PORTUGAL’S JOSÉ MANUEL DURÃO BARROSO ON THE LEGACY OF THE CARNATION REVOLUTION - Please join the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center for a fireside chat with former Portuguese Prime Minister and European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso on the legacy of the Carnation Revolution.

On April 25, 1974, a small group of Portuguese military officers launched a coup to overthrow one of western Europe’s last authoritarian governments – the Estado Novo – organized in the 1930’s by António de Oliveira Salazar. The April 25th coup, also known as the Carnation Revolution, launched Portugal toward becoming a thriving and established democracy on the Iberian Peninsula. But in the years immediately following the Carnation Revolution, Portugal weathered social and economic upheaval, political paralysis, additional coup attempts, and rapid decolonization of its overseas territories resulting in large immigration inflows into Portugal, all while being a member of NATO. Through perseverance and support from its Western allies, Portugal eventually solidified its national democratic process and would join the European Economic Community in 1986.

Against this backdrop, the Atlantic Council is honored to hear reflections about this momentous historical moment and its legacy from former Portuguese Prime Minister and European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso. Prime Minister Durão Barroso will not only share his living experiences from the time, but also help us understand what Portugal’s democratic journey means for Europe and the transatlantic region in the years to come.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 04/24/2024