Day of the Republic of Portugal
Description:
Turning the pages of history from the present to the past, you can return to the events of almost a century ago. How did this happen and why?
Throughout the previous century, power in the country fluctuated between a constitutional monarchy and a dictatorship. By the beginning of the XX century, amid increasing complications in socio-economic conditions, the republican movement gained strength: the economy was in a difficult state, the government stopped paying interest on two-thirds of its public debt, and emigration sharply increased.
In 1902, a wave of republican uprisings swept through the army and navy. As a result of the political crisis, the parliament was dissolved, and João Franço was appointed head of government, who in May 1906 became the de facto dictator of Portugal. In January 1908, municipal councils were shut down, independent newspapers were shut down, and many Republicans were imprisoned or exiled without trial. Yet Frank failed to suppress the Republican movement. On January 28, 1908, protests took place in Lisbon and other cities.
On February 1, King Carlos I and Crown Prince Luis Philippe died at the hands of terrorists who threw a bomb at their crew. The youngest son of King Manuel II, who escaped with a slight wound, inherited the throne. He tried to carry out measures designed to calm the opposition, for example, he announced an amnesty for the participants of the republican uprising of 1906 in the navy. However, the 19-year-old monarch had no political experience, and in a year and a half his power changed seven governments. In October 1909, revolts began again. Despite the terror and rigging of the August 1910 elections, the Portuguese Republican Party won 14 seats in parliament.
On the night of October 4, 1910, the Republicans led by Mashadu dos Santos revolted, supported by some army units of the metropolitan garrison. They were joined by the masses and sailors of the cruisers San Rafael and Almashtur. On October 5, after the surrender of loyal troops, the rebel leaders proclaimed Portugal a republic. The king fled. A Provisional Government headed by T. Braga was created, which carried out a number of decrees, in particular, on the separation of church and state: monastic orders were dissolved, part of the property of the monasteries was confiscated. However, the actual influence of the church in all spheres of life remained quite large. The titles of nobility were abolished, the autonomy of the colonies, the right to strike, the 8-hour working day for industrial workers were proclaimed.
Republican leaders were teachers, lawyers, doctors and officers. At first there was only one Republican Party in the Republican Cortes, but the radicals, or Democrats, soon came to power.
The formation of the Republic was enshrined in the Constitution of 1911, which contained a wide range of rights and freedoms of citizens. Portugal was declared a parliamentary republic headed by a president. The president was elected by Congress (parliament) for four years. A bicameral parliament was created, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies (three years) and the Senate (six years).
It is noteworthy that for almost a year Russia evaded recognition of the republican regime in Portugal, until the signing of the Supreme Decree by Emperor Nicholas II on September 14 (27), 1911.