Leader of the Opposition (Portugal)

Leader of the Opposition
Líder da Oposição
Logo of the biggest party in opposition
Incumbent
Andre Ventura

since 3 June 2025
AppointerPresident
Term lengthNo fixed term
While leader of the largest political party not in government
Inaugural holderFrancisco de Sá Carneiro
(of the Third Republic)
Formation23 July 1976
Salary€64,450 annually[1] (Only as an elected MP)

The Leader of the Opposition (Portuguese: Líder da Oposição) is an unofficial honorary title given to the leader of the largest party in the Assembly of the Republic.

List of leaders of the opposition

Colour key
(for political parties)
  CDS – People's Party (CDS)
  Chega (CH)
  Interim holder
Date (Start of term) Main opposition party Party Leader Prime Minister (Term)
23 July 1976 PSD Francisco Sá Carneiro Mário Soares
(1976–1978)
16 April 1977 António de Sousa Franco
15 April 1978 José Menéres Pimentel
2 July 1978 Francisco Sá Carneiro
29 August 1978 PS Mário Soares Alfredo Nobre da Costa
(1978)
Carlos Mota Pinto
(1978–1979)
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo
(1979–1980)
Francisco Sá Carneiro
(1980)
Diogo Freitas do Amaral (acting)
(1980–1981)
Francisco Pinto Balsemão
(1981–1983)
9 June 1983 PCP Álvaro Cunhal Mário Soares
(1983–1985)
4 November 1985 PS António de Almeida Santos
(interim)
Aníbal Cavaco Silva
(1985–1995)
13 November 1985 António Macedo
(interim)
29 June 1986 Vítor Constâncio
6 November 1988
Jorge Sampaio
23 February 1992 António Guterres
28 October 1995 PSD Fernando Nogueira António Guterres
(1995–2002)
29 March 1996 Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
1 May 1999 José Manuel Durão Barroso
6 April 2002 PS
Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues José Manuel Durão Barroso
(2002–2004)
Pedro Santana Lopes
(2004–2005)
24 September 2004 José Sócrates
12 March 2005 PSD Pedro Santana Lopes José Sócrates
(2005–2011)
10 April 2005 Luís Marques Mendes
28 September 2007 Luís Filipe Menezes
31 May 2008 Manuela Ferreira Leite
26 March 2010 Pedro Passos Coelho
21 June 2011 PS José Sócrates Pedro Passos Coelho
(2011–2015)
23 July 2011 António José Seguro
28 September 2014 Maria de Belém Roseira
(interim)
22 November 2014 António Costa
26 November 2015 PSD Pedro Passos Coelho António Costa
(2015–2024)
18 February 2018 Rui Rio
3 July 2022 Luís Montenegro
2 April 2024 PS Pedro Nuno Santos Luís Montenegro
(2024–present)
24 May 2025 Carlos César
(interim)
3 June 2025 CH André Ventura

References

  1. Pinto, Salomé (2025-01-22). "Salário de Marcelo sobe 650 euros e Montenegro ganha mais 500 com fim dos cortes. Ordenados "ainda são baixos", dizem peritos". Eco (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-06-03.