ABSTRACT
Unlike most of its Western European counterparts, there has not been a long tradition of coalitions in Portugal. This chapter focuses on three key aspects of coalitions and government in Portugal. First, the critical political competition cleavage reflects the legacy of the country’s transition to democracy, which has hampered the possibility of left-wing coalitions. Second, coalition politics in Portugal involve only the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats, whose policy positions and electorate porosity facilitate government equilibrium. Third, the rift between outsider and insider parties is a determining factor for coalitions and policy-making in Portugal and vastly overshadows the left-right divide.
