Maria de Lurdes Pintasilgo
Encyclopedia
Maria de Lourdes Ruivo da Silva de Matos Pintasilgo,GCC
,GCIH
(mɐˈɾiɐ dɨ ˈluɾdɨʃ pĩtɐˈsiɫɡu); (Abrantes
, São João Baptista
, 18 January 1930 – Lisbon, 10 July 2004) was the first and to date only woman to serve as Prime Minister
of Portugal
, and the second woman to serve as Prime Minister
in Europe
, after Margaret Thatcher
who had been firstly elected for this capacity in the same year.
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo was born to a middle class family in 1930. Her father, Jaime de Matos Pintasilgo (born Covilhã
, Conceição, 9 December 1896 - died Lisbon
, Socorro, 10 October 1959) was in the wool
business, and her mother was Amélia do Carmo Ruivo da Silva, a native of Vendas Novas
. Her parents married in Abrantes
on 14 March 1929.
Her father, Jaime, abandoned the family and at school she tried hard to hide that, thus causing her to avoid usual relationships. At the age of seven, she was sent to the Liceu Filipa de Lencastre, a secondary school, in Lisbon. She distinguished herself in the Mocidade Portuguesa
, a militaristic youth movement founded by Dictator Salazar. Later Pintasilgo joined Acção Católica (Catholic Action). During her years at the Instituto Superior Técnico
from where she earned a degree in industrial chemical engineering
, she joined and eventually led the Catholic's women's student movement.
After graduating from University of Lisbon's Instituto Superior Técnico
in 1953, at the age of 23, with an engineering degree in industrial chemistry she went into a graduate scholarship program with the national Nuclear Energy Board. After completing the program, she began working for a large Portuguese conglomerate with interests in cement plants, Companhia União Fabril, the "CUF". By 1954, she held the position of chief engineer of the studies and projects division. From that position she quickly moved to the position of project director, where she was in charge of the firm's documentation center and responsible for the company's technical journals. She held this position for seven years, until she left the company in 1960.
Pintasilgo had strong ties to the Roman Catholic Church
. From 1952 to 1956, at Lisbon's Catholic University of Portugal, she was president of the women's group. Then, in 1956 she became the international president of a movement of Catholic students, Pax Romana. In 1961, Pintasilgo joined Graal, a Catholic order for lay women. Two years after joining Graal she led an international group working to improve the movement as well as establishing it in Portugal.
By 1965 she had become the international vice-president. She was also appointed by the Vatican and served as woman's liaison between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches. After leaving Companhia União Fabril
, she held a job in government until 1969 which was to run Portugal's program for development and social change. In 1970, she presided over government working groups involving women's affairs, as well as being a member of the Portuguese delegation to the United Nations, 1971-72. In 1974 she was appointed secretary of state for social welfare in the first provisional government following the revolution. She moved her way up to Minister of Social Affairs by early 1975. In 1975, Pintasilgo became Portugal's first Ambassador to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
In 1979 she was called on by General António Ramalho Eanes
, the President of Portugal
, to become Prime Minister
. Pintasilgo was sworn in as the Prime Minister of the Portuguese caretaker government on 1 August 1979 with the term of three months in office. During her time in office she pushed to modernize the out-dated social welfare system. She left her mark by making social security universal and improving health care, education, and labor legislation in Portugal.
Pintasilgo was the first woman to run for president in 1986. She ran as an independent and reached 7 % of the votes. The following year she was elected to the European Parliament as a member of the Socialist Party which she held until 1989.
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo died of cardiac arrest
at her home in Lisbon
on 10 July 2004, aged 74.
Order of Christ (Portugal)
The Military Order of Christ previously the Royal Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312...
,GCIH
Order of Prince Henry (Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique)
The Order of Prince Henry the Navigator is a Portuguese National Order of Knighthood created on June 2, 1960, to commemorate the fifth centenary of the death of the Infante Henry the Navigator , fifth son of King John I of Portugal and his queen, Philippa of Lancaster...
(mɐˈɾiɐ dɨ ˈluɾdɨʃ pĩtɐˈsiɫɡu); (Abrantes
Abrantes
Abrantes is a municipality in Portugal, with a population of 41,560 inhabitants, located on the southern margin of the Tagus River.-History:...
, São João Baptista
São João (Abrantes)
São João, or São João Baptista, is a Portuguese civil parish, located in the municipality of Abrantes, in Santarém District. It is one of the three parishes that make-up the urbanized area of the city...
, 18 January 1930 – Lisbon, 10 July 2004) was the first and to date only woman to serve as Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and the second woman to serve as Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, after Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
who had been firstly elected for this capacity in the same year.
