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2001 Portuguese presidential election

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Field	Value
country	Portugal
type	presidential
previous_election	1996 Portuguese presidential election
previous_year	1996
next_election	2006 Portuguese presidential election
next_year	2006
election_date	14 January 2001
turnout	49.71% ( 16.58pp)
image1
candidate1	Jorge Sampaio
party1	Socialist Party (Portugal)
popular_vote1	2,401,015
percentage1	55.55%
image2
candidate2	Ferreira do Amaral
party2	PSD
{{Collapsible list
title
bullets	off
popular_vote2	1,498,948
percentage2	34.68%
image3
candidate3	António Abreu
party3	PCP
{{Collapsible list
title
bullets	off
colour3	FF0000
popular_vote3	223,196
percentage3	5.16%
map	{{switcher
default	1}}
map_caption
title	President
before_election	Jorge Sampaio
before_party	Socialist Party (Portugal)
after_election	Jorge Sampaio
after_party	Socialist Party (Portugal)

{{Collapsible list | CDS–PP {{Collapsible list | PEV |220px |Results by district |[[File:2001 Portuguese Presidential election by municipality.svg|220px]] |Results by municipality Sampaio Amaral

Presidential elections were held in Portugal on 14 January 2001.

The victory of incumbent president Jorge Sampaio was never in doubt and the turnout was therefore quite low (49.71 percent). Again, the incumbent president was re-elected, like what happened with Mário Soares and Ramalho Eanes.

As the re-election of the left-wing president was almost certain, both the Portuguese Communist Party and the Left Bloc, the latter for its first time, presented their own candidates, as their support against the right-wing candidate was not necessary. The Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers also presented its own candidate for the first time in its history, Garcia Pereira.

On the right, Ferreira do Amaral was supported by the two major parties, the Social Democratic Party and the People's Party which, again, could not achieve their old objective of electing a right-wing president for the first time since the Carnation Revolution.

As of 2026, this was the last time a candidate from the center-left, or supported by the left-wing, was the most voted in a Presidential election in Portugal.

Electoral system

Any Portuguese citizen over 35 years old has the opportunity to run for president. In order to do so it is necessary to gather between 7,500 and 15,000 signatures and submit them to the Portuguese Constitutional Court.

According to the Portuguese Constitution, to be elected, a candidate needs a majority of votes. If no candidate gets this majority there will take place a second round between the two most voted candidates.

Candidates

Jorge Sampaio, President since 1996 and eligible for a second term, leader of the PS between 1989 and 1992, supported by the Socialist Party;
Joaquim Martins Ferreira do Amaral, former minister of public works of Cavaco Silva government between 1990 and 1995, supported by the Social Democratic Party and by the People's Party;
António Abreu, alderman in Lisbon between 1997 and 2001, supported by the Portuguese Communist Party;
Fernando Rosas, Portuguese academic and politician, supported by the Left Bloc;
Garcia Pereira, Secretary-General of the PCTP/MRPP;

Unsuccessful candidacies

There were also four candidates rejected by the Portuguese Constitutional Court for not complying with the legal requirement of being proposed by 7500 voters:

Pedro Maria Braga;
Maria Teresa Lameiro;
Josué Rodrigues Pedro;
Manuel João Vieira;

These four candidates were present in the draw of the ballot position, but did not appear in the final ballot.

Declined

Aníbal Cavaco Silva – former Prime Minister (1985–1995); presidential candidate in the previous election;
Basílio Horta – minister in previous governments; candidate in the 1991 presidential election;
Daniel Proença de Carvalho – former Minister of Social Communication (1978–1979);
Diogo Freitas do Amaral – former President of the CDS (1974–1983; 1988–1992); candidate in the 1986 presidential election;
Francisco Pinto Balsemão – former Prime Minister (1981–1983); former President of the Social Democratic Party (1980–1983);
José Manuel Durão Barroso – incumbent President of the Social Democratic Party (1999–2004);
José Vieira de Carvalho – incumbent Mayor of Maia (1970–1974; 1979–2002);
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa – former President of the Social Democratic Party (1996–1999).

