António Ramalho Eanes

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (October 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

António Ramalho Eanes GColL GCL GColTE CavA
President of Portugal
In office 14 July 1976 – 9 March 1986
Prime Minister	José Pinheiro de Azevedo Mário Soares Alfredo Nobre da Costa Carlos Mota Pinto Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo Francisco Sá Carneiro Francisco Pinto Balsemão Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Preceded by	Francisco da Costa Gomes
Succeeded by	Mário Soares
President of the Revolutionary Council
In office 14 July 1976 – 30 September 1982
Preceded by	Francisco da Costa Gomes
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff
In office 14 July 1976 – 16 February 1981
Preceded by	Francisco da Costa Gomes
Succeeded by	Nuno de Melo Egídio
Chairman of the Board of RTP
In office 28 October 1974 – 11 March 1975
Preceded by	Casimiro Gomes
Succeeded by	João António de Figueiredo
Personal details
Born	António dos Santos Ramalho Eanes (1935-01-25) 25 January 1935 (age 86) Louriçal do Campo, Castelo Branco, Portugal
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Democratic Renewal Party (1986–87)
Spouse(s)	Manuela Neto Portugal ​ ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	Manuel António Miguel
Alma mater	Portuguese Military Academy
Profession	Army officer
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	Portuguese Army
Years of service	1952–1986
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Colonial War

António dos Santos Ramalho Eanes, GColL GCL GColTE CavA (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐ̃ˈtɔniu ʁɐˈmaʎu iˈɐnɨʃ]; born 25 January 1935) is a Portuguese general and politician who was the 16th President of Portugal from 1976 to 1986.

Background[]

Born at Alcains, Castelo Branco, he is the son of Manuel dos Santos Eanes, a general contractor, and wife Maria do Rosário Ramalho.

Political career[]

After a long military career in the Portuguese Colonial Wars, he was stationed in Portuguese Angola when the 25 April revolution of 1974 took place. He joined the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA or Armed Forces Movement) and after returning to Portugal, he was made president of RTP (Portuguese public television). He ordered the military operations against the pro-communist radical faction of the MFA on 25 November 1975, an event known as the 25 de Novembro, ending that year's "hot summer" (Verão quente).

António Ramalho Eanes (left), while president, departs after a state visit to the United States. Secretary of State George Shultz is on the right. (USAF)

In 1976 he was elected President of Portugal. At the end of 1980 he was re-elected, serving until February 1986. After his presidency, he headed the Democratic Renewal Party (Portuguese: Partido Renovador Democrático), and continued to support Social Democratic Party (PSD) minority government until 1987. He resigned in 1987 after defeated by PSD in legislative election.

He is also a Member of the Portuguese Council of State, as a former elected President of Portugal.

He rejected any suggestion of becoming a Marshal, considering the title unnecessary.

Decorations[]

National:

• Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty (18/12/2015)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty (25/04/2004)
• Grand Collar of the Order of the Tower and Sword (09/03/1986)
• Knight of the Order of Aviz (19/01/1972)

Family[]

He married at the Palace of Queluz on 28 October 1970 to Maria Manuela Duarte Neto de Portugal Ramalho Eanes (b. 29 December 1938), who was one of Portugal's most politically active First Ladies, making speeches at Democratic Renewal Party rallies while her husband was president. They had two sons, Manuel António (b. 5 May 1972) and Miguel (b. 1977).

Electoral results[]

1976 Portuguese presidential election[]

1980 Portuguese presidential election[]

Notes[]

External links[]

• Biography in Portuguese