ABSTRACT
The reversal of fortunes of the centre-right Partido Social Democrata (Social Democratic Party, PSD) 1 over the past decade could scarcely be more striking. It was almost exactly ten years ago, in October 1995, that the PSD exited Portuguese government, after some 16 years in power, alone or in coalition. Over the ensuing decade, the PSD was to govern only briefly, in coalition with the right-wing Centro Democratico Social-Partido Popular (Democratic Social Centre-Popular Party, CDS-PP), from 2002 till2005, aod its term in office was capped by a heavy defeat in the 2005 legislative elections.
