How the Portuguese Communist Party assesses the negative electoral result of 18 May

Alarming news are coming from Portugal. The far-right, ultra-conservative and xenophobic party Chega has become the main opposition party for the first time, following  the final tally of ballots from abroad in a May 18 snap Parliamentary Election.

The centre-right Democratic Alliance of Prime Minister Luis Montenegro won 91 seats in the 230-seat single-chamber parliament, including two from out-of-country voting. While it garnered more seats than in 2024, it again fell short of a majority needed to end a long period of instability. 

The 22nd Congress of the Portuguese Communist Party concludes successfully

The XXII Congress of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), which took place between 13 and 15 December 2024 in Lisbon's Almada district, concluded its works successfully, electing a new Central Committee of 125 members.

The closing speech was delivered by the Party's General Secretary Paulo Raimundo, who stressed out the following:

Portuguese Communist Party: On the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Carnation Revolution

Resolution of the Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) titled "50.º Aniversário do 25 de Abril «Abril é mais futuro»" (50th Anniversary of April 25 «April is more future»), adopted in December 2022:

The April Revolution is a major milestone in the history of Portugal, a realization of the people's will, an affirmation of freedom, social emancipation, sovereignty and national independence.

Portugal Elections 2024: Poor performance for the Communist Party, while the far-right rises

Bad news come from Portugal, following March 10 parliamentary elections. The Unitary Democratic Coalition, comprised of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Greens, received 3,30% (approximately 203,000 votes), which marks a regression in relation to the 2022 results (4,39% and 236,600 votes).

Unfortunately, it seems that, among others, the Portuguese Communist Party pays the price for its political support – also known as Geringonça - towards the social democratic governments of Antonio Costa in 2015-2019 which cultivated empty promises to the working class but ultimately led to disappointment. 

Portuguese Communist Party: On the political situation arising from the resignation of Prime Minister Costa

On Thursday 9/11, the President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that snap parliamentary elections will be held on March 10, 2024, following the resignation of social democrat Prime Minister Antonio Costa, due to corruption allegations. 

In a statement about the situation on November 7, the General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Paulo Raimundo, stressed out:

Festa do Avante! 2023: Portuguese Communist Party's festival to be held on 1-3 September

Under the usual slogan "There is no party like this", the 47th Avante Festival (Festa do Avante), organized by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), will take place on 1 to 3 September 2023 in Lisbon's Seixal district. 

The three-day festival includes numerous activities, such as music concerts, political debates, various events about cinema, theatre, gastronomy, books, sporting events, etc.

Portuguese Communist Party elects Paulo Raimundo as new General Secretary

Paulo Raimundo, PCP new General Secretary.

On November 12, the Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) elected Paulo Raimundo as the party's new General Secretary. 

"In today’s meeting, the Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party elected Paulo Raimundo as General Secretary of the PCP. The proposal from the executive bodies was unanimously adopted. Paulo Raimundo chose not to vote in his election", PCP spokeswoman Margarida Botelho said in a statement. 

Raimundo, 46, replaces Jerónimo de Sousa after 18 years in office and becomes the seventh secretary general of the PCP since the party's foundation in 1921. 

Portugal: Thousands attended the Communist Party's "Avante! Festival"

For another year, the annual festival of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), known as "Avante! Festival" (Festa do Avante) became an attraction for thousands of people who gathered at Quinta da Atalaia in Seixal in order to attend the numerous cultural and political events included in the program,

This year's festivities, which took place on 2,3 and 4 September, also included a symphonic concert dedicated to the 100th birth anniversary of the great Portuguese writer José Saramago.

Portuguese Communist Party slams anti-democratic remarks by Ukrainian associations

In what seems to be a blatant intervention in the internal affairs of Portugal, the president of an association of Ukrainian refugees (Refugiados Ucranianos) proceeded to unacceptable remarks against the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP).

Speaking during an event in Lisbon earlier this month, Maksym Tarkivskyy targeted the PCP over its position in the Russia-Ukraine War, saying that he cannot understand how “a democratic country continues to have a Communist Party”!

Monument dedicated to Yuri Gagarin unveiled in Portugal

The bust of the legendary Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man who traveled to space in 1961, was unveiled in the Oeiras municipality of the Lisbon metropolitan area in Portugal.

The bronze bust, which was placed in the Tagush Park Technopark, was presented to the city by the International Charitable Foundation “Dialogue of Cultures – One World”, while the event was attended by the Russian Ambassador in Portugal.

Portugal: Festa do Avante! 2021 successfully held in Seixal

The Avante! Festival, the annual festival organized by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), took place with remarkable success on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of September at Quinta da Atalaia, Seixal, with the participation of thousands of people and more than 40 international representations of communist parties and other progressive forces from 4 continents.

In his speech on September 5th, the General Secretary of the Communist Party Jerónimo de Sousa stated: 

Portuguese Communist Party celebrated 100th anniversary — Full speech by General Secretary Jerónimo de Sousa

The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) celebrated its 100th anniversary on Saturday with a message of struggle and devotion to the continued fight for freedom, justice and socialism.  

