Francisco Pinto Balsemão
Prime Minister of Portugal from 1981 to 1983
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Key Takeaways
- Francisco José Pereira Pinto Balsemão ( Portuguese pronunciation: [fɾɐ̃ˈsiʃku ˈpĩtu βalsɨˈmɐ̃w] ; 1 September 1937 – 21 October 2025) was a Portuguese businessman, journalist, and politician, who served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1981 to 1983.
- In 1974, shortly after the Carnation Revolution, Pinto Balsemão co-founded the Social Democratic Party along with like-minded politicians Francisco Sá Carneiro and Joaquim Magalhães Mota.
- Under prime minister Sá Carneiro, Pinto Balsemão served as a cabinet minister.
- In addition to holding political office, Pinto Balsemão led the Impresa media group, founding the Expresso newspaper in 1973 and the SIC television network in 1992.
- Career Having earned a law degree from the University of Lisbon in 1960, Pinto Balsemão's pre-political career was in newspaper publishing.
Francisco José Pereira Pinto Balsemão (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɾɐ̃ˈsiʃku ˈpĩtu βalsɨˈmɐ̃w]; 1 September 1937 – 21 October 2025) was a Portuguese businessman, journalist, and politician, who served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1981 to 1983.
Under the Estado Novo regime, Pinto Balsemão served in the National Assembly as part of the pro-democracy "Liberal Wing". In 1974, shortly after the Carnation Revolution, Pinto Balsemão co-founded the Social Democratic Party along with like-minded politicians Francisco Sá Carneiro and Joaquim Magalhães Mota.
During the Portuguese transition to democracy, Pinto Balsemão served in the Constituent Assembly, which was tasked with drafting a new constitution. Under prime minister Sá Carneiro, Pinto Balsemão served as a cabinet minister. After Sá Carneiro died in 1980, Pinto Balsemão succeeded him as prime minister in 1981, although political tension led him to leave office in 1983.
In addition to holding political office, Pinto Balsemão led the Impresa media group, founding the Expresso newspaper in 1973 and the SIC television network in 1992.
Background
Francisco Pinto Balsemão was born in Lisbon on 1 September 1937, the son of Henrique Patrício Pinto Balsemão and wife Maria Adelaide van Zeller de Castro Pereira, great-granddaughter of Pedro IV of Portugal.
Career
Having earned a law degree from the University of Lisbon in 1960, Pinto Balsemão's pre-political career was in newspaper publishing. After working as a journalist and then as an administrator of Diário Popular (the People's Daily in English) from 1963 to 1971, he founded the Expresso magazine in 1973. He was also the founder of Impresa media group.
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