Campaign period

Party slogans

Candidate	English translation	Refs
Socialist Party (Portugal)}}"	Jorge Sampaio	« Por todos nós »	"For all of us"
Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}"	Joaquim Ferreira do Amaral	« Juntos conseguimos »	"Together we succeed"
Unitary Democratic Coalition}}"	António Abreu	« Razões de esquerda para Portugal »	"Left reasons for Portugal"
Left Bloc (Portugal)}};"	Fernando Rosas	« Esquerda com rosto »	"Left with a face"
Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers / Reorganizative Movement of the Party of the Proletariat}};"	António Garcia Pereira	« Ousar sonhar, ousar lutar, ousar vencer! »	"Dare to dream, dare to fight, dare to win!"

Candidates' debates

2001 Portuguese presidential election debates	Date	Organisers	Moderator(s)	Present Absent invitee Non-invitee	Sampaio	Amaral	Abreu	Rosas	Pereira	Refs	Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"		Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"		Unitary Democratic Coalition}};"		Left Bloc (Portugal)}};"		Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers / Reorganizative Movement of the Party of the Proletariat}};"
4 Jan	RTP1	Judite de Sousa	P	P	P	P	P	date=23 December 2000	url=https://www.publico.pt/2000/12/23/politica/noticia/rtp-transmite-primeiro-debate-dos-candidatos-a-presidencia-da-republica-4581	title=RTP transmite primeiro debate dos candidatos à presidência da República	language=pt	work=Público	access-date=12 May 2020}}

Opinion polls

Polling firm	Date released	Sample
size	Oth/
Und	Lead	PS	PSD	CDU	BE	PCTP
Election results	14 Jan 2001			55.6	34.7	5.2	3.0	1.6		Socialist Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"	20.9
UCP/RTP	14 Jan 2001			54–59	32–36	4–7	2–3.5	1–2.5		Socialist Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"	22.5
Eurosondagem/SIC	14 Jan 2001			55.9–58.7	31.1–34.9	4.2–6.4	1.7–3.3	1.1–2.3		Socialist Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"	24.4
Intercampus/TVI	14 Jan 2001			54.8–59.2	30.9–35.1	4.5–6.5	1.9–3.3	1.3–2.5		Socialist Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"	24.0
UCP/RTP	12 Jan 2001		63.5	29.1	2.4	2.7	2.2		34.4
Euroexpansão/Expresso	12 Jan 2001		64.8	31.9	1.2	1.7	0.4		32.9
Eurosondagem/SIC	12 Jan 2001		67.6	27.6	1.5	2.2	0.9		40.0
UCP/RTP	7 Jan 2001		67.9	27.2	2.2	1.9	0.8		40.7
Euroexpansão/Expresso	30 Dec 2000		60.1	29.6	1.1	1.6	0.4	7.2	30.5
UCP/RTP	18 Dec 2001		62.0	31.6	1.7	2.0	0.2	2.5	30.4
Euroexpansão/Expresso	Nov 2000		61.9	26.4	1.3	1.4		9.0	35.5
Euroexpansão/Expresso	1 Apr 2000		67	17				5	50