 

Addressing hundreds of Communist Party members and supporters, who were carrying party flags and carnations - the symbol of the 1974 Revolution - General Secretary Jerónimo de Sousa honored the "generations of communists who are an example of selfless devotion to the just cause they embraced".  

Portuguese Communist Party marks its 100th anniversary

The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) is carrying out a vast programme of initiatives under the motto «1921-2021 - Centenary of the Portuguese Communist Party - Freedom, Democracy, Socialism - The future has a Party».

As part of the celebrations, the PCP will hold a wide range of initiatives from March 1 to 6 all over the country, marking its heroic history of 100 years of struggle and affirming its project for the future.

Portugal Election 2021: Communist Party leader Jerónimo de Sousa comments on the results

Sunday's presidential election in Portugal was marked by a high rates of abstention and a substantial victory of the reactionary forces. Incumbent President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, supported by the Social Democratic Party and the conservative People's Party, was re-elected with a majority of 60.70%, while the candidate of the far-right, nationalist Chega party, André Ventura, came third with 11.90% of the votes. 

The Portuguese Communist Party's candidate, current member of the EU Parliament, João Ferreira collected 4.32 percent of the votes in what can be seen as a rather disappointing result. 

In a statement concerning the result of the presidential elections, the General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) Jerónimo de Sousa pointed out the following:

Portugese Communist Party to hold its XXI Congress on 27-29 November

The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) will held its 21st Congress on 27, 28 and 29 of November 2020. The works of the XXI Congress will take place in Pavilhão Paz e Amizade in the city of Loures, 13km north of capital Lisbon. 

Under the slogan "Organize, Fight, Advance. Democracy and Socialism", the PCP's 21st Congress is organized in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, something that has provoked reactions from right-wing parties and conservative politicians in Portugal. However, as the PCP General Secretary Jerónimo de Sousa has stated, the Congress will take place under all the necessary health security measures. 

FESTA DO AVANTE and KNE-ODIGITIS FESTIVAL: Europe’s largest communist festivals to be held in September

The posters of this year's festivals in Portugal and Greece:
Festa do Avante! and the 46th KNE-Odigitis Festival.

Despite pressure and efforts by reactionary bourgeois political forces to postpone this year’s “Festa do Avante” due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) has decided to proceed to the organisation of the festival, ensuring that all the necessary health measures will be taken. 

In a statement, the PCP provide solid answers to its critics about the festival’s organisation. The governmental decree on summer festivals and similar activities stresses out that they can be carried out as long as they comply with the necessary health rules and obligations. “The attack on the party is just an expression of the reactionary forces’ long-standing objective: to question the exercise of political rights and more particularly the activity of the PCP and unions”, points out an article of the Party titled “Why we organize the Avante Festival”. 

Festa do Avante! 2019: Portugal's communist festival to be held on 6-8 September in Lisbon

Between 6 and 8 of September 2019 the district of Seixal in Lisbon will host the famous "Festa do Avante!", the annual festival of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) also known as "Avante! Festival". 

The story of "Avante!" Festival, which is named after the official newspaper of the Portuguese Communist Party, goes back to 1976 and since then has been a great cultural and political event that attracks young men and women from all over Portugal as well as international delegations from communist parties from around the world. 

Remembering José Saramago: "We need to change the world"

Nine years have passed since the 18th June 2010, the day when José Saramago, one of the most gifted novelists of the 20th century, died. 

Saramago, was far more than just a novelist, a poet, a playwright and a journalist; he was a philosopher and he was a communist. 

Born on November 16th, 1922 at Azinhaga, a small village in Portugal. In 1924, the Saramago family moved to Lisbon where his father began his new job as a policeman. Just a few months after their settlement in the portuguese capital, Jose's older brother, Franscisco, died. Although Jose was a good pupil, his parents were unable to afford to keep him in grammar school, and instead moved him to a technical school at age 12. 

Portugal: "Avante!" Festival to take place on 7-9 September in Lisbon's Seixal

Between 7 and 9th of September 2018, in the town of Amora, near Lisbon's Seixal district, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) will organize its "Festa do Avante), also known as "Avante!" festival. 

The festival consists a very popular event and attracts thousands of people every year. The three-day festival includes multiple activities, including political debates, music concerts with the participation of portuguese and international artists and bands, various events on gastronomy, theatre, cinema, sporting activities, as well as a book and music fair. 

Portuguese Communist Party: Resolution of the CC for the strengthening of the Party

Resolution of the Central Committee of the PCP [En, Pt]

January 21th 2018

   I

The PCP assumes its objectives and project with confidence in its forces, in the working class, in workers and people, in a context in which the future presents itself with dangers and potentialities. Whereas PCP is the target of systematic attack, slander, discrimination, silencing, it assumes its communist identity, its project of transforming society. The Party counts on its strength and ability to intervene, it resists attacks, it fulfills its role but, faced with its shortcomings, it needs to be stronger and more influential in current and future political battles.