View source for 1985 Portuguese legislative election

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{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1985 Portuguese legislative election
| country = Portugal
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1983 Portuguese legislative election
| previous_year = 1983
| next_election = 1987 Portuguese legislative election
| next_year = 1987
| seats_for_election = All 250 seats in the [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]]
| majority_seats = 126
| registered = 7,818,981 {{increase}} 6.6%
| turnout = 5,798,929 (74.2%)<br/>{{decrease}} 3.6 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| election_date = 6 October 1985
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Cavaco Silva 1988.png|bSize = 135|cWidth = 110|cHeight = 150|oTop = 5|oLeft = 13}}
| leader1 = [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]]
| party1 = Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
| leader_since1 = 2 June 1985
| leaders_seat1 = [[Lisbon (Assembly of the Republic constituency)|Lisbon]]
| last_election1 = 75 seats, 27.2%
| seats1 = '''88'''
| seat_change1 = {{Increase}} 13
| popular_vote1 = '''1,732,288'''
| percentage1 = '''29.9%'''
| swing1 = {{Increase}} 2.7 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Almeida Santos (cropped).png|bSize = 130|cWidth = 110|cHeight = 150|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader2 = [[Almeida Santos]]
| party2 = Socialist Party (Portugal)
| leader_since2 = 13 June 1985 {{small|(interim)}}
| leaders_seat2 = [[Porto (Assembly of the Republic constituency)|Porto]]
| last_election2 = 101 seats, 36.1%
| seats2 = 57
| seat_change2 = {{Decrease}} 44
| popular_vote2 = 1,204,321
| percentage2 = 20.8%
| swing2 = {{Decrease}} 15.3 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image3 = <div style="width:110px;"><span style="line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:#008000; font-size:30px;">[[File:Partido Renovador Democrático (Portugal) logo (only text).png|85px]]</span></div>
| colour3 = 008000
| leader3 = [[Hermínio Martinho]]
| party3 = [[Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|PRD]]
| leader_since3 = 10 July 1985
| leaders_seat3 = [[Santarém (Assembly of the Republic constituency)|Santarém]]
| last_election3 = ''Did not contest''
| seats3 = 45
| seat_change3 = {{Increase}} 45
| popular_vote3 = 1,038,893
| percentage3 = 17.9%
| swing3 = ''New party''
| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Alvaro Cunhal 1980 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 110|cWidth = 110|cHeight = 150|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| colour4 = FF0000
| leader4 = [[Álvaro Cunhal]]
| party4 = [[Portuguese Communist Party|PCP]]
| alliance4 = [[United People Alliance|APU]]
| leader_since4 = 14 April 1978
| leaders_seat4 = [[Lisbon (Assembly of the Republic constituency)|Lisbon]]
| last_election4 = 44 seats, 18.1%
| seats4 = 38
| seat_change4 = {{Decrease}} 6
| popular_vote4 = 898,281
| percentage4 = 15.5%
| swing4 = {{decrease}} 2.6 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image5 = <div style="width:110px;"><span style="line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}}; font-size:30px;">[[File:CDS-PP (1982-1994).png|85px]]</span></div>
| leader5 = [[Francisco Lucas Pires]]
| party5 = [[CDS – People's Party|CDS]]
| colour5 = 0093DD
| leader_since5 = 20 February 1983
| leaders_seat5 = [[Lisbon (Assembly of the Republic constituency)|Lisbon]]
| last_election5 = 30 seats, 12.6%
| seats5 = 22
| seat_change5 = {{decrease}} 8
| popular_vote5 = 577,580
| percentage5 = 10.0%
| swing5 = {{decrease}} 2.6 [[Percentage point|pp]]

<!-- Map -->| title = [[Prime Minister of Portugal|Prime Minister]]
| posttitle = Prime Minister after election
| before_election = [[Mário Soares]]
| before_party = Socialist Party (Portugal)
| after_election = [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]]
| after_party = Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
| map = {{Switcher
| [[File:1985 Portuguese legislative election - Results.svg|230px]]
| Vote winner strength by district 
| [[File:1985 Portuguese legislative election district results.svg|272px]]
| Results by constituency
}}
| outgoing_members = [[3rd Legislature of the Third Portuguese Republic|outgoing members]]
| elected_members = [[4th Legislature of the Third Portuguese Republic|elected members]]
<!-- bottom -->}}

The '''1985 Portuguese legislative election''' took place on 6 October. The election renewed all 250 members of the [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]].

In June of the same year, the then incumbent Prime Minister, [[Mário Soares]], resigned from the job due to the lack of parliamentary support, the government was composed by a coalition of the two major parties, the center-right Social Democratic and the center-left Socialist, in what was called the ''Central Bloc'', however this was an unstable balance of forces and several members of each party opposed such alliance.

The new leader of the Social Democratic Party, [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva|Cavaco Silva]], elected in May, was among those that never supported such alliance, and short after being elected leader of the party made the coalition fall in July. [[Mário Soares]] didn't run again and resigned as party leader, as he decided to run for the [[1986 Portuguese presidential election|1986 Presidential elections]]. The PS nominated [[Almeida Santos]], minister of state in Soares government, as intern leader and as the party candidate for Prime Minister.

A new election was called by the President and the Social Democrats won with a short majority and Cavaco became the Prime-Minister. The election was the first of three consecutive election victories for the Social Democratic Party. Meanwhile, a new party had been founded by supporters of the [[President of Portugal|President]] [[Ramalho Eanes]], the [[Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|Democratic Renewal Party]], led by [[Hermínio Martinho]] and which the main figure of the party's campaign was [[First Lady of Portugal|First lady]] [[Manuela Ramalho Eanes]],<ref>[https://www.dn.pt/opiniao/opiniao-dn/nuno-garoupa/prd-8516986.html "PRD"], ''Diario de Notícias'', 30 May 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2023.</ref> that surprisingly gained 45 MPs and more than one million votes in the election, becoming the parliamentary support of the Cavaco's government until 1987, when it removed its support, making Cavaco fall.

The Communists and the Socialists lost votes and MPs, and the left would only return to the government ten years later, in 1995.

