Adelino da Palma Carlos

Who was Adelino da Palma Carlos?

Adelino da Palma Carlos, GCC, GCIH, GOL, was a Portuguese lawyer, scholar, politician and a freemason, one of at least five sons of Manuel Carlos and wife Auta Vaz Velho da Palma. He was an opponent of the fascist regime of the Estado Novo of António de Oliveira Salazar since his youth, and, being a liberal, rather than a socialist, was chosen by President António de Spínola, as the 103rd and the first prime-minister after the 25 April 1974 revolution. He was also the 11th Bastonary of the Order of the Lawyers of Portugal.

His 1st Provisional Government was in power from 15 May to 17 July 1974. As an independent, he chose cabinet members from widely divergent political parties and positions, including members of the then center-left Popular Democratic Party, the Socialist Party and even the Portuguese Communist Party and the Armed Forces Movement officers. The ideological diversity of the government seems to be one of the main reasons why the government didn't last, being the other the calling for anticipated presidential elections before Constituent Assembly election, 1975. He was replaced by Colonel Vasco Gonçalves, a choice that Spínola would later regret. After leaving office, Palma Carlos was the national representative of general António Ramalho Eanes for the 1980 Presidential Elections.