Constitutional Court Blocks PSD/CDS Coalition from Using 'Democratic Alliance' Name

Constitutional Court's Ruling

The Constitutional Court has decided to prevent the PSD (Social Democratic Party) and CDS (People's Party) from running together under the name 'Democratic Alliance'. This decision, made by a panel of judges led by Dora Lucas Neto, appointed by the PS (Socialist Party), stems from concerns about the absence of the PPM (People's Monarchist Party) in the coalition, which could lead to confusion about the coalition's composition.

Campaign Direction Response

The news, initially reported by SIC Notícias and confirmed by Observador, indicates that the campaign leadership of the PSD/CDS coalition is currently reviewing the court's decision and is expected to make an announcement soon.

Legal Considerations

The ruling emphasizes the significance of the full name 'Democratic Alliance'. The court noted that since the coalition previously included a third party about a year ago, the current structure could raise legitimate doubts regarding its political representation.

The coalition now faces two options: either appeal the decision to the full Constitutional Court in hopes that the ruling will be overturned or accept the ruling and change the coalition's name. They could theoretically retain the acronym 'AD', but would need to modify the full name.

Background Context

Following the exclusion of the PPM, questions arose regarding the coalition's ability to keep its name. Various alternatives were considered, but ultimately, it was suggested that the coalition might rebrand itself as 'AD – Democratic Alliance – PSD/CDS'.