==Background==

===Government fall===
{{See also|1983 Portuguese legislative election#Fall of the government}}
The unpopularity of the [[Central Bloc]] government was creating deep rifts between PS and PSD and also within both parties, as growing poverty, budget cuts and unemployment, due to the [[International Monetary Fund]] bailout policies, were leading to massive protests. In February 1985, [[Carlos Mota Pinto]] resigned from the PSD leadership and planned to contest the next party congress.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publico.pt/2011/04/07/jornal/a-crise-economica-que-levou-portugal-a-provar-pela-primeira-vez-a-receita-do-fmi-21786788|title=A crise económica que levou Portugal a provar pela primeira vez a receita do FMI |publisher=Público|access-date=8 December 2023|date=7 April 2011|language=pt}}</ref> However, he died before the congress and Cavaco Silva was elected as leader. Shortly after his election, Cavaco Silva withdraw his party from the government and Soares Central Bloc government fell.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://expresso.pt/presidenciais2016/2016-01-12-Uma-dissolucao-do-Parlamento-por-razoes-de-longo-prazo|title=19 de Maio de 1985: O líder inesperado  |publisher=Expresso|access-date=8 December 2023|date=12 January 2016|language=pt}}</ref>

===Leadership changes and challenges===
====PSD 1985 leadership election====
By 1985, deep divisions were consuming the PSD regarding their role in the [[Central Bloc]] government with the PS.<ref>[https://www.dn.pt/portugal/1985-o-ano-que-lancou-cavaco-5067834.html "1985 o ano que lançou Cavaco, por Ferreira Fernandes"], ''Diario de Notícias'', 9 March 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2022.</ref> Then deputy [[Prime Minister of Portugal|Prime Minister]] and PSD leader [[Carlos Mota Pinto]], resigned from both the government and the party's leadership and a snap party congress was called.<ref>[https://www.dn.pt/portugal/perfil/bloco-central-junta-ps-e-psd-5550782.html "Bloco Central junta PS e PSD"], ''Diario de Notícias'', 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2022.</ref> But, Mota Pinto, who was expected to run for the leadership in the snap congress, died suddenly just 10 days before the start of the congress in [[Figueira da Foz]].<ref>[https://www.publico.pt/2017/01/15/politica/noticia/mota-pinto-o-aliado-de-soares-que-militava-no-ppd-1758090 "Mota Pinto, o aliado de Soares que militava no PPD"], ''Público'', 15 January 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2022.</ref> [[João Maurício Fernandes Salgueiro|João Salgueiro]], the candidate from "Mota Pinto's wing" was expected to win easily, but former finance minister [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]] surprised the party by announcing a late candidacy, in what is now known as the "Running-in of Cavaco's new Citroën".<ref>[https://expresso.pt/blogues/blogue_um_olhar/19-de-maio-de-1985-o-lider-inesperado=f513822 "19 de Maio de 1985: O líder inesperado "], ''Expresso'', 17 May 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2022.</ref> Cavaco Silva had the support of the wings against the Central Bloc, and against all odds he defeated Salgueiro by just 57 votes.<ref>[http://ubiletras.ubi.pt/wp-content/uploads/2013/textos/luis-alexandre-cavaco-silva-eleicoes-legislativas-1985.pdf "Cavaco Silva e as Eleições Legislativas de 1985: uma Introdução"], ''Alexandre António da Costa Luís'', 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2022.</ref> The results were the following:
{{election table|title=Ballot: 19 May 1985}}
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align="center" colspan=2 style="width:  60px"|Candidate
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|Votes
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|%
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}|
| align=left | [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]]
| align=right | 422
| align=right | 53.6
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}|
| align=left | [[João Maurício Fernandes Salgueiro|João Salgueiro]]
| align=right | 365
| align=right | 46.4
|-
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
| colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" |   '''Turnout'''
| align=right | '''787'''
| align=center | 
|-
| colspan="4" align=left|Source: Results<ref>[https://ubibliorum.ubi.pt/bitstream/10400.6/2797/1/Disserta%C3%A7%C3%A3o%20de%20Mestrado%20em%20Ci%C3%AAncia%20Pol%C3%ADtica%20-%20Nuno%20Freire.pdf "Aníbal Cavaco Silva, o PSD e a Evolução da Democracia Portuguesa: o XI Governo Constitucional (1987-1991)"], ''Nuno Marques Freire, UNIVERSIDADE DA BEIRA INTERIOR Faculdade de Ciências Socias e Humanas'', October 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2022.</ref>
|}

====PS 1985 nomination selection====
After the fall of the [[Central Bloc]] government, [[Mário Soares]] was acclaimed as the PS candidate for the [[1986 Portuguese presidential election|1986 Presidential election]], and shortly after, [[António Almeida Santos]] was unanimously selected as the party's candidate for Prime Minister in the 1985 general elections.<ref>[https://www.dn.pt/politica/quando-o-candidato-do-ps-nao-foi-o-lider-3950902.html "Quando o candidato do PS não foi o líder"], ''Diario de Notícias'', 3 June 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2022.</ref>
{{election table|title=Ballot: 3 September 1985}}
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align="center" colspan=2 style="width:  60px"|Candidate
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|Votes
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|%
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}}|
| align=left | [[António Almeida Santos]]
| colspan="2" align=right | ''[[Voice vote]]''
|-
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
| colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" |   '''Turnout'''
| align=right | 
| align=right | '''100.0'''
|-
| colspan="4" align=left|Source:
|}

== Electoral system ==
The [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]] has 250 members elected to four-year terms. Governments do not require absolute majority support of the Assembly to hold office, as even if the number of opposers of government is larger than that of the supporters, the number of opposers still needs to be equal or greater than 126 (absolute majority) for both the Government's Programme to be rejected or for a [[motion of no confidence]] to be approved.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.en.parlamento.pt/Legislation/CRP/Constitution7th.pdf|title = Constitution of the Portuguese Republic|access-date = 2019-12-29|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222446/http://www.en.parlamento.pt/Legislation/CRP/Constitution7th.pdf|archive-date = 2016-03-03|url-status = dead}}</ref>

