History, Revolution

On April 25, 1974, the Movimento das Forcas Armadas (MFA; Movement of the Armed Forces), a group of military officers seeking to end the African wars, overthrew Caetano’s government. A junta under General Antonio de Spinola was installed that promised democracy at home and peace for the African territories. The new regime appealed for cease-fires in Africa and restored many democratic liberties, including toleration of a wide range of political parties. Socialists and Communists came out of hiding. Widespread upheavals took place as workers used their new civil liberties to seek better wages and working conditions.

In May 1974 an interim government was established with Spinola as president and members of the Socialist Party (PS) and Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) in the cabinet. But real power remained with the MFA, which was increasingly dominated by leftist officers allied with the PCP and other Marxist-Leninist groups. Spinola, however, resisted MFA plans to quickly dismantle the empire and to institute leftist reforms. In July the MFA forced Spinola to name Vasco Goncalves, a pro-Communist, as prime minister, and in September Spinola was replaced by General Francisco da Costa Gomes. Independence pacts were soon negotiated with nationalists from the African territories. The whole African empire was freed by the end of 1975. Portugal also withdrew from the Southeast Asian colony of Portuguese Timor (now known as East Timor), which was forcibly annexed by Indonesia in 1976. Hundreds of thousands of retornados (returning troops and settlers) were subsequently either absorbed into Portuguese society or allowed to emigrate again, mainly to Brazil.

In March 1975, after another rightist effort to seize power, the MFA established a new supreme governing body, the Revolutionary Council. Dominated by pro-Communists and led by Goncalves, it nationalized most banks and many industries, expropriated and redistributed large agricultural holdings, and made the Communist-led trade union confederation the sole representative of workers. The Revolutionary Council scheduled elections in April 1975 for a constituent assembly, charged with the task of writing a new constitution for Portugal. However, to participate, the major parties had to agree to continued rule by the Revolutionary Council for at least five years.

Elections to the constituent assembly indicated waning support for the MFA, with the Socialists and their allies capturing a large majority of votes; the Communists finished a distant third. Goncalves was installed as prime minister and formed a new government, but it proved unstable, and the Socialists soon resigned. Public disaffection with the leftist dictatorship became widespread. After a campaign of anti-Communist demonstrations in the north, and growing pressure from the military to resolve the crisis, Goncalves was ousted. A new cabinet, led by Socialist prime minister Vice Admiral Jose de Azevedo, was installed, reflecting the results of the April election . Under the Azevedo government, relative stability was restored, and a new investment policy was adopted to attract foreign investment. Western credits, withheld while the pro-Communist MFA faction held power, were renewed. In November 1975 MFA moderates defeated a leftist coup attempt, then expelled leftists from the Revolutionary Council. Soon after, the moderates agreed to cede power to an elected government. The revolution was over.