(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Portugal’s governing Socialist Party (PS) lost public support last month, according to a poll by Marktest released by Diario de Noticias and TSF. 38 per cent of respondents would back the PS in the next general election, down six points since November.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) is second with 34 per cent, followed by the Unitarian Democratic Coalition (CDU)—which includes the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Environmental Party "The Greens" (OV)—with 10 per cent, the Leftist Bloc (BE) with seven per cent, and the Social Democratic Centre / Popular Party (CDS/PP) with six per cent.

The Socialists won the February 2005 parliamentary ballot, garnering 45.3 per cent of the vote and electing 121 lawmakers to the 230-seat Assembly of the Republic. Socialist leader Jose Socrates took over as prime minister in March. In September 2007, Luis Filipe Menezes was elected as the new leader of the right-leaning PSD.

On Jan. 29, Socrates appointed Ana Maria Teodoro Jorge as Portugal’s new health minister, replacing Antonio Correia de Campos. De Campos was widely criticized over the past few months for introducing reforms to the health care system, including a motion to close emergency units in various hospitals across Portugal.

Socrates introduced Teodoro Jorge, saying she will "pursue the reform and modernization of the health service with the confidence of the public."

Polling Data

What party would you vote for in a general election?

Source: Marktest / Diario de Noticias / TSF
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 799 Portuguese adults, conducted from Jan. 15 to Jan. 18, 2008. Margin of error is 3.45 per cent.

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.