The number of seats assigned to each district depends on the [[district magnitude]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |title=Effective threshold in electoral systems |publisher=Trinity College, Dublin |access-date=2015-10-21}}</ref> The use of the [[d'Hondt method]] makes for a higher effective threshold than certain other allocation methods such as the [[Largest remainder method|Hare quota]] or [[Sainte-Laguë method]], which are more generous to small parties.<ref>Gallaher, Michael (1992). "[https://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/BJPS1992.pdf Comparing Proportional Representation Electoral Systems: Quotas, Thresholds, Paradoxes and Majorities]"</ref>

For these elections, and compared with the 1983 elections, the MPs distributed by districts were the following:<ref name="CNE">{{cite web|url=http://www.cne.pt/sites/default/files/dl/md_ar1985.html|title=Eleição da Assembleia da República de 6 de Outubro de 1985|publisher=CNE - Comissão Nacional de Eleições - Eleição da Assembleia da República de 6 de Outubro de 1985|access-date=3 December 2020}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! District !! Number of MPs !! Map
|-
| [[Lisbon District|Lisbon]] || style="text-align:center;"|56
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="14"| {{Image label begin|image=Portuguese legislative election - Blank map.svg|width=220}}
{{Image label small|x=0.64|y=0.21|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''16'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.62|y=0.09|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''6'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.64|y=0.33|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''39'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.85|y=0.23|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''6'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.98|y=0.22|scale=190|text={{font|size=140%|text='''4'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.58|y=0.50|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''15'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.74|y=0.50|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''10'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.97|y=0.50|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''5'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.62|y=0.69|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''11'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.89|y=0.77|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''6'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.48|y=0.85|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''11'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.59|y=0.97|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''12'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.25|y=0.652|scale=300|text={{font|size=140%|text='''56'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.85|y=0.999|scale=180|text={{font|size=140%|text='''3'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.48|y=0.737|scale=300|text={{font|size=140%|text='''5'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.29|y=0.732|scale=300|text={{font|size=140%|text='''17'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.48|y=0.887|scale=300|text={{font|size=140%|text='''5'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.41|y=0.870|scale=350|text={{font|size=140%|text='''9'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.03|y=0.60|scale=350|text={{font|size=140%|text='''5'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.03|y=0.75|scale=350|text={{font|size=140%|text='''5'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.11|y=0.85|scale=350|text={{font|size=140%|text='''2'''}}}}
{{Image label small|x=0.07|y=0.89|scale=350|text={{font|size=140%|text='''2'''}}}}
{{Image label end}}
|-
| [[Porto District|Porto]]<sup>{{font color|green|(+1)}}</sup> || style="text-align:center;"| 39
|-
| [[Setúbal District|Setúbal]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 17
|-
| [[Braga District|Braga]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 16
|-
| [[Aveiro District|Aveiro]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 15
|-
| [[Santarém District|Santarém]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 12
|-
| [[Leiria District|Leiria]] and [[Coimbra District|Coimbra]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 11
|-
| [[Viseu District|Viseu]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 10
|-
| [[Faro District|Faro]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 9
|-
| [[Castelo Branco District|Castelo Branco]], [[Viana do Castelo District|Viana do Castelo]] and [[Vila Real District|Vila Real]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 6
|-
| [[Azores]], [[Beja District|Beja]], [[Évora District|Évora]], [[Guarda District|Guarda]] and [[Madeira]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 5 
|-
| [[Bragança District|Bragança]] ||style="text-align:center;"| 4
|-
| [[Portalegre District|Portalegre]]<sup>{{font color|red|(–1)}}</sup> ||style="text-align:center;"| 3
|-
| Europe and Outside Europe ||style="text-align:center;"| 2
|}

==Parties==
Before the election, the [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|Social Democratic Party]] (PSD) and the [[CDS – People's Party|Democratic and Social Centre]] (CDS) considered running in a joint coalition for the elections, with the PSD "offering" the CDS 25 safe seats in the lists, but this proposal was rejected by the CDS and the two parties decided to contest the election separately.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Almeida |first=São José |url=https://www.publico.pt/2019/11/02/politica/opiniao/fusao-psd-cds-1892067|title=Para quando a fusão do PSD e do CDS?|publisher=Público|access-date=22 June 2025|date=2 November 2019|language=pt}}</ref> The table below lists the parties represented in the [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]] during the 3rd legislature (1983–1985) and that also partook in the election:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="3"| Name
! rowspan="2"| Ideology
! rowspan="2"| Political position
! rowspan="2"| Leader
! colspan="2"| 1983 result<ref>[https://www.parlamento.pt/DeputadoGP/Paginas/GruposParlamentaresI.aspx Composição dos Grupos Parlamentares/Partidos]</ref>
|-
! %
! Seats
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''PS'''
| [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]]<br />{{small|Partido Socialista}}
| [[Social democracy]]
| [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]
| [[Almeida Santos]]
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| 36.1%
| {{Composition bar|94|250|{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}}}}
|-
| style="background:Red;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''UEDS'''
| [[Left-wing Union for the Socialist Democracy]]<br />{{small|União da Esquerda para a Democracia Socialista}}
| [[Democratic Socialism]]<br />[[Workers' self-management]]
| [[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]]
| [[António Lopes Cardoso]]
| {{Composition bar|4|250|Red}}
|-
| style="background:#2E3191;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''ASDI'''
| [[Independent Social-Democratic Action]]<br />{{small|Acção Social Democrata Independente}}
| [[Democratic Socialism]]<br />[[Social democracy]]
| [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]
| [[António de Sousa Franco]]
| {{Composition bar|3|250|#2E3191}}
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''PPD/PSD'''
| [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|Social Democratic Party]]<br />{{small|Partido Social Democrata}}
| {{Nowrap|[[Liberal conservatism]]}}
| [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]
| [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 27.2%
| {{Composition bar|75|250|{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}}}
|-
| style="background:#f00;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''PCP'''
| [[Portuguese Communist Party]]<br />{{small|Partido Comunista Português}}
| [[Communism]]<br />[[Marxism–Leninism]]
| [[Far-left politics|Far-left]]
| [[Álvaro Cunhal]]
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|<br/>18.1%<br/>{{efn|name=United People Alliance}}
| {{Composition bar|41|250|hex=#FF0000}}
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Electoral Commission}};"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''MDP/CDE'''
| [[Portuguese Democratic Movement]]<br />{{small|Movimento Democrático Português}}
| [[Left-wing nationalism]]<br />[[Democratic socialism]]
| [[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]]
| [[José Manuel Tengarrinha]]
| {{Composition bar|3|250|{{party color|Democratic Electoral Commission}}}}
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}};"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''CDS'''
| [[CDS – People's Party|Democratic and Social Centre]]<br />{{Nowrap|{{small|Centro Democrático e Social}}}}
| [[Christian democracy]]
| {{Nowrap|[[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]<br />to [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]}}
| [[Francisco Lucas Pires]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 12.6%
| {{Composition bar|30|250|{{party color|CDS – People's Party}}}}
|}