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo was born to a middle class family in 1930. Her father, Jaime de Matos Pintasilgo (born Covilhã
Covilhã
Covilhã is a city in Covilha Municipality in Centro region, Portugal. The city proper has 36,723 inhabitants, and the municipality has an area of 555.6 km² with a total population of 53,501, being composed of 31 parishes. It is located in the Cova da Beira subregion, in the district of...
, Conceição, 9 December 1896 - died Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Socorro, 10 October 1959) was in the wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
business, and her mother was Amélia do Carmo Ruivo da Silva, a native of Vendas Novas
Vendas Novas
Vendas Novas is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 222.4 km² and a total population of 11,957. The city has 10,235 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 2 parishes, and is located in the District of Évora....
. Her parents married in Abrantes
Abrantes
Abrantes is a municipality in Portugal, with a population of 41,560 inhabitants, located on the southern margin of the Tagus River.-History:...
on 14 March 1929.
Her father, Jaime, abandoned the family and at school she tried hard to hide that, thus causing her to avoid usual relationships. At the age of seven, she was sent to the Liceu Filipa de Lencastre, a secondary school, in Lisbon. She distinguished herself in the Mocidade Portuguesa
Mocidade Portuguesa
The Mocidade Portuguesa was a Portuguese youth organization under the right-wing regime of the Estado Novo. Membership was compulsory between the ages of 7 and 14, and voluntary until the age of 25....
, a militaristic youth movement founded by Dictator Salazar. Later Pintasilgo joined Acção Católica (Catholic Action). During her years at the Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico is a reputed school of engineering, part of Universidade Técnica de Lisboa . IST is the largest and the most prestigious school of engineering in Portugal...
from where she earned a degree in industrial chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, she joined and eventually led the Catholic's women's student movement.
After graduating from University of Lisbon's Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico is a reputed school of engineering, part of Universidade Técnica de Lisboa . IST is the largest and the most prestigious school of engineering in Portugal...
in 1953, at the age of 23, with an engineering degree in industrial chemistry she went into a graduate scholarship program with the national Nuclear Energy Board. After completing the program, she began working for a large Portuguese conglomerate with interests in cement plants, Companhia União Fabril, the "CUF". By 1954, she held the position of chief engineer of the studies and projects division. From that position she quickly moved to the position of project director, where she was in charge of the firm's documentation center and responsible for the company's technical journals. She held this position for seven years, until she left the company in 1960.
Pintasilgo had strong ties to the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. From 1952 to 1956, at Lisbon's Catholic University of Portugal, she was president of the women's group. Then, in 1956 she became the international president of a movement of Catholic students, Pax Romana. In 1961, Pintasilgo joined Graal, a Catholic order for lay women. Two years after joining Graal she led an international group working to improve the movement as well as establishing it in Portugal.
By 1965 she had become the international vice-president. She was also appointed by the Vatican and served as woman's liaison between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches. After leaving Companhia União Fabril
Companhia União Fabril
The Companhia União Fabril is a Portuguese chemical corporation and a part of Grupo José de Mello.-History:The company was founded by Alfredo da Silva in 1871 and managed by his descendents, including José Manuel de Mello as a family-run business conglomerate. CUF was one of the largest and most...
, she held a job in government until 1969 which was to run Portugal's program for development and social change. In 1970, she presided over government working groups involving women's affairs, as well as being a member of the Portuguese delegation to the United Nations, 1971-72. In 1974 she was appointed secretary of state for social welfare in the first provisional government following the revolution. She moved her way up to Minister of Social Affairs by early 1975. In 1975, Pintasilgo became Portugal's first Ambassador to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
In 1979 she was called on by General António Ramalho Eanes
António Ramalho Eanes
António dos Santos Ramalho Eanes, GColTE, GCL, CavA, KE is a Portuguese general and politician who was the 16th President of Portugal from 1976 to 1986.-Background:...
, the President of Portugal
President of Portugal
Portugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
, to become Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Portugal
Prime Minister is the current title of the chief of the Portuguese Government. As chief executive, the Prime Minister coordinates the action of ministers, representing the Government from the other organs of state, accountable to Parliament and keeps the President informed...
. Pintasilgo was sworn in as the Prime Minister of the Portuguese caretaker government on 1 August 1979 with the term of three months in office. During her time in office she pushed to modernize the out-dated social welfare system. She left her mark by making social security universal and improving health care, education, and labor legislation in Portugal.
Pintasilgo was the first woman to run for president in 1986. She ran as an independent and reached 7 % of the votes. The following year she was elected to the European Parliament as a member of the Socialist Party which she held until 1989.
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo died of cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
at her home in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
on 10 July 2004, aged 74.