Results

National summary

Results by district

District	Sampaio	Amaral	Abreu	Rosas	Garcia Pereira	Turnout	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes
Aveiro	; color:#000;"	149,301	; color:#000;"	51.16%	125,306	42.93%	6,240	2.14%	6,942	2.38%	4,068	1.39%	51.96%
Azores	; color:#000;"	43,848	; color:#000;"	63.81%	21,378	31.11%	841	1.22%	1,558	2.27%	1,092	1.59%	37.18%
Beja	; color:#000;"	41,180	; color:#000;"	62.16%	9,988	15.08%	11,979	18.08%	2,287	3.45%	814	1.23%	47.12%
Braga	; color:#000;"	196,641	; color:#000;"	54.79%	137,989	38.45%	8,922	2.49%	10,362	2.89%	4,998	1.39%	55.24%
Bragança	29,514	46.33%	; color:#000;"	30,612	; color:#000;"	48.06%	1,247	1.96%	1,433	2.25%	893	1.40%	43.45%
Castelo Branco	; color:#000;"	57,888	; color:#000;"	58.89%	33,353	33.93%	3,069	3.12%	2,698	2.74%	1,296	1.32%	52.45%
Coimbra	; color:#000;"	107,310	; color:#000;"	58.20%	62,441	33.86%	6,517	3.53%	5,410	2.93%	2,714	1.47%	50.13%
Évora	; color:#000;"	45,182	; color:#000;"	62.00%	14,914	20.47%	9,970	13.68%	2,080	2.85%	724	0.99%	50.28%
Faro	; color:#000;"	86,483	; color:#000;"	59.40%	44,471	30.54%	6,415	4.41%	5,394	3.70%	2,834	1.95%	47.48%
Guarda	; color:#000;"	40,597	; color:#000;"	51.31%	33,617	42.49%	1,917	2.42%	1,917	2.42%	1,067	1.35%	47.68%
Leiria	; color:#000;"	90,854	; color:#000;"	47.51%	86,805	45.50%	5,860	3.06%	5,017	2.62%	2,679	1.40%	51.97%
Lisbon	; color:#000;"	517,692	; color:#000;"	56.49%	285,472	31.15%	61,338	6.69%	32,831	3.58%	19,077	2.08%	51.69%
Madeira	; color:#000;"	51,837	; color:#000;"	51.01%	43,092	42.41%	1,477	1.45%	3,237	3.19%	1,970	1.94%	49.26%
Portalegre	; color:#000;"	34,956	; color:#000;"	62.79%	13,311	23.91%	5,271	9.47%	1,453	2.61%	679	1.22%	51.20%
Porto	; color:#000;"	428,798	; color:#000;"	57.87%	256,975	34.68%	25,433	3.43%	19,648	2.65%	10,072	1.36%	53.13%
Santarém	; color:#000;"	113,079	; color:#000;"	56.84%	65,258	32.80%	11,344	5.70%	6,320	3.18%	2,959	1.49%	52.59%
Setúbal	; color:#000;"	190,543	; color:#000;"	60.05%	64,500	20.33%	44,453	14.01%	12,168	3.83%	5,647	1.78%	50.03%
Viana do Castelo	; color:#000;"	58,235	; color:#000;"	52.63%	44,441	40.16%	3,291	2.97%	3,172	2.87%	1,521	1.37%	49.88%
Vila Real	; color:#000;"	48,037	; color:#000;"	48.44%	45,519	45.90%	1,955	1.97%	2,343	2.36%	1,312	1.32%	46.24%
Viseu	; color:#000;"	79,478	; color:#000;"	48.72%	74,416	45.61%	2,992	1.83%	4,097	2.51%	2,161	1.32%	48.03%
Source: 2001 Presidential election results

Maps

File:Pt plelection pr 2001.PNG|Strongest candidate by electoral district. (Azores and Madeira not shown) File:Most Voted Candidates in the Portuguese Presidential Elections 2001 by Municipality.png|Strongest candidate by municipality.

Notes

| With Basílio Horta (CDS-PP): 5%

References

(2000-01-15). "Candidato presidencial do PSD".
(2000-03-25). "Perfil de Basílio Horta".
(2000-01-19). "Candidatura Presidencial do PSD".
"Estratégia do CDS-PP para as Presidenciais".
(2000-01-07). "Declarações de Vieira de Carvalho".
"Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público.
"ELEIÇÕES PRESIDENCIAIS 2001 – CANDIDATURA DE FERREIRA DO AMARAL". EPHEMERA.
"Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público.
"Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público.
"Os cartazes das eleições presidenciais desde 1976". Público.
(23 December 2000). "RTP transmite primeiro debate dos candidatos à presidência da República". Público.

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