Socialist bounces back in Portugal

Press, 18 February 1986, Page 7

Socialist bounces back in Portugal

NZPA-Reuter Lisbon Portugal’s most resilient politician, Mario Soares, has been elected President after coming from behind in a closely-fought run-off. With most results in yesterday, officials said Mr Soares, aged 61, a Socialist who has served three times as Prime Minister, would win by one or two percentage points over his Right-wing opponent, Diogo Freitas do Amaral, a law professor. A cacophony of car horns, loudspeaker vans

and cheering, flag-waving crowds of Soares supporters celebrated their candidate’s victory until the small hours in central Lisbon. “Thank you for this victory — it is a victory for democracy, freedom, tol-r erance and peace,” Mr Soares told the thousands who gathered outside his campaign headquarters. Opinion polls gave Mr Soares, whose Socialist party suffered a crushing defeat in General Elections last October, only 10 per cent of the vote shortly before last

month’s first round. The amiable campaigner, whose easy manner and common touch have won him many political battles in the past, fought back to win 25 per cent of the vote in the initial round, eliminating two more radical Leftwingers. . During the last three weeks he managed to unite the divided Left to overcome Mr Freitas do Amaral’s impressive 46 per cent first round total. Mr Soares, who campaigned on a platform of moderation and experi-

ence, portrayed himself as the defender of the ideals and conquests of the country’s 1974 Armed Forces revolution which overthrew nearly 50 years of Right-wing dictatorship. Even the pro-Soviet Communist Party, which dislikes Mr Soares because of his strong antiCommunist stance, backed him in the second round to keep out Mr Freitas do Amaral whom they considered a symbol and defender of the dictatorship. In his victory speech, Mr Soares proclaimed the start of a new era. “A new

cycle has begun with the election of the first civi- . lian President in 60 years,” he said. “Twelve years after the revolution, the period of transition has ended." The President-elect said he would cooperate with the country’s three-month old centre-Right Government, which supported his rival In the election. Mr Soares will take over from General Antonio Ramalho Eanes, who was required to step down after two five-year terms.