Mário Soares

Early life

Soares was born in the Coração de Jesus neighbourhood of Lisbon, and graduated in history and philosophy from the University of Lisbon. He became a university lecturer in 1957, but his activities in opposition to the dictatorship of António de Oliveira Salazar led to repeated arrests. He was active in resistance groups such as the Movement for Anti-Fascist National Unity and the Movement for Democratic Unity.

Soares began his studies at Colégio Moderno, owned by his father. There, for a short period he was taught geography by Álvaro Cunhal, who would later become the towering figure of Portuguese Communism and one of Soares' greatest political rivals.

While a student at university, Soares joined the Portuguese Communist Party, being responsible for the youth section. In this capacity, he organised demonstrations in Lisbon to celebrate the end of World War II. He was first arrested by PIDE, the Portuguese political police, in 1946, when he was a member of the Central Committee of the Movement of Democratic Unity (Portuguese: Movimento de Unidade Democrática), at the time chaired by Mário de Azevedo Gomes. Soares was arrested twice in 1949. On those latter occasions, he was the secretary of General Norton de Matos, a candidate for the Presidency. However, he became estranged from de Matos when he latter discovered Soares's Communist sympathies.

Soares married Maria de Jesus Barroso Soares, an actress, on 22 February 1949, while in the Aljube prison, at the Third Conservatory of the Civil Register of Lisbon. They had a son, João Soares, who later became Mayor of Lisbon, and a daughter, Isabel Barroso Soares (born in 1951), who now manages the Colégio Moderno.

Soares's multiple arrests for political activism made it impossible for him to continue with his career as a lecturer of history and philosophy. Therefore, he decided to study law and become an attorney.

Political activity during the Estado Novo

In 1958, Soares was very active in the presidential election supporting General Humberto Delgado. Later, he would become Delgado's family lawyer, when Humberto Delgado was murdered in 1965, in Spain, by agents of the dictatorship's secret police (PIDE). As a lawyer, he defended some of Portugal's political prisoners and participated in numerous trials conducted in the Plenary Court and in the Special Military Court. Represented, particularly, Álvaro Cunhal when he was accused of several political crimes, and along with Adelino da Palma Carlos he also defended the dynastic cause of Maria Pia of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Braganza.

In April 1964, in Geneva, Switzerland, Soares together with Francisco Ramos da Costa and Manuel Tito de Morais created the Acção Socialista Portuguesa (Portuguese Socialist Action). At this point he was already quite distant from his former Communist friends (having quit the Communist Party in 1951); his views were now clearly inclined towards economic liberalism.

In March 1968, Soares was arrested again by PIDE, and a military tribunal sentenced him to banishment in the colony of São Tomé and Principe in the Gulf of Guinea. His wife and two children, Isabel and João, accompanied him. However, they returned to Lisbon eight months later for in the meantime dictator Salazar had been replaced by Marcello Caetano. The new dictator wanted to present a more democratic face to the world, so many political prisoners, Soares among them, were released and allowed exile in France.

In the October 1969 general election, which was rigged, the democratic opposition (whose political rights were severely restricted) entered with two different lists. Soares participated actively in the campaign supporting the Coligação Eleitoral de Unidade Democrática or CEUD (Electoral Coalition for Democratic Unity). CEUD was clearly anti-fascist, but they also reaffirmed their opposition to Communism.

In 1970, Soares was exiled to Rome, Italy, but eventually settled in France where he taught at the Universities of Vincennes, Paris and Rennes. In 1973, the 'Portuguese Socialist Action' became the Socialist Party, and Soares was elected Secretary-General. The Socialist party was created under the umbrella of Willy Brandt's SPD in Bad Münstereifel, Germany, on 19 April 1973.

Carnation Revolution

On 25 April 1974, elements of the Portuguese Army seized power in Lisbon, overthrowing Salazar's successor, Marcello Caetano. Soares and other political exiles returned home to celebrate what was termed the "Carnation Revolution".

In the provisional government which was formed after the revolution, led by the Movement of the Armed Forces (MFA), Soares became minister for overseas negotiations, charged with organising the independence of Portugal's overseas colonies. Among other encounters, he met with Samora Machel, the leader of Frelimo, to negotiate the independence of Mozambique.

Within months of the revolution however (and in spite of the April 1975 Constituent Assembly election results which gave victory to the Socialist Party and clearly favored the pro-democracy political parties), it became apparent that the Portuguese Communist Party, allied with a radical group of officers in the MFA, was attempting to extend its control over the government. The prime minister, Vasco dos Santos Gonçalves, was accused of being an agent of the Communists and a bitter confrontation developed between the Socialists and Communists over control of the newspaper República.

