Movement of Socialist Left

The Movement of Socialist Left (Portuguese: Movimento de Esquerda Socialista, MES) was a Portuguese socialist party, founded shortly after the democratic Carnation Revolution.

Movement of Socialist Left
Founded20 February 1975
Dissolved17 November 1997
IdeologySocialism
Christian socialism
Progressive christianity
Political positionLeft-wing

The party has its roots in a group of Progressive Christians and Radical Socialists that abandoned the Portuguese Democratic Movement/Democratic Electoral Commissions in 1970, still during the dictatorial regime led by Marcello Caetano. In 1974, the initial group was joined by a group dissidents from the Socialist Party.

The party only participated in two elections, both parliamentary elections, in 1975 and 1976, gathering 1.0% and 0.6% in each election, respectively.

Among the Party's top figures were César Oliveira, Jorge Sampaio, João Cravinho, Ferro Rodrigues and Augusto Mateus. The majority of the Party's members would later join the Socialist Party, Jorge Sampaio would become the President of Portugal in 1996 and Ferro Rodrigues would become the leader of the Socialist Party and later Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic.

During its short existence the MES published several newspapers and magazines, such as: Esquerda Socialista, Poder Popular, Acção Sindical, Informação Militante and A Luta Continua.

Electoral Results

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Results in Parliamentary Elections
(year links to election article)
Year Coalition Type of Election Voting % Mandates
1975
none
Constituent Assembly
58,248
01.0%
0
1976
none
31,332
00.6%
0

(source: Portuguese Electoral Commission)