1998 Portuguese regionalisation referendum

A referendum on creating administrative regions was held in Portugal on 8 November 1998. Two proposals were put to voters, the first on implementing the regions, and the second specifically asking whether voters approved of the new region for their area. The proposals were rejected by wide margins by voters.

Background

Proposal of eight administrative regions put forward in the referendum

The creation of administrative regions in mainland Portugal was an electoral promise of the Socialist Party (PS) in the 1995 legislative election campaign. By 1996, the newly elected leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, defended that regionalisation should be decided by a referendum, while Prime Minister António Guterres wasn't that supportive of the referendum idea. A poll, in April 1996, showed that 53 percent of voters wanted a referendum, with support for regionalisation being 49 percent in favour and 29 percent against.

In May 1996, a new administrative regions law, drafted by the PS and the Communist Party (PCP), was approved by Parliament, despite the boycott from PSD and People's Party (PP) members. A year later, in March 1997, PS and PSD signed a Constitutional review in which a referendum would always have to be mandatory for the creation of administrative regions. In the following year, 1998, Parliament voted on a proposed map to be put on referendum, with only PS and PCP presenting maps, while PSD and PP refused to enter in the debate. A consensus was reached between PS and PCP on the map, which proposed 8 administrative regions in mainland Portugal. A referendum was then called in September 1998 to be held on 8 November of the same year.

Party positions

The major parties in Portugal at the time listed with their political positioning and their official answer to the referendum question:

• Left
  • Portuguese Communist Party - YES
  • Ecologist Party "The Greens" - YES
  • Socialist Party - YES
• Right
  • Social Democratic Party - NO
  • People's Party - NO

Campaign

Issues

The Socialist Party campaigned strongly in favour of the YES vote, defending that regions would help to resolve territorial poverty in Portugal. On the other side, the Social Democrats rejected the proposed map by calling for a NO vote, warning that regionalisation would raise taxes and would just create political jobs.

Choices slogans

Choice		Original slogan	English translation	Refs
	Yes	« Sim, por Portugal. » « A união faz a força. »	"Yes, for Portugal" "Unity is strength."
	No	« Vota Não à regionalização. » « Não e Não. »	"Vote No to regionalization" "No and No."

Results

Question	For		Against		Invalid/ blank	Total votes	Registered voters	Turnout	Outcome
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Do you agree with implementing administrative region?	1,453,749	36.48	2,530,802	63.52	172,976	4,157,527	8,640,026	48.12	Rejected
Do you agree with concretely implementing the administrative region for the area where you live?	1,386,718	36.07	2,457,604	63.93	121,531	3,965,853	8,243,030	48.11	Rejected
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, STAPE