President Francisco da Costa Gomes dismissed Vasco Gonçalves in September 1975 and a failed far-left coup in late November ended the far-left influence in Portuguese government and politics. After the approval of the 1976 Constitution, a democratic government was finally established when national elections were held on 25 April 1976.

Prime minister

The 1976 legislative election gave the Socialists a plurality of seats in the newly created Assembly of the Republic and Soares became prime minister. Deep hostility between the Socialists and the Communists made a left-wing majority government impossible, and Soares formed a weak minority government. Vast fiscal and currency account deficits generated by previous governments forced Soares to adopt a strict austerity policy, which made him deeply unpopular. Soares had to resign from office after only two years, in 1978.

The wave of left-wing sentiment which followed the 1974 revolution had now dissipated, and a succession of conservative governments held office until 1983, with Soares' Socialist Party unsuccessful in the 1979 special elections and 1980 elections. Soares again became prime minister following the 1983 elections, holding office until late 1985. His main achievement in office was negotiating Portugal's entry into the European Economic Community. Portugal at the time was very wary of integrating itself into the EEC, and Soares almost single-handedly turned public opinion around.

Presidency

In the 1986 presidential election, Soares was elected president of Portugal, beating Diogo Freitas do Amaral by little more than 2%. He was reelected in 1991, this time with almost 70% of the vote. For most of Soares' two terms of office, Portugal was governed by the centre-right Social Democratic Party, led by Aníbal Cavaco Silva.

In 1989, he was the first foreign head of state to visit Czechoslovakia in the course of the Velvet Revolution, invited by Václav Havel, who was elected president of Czechoslovakia two days later.

He devised the so-called Presidência Aberta (Open Presidency), a series of tours around the country, each addressing a particular issue, such as the environment or a particular region of Portugal. Although generally well received by the public, some claimed that he was criticizing the government and exceeding his constitutional role. Others stated that the tours were in the style of medieval courts. Yet the name stuck for today's presidential initiatives of the same type.

Post-Presidency

• Soares retired in 1996, but in 1998 he headed the Independent World Commission on the Oceans.
• In 1999 he headed the Socialist ticket in elections to the European Parliament, where he served until the 2004 elections. He ran for President of the Parliament, but lost to Nicole Fontaine.
• In 2000 he was awarded the North-South Prize.
• Soares was a member of the Club de Madrid, an independent organization of more than 80 former democratic statesmen from around the world. The group works to strengthen democratic governance and leadership.
• In March 2005, he launched a petition urging the European Union to start membership talks with Cape Verde.
• On 30 August 2005, he announced his candidacy to run for president in the election that occurred on 22 January 2006, when he was 81 years old. However, he lost the election to Aníbal Cavaco Silva and was even behind Manuel Alegre, receiving 14% of the vote. "The results went against my expectations. I accept this defeat with a feeling of mission accomplished," he said. It was suggested (on the RTP1 TV programme Prós e Contras in March 2008) that one of the reasons for his weak support could be that the Portuguese were reluctant to elect any president for more than two terms (only allowed by the Portuguese Constitution of 1976 if non-consecutive).

• In the TV programme Os Grandes Portugueses (English: The Greatest Portuguese), he was voted 12th, the highest-placed among living people chosen by the public.
• He was a member of the strongest Masonic lodge in Portugal.
• He was president of the then Mário Soares Foundation (Portuguese: Fundação Mário Soares (FMS)).
• He sat on the board of directors of the Orient Foundation (Portuguese: Fundação Oriente).
• He was a Member of the Portuguese Council of State, as a former elected president of Portugal.
• After the Finnish general elections on 17 April 2011, Soares opined that "Finland has changed into an extremely conservative country, where solidarity is unknown." Soares evoked the memory of Kalevi Sorsa, contrasting his generosity with "those dwarfs, who now want to rule Finland, their ethical values and hostility to Portugal". According to Soares the Finns live in an illusion, believing that "speculative markets and credit criminals can destroy nations with nine hundred years' independent history".

Death and state funeral

Soares died on 7 January 2017 at the age of 92. He had been admitted to the hospital on 13 December, and although his condition at first showed slight signs of improvement, he lapsed into a coma on 26 December from which he never recovered. The Portuguese Government offered a state funeral and declared three days of national mourning. It was the first state funeral in Portugal after that of President Óscar Carmona in 1951. After lying in state at Jerónimos Monastery during 9 January, his remains were transported to Prazeres Cemetery the next day, and now lie at the family vault next to those of his wife.

