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GV Socialist supporters watching group performing on stage
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SV Supporters waving flags and chanting (2 shots)
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SV ZOOM OUT FROM supporters to CU Mario Soares on dais.
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SV supporters chanting
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SV PAN DOWN FROM building to supporters marching through streets (3 shots)
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SOCIALISTS WATCHING GROUP PERFORMING ON STAGE: DR. SOARES ON DIAS SPEAKING: SUPPORTERS CHANTING: SOCIALISTS MARCHING THROUGH LISBON STREETS.




Initials RH/0249 RH/MF/JB/0302



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Thousands of socialists waving red flags and balloons paraded in Lisbon on Sunday (11 April) as Portugal's parliamentary election campaign gathered momentum.

The socialists, narrow favourites to come out on top in the poll on 25 April, have adopted an American-style campaign centering on their Secretary-General, Dr. Mario Soares. With a slogan of "Rebuild the Country" the socialist meetings featured singing, poetry reading, picnics, a speech by Dr. Soares, a massed march through the centre of the capital and a waterfront fireworks display.

The socialists, clear winners in last year's Constituent Assembly election, are expected to be pushed hard by the Centrist Popular Democrat Party (P.P.D.) which hopes to profit from popular disillusionment with left-wing revolution.

With one week of the official three-week election campaign over, Lisbon is plastered with election posters. Over the weekend there were over 1,000 political meetings in Portugal.

SYNOPSIS: Thousands of Socialist Party supporters packed a stadium in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, on Sunday for an election rally. The American-style meeting featured singing, folk dancing and poetry reading.

The Socialists are narrow favourites to top the parliamentary elections on 25 April. The election campaign is intensifying with more than one thousand meetings held over the weekend.

At Sunday's rally, the main speaker was socialist Party Secretary-General, Dr. Mario Soares, who repeated his election pledge of no alliance with either communists or right-wing parties. The socialists hope to improve on their vote in last year's Constituent Assembly elections.

After the rally, thousands of socialist supporters took to the streets of Lisbon in a march and motorcade of cars bedecked with red flags.

With one week of the official three-week campaign gone, Lisbon is plastered with election posters.