The 1958 presidential elections in Portugal - the coverage of the campaign by the newspapers República, Diário de Lisboa and Novidades

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-1175

Keywords:

Américo Thomaz, Diário de Lisboa, electoral campaign, Estado Novo, Humberto Delgado, Novidades, presidential elections, República

Abstract

Introduction: The 1958 presidential elections held a prominent place in the Portuguese political context, driven by Humberto Delgado’s resolute determination to persist in the electoral race, thereby challenging the precedent set by previous elections. Methodology: To understand the role of the press in covering these elections, approximately 83 newspaper editions were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed, focusing on the campaign period. The newspapers República and Diário de Lisboa represented opposition to the Estado Novo, while Novidades remained aligned with the regime. Results: The analysis revealed a marked disparity in the treatment of these newspapers by censors, who frequently cut texts from República and Diário de Lisboa. Nonetheless, these newspapers managed to promote the electoral campaign in favor of the opposition, with República standing out as the primary vehicle supporting the opposition, whereas Novidades was the most prolific in disseminating content favorable to the Estado Novo. Discussion: The opposition, primarily intellectuals with high academic qualifications, criticized the regime and its candidate, while the National Union responded with statements that censured the opposition and extolled the achievements of the Estado Novo. Conclusions: The press played a crucial role in shaping political narratives, with República and Diário de Lisboa amplifying dissenting voices and Novidades reinforcing the Estado Novo’s dominant discourse, reflecting the tensions of the era.

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Author Biography

Sérgio Luís Campos Mocito, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre

Sérgio Campos completed his PhD in History (Heritage) at the University of Cáceres, Spain, in 2018. He is a visiting assistant professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre and an integrated member of the CARE Research Center. He collaborates with the CEIS20 Research Center at the University of Coimbra. He is the author of several works, including books, book chapters and scientific articles indexed in SCOPUS. His publications include A Verdade da Mentira (2023), Entre Escolhas e Caminhos (2022) and Em Memória dos Cidadãos Eleitos no Alto Alentejo (2020). He has organized and spoken at national and international conferences. He is a member of the Scientific Council of the Institute for Development, Culture and Science (IDECI) and a reviewer of scientific articles in journals indexed in SCOPUS.

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Published

2024-11-05

How to Cite

Campos Mocito, S. L. (2024). The 1958 presidential elections in Portugal - the coverage of the campaign by the newspapers República, Diário de Lisboa and Novidades. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 10, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-1175

Issue

Vol. 10 (2025)

Section

Education

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