==Campaign period==
===Party slogans===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:left;"
|-
! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Party or alliance
! Original slogan
! English translation
! Refs
|-
| width="1" style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}}"|
| [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]]
| « O que prometo, faço. Vamos a isto. »
| "What I promise, I do. Let's do this."
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://ephemerajpp.com/2020/03/19/ps-eleicoes-legislativas-de-1985-almeida-santos/|title=ELEIÇÕES LEGISLATIVAS DE 1985 – PS|language=pt|work=EPHEMERA |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}"|
| [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]
| « Retomar a esperança »
| "Resuming hope"
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://ephemerajpp.com/2015/08/02/eleicoes-legislativas-de-1985-psd//|title=ELEIÇÕES LEGISLATIVAS DE 1985 – PSD|language=pt|work=EPHEMERA |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Unitary Democratic Coalition}}"|
| [[United People Alliance|APU]]
| « Vitória da APU para salvar o país »
| "Victory for APU to save the country"
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://ephemerajpp.com/2018/08/03/eleicoes-legislativas-de-1985-apu/ |title=ELEIÇÕES LEGISLATIVAS DE 1985 – APU|language=pt|work=EPHEMERA |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}}"|
| [[CDS – People's Party|CDS]]
| « Confiança, razão, força para Portugal »
| "Trust, reason, strength for Portugal"
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://ephemerajpp.com/2020/03/24/eleicoes-legislativas-de-1985-cds-2/|title=ELEIÇÕES LEGISLATIVAS DE 1985 – CDS|language=pt |work=EPHEMERA |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}"|
| [[Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|PRD]]
| « Mais Portugal »
| "More Portugal"
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.slideserve.com/keiki/evolu-o-da-comunica-o-pol-tica-e-eleitoral-em-portugal-os-outdoors-partid-rios-de-1975-a-2005|language=pt|title=Evolução da Comunicação Política e Eleitoral em Portugal|access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|}

===Candidates' debates===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:98%; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan="20"| 1985 Portuguese legislative election debates
|-
! rowspan="3"| Date
! rowspan="3"| Organisers
! rowspan="3"| Moderator(s)   
! colspan="18"| {{small|&nbsp;&nbsp;}} {{Colors|black|#D0FFD0|&nbsp;P&nbsp;}} {{small|Present &nbsp;}} {{Colors|black|#ffffdd|&nbsp;A&nbsp;}} {{small|Absent invitee}} {{Colors|black|#FFD0D0|&nbsp;N&nbsp;}} {{small|Non-invitee&nbsp;}}
|-
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]]<br/>{{small|Santos}}
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]<br/>{{small|Cavaco}}
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[United People Alliance|APU]]<br/>{{small|Cunhal}}
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[CDS – People's Party|CDS]]<br/>{{small|Pires}}
! rowspan="2"|  Refs
|-
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Unitary Democratic Coalition}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}};"|
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 3 Sep
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| [[RTP1]]
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#ffffdd;"|'''A'''{{efn|name=Debate1}}
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| <ref>{{cite news |date=1985 |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06845.195.30334#!5|title=Líderes partidários em confronto na TV |language=pt |work=Fundação Mário Soares |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 5 Sep
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| [[RTP1]]
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 
| style="background:#FFD0D0;"|'''N'''
| style="background:#ffffdd;"|'''A'''{{efn|name=Debate2}}
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| <ref>{{cite news |date=1985 |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06845.195.30335#!4|title=Álvaro Cunhal/Lucas Pires esta noite na RTP |language=pt |work=Fundação Mário Soares |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 10 Sep
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| [[RTP1]]
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#FFD0D0;"|'''N'''
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| <ref name="debates">{{cite news |date=1985 |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06879.196.30339|title=Eleições ganham-se na TV? |language=pt |work=Fundação Mário Soares |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 12 Sep
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| [[RTP1]]
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#D0FFD0;"|'''P'''
| style="background:#FFD0D0;"|'''N'''
| <ref name="debates"/>
|-
! colspan="10"| {{small|Candidate viewed as "most convincing" in each debate}}
|-
! rowspan="3"|Date
! rowspan="3"|Organisers
! rowspan="3"|Polling firm/Link  
|-
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]]
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[United People Alliance|APU]]
! scope="col" style="width:5em;"| [[CDS – People's Party|CDS]]
! rowspan="2"| Notes
|-
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Unitary Democratic Coalition}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}};"|
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| 3 Sep
| style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"| [[RTP1]]
| [https://comunicar-politica.blogs.sapo.pt/7538.html Expresso]
| {{Party shading/PS}}| '''36'''
| {{N/A}}
| 23
| 25
| {{small|16% Neither}}
|}

==Opinion polling==
{{See also|Exit poll|Opinion poll}}
The following table shows the opinion polls of voting intention of the Portuguese voters before the election. Included is also the result of the Portuguese general elections in 1983 and 1985 for reference.

