RESULTS INDICATOR IN PRESSROOM; OVERSEAS MINISTER CUNHA SPEAKING; INTERIOR MINISTER RAPAZOTE BEING INTRODUCED; UNION NATIONAL PARTY LEADER DOCTOR CASTRO SPEAKING; PRESSMEN ETC.




Initials CG/VS/CT/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: PORTUGAL'S RULING NATIONAL UNION, HEADED BY PRIME MINISTER MARCELLO CAETANO, SWEPT TO VICTORY YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) IN THE COUNTRY'S GENERAL ELECTION, WINNING ALL 130 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEATS.

INTERIOR MINISTER DR. ANTONIO RAPAZOTE SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT ALL RESULTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. BUT PROVISIONAL VOTING FIGURES FOR THE 18 CONSTITUENCIES CONTESTED WERE NATIONAL UNION - 672,919, COMBINED OPPOSITION 106,894.

IT WAS PORTUGAL'S FIRST FREE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION FOR 40 YEARS, AND GAVE DR. CAETANO A MANDATE TO CONTINUE THE POLICIES OF GRADUAL, MEASURED REFORMS INSTIGATED DURING HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE ON TAKING OVER FROM FORMER PREMIER SALAZAR.

THE ONLY SIZEABLE SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION CAME FROM SOME OF THE WORKING QUARTERS NEAR LISBON AND IN SOME PARTS OF THE EXTREME NORTH, FROM GROUPS LIKE DR. MELO E. CASTRO'S UNION NATIONAL PARTY.

VOTING IN THE OVERSEAS TERRITORIES, WHERE THERE WERE NO OPPOSITION CANDIDATES, WAS OFFICIALLY DESCRIBED AS VERY HEAVY. OVERSEAS MINISTER DR. JOAQUIM CUNHA SAID ON TELEVISION THAT THIS SHOWED THE TERRITORIES WISHED TO REMAIN PORTUGUESE.

DR. RAPAZOTE SAID THE UNITY OF THE NATION HAD BEEN REINFORCED AND DR. CAETANO COULD PROCEED WITH REFORMS FOR A BETTER WELLBEING IN PORTUGAL AND OVERSEAS.