Constitution

For seven years, while a series of revolutions have exploded and fizzled out beneath him, Dictator-President Antonio Oscar de Fragoso Carmona has sat tight in the saddle of the restless Republic of Portugal. While the world was paying little attention last week, and with Dictator Carmona's hand still on the reins, Portugal took an important step. Black-hatted townsfolk and barefooted mountaineers trooped to the polls to approve a proposed new Constitution for Portugal, providing for the election of the President by popular vote instead of by Parliament. It was the first time in five years that any one in Portugal has voted for anything, first time in history that Portuguese women have had a ballot. Promptly the government announced that the Constitution had been approved by 60% of eligible voters, only 5% voting contrariwise. As the government had already announced that all who abstained from voting would be counted as favoring the proposed Constitution, the Carmona government claimed 95%, endorsement.

Theoretically, a direct vote for President should be more democratic than an election by Parliament. But politicians in Latin countries know that parliaments are far harder than populaces to handle.

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