{{legend2|#EAFFEA|Exit poll|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{| class="wikitable mw-datatable" style="text-align:center;font-size:95%;line-height:16px;"
|- style="height:42px;"
! style="width:150px;" rowspan="2"| Polling firm/Link
! style="width:145px;" rowspan="2"| Date Released 
! style="width:38px;"| [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]]
! style="width:38px;"| [[File:Primeiro Símbolo do PSD.png|29px|link=Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]
! style="width:35px;"| [[File:Aliança Povo Unido logo, 1979.svg|34px|link=United People Alliance|APU]]
! style="width:35px;"| [[File:CDS-PP (1982-1994).png|25px|link=CDS – People's Party|CDS]]
! style="width:35px;"| [[File:Logotipo do PRD.png|30px|link=Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|PRD]]
! style="width:35px;" rowspan="2"| {{abbr|O|Others}}
! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Lead
|-
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unity Coalition}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|CDS – People's Party}};"|
! style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}};|
|-
| colspan="9" style="background:#A0A0A0"|
|- style="background:#EFEFEF;"
| align="center" | '''1985 legislative election'''
| align="center" | 6 Oct 1985
| align="center" | 20.8<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=57}}
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''29.9'''<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=88}}
| align="center" | 15.5<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=38}}
| align="center" | 10.0<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=22}}
| align="center" | 17.9<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=45}}
| align="center" | 5.9<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=0}}
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | '''9.1'''
|-
| colspan="9" style="background:#A0A0A0"|
|- style="background:#EAFFEA"|
| align="center" | [http://run.unl.pt/bitstream/10362/2401/1/TSIG0039.pdf RTP1]
| align="center" | 6 Oct 1985 {{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=(22:50)}}
| align="center" | 22.0–26.9
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''26.8–29.7'''
| align="center" | 15.0–18.1
| align="center" | 9.3–10.8
| align="center" | 14.5–16.5
| align="center" | – 
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 2.8<br/>4.8
|- style="background:#EAFFEA"|
| align="center" | [http://run.unl.pt/bitstream/10362/2401/1/TSIG0039.pdf RTP1]
| align="center" | 6 Oct 1985 {{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=(21:10)}}
| align="center" | 23.8–26.9
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''28.0–29.8'''
| align="center" | 17.3–18.1
| align="center" | 9.8–10.7
| align="center" | 11.1–14.9
| align="center" | – 
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 2.9<br/>6.0
|- style="background:#EAFFEA"|
| align="center" | [http://run.unl.pt/bitstream/10362/2401/1/TSIG0039.pdf Rádio Comercial]
| align="center" | 6 Oct 1985
| align="center" | 19–22
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''29–31'''
| align="center" | 14–16
| align="center" | 8–16
| align="center" | 18–22
| align="center" | – 
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 9–10
|-
| align="center" | [http://run.unl.pt/bitstream/10362/2401/1/TSIG0039.pdf Expresso]
| align="center" | 4 Oct 1985
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''28–32'''
| align="center" | 27–31
| align="center" | 15–17
| align="center" | 9–12
| align="center" | 8–11
| align="center" | – 
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 1
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!14 Norma]
| align="center" | 29 Apr 1985
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''24.7'''
| align="center" | 16.4
| align="center" | 18.4
| align="center" | 17.1
| align="center" | 8.4
| align="center" | 15.0
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 6.3
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!54 Norma]
| align="center" | Mar 1985
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''21.1'''
| align="center" | 18.4
| align="center" | 20.0
| align="center" | 19.2
| align="center" | 5.5
| align="center" | 15.8
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 1.1
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!9 Marktest]
| align="center" | Feb 1985
| align="center" | 15.0
| align="center" | 21.3
| align="center" | 15.0
| align="center" | 17.1
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''28.6'''
| align="center" | 3.0
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 7.3
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!59 Norma]
| align="center" | 25 Feb 1985
| align="center" | 20.7
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''21.6'''
| align="center" | 17.8
| align="center" | 17.6
| align="center" | 10.0
| align="center" | 12.3
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 0.9
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!65 Norma]
| align="center" | 21 Jan 1985
| align="center" | 21.3
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''22.9'''
| align="center" | 20.3
| align="center" | 16.2
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 19.3
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 1.6
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!9 Marktest]
| align="center" | Dec 1984
| align="center" | 18.6
| align="center" | 23.0
| align="center" | 14.3
| align="center" | 16.2
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''25.4'''
| align="center" | 2.5
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 2.4
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!65 Norma]
| align="center" | Dec 1984
| align="center" | 23.5
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''25.2'''
| align="center" | 23.4
| align="center" | 13.2
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 14.7
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 1.7
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!9 Marktest]
| align="center" | Nov 1984
| align="center" | 19.8
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''24.0'''
| align="center" | 15.5
| align="center" | 14.9
| align="center" | 23.3
| align="center" | 2.5
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 0.7
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!95 Norma]
| align="center" | Nov 1984
| align="center" | 20.7
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''22.7'''
| align="center" | 22.4
| align="center" | 17.5
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 16.7
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 0.3
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Oct 1984
| align="center" | 20.6
| align="center" | 23.4
| align="center" | 15.8
| align="center" | 13.4
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''25.0'''
| align="center" | 1.8
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 4.0
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=02768.025.002#!18 Norma]
| align="center" | 15 Oct 1984
| align="center" | 23.9
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''24.8'''
| align="center" | 23.1
| align="center" | 14.7
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 13.5
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 0.9
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Sep 1984
| align="center" | 18.8
| align="center" | 22.6
| align="center" | 15.2
| align="center" | 15.7
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''26.6'''
| align="center" | 1.1
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 4.0
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Aug 1984
| align="center" | 19.2
| align="center" | 22.8
| align="center" | 13.8
| align="center" | 15.6
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''26.9'''
| align="center" | 1.7
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 4.1
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Jul 1984
| align="center" | 17.9
| align="center" | 20.6
| align="center" | 16.9
| align="center" | 13.4
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''29.0'''
| align="center" | 2.2
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 7.7
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=02768.025.002#!18 Norma]
| align="center" | Jul 1984
| align="center" | 21.5
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''23.6'''
| align="center" | 20.3
| align="center" | 15.4
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 19.2
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 2.1
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Jun 1984
| align="center" | 19.8
| align="center" | 16.7
| align="center" | 16.6
| align="center" | 16.9
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''27.5'''
| align="center" | 2.5
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 7.7
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!128 Norma]
| align="center" | Jun 1984
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''24.2'''
| align="center" | 21.5
| align="center" | 22.1
| align="center" | 17.0
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 15.2
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 2.1
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | May 1984
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''25.4'''
| align="center" | 19.8
| align="center" | 13.9
| align="center" | 14.6
| align="center" | 24.6
| align="center" | 1.7
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 0.8
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Apr 1984
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''28.7'''
| align="center" | 19.5
| align="center" | 15.2
| align="center" | 10.8
| align="center" | 17.7
| align="center" | 8.1
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 9.2
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.002#!144 Norma]
| align="center" | Apr 1984
| align="center" | 21.9
| align="center" style="background:#FFD18D"| '''26.0'''
| align="center" | 21.4
| align="center" | 15.7
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 15.0
| style="background:#FF9900; color:white" | 4.1
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Mar 1984
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''22.6'''
| align="center" | 16.6
| align="center" | 14.1
| align="center" | 12.7
| align="center" | 15.0
| align="center" | 19.0
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 6.0
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Feb 1984
| align="center" | 18.3
| align="center" | 15.9
| align="center" | 12.4
| align="center" | 10.3
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''20.8'''
| align="center" | 22.3
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 2.5
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=03544.001#!43 Marktest]
| align="center" | Jan 1984
| align="center" | 19.9
| align="center" | 15.4
| align="center" | 12.5
| align="center" | 7.3
| align="center" style="background:#D0F0C0"| '''22.7'''
| align="center" | 22.2
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}; color:white" | 2.8
|-
| align="center" | [http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=02768.025.002#!18 Norma]
| align="center" | Jan 1984
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''31.8'''
| align="center" | 22.8
| align="center" | 21.2
| align="center" | 13.3
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 10.9
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" | 9.0
|-
| colspan="9" style="background:#A0A0A0"|
|- style="background:#EFEFEF;"
| align="center" | [[1983 Portuguese legislative election|'''1983 legislative election''']]
| align="center" | 25 Apr 1983
| align="center" style="background:#FFCBFF"| '''36.1'''<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=101}}
| align="center" | 27.2<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=75}}
| align="center" | 18.1<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=44}}
| align="center" | 12.6<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=30}}
| {{N/A}}
| align="center" | 6.0<br/>{{font|size=75%|font=Verdana|text=0}}
| style="background:#FF66FF; color:white" |'''8.9'''
|-
| colspan="9" style="background:#A0A0A0"|
|}