Honours and awards

National honours

N.B. according to "Ordens honoríficas portuguesas – Nacionais com Ordens Portuguesas" recipients:

• Grand Collar of the Order of the Tower and Sword (GColTE – 9 March 1991)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (GCC – 09/04/1981)
• Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty (GColL – 9 March 1996)
• Grand Master of the Portuguese Orders (9 March 1986 – 9 March 1996):

Foreign honours

N.B. according to "Ordens honoríficas portuguesas – Nacionais com Ordens Estrangeiras" recipients:

• Algeria: Collar (Athir) of the National Order of Merit (29 May 2005)
• Austria: Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (10 March 1987)
• Brazil:
  • Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross (10 November 1987)
  • Grand Collar of the Order of the National Congress (13 April 1987)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (10 March 1987)
  • Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (30 March 1988)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco (4 January 1977)

• Bahia: Collar of the Order of Merit of Bahia (30 March 1988)
• São Paulo: Grand Cross of the Order of Ipiranga (13 April 1987)

• Bulgaria: First Class of the Order of the Balkan Mountains (26 October 1994)
• Cape Verde: 1st Class of the Amílcar Cabral Order (5 January 2001)
• Chile: Collar of the Order of Merit (22 July 1992)
• Colombia: Grand Collar of the Order of Boyaca (27 July 1988)
• People's Republic of the Congo: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the People's Republic of the Congo (12 September 1989)
• Cyprus: Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III (29 May 1990)
• Denmark:
  • Knight of the Order of the Elephant (6 May 1992)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (30 March 1988)
• Dominican Republic: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella (10 March 1987)
• East Timor: Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste (3 January 2017)
• Ecuador: Collar of the National Order of Merit (12 September 1989)
• Egypt: Collar of the Order of the Nile (4 April 1992)
• Finland: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (8 March 1991)
• France:
  • Grand Cross of the National Order of Legion of Honour (7 May 1990)
  • Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (26 May 1988)
• Germany:
  • Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (8 January 1991)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (10 March 1987)
• Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer (20 November 1987)
• Holy See: Collar of the Order of Pope Pius IX (8 January 1991)
• Hungary: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (25 January 1993)
• Iceland:
  • Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon (4 June 1993)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (21 November 1983)
• Italy:
  • Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (5 April 1989)
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (26 April 1986)
• Ivory Coast: Grand Cross of the National Order of the Ivory Coast (1 June 1990)
• Luxembourg:
  • Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (26 May 1988)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown (28 February 1996)
• Malta: Honorary Companion of Honour of the National Order of Merit (9 October 1994)
• Mexico: Grand Cross of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (16 January 2003)
• Morocco:
  • Collar of the Order of Muhammad (20 February 1995)
  • First Class of the Order of Muhammad (6 February 1992)
• Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (26 September 1991)
• Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (10 March 1987)
• Palestine: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Palestine (18 November 1993)
• Paraguay: Presidential Collar of Marshal López (Grand Cross) of the National Order of Merit (18 December 1995)
• Poland:
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (21 May 1993)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (26 October 1994)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of St Mary Magdalene (19 August 1993)
• Senegal: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Senegal (28 February 1996)
• South Korea: Grand Gwanghwa Medal of the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit (23 April 1987)
• South Africa: Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope (17 November 1995)
• Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Collar of the Order pro merito Melitensi (9 May 1989)
• Spain:
  • Collar of the Order of Charles III (30 March 1988)
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (10 March 1987)
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (21 November 1977)
• Sweden: Knight of the Order of the Seraphim (28 January 1987)
• Tunisia: Grand Cross of the Order of 7 November (6 December 1993)
• United Kingdom:
  • Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (19 May 1994)
  • Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (28 February 1996)
• Venezuela: Collar of the Order of the Liberator (10 November 1987)
• Yugoslavia:
  • Great Star of the Order of the Yugoslav Star (23 April 1990)
  • Sash of the Order of the Yugoslav Star (30 March 1988)
• Zaire: Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Leopard (4 December 1989)

Foreign awards

In 1998, Soares won the International Simón Bolívar Prize of UNESCO.

In 2000, Soares received the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe.

He was an honorary member of the Club of Rome and member of High Council of Francophonie.

He was appointed Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) by the University of Leicester in 1994.

Soares was named the "patron" for the College of Europe's academic year 2020-2021.

Electoral history

Legislative election, 1969

Constituent Assembly, 1975

Legislative election, 1976

Legislative election, 1979

Legislative election, 1980

Legislative election, 1983

Presidential election, 1986

Presidential election, 1991

European Parliament election, 1999

President of the European Parliament election, 1999

Presidential election, 2006