The Left Block won 2.5% of the vote in Portugal's September election, and will form a new parlamentary group with two MPs.
The Block is a new movement bringing together the PSR (4"h International), the ex-Maoist UDP and many independents.
The 130,000 votes for the Bloc is more than double its score in the June European election). The vote profile remains almost unchanged : young and urban
Francisco Louçã ("'Chico") from the PSR and Luis Fazenda from the UDP were elected in the Lisbon region, where the Block has the best result (4.9%). UDP leader Fazenda entered parliament in 1991 on the Comunist Party list. He was one of the most enthusiastic defensors on the idea of forming this radical left unity in the beginning of 1999.
PSR spokesperson "Chico" Louça is an economist, and a leading member of the Fourth International. [PD] * • The next issue of International Viewpoint will carry an interview with "Chico" Louça International Viewpoint #316 November 1999 19