== Results ==
===National summary===
{{election table|title=Summary of the 6 October 1985 [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]] [[Elections in Portugal|elections results]]}}
|-
| colspan=10| [[File:AR Eleicoes 1985.svg|center]]
|- 
! rowspan="2" colspan=2 style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:left;" |Parties
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |Votes
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |%
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |±
! colspan="5" style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" |[[Member of Parliament|MPs]]
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;"|[[1983 Portuguese legislative election|1983]]
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;"|1985
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |±
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |%
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |±
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|shortname=Social Democratic}}
|1,732,288||29.87||{{Increase}}2.7||75||'''88'''||{{Increase}}13||35.20||{{Increase}}5.2
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Socialist Party (Portugal)|shortname=Socialist}}
|1,204,321||20.77||{{Decrease}}15.3||101||'''57'''||{{Decrease}}44||22.80||{{Decrease}}17.6
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|shortname=Democratic Renewal}}
|1,038,893||17.92||{{N/A}}||{{N/A}}||'''45'''||{{N/A}}||18.00||{{N/A}}
|-
| {{Party name with colour|United People Alliance|shortname=United People Alliance}}{{efn|name=APU}}
|898,281||15.49||{{Decrease}}2.6||44||'''38'''||{{Decrease}}6||15.20||{{Decrease}}2.4
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party|shortname=Democratic and Social Centre}}
|577,580||9.96||{{Decrease}}2.6||30||'''22'''||{{Decrease}}8||8.80||{{Decrease}}3.2
|-
| style="width:10px;background-color:{{party color|Left Bloc (Portugal)}};text-align:center;" | 
| style="text-align:left;" |[[People's Democratic Union (Portugal)|People's Democratic Union]]
|73,401||1.27||{{Increase}}0.8||0||'''0'''||{{steady}}0||0.00||{{steady}}0.0
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Christian Democratic Party (Portugal)|colour=darkolivegreen|shortname=Christian Democratic}}
|41,831||0.72||{{Increase}}0.0||0||'''0'''||{{steady}}0||0.00||{{steady}}0.0
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Revolutionary Socialist Party (Portugal)|colour=red|shortname=Revolutionary Socialist}}
|35,238||0.61||{{Increase}}0.4||0||'''0'''||{{steady}}0||0.00||{{steady}}0.0
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers / Reorganizative Movement of the Party of the Proletariat|shortname=Portuguese Workers' Communist}}
|19,943||0.34||{{Decrease}}0.1||0||'''0'''||{{steady}}0||0.00||{{steady}}0.0
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Workers Party of Socialist Unity}}
|19,085||0.33||{{Decrease}}0.0||0||'''0'''||{{steady}}0||0.00||{{steady}}0.0
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Communist Party (Reconstructed)|colour=red|shortname=Communist Party (Reconstructed)}}
|12,749||0.22||{{Increase}}0.2||0||'''0'''||{{steady}}0||0.00||{{steady}}0.0
|-
|colspan=2 style="text-align:left;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''Total valid''' 
|width="65" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''5,653,610'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''97.49'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''{{Increase}}0.1'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''250'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''250'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''{{steady}}0'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''100.00'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''{{steady}}0.0'''
|-
|colspan=2|Blank ballots
|48,709||0.84||{{Increase}}0.1||colspan=5 rowspan=4|
|-
|colspan=2|Invalid ballots
|96,610||1.67||{{Decrease}}0.1
|-
|colspan=2 style="text-align:left;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''Total''' 
|width="65" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''5,798,929'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|'''100.00'''
|width="40" style="text-align:right;background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|colspan=2|Registered voters/turnout
||7,818,981||74.16||{{decrease}}3.6
|-
| colspan=10 style="text-align:left;" | Source: [https://www.cne.pt/sites/default/files/dl/resultados_ar_1985.pdf Comissão Nacional de Eleições]
{{end}}
{{bar box
|title=Vote share
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=550px
|barwidth=500px
|bars=
{{bar percent|PSD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}|29.87}}
{{bar percent|PS|{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}}|20.77}}
{{bar percent|PRD|{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}|17.92}}
{{bar percent|APU|{{party color|Portuguese Communist Party}}|15.49}}
{{bar percent|CDS|{{party color|Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party}}|9.96}}
{{bar percent|UDP|{{party color|Left Bloc (Portugal)}}|1.27}}
{{bar percent|PDC|darkolivegreen|0.72}}
{{bar percent|PSR|red|0.61}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|0.89}}
{{bar percent|Blank/Invalid|#DDDDDD|2.51}}
}}
{{bar box
|title=Parliamentary seats
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=550px
|barwidth=500px
|bars=
{{bar percent|PSD|{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}|35.20}}
{{bar percent|PS|{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}}|22.80}}
{{bar percent|PRD|{{party color|Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)}}|18.00}}
{{bar percent|APU|{{party color|Portuguese Communist Party}}|15.20}}
{{bar percent|CDS|{{party color|Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party}}|8.80}}
}}

