Despite the disapointment and divisions created by two years, the mass of Portuguese workers voted solidly in the recent elections tor a workers' bined vote of region of 49%. won by the smaller 'left groups', brings the total for workers' parties up to 54.23%.
wnie giving ine workers' majority of the popular vote, the eection results than those of May last year. and CP may retain majority support but their votes fell (from 16 to race ot the Cr he case of the SP). conticent oasi inal ne an outright majority did not come true.
moreover, Ine Ta ne workers' parties coincides with a marcinai crowin in The PPD retained its 24% ! making it. ine but the CDS doubled its 16%. -rom the 800,000 refugees from Angola ane mozamo due as well as tom tarmers in the North frustrated by the growing economic difficulties. Popular Front ¡ ne cause tor ine reauced support or the SP and CP over the past The comthe CP and SP was in the Together with the 4.?% this parties however, are less decisivel The SP 14% in the and from 38 to 35% in Certainly, Soares' time, gain parties, of the vote second largest bartv)
share to over Name:
Address: the workers' parties (which, nonetheless, coule sill torm a malory can be laid squarely at the door leaders of the SP and CP. Instead of mobilising the workers independently of the millary. they nave souent. the 1974 coup, to cling to the coat-tails of the AFM by participating in various popular front governments.
By competing among themselves for the chance of becoming the AFM's most privileged ally, they have been prepared to champion attacks on the economic gains & rights won by the mass movement ever since the anti-Caetano upsurge of 1974. Such an orientation in the workers' ranks and, split it in the face of growing right wing attacks.
It is this policy of tail-ending the military land providing a civilian cover for their anti- • working class policies) which has also alienated these parties from the potential support of layers poor farmers in the North. The CDS, particular, has taken advantage of this to whip up popular support for its rightwing policies in these areas.
United Front During the election campaign, despite the fact that support for the 'right' was quite evidently growing, government) of the Never since has sown confusion at the same the CDS.
when the election results are known, neither party has shown itself to be ready to use the popular mandate thes have received (54% one popular vole.. to form a workers' government based on the needs of the workers' movement. SP, in particular, has maintained that it will not determine its final position until after the Presidential election this July. Until that time, it intends to continue in