Francisco Pinto Balsemão facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francisco Pinto Balsemão
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Balsemão in 1982
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| Prime Minister of Portugal | |
| In office 9 January 1981 – 9 June 1983 |
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| President | António Ramalho Eanes |
| Deputy | Diogo Freitas do Amaral |
| Preceded by | Francisco Sá Carneiro |
| Succeeded by | Mário Soares |
| President of the Social Democratic Party | |
| In office 13 December 1980 – 27 February 1983 |
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| Secretary-General | António Capucho |
| Preceded by | Francisco Sá Carneiro |
| Succeeded by | Nuno Rodrigues dos Santos |
| Minister of Social Affairs | |
| In office 3 August 1981 – 4 September 1981 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | João Morais Leitão |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Macedo |
| Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister | |
| In office 3 January 1980 – 9 January 1981 |
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| Prime Minister | Francisco Sá Carneiro |
| Preceded by | Manuel da Costa Brás |
| Succeeded by | Basílio Horta |
| Member of the Assembly of the Republic | |
| In office 4 November 1985 – 12 August 1987 |
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| Constituency | Lisbon |
| In office 3 June 1976 – 12 November 1980 |
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| Constituency | Porto |
| In office 2 June 1975 – 2 April 1976 |
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| Constituency | Lisbon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 September 1937 Lisbon, Portugal |
| Died | 21 October 2025 (aged 88) Lisbon, Portugal |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Pedro IV of Portugal (great-great-grandfather) |
| Alma mater | University of Lisbon |
| Occupation | Journalist, newspaper editor, newspaper administrator, chief executive officer of Impresa media group, chair of the european publishers council |
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Francisco José Pereira Pinto Balsemão (born September 1, 1937 – died October 21, 2025) was an important Portuguese businessman, journalist, and politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1981 to 1983. He was known for his work in media and for helping to shape Portugal's political landscape after a big change in the country.
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Who Was Francisco Pinto Balsemão?
Francisco Pinto Balsemão was born in Lisbon, Portugal. His parents were Henrique Patrício Pinto Balsemão and Maria Adelaide van Zeller de Castro Pereira. He was a great-grandson of Pedro IV of Portugal, who was also a significant historical figure. Francisco Pinto Balsemão passed away in Lisbon on October 21, 2025, when he was 88 years old.
A Career in Journalism
Francisco Pinto Balsemão studied Law at the University of Lisbon. Before becoming a politician, he worked in newspaper publishing. He started as a journalist and later became an administrator for a newspaper called Diário Popular from 1963 to 1971. In 1973, he founded his own magazine, Expresso, and led it until 1980. He also became a top manager and owner of the Impresa media group, which is a big company that owns many media outlets.
Stepping into Politics
Francisco Pinto Balsemão was a Member of Parliament even before a big change in Portugal's government (from 1969 to 1973). He was one of the key people who helped create the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He was actually the very first member of this party! In 1975, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly. This group had the important job of writing a new constitution for the country. He was chosen to be a vice-president of this assembly.
Becoming Prime Minister
After the Democratic Alliance, a group of parties led by the PSD, won elections in 1979 and 1980, Pinto Balsemão took on important roles in the government. He worked closely with Prime Minister Francisco Sá Carneiro. Sadly, when Sá Carneiro passed away in an air accident in December 1980, the Social Democratic Party chose Pinto Balsemão to become the new Prime Minister.
He was known for being very capable. However, he faced challenges because he didn't have the same popular appeal as Sá Carneiro. He also had to manage disagreements within the Democratic Alliance. These difficulties led to his party losing the parliamentary election in 1983. He later retired from Parliament in 1987, but he remained involved in politics.
After the Prime Ministership
Even after his time as Prime Minister, Pinto Balsemão continued to be a very influential person. He became the Chairman of the European Publishers Council and the chief executive officer of the Impresa media group in Portugal. In 1992, he founded Sociedade Independente de Comunicação (SIC), which was Portugal's first private television channel. He was also a member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group, a group that holds private meetings about global issues. Later, he became a Member of the Portuguese Council of State, a group of important advisors to the President of Portugal.
Family Life
Francisco Pinto Balsemão had five children. He was married twice. His family was an important part of his life.
Awards and Recognition
Francisco Pinto Balsemão received many important awards and honors throughout his life, both from Portugal and from other countries. These awards recognized his contributions to politics, journalism, and public service.
- He received the Grand Cross of the Order of Christ and the Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty from Portugal.
- He also received prestigious awards from countries like Belgium, Brazil, Italy, and Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Pinto Balsemão para niños