===Distribution by constituency===
{{election table|title=Results of the 1985 election of the Portuguese [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]]<br />by constituency|sortable=yes}}
|- class="unsortable"
!rowspan=2|Constituency!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S
!rowspan=2|Total<br>S
|- class="unsortable" style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=2 | [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]
!colspan=2 | [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]]
!colspan=2 | [[Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|PRD]]
!colspan=2 | [[United People Alliance|APU]]
!colspan=2 | [[Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party|CDS]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Azores]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|48.3
| '''3'''
| 20.1
| '''1'''
| 15.2
| '''1'''
| 4.4
| -
| 6.5
| -
| '''5'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Aveiro District|Aveiro]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|38.4
| '''6'''
| 23.0
| '''4'''
| 13.4
| '''2'''
| 6.5
| '''1'''
| 13.5
| '''2'''
| '''15'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Beja District|Beja]]
| 13.7
| '''1'''
| 20.1
| '''1'''
| 11.6
| -
| style="background:red; color:white;"|44.9
| '''3'''
| 2.2
| -
| '''5'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Braga District|Braga]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|32.8
| '''6'''
| 21.8
| '''4'''
| 16.8
| '''3'''
| 8.5
| '''1'''
| 14.0
| '''2'''
| '''16'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Bragança District|Bragança]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|39.2
| '''2'''
| 22.7
| '''1'''
| 6.9
| -
| 5.3
| -
| 17.1
| '''1'''
| '''4'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Castelo Branco District|Castelo Branco]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|31.2
| '''3'''
| 18.5
| '''1'''
| 24.4
| '''2'''
| 8.9
| -
| 9.6
| -
| '''6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Coimbra District|Coimbra]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|29.5
| '''4'''
| 28.5
| '''3'''
| 16.9
| '''2'''
| 10.1
| '''1'''
| 8.6
| '''1'''
| '''11'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{hs|Evora}}[[Évora District|Évora]]
| 19.1
| '''1'''
| 14.3
| '''1'''
| 15.8
| '''1'''
| style="background:red; color:white;"|41.2
| '''2'''
| 3.3
| -
| '''5'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Faro District|Faro]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|28.4
| '''3'''
| 22.3
| '''2'''
| 20.5
| '''2'''
| 15.4
| '''2'''
| 6.1
| -
| '''9'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Guarda District|Guarda]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|33.6
| '''2'''
| 23.3
| '''2'''
| 10.9
| -
| 5.2
| -
| 19.5
| '''1'''
| '''5'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Leiria District|Leiria]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|38.6
| '''5'''
| 19.6
| '''2'''
| 15.3
| '''2'''
| 7.9
| '''1'''
| 12.2
| '''1'''
| '''11'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Lisbon District|Lisbon]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|25.6
| '''15'''
| 19.8
| '''12'''
| 21.3
| '''13'''
| 20.1
| '''12'''
| 8.1
| '''4'''
| '''56'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Madeira]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|56.8
| '''4'''
| 13.2
| '''1'''
| 9.7
| -
| 3.2
| -
| 7.8
| -
| '''5'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Portalegre District|Portalegre]]
| 20.9
| '''1'''
| 23.7
| '''1'''
| 18.9
| -
| style="background:red; color:white;"|25.2
| '''1'''
| 4.9
| -
| '''3'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Porto District|Porto]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|29.3
| '''12'''
| 23.6
| '''10'''
| 20.5
| '''8'''
| 12.1
| '''5'''
| 9.8
| '''4'''
| '''39'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Santarém District|Santarém]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|27.8
| '''4'''
| 18.6
| '''2'''
| 23.8
| '''3'''
| 16.4
| '''2'''
| 7.7
| '''1'''
| '''12'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Setúbal District|Setúbal]]
| 15.4
| '''3'''
| 16.5
| '''3'''
| 20.4
| '''4'''
| style="background:red; color:white;"|38.2
| '''7'''
| 3.8
| -
| '''17'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Viana do Castelo District|Viana do Castelo]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|33.5
| '''3'''
| 18.4
| '''1'''
| 16.2
| '''1'''
| 8.2
| -
| 16.6
| '''1'''
| '''6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Vila Real District|Vila Real]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|42.2
| '''3'''
| 23.0
| '''2'''
| 8.6
| -
| 5.9
| -
| 12.5
| '''1'''
| '''6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Viseu District|Viseu]]
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|37.7
| '''5'''
| 20.0
| '''2'''
| 10.9
| '''1'''
| 5.0
| -
| 19.9
| '''2'''
| '''10'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Europe
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|24.3
| '''1'''
| 24.2
| '''1'''
| 7.1
| -
| 18.8
| -
| 17.3
| -
| '''2'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Outside Europe 
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|40.5
| '''1'''
| 7.8
| -
| 3.3
| -
| 2.6
| -
| 37.9
| '''1'''
| '''2'''
|-
|- class="unsortable" style="background:#E9E9E9"
| style="text-align:left;" | '''Total'''
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}}; color:white;"|'''29.9'''
| '''88'''
| '''20.8'''
| '''57'''
| '''17.9'''
| '''45'''
| '''15.5'''
| '''38'''
| '''10.0'''
| '''22'''
| '''250'''
|-
| colspan=12 style="text-align:left;" | Source: [http://eleicoes.cne.pt/cne2005/raster/index.cfm?dia=06&mes=10&ano=1985&eleicao=ar Comissão Nacional de Eleições]
|}

=== Maps ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="270">
File:1985 Portuguese legislative election district results.svg|Winner and seats by constituency.
File:Legislativas portuguesas de 1985 (Mapa).png|Most voted political force by [[Municipalities of Portugal|municipality]].
</gallery>
{{clear}}

