Democracy for Portugal

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34089, 28 February 1976, Page 15

Democracy for Portugal

'By

MARIE THERESE DELBOULBES.

• . .'f A/ien r Fr* >r-

Pr.'»<-. f/treuj/i V Z P .1 .

LISBON. February 27. Post- re vol u t iona i y Portugal is on the way to becoming a Western democracy. A pact signed last night between the once-duminant armed forces and the resurgent nolmcal Dailies is regarded bv observers a> representing gains fi>i Centrist and Right-wing forces Undei the agreement, the junior officers who engineered the revolution — and who wanted to remain its driving force — were relegated to the role of guaranteeing the institutions designed to bring Portugal into the democratic orbit. The pact was signed at the Presidential Palace between ’the armed forces movement and the five main parties: the Communists, the Socialists, the Ponular Democrats (Centrist). the Democratic and Social Centre (Right of Centre), and the Portut”*v Democratic Movement (similar to the Communists). The agreement makes no —

mention ol Socialism and nn plied, ai least on a limited basis, the return ut the armed forces to their barracks It provides for Portugal s first free Legislative elections tn exactly halt a century They will be held on April 25, two veais to the day after ihe overthrow of the ( aetarm Salazai dictatorship. Thev will be followed, in less than two months by ib» election by universal sullim* of a President of the Republt*