after the socialist municipal hecatomb, the PSD maintained a great advantage, with 158 chamber presidencies (two dozen of which were in coalition with the centrists). The PS lost Aveiro and Santarém to the center-right and saw the CDU regain Barreiro.
PSD 138 + 20 in coalition with CDS = 158
PS 109
CDU 32
Citizens Movement 7
CDS 1
Left Block 1
Changes in district capitals and main municipalities
Aveiro
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS
Santarém
Era PS
It became PSD
Faro
Era PSD
It became PS
Oeiras
Era PSD
It became Citizens Movement
Barreler
Era PS
It became CDU
2001
The night António Guterres saw the swamp
To this day, it is the most impactful election night of the century when it comes to local elections. Coalitions led by the PSD defeated the socialist candidates in the five largest Portuguese chambers (Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Vila Nova de Gaia and Cascais), so the then Prime Minister António Guterres decided to leave the Government, “to avoid the political quagmire”. The early legislative elections, held the following year, returned the center-right to power, with Durão Barroso and Paulo Portas.
PSD 142 + 16 in coalition with CDS + 1 in coalition with others = 159
PS 113
CDU 28
CDS 3
Citizen Movements 3
Left Block 1
MPT 1
Changes in district capitals and main municipalities
Lisboa
Era PS+CDU+Others
It became PSD+PPM
Porto
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS
Coimbra
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS+Others
Portalegre
Era PS
It became PSD
Setúbal
Era PS
It became CDU
Évora
Era CDU
It became PS
Faro
Era PS
It became PSD
Vila Nova de Gaia
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS
Sintra
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS
Cascais
Era PS
It became PSD+CDS
Barreler
Era CDU
It became PS