| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Assembleia da Republica / Assembly of the Republic |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| LEGAL FRAMEWORK |
| Electoral Law |
16 May 1979
Law 14/79 (last amended by Organic Law 2/2001, on 25.08.2001) |
| Mode of designation |
directly elected 230 |
| Constituencies |
22 multi-member constituencies. |
| Voting system |
Proportional:
Closed party-list system, with proportional representation based on the d'Hondt method; each list must bear as many names as there are seats to be filled in the constituency. Electors may only vote for one list.
According to Article 15 of Law no. 14/79, as amended, "the number of effective candidates in the lists proposed for the election must equal the number of seats allocated to the constituency referred to in the lists, with no fewer than two, and no more than five alternate candidates".
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by the first of the "next-in-line" candidates appearing on the same party list.
Voting is not compulsory. |
| Voter requirements |
- age: 18 years
- Portuguese citizenship (Portuguese citizens who have dual nationality are not deprived of their electoral rights)
Disqualifications:
- persons declared legally incompetent serving a sentence imposed by a court of law;
- mentally ill persons (even if not declared legally incompetent for serving a sentence imposed by a court) upon admission to a psychiatric institution or declared mentally incompetent by two physicians;
- persons deprived of their political rights by virtue of a judicial or court order. |
| CANDIDATES |
| Eligibility |
- qualified electors
- age: 18 years
- Portuguese citizenship
Disqualifications:
- President of the Republic;
- Serving civil governors and vice-governors;
- Serving magistrates or public prosecutors;
- Sitting judges not covered by the previous paragraph;
- Permanent military personnel and members of military forces, during active service;
- Serving career diplomats;
- Anyone exercising diplomatic functions on the date of submission of the candidature, if not covered by the previous paragraph;
- Members of the National Election Commission.
Special cases of incompatibilities for constituency in which professional activity is exercised:
- Directors and heads of tax offices;
- Religious or cult officers with jurisdictional powers.
Special case of conflict of interest for the constituency covering the country of other nationality:
- Portuguese citizens with dual nationality are not allowed to run for constituencies abroad which covers the country of other nationality. |
| Incompatibilities |
- President of the Republic;
- Members of the Government;
- Members of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Justice, the Audit Court, the Superior Council for the Judiciary, the Superior Council for the Administrative and Fiscal Courts;
- Attorney-General and Ombudsman;
- Deputies to the European Parliament;
- Members of the Government of the Autonomous Regions of Azores and Madeira;
- Ambassadors appointed from outside the diplomatic service;
- Civil governors and vice-governors;
- Presidents of municipal councils and municipal councillors appointed to full-time or part-time posts;
- State employees and employees of other public organisations;
- Members of the National Election Commission;
- Members of ministerial offices or the legal equivalent;
- Staff of international or foreign state organisations;
- President and Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council;
- Members of the High Authority for the Mass Media;
- Members of the Board of state companies, companies with state-owned capital or companies in which the State is the majority shareholder, as well as independent public institutions. |
| Candidacy requirements |
- Candidates are nominated by political parties. However, the lists submitted may bear names of persons who are not party members;
- According to Article 15 of Law no. 14/79, as amended, "the number of effective candidates in the lists proposed for the election must equal the number of seats allocated to the constituency referred to in the lists, with no fewer than two, and no more than five alternate candidates". |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Electoral system module
