Republic Day in Portugal is celebrated on the anniversary of the fall of the monarchy and the proclamation of the Republic on October 5, 1910.
Throughout the previous century, power in the country fluctuated between a constitutional monarchy and a dictatorship. By the beginning of the 20th century, amid increasing complications in socioeconomic conditions, the republican movement had gained strength: the economy was in dire straits, the government stopped paying interest on most of its public debt, and emigration increased sharply.
In 1902, a wave of republican uprisings swept through the army and navy. As a result of the political crisis, parliament was dissolved, and Joao Franco was appointed head of government, who effectively became the dictator of Portugal from May 1906. In January 1908, municipal councils ceased to operate, independent newspapers closed, and many Republicans ended up in prison or exile without trial. And yet Frank failed to suppress the Republican movement. In response to the government's actions, protest demonstrations took place in Lisbon and other cities across the country on January 28, 1908.
On February 1, 1908, King Carlos I and Crown Prince Luis Philippe died at the hands of terrorists who threw a bomb at their crew. The king's youngest son Manuel II, who escaped with a minor injury, inherited the throne. He tried to hold events designed to calm the opposition, for example, he declared an amnesty for participants in the Republican uprising of 1906 in the navy.
However, the 19-year-old monarch did not have political experience, and in a year and a half his power changed seven governments. In October 1909, uprisings began again. Despite the terror and government fraud of the elections held in August 1910, the Portuguese Republican Party won 14 seats in parliament.
On the night of October 4, 1910, the Republicans, led by Machado dos Santos, rebelled, supported by some army units of the capital's garrison. They were joined by the masses and sailors of the cruisers «San Rafael» and «Almashtur». On October 5, after the surrender of troops loyal to the government, rebel leaders proclaimed Portugal a Republic.
The king fled. A Provisional Government was created, headed by T. Braga, who 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 on all spheres of life remained quite large. Noble titles were abolished, colonial autonomy, the right to strike, and an 8-hour working day for industrial workers were proclaimed.
The Republican leaders were teachers, attorneys, doctors, and officers. In the Republican Cortes, at first there was only one Republican Party, but soon the radicals, or Democrats, 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 led by a president, who was elected by Congress (parliament) for four years. A bicameral parliament was created, consisting of a chamber of deputies and a Senate.
It is noteworthy that Russia evaded recognition of the republican regime in Portugal for almost a year, before the signing (14) of the Highest Decree on September 27, 1911 by Emperor Nicholas II.