Zita Seabra
Encyclopedia
Zita Maria de Seabra Roseiro (born Coimbra
, Santa Cruz, May 25, 1949) is a Portuguese
politician
.
She joined the Portuguese Communist Party
in 1966, before she was even eighteen years old and was controller of the UEC (in Portuguese: União dos Estudantes Comunistas - Communist Student Union) before and after the carnation revolution
. As a member of the Communist Party, she was elected to and served in the Portuguese parliament, representing Lisbon
and Aveiro between 1980 and 1987. She was elected to the Political Commission of the party at its 10th Congress in 1983. In 1982 she was responsible for introducing in parliament for the first time a bill to legalize abortion
, and was assigned by the PCP to create the PEV (in Portuguese: Partido Ecologista "Os Verdes" - Ecologist Party "The Greens").
She abandoned the Communist Party before the fall of the Soviet Union and is currently one of the best known party dissidents. Due to her criticisms of the party, she was expelled from the Political Committee in 1988, and then purged from the party's Central Committee. In 1988 she published the book The Name of Things: Reflections During Times of Change which went through seven printings by the following year. In 1989 she covered the first free elections in Russia
for the Expresso
newspaper
. She was expelled from the party in 1990.
After publicly renouncing communist ideology, she joined the PSD Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
. With an avid interest in the arts
, she directed the National Audio-Visual Bureau, and in 1993 she became president of the Portuguese Cinema Institute. From 1994 to 1995, she was the President
of the Portuguese Institute of Cinematographic and Audiovisual Arts. In the private sector, she has been very active in publishing
. She was editor
of the Quetzal publishing house, administrator and editorial
director of Bertrand Publishers, and is currently the President of the Executive Council and Director of Alêtheia publishing house, Lisbon, which she founded. In 2005, she was elected to the Portuguese Parliament
, representing her home city Coimbra
. She was Vice-President of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democratic Party. She also became pro-life.
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, Santa Cruz, May 25, 1949) is a Portuguese
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
She joined the Portuguese Communist Party
Portuguese Communist Party
The Portuguese Communist Party is a major left-wing political party in Portugal. It is a Marxist-Leninist party, and its organization is based upon democratic centralism. The party also considers itself to be patriotic and internationalist....
in 1966, before she was even eighteen years old and was controller of the UEC (in Portuguese: União dos Estudantes Comunistas - Communist Student Union) before and after the carnation revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
. As a member of the Communist Party, she was elected to and served in the Portuguese parliament, representing 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...
and Aveiro between 1980 and 1987. She was elected to the Political Commission of the party at its 10th Congress in 1983. In 1982 she was responsible for introducing in parliament for the first time a bill to legalize abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, and was assigned by the PCP to create the PEV (in Portuguese: Partido Ecologista "Os Verdes" - Ecologist Party "The Greens").
She abandoned the Communist Party before the fall of the Soviet Union and is currently one of the best known party dissidents. Due to her criticisms of the party, she was expelled from the Political Committee in 1988, and then purged from the party's Central Committee. In 1988 she published the book The Name of Things: Reflections During Times of Change which went through seven printings by the following year. In 1989 she covered the first free elections in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
for the Expresso
Expresso (Portuguese newspaper)
right||thumb|Expresso Expresso is the flagship publication of the Group IMPRESA, and was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão in 1973...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. She was expelled from the party in 1990.
After publicly renouncing communist ideology, she joined the PSD Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party...
. With an avid interest in the arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
, she directed the National Audio-Visual Bureau, and in 1993 she became president of the Portuguese Cinema Institute. From 1994 to 1995, she was the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Portuguese Institute of Cinematographic and Audiovisual Arts. In the private sector, she has been very active in publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. She was editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
of the Quetzal publishing house, administrator and editorial
Editorial
An opinion piece is an article, published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about the subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.-Editorials:...
director of Bertrand Publishers, and is currently the President of the Executive Council and Director of Alêtheia publishing house, Lisbon, which she founded. In 2005, she was elected to the Portuguese Parliament
Assembly of the Republic
The Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
, representing her home city Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
. She was Vice-President of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democratic Party. She also became pro-life.
Books
- O Nome das Coisas (1989) (The Name of Things--not yet translated into English)
- Foi Assim (2007) (It Was Like This, autobiographyAutobiographyAn autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
)