PORTUGAL: AT MASS RALLY IN OPORTO SOCIALIST PARTY LEADER SOARES SPEAKS OF CERTAIN VICTORY IN FORTHCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.

Record ID: 215441

  • Title: PORTUGAL: AT MASS RALLY IN OPORTO SOCIALIST PARTY LEADER SOARES SPEAKS OF CERTAIN VICTORY IN FORTHCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.
  • Date: 18th April 1976
  • Summary: 1. GV PAN INTERIOR crowd chanting in sports stadium (2 shots) 0.43 2. CU AND SV Finance Minister Zenha addressing crowd (2 shots) 0.53 3. SV and TV crowd chants (2 shots) 1.01 4. CU Soares addresses rally 1.07 5. CU PAN FROM Soares finishing speech TO crowd chanting. 1.20 Initials RH/1631 RH/MF/MR/1645 Script is copyright Reu
  • Embargoed: 3rd May 1976 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: OPORTO, PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Reuters ID: LVA3YBQT3CHQ9HAI0ND7N9E2VAZF
  • Story Text: A crowd of 30,000 people gathered at the Palacio de Cristal sports pavillion in Oporto, Portugal on Saturday (17 April) for a pre-election socialist rally. Socialist Party leader Mario Soares told them that the party's victory in the forthcoming parliamentary elections was certain.

    The elections are scheduled for 25 April. Sr. Soares also said that during the campaign the socialists had been the only party with enough courage to say they would govern alone if elected.

    Socialist Finance Minister Francisco Salgado Zenha also spoke at the rally and both he and Sr. Soares received tumultuous applause from the crowd.

    The Portuguese election campaign has been marred by outbreaks of violence in various towns and cities throughout the country. Extremists from the both left and right have used intimidation tactics, despite the fact that most of the political parties have shown determination to keep the enthusiasm of their more extreme supporters under control.

    SYNOPSIS: Moving towards the climax of the Parliamentary election campaign in Portugal, the socialist party held a rally at Oporto's Palacio de Cristal sports pavillion on Saturday. Some 30,000 people turned out to support the cause and chanted a variety of slogans, including "Socialists will win" and "Socialism yes, dictatorship, no".

    Although noisy, the meeting passed without violence. This was not the case, however, in many towns throughout the country. There have been scuffles at political meetings, initiated by extremists from both the left and right.

    Portugal's Socialist Finance Minister Francisco Salgado Zenha addressed the crowd - which received him with chanting and tumultuous applause.

    The main speaker was party leader Mario Soares, who said the socialists were certain to win the election on the 25th of April. He added that during the campaigning the socialists had been the only party with enough courage to say they would govern alone if elected.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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