Progressive Party (Portugal)

The Progressive Party (Portuguese: Partido Progressista), along with their opponent the Partido Regenerador, was a political party in Portugal during the constitutional monarchy at the end of the 19th century.[1]

Progressive Party
Portuguese: Partido Progressista
AbbreviationPP
LeaderAnselmo José Braamcamp
Founded1876 (1876)
Dissolved1910 (1910)
Merger ofHistoric Party
Reformist Party
HeadquartersLisbon
IdeologyConstitutional monarchism
Liberalism
Progressivism
Republicanism (minority)
Political positionCentre-left
Colors  Red

Ideology

edit

It developed from the Pact of Granja (7 September 1876), which fused the Historic Party and the Reformist Party, which both espoused liberal ideals, and had political opinions counter the Regenerator Party's leader (which included both left-leaning and conservative members), Fontes Pereira de Melo.

At the time, the Progressista and Regenerator parties were sociological and psychological different entities, causing factionalist divisions in society. A good example of this breach occurred in Seixal, where two philharmonic bands were established that supported the Partido Regenerador, the Timbre Seixalense, and the Sociedade Filarmónica União Seixalense (created in 1871), which supported the Partido Progressista.

The Progressistas (as they were referred) began their activities on 17 November 1876.

History

edit

The first Progressive Party government assumed their functions on 1 June 1879, under the Party leader Anselmo José Braamcamp, and would last until 25 March 1881. During its 664 days in office, the group promoted a program of morality and liberal idealism, supported by various important figures (such as José Luciano, Cardoso Machado, Henrique de Barros Gomes, Saraiva de Carvalho, João Crisóstomo and José Joaquim de Castro (the Marquis of Sabugosa and Viscount of São Januário). In their 19 October 1879 electoral victory, new faces were added, including António Cândido (who would be responsible for defending their program Vida Nova), Emídio Navarro and Veiga Beirão would be elected. In February 1885, the former socialist and nascent republican, Oliveira Martins, joins the party, declaring himself the inheritor of Passos. Carlos Lobo d’Ávila, would later join the party after Antero Quental declares that the Fontist regime would not evolve beyond a bureaucratic and financial oligarchy. In September 1885 Luciano de Castro was elected president of the Party (on 10 December 1885), supported by Barros Gomes and Oliveira Martins, while being opposed by Emídio Navarro and Mariano de Carvalho's faction.

In the elections of 30 March 1879, under the government of António Serpa there were 33 Progressista deputies, a number that would remain constant in the 23 October 1892 government of Dias Ferreira.

During the 6 March 1887 would form a majority with 113 of 169 seats, a feat that they would repeat, albeit with a reduced plurality in the 20 October 1889 election (retaining 104 deputies). From 20 February 1886 and 14 February 1890, a Progressive Party would govern under the party leadership of José Luciano, which included in his cabinet Veiga Beirão, Barros Gomes, Henrique de Macedo, Ressano Garcia, Emídio Navarro, Mariano de Carvalho, Augusto José da Cunha, Visconde de S. Januário, Eduardo José Coelho and Marino João Franzini.

During the government of Ernesto Hintze Ribeiro (April 1894), the number of Progressive deputies would fall to 11 representatives and for a time the Progressive party would form a liberal alliance with the Republican Party (1894–1895).

Election results

edit
Election Leader Seats +/- Government
1878 Anselmo José Braamcamp
22 / 137
Opposition
1879
106 / 137
 84 Government
1881
6 / 137
 100 Opposition
1884
31 / 151
 25 Opposition
1887 José Luciano de Castro
113 / 152
 82 Government
1889
104 / 152
 9 Government
1890
33 / 152
 71 Opposition
1890
45 / 152
 12 Opposition
1894
33 / 152
 12 Opposition
1895 Boycotted
1897
88 / 114
 88 Government
1899
91 / 138
 3 Government
1900
28 / 138
 63 Opposition
1901
41 / 148
 13 Opposition
1904
43 / 148
 2 Opposition
1905
109 / 148
 66 Government
Apr. 1906
19 / 148
 90 Opposition
Aug. 1906
45 / 148
 26 Opposition
1908
58 / 148
 13 Opposition
1910
31 / 155
 27 Opposition

References

edit