This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

There is a slight complication in the case of Portugal. I prefer to use a standardised list of party affiliations. Therefore, I use worldstatesmen.org, which is usually reliable. This site classes as Ramalho Eanes as a representative of the Partido Renovador Democrático (PRD) for the full term of his office. However, according to my information, the PRD was only created in 1985. Prior to to that time, I understand Eanes to be non-party. If he was partisan before this time, then there are more cohabitations than those recorded here. On the assumption that he was non-partisan, then here is my list of cohabitations in Portugal:

Mar 1986 – Oct 1995
President – Mário Soares (PS); PM – Aníbal Cavaco Silva (PSD); Government – PSD

Apr 2002 – Jul 2004
President – Jorge Sampaio (PS); PM – José Manuel Barroso (PSD); Government – PSD, CDS-PP

Jul 2004 – Mar 2005
President – Jorge Sampaio (PS); PM – Pedro Miguel Lopes (PSD); Government – PSD, CDS-PP

Mar 2006 – June 2011
President – Aníbal Cavaco Silva (PSD); José Sócrates (PS); Government – PS

Source of party affiliations: www.worldstatesmen.org/Portugal.htm

Party abbreviations:
CDS-PP – Centro Democrático e Social – Partido Popular (Democratic and Social Centre – People’s Party)
PS – Partido Socialista (Socialist Party)
PSD – Partido Social Democrata (Social Democrat Party)