The Deafening Silence. Why do the Portuguese abstain from voting?
Nº92 SEPTEMBER 2025
Instead of making a cross, they write in a blank space: “I prefer not to vote.” Generally speaking, over half of the Portuguese abstain from voting. Who are they? What makes them abstain from voting? Is it just a lack of interest or is it a sign of protest? Is abstention, as a negative expression, a sign of a healthy democracy? And should voting, as a civic responsibility, be mandatory?
This portrait seeks to fill a gap in the public debate, giving a voice to the real people behind abstentionism in Portugal. Knowing the views of the silent majority that doesn't vote reveals a more or less opaque dimension of dissatisfaction with the political system. Complemented by expert analyses, these testimonies make it possible to better understand the phenomenon of abstention and to reflect on how (and if) it can be minimised.
Instead of making a cross, they write in a blank space: “I prefer not to vote.” Generally speaking, over half of the Portuguese abstain from voting. Who are they? What makes them abstain from voting? Is it just a lack of interest or is it a sign of protest? Is abstention, as a negative expression, a sign of a healthy democracy? And should voting, as a civic responsibility, be mandatory?
This portrait seeks to fill a gap in the public debate, giving a voice to the real people behind abstentionism in Portugal. Knowing the views of the silent majority that doesn't vote reveals a more or less opaque dimension of dissatisfaction with the political system. Complemented by expert analyses, these testimonies make it possible to better understand the phenomenon of abstention and to reflect on how (and if) it can be minimised.
More details
Dimensions
7 × 130 × 200 mm
ISBN
978-989-9243-36-1
Book available only in Portuguese
Bookstore
