Portugal/Minister/Defence

Portugal/Minister/Defence (Defense Minister)
Portuguese Defense Minister

The Ministry of National Defense (MDN) is the governing department of the Portuguese central administration which is responsible for preparing and executing the national defense policy, within the scope of the powers conferred on it, as well as ensuring and supervising the administration of the Armed Forces and other bodies, services and bodies integrated therein.

History

Background (before 1950)

The plans for the constitution of a Ministry of Defense, with responsibility for all the military affairs of the Nation, hitherto divided by several sectoral ministries, have been, at least, since the early 1930s. proposed the merger of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of the Navy into a unified Ministry of Defense, which would integrate the undersecretaries of State for the Navy, War (Army) and Air (Aeronautics). However, this plan was always opposed by the Army and the Navy, who wished to maintain their autonomy, with their own separate ministries.

Department of National Defense (1950-1974)

In 1950, as a result of the lessons of the Second World War and the creation of NATO, where Portugal joined as a founding member, part of the objections to a unified defense and armed forces command were finally overcome. The post of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the post of Minister of National Defense was created. It should be noted that, to overcome the objections of the Army and the Navy, a Ministry of Defense was not created, but only a post of Minister of Defense, maintaining the existence of the Army and Navy ministries as separate departments.

The Minister of National Defense did not, therefore, have his own ministry, being part of the structure of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, directly supervising the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, the General Secretariat of National Defense and the Undersecretariat of State Aeronautics, and coordinating with the Army and Navy ministers. The set of bodies under the direct supervision of the Minister of National Defense constituted the Department of National Defense. The Minister of National Defense was responsible for the overall budget and the operational conduct of the Armed Forces, with administrative and logistical matters in charge of the sectoral ministries.

It was basically with this organization that the Overseas Wars (against colonial liberation movements) was directed, between 1961 and 1974.

Ministry of National Defense (1974-1982)

On April 25, 1974, there was a military coup (the Carnation Revolution) that overthrew Marcelo Caetano's government and ended the Overseas Wars. Following this coup, the Armed Forces assumed the tutelage of the new democratic regime installed, becoming independent from civil power. As such, the Revolution Council was chaired by the President of the Republic and composed only of the military, which assumed responsibility for all matters of the armed forces. In this organization, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces had a status equivalent to that of the Prime Minister and the chiefs of staff of the branches, assumed the role of former military ministers.

The Ministry of National Defense was then created, headed by the Minister of National Defense. The Minister of Defense no longer has any tutelage over the Armed Forces, serving only as a link between the Government (civil power) and those, especially with regard to defense policy and budgetary matters.

Integration of the tutelage of the Armed Forces in the Ministry (since 1982)

After the period of democratic transition, the Armed Force's guardianship over the government, as well as their separation from civil power, no longer makes sense. In this sense, the Constitutional Review of 1982 was carried out, which extinguished the Council of the Revolution and which returned to subordinate the Armed Forces to the direct administration of the state.

Following the constitutional review, the National Defense and Armed Forces Law was also approved (Law No. 29/82, of 11 December). This law established the organization of the Armed Forces and the existence of the Ministry of National Defense, in whose structure they became integrated.

 

Office Holders on Wikispooks

Name	From	To	Description
Luís Amado	12 March 2005	3 July 2006
António Vitorino	28 October 1995	25 November 1997
Adelino Amaro da Costa	3 January 1980	4 December 1980	Assassinated in office in the 1980 Camarate air crash by The Cabal
António de Oliveira Salazar	13 April 1961	4 December 1962

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