==Aftermath==
===Fall of the government===
In early 1987, a trip of a Portuguese parliamentary delegation to the [[Soviet Union]] created a diplomatic issue as the delegation also traveled to [[Estonia]], a territory that wasn't recognized by the Portuguese State as a Soviet controlled territory. Because of this incident, Opposition parties accused Cavaco Silva of disallowing Parliament and, shortly after, the [[Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|Democratic Renewal Party]] proposed a motion of no confidence against the Government, and the party's leader, [[Hermínio Martinho]], communicated to [[President of Portugal|President]] [[Mário Soares]] their intentions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ionline.sapo.pt/artigo/624225/1987-da-mocao-de-censura-a-primeira-maioria-de-cavaco-?seccao=Portugal_i|title=1987. Da moção de censura à primeira maioria de Cavaco|newspaper=Ionline |publisher=Jornal i|date=30 August 2018|access-date=30 May 2022|language=pt}}</ref> At first, the [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialists]] weren't supportive of the PRD's motion, but, last minute negotiations led the PS to also support the motion. On 3 April 1987, the motion was approved by a 134 to 108 vote and the government fell:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jornaleconomico.pt/noticias/a-unica-mocao-de-censura-e-as-duas-mocoes-de-rejeicao-que-derrubaram-governos-413566|title=A única moção de censura e as duas moções de rejeição que derrubaram governos|publisher=Jornal Económico|date=20 February 2019|access-date=30 May 2022|language=pt}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" bgcolor="#C0C0C0"| '''Motion of no confidence'''<br/>[[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]] ([[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]])
|-
! colspan="2" style="width:150px;"| Ballot →
! 3 April 1987
|-
! colspan="2"| Required majority →
| 126 out of 250
|-
!  style="width:1px; background:red;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:105%;">No</span>
| • [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]] (86)
| • [[CDS – People's Party|CDS]] (21)
| • [[Independent (politician)|Ind.]] Rui Oliveira e Costa (1)
}}
| {{Composition bar|108|250|red|width=125px}}
|-
! style="color:inherit;background:green;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:105%;">Yes</span>
| • [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]] (55)
| • [[Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|PRD]] (43)
| • [[Portuguese Communist Party|PCP]] (34)
| • [[Portuguese Democratic Movement|MDP/CDE]] (1)
| • [[Independent (politician)|Ind.]] Maria Santos (1)
}}
| {{Composition bar|134|250|green|width=125px}}
|-
! style="color:inherit;background:gray;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:105%;">Abstentions</span>
| • [[Independent (politician)|Ind.]] [[Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles]] (1)
}}
| {{Composition bar|1|250|gray|width=125px}}
|-
! style="color:inherit;background:black;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:105%;">Absentees</span>
| • [[Democratic Renewal Party (Portugal)|PRD]] (2)
| • [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]] (1)
| • [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]] (1)
| • [[Portuguese Communist Party|PCP]] (1)
| • [[CDS – People's Party|CDS]] (1)
| • [[Portuguese Democratic Movement|MDP/CDE]] (1)
}}
| {{Composition bar|7|250|black|width=125px}}
|-
! colspan="2" |Result →
| Approved {{tick|15}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="4"| Sources<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date=10 November 2015 |url=https://www.parlamento.pt/ArquivoDocumentacao/Documents/Folha_Mocoes.pdf|title=MOÇÕES / CENSURA - CONFIANÇA - REJEIÇÃO DO PROGRAMA|language=pt |newspaper=[[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]]|location=Lisbon |access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |url=https://debates.parlamento.pt/catalogo/r3/dar/01/04/02/065/1987-04-04/2608?pgs=2608&org=PLC|title=Debates Parlamentares|language=pt |newspaper=[[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]]|location=Lisbon |access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref>
|}

Mário Soares was in an official trip to [[Brazil]] when he was informed, which unpleased the President, and he then returned to Lisbon to meet with parties. The PS, PRD and PCP proposed an alternative government to the PSD minority, but Soares rejected and called a [[1987 Portuguese legislative election|snap general election for 19 July 1987]], which resulted in a landslide PSD majority government.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ionline.sapo.pt/artigo/417318/crise-soares-dissolveu-em-1987-cavaco-nao-o-pode-fazer-em-2015?seccao=Portugal_i|title=Crise. Soares dissolveu em 1987. Cavaco não o pode fazer em 2015|publisher=Jornal i|date=16 October 2015|access-date=30 May 2022|language=pt}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Politics of Portugal]]
*[[List of political parties in Portugal]]
*[[Elections in Portugal]]

==Notes==
{{notes
| refs =

{{efn
| name = Debate1
| [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]], PSD leader, refused to participate in the debate.
}}

{{efn
| name = Debate2
| [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]], PSD leader, refused to participate in the debate, being replaced by [[Eurico de Melo]], however, the latter was forbidden from participating.{{harvnb|Fundação Mário Soares|1985}}
}}

{{efn
| name = United People Alliance
| The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Portuguese Democratic Movement (MDP/CDE) contested the 1983 election in a coalition called '''[[United People Alliance]] (APU)''' and won a combined 18.1% of the vote and elected 44 MPs to parliament.
}}

{{efn
| name = APU
| [[Portuguese Communist Party]] (35 MPs) and [[Portuguese Democratic Movement]] (3 MPs) ran in coalition.
}}

}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite web |date=1985 |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06845.195.30336|title=Eurico de Melo parte loiça nos estúdios de televisão |language=pt |author=Fundação Mário Soares |access-date=11 May 2020}}

== External links ==
*[http://eleicoes.cne.pt/cne2005/sel_eleicoes.cfm?m=raster#assemb Comissão Nacional de Eleições] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050408212102/http://eleicoes.cne.pt/cne2005/sel_eleicoes.cfm?m=raster#assemb |date=2005-04-08 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060818153627/http://www.iscsp.utl.pt/~cepp/abertura.php Centro de Estudos do Pensamento Político]

{{Portuguese elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Portuguese legislative election, 1985}}
[[Category:Legislative elections in Portugal|1985]]
[[Category:1985 elections in Portugal|Legislative]]
[[Category:October 1985 in Europe]]