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In 1926, there was a coup d'état which ended with
a period of great political and economical instability marked by
the short duration of governments (more than 40). In 1933, as an
attempt to legitimate and perpetuate the new regime, a constitution
was approved that had been conceived and elaborated by the President
of the Ministries Counsel, António Oliveira Salazar. This
would last until 1974.
The individual rights and guarantees of citizens liberties, which
were foreseen in the Constitution, such as freedom of expression,
reunion and association, were ruled by "special laws".
For the first time three women are elected as Deputies.
On 25th April 1974 the Army Movement executed a coup
d'état, which immediately won popular support. This Movement
put an end to the New State, which had dominated the country during
almost half a century, making a set of political, social and economic
reforms that would change the face of the country.
When the Army Movement came into power, it called a Constituent
Assembly elected by secret direct universal suffrage. This process
took about a year.
After the electoral census, that was considered a model, every
citizen above 18 years old voted, independently of sex, level of
schooling or economic capacity, except for the assistants and people
in charge of the previous regime. In post-constitutional revisions
the limits were withdrawn and, nowadays, we all have the right to
vote.
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