The last election, in October 1980 had been won by a right-wing coalition, the Democratic Alliance (AD) and Francisco Sá Carneiro had retained office as Prime Minister with an increased majority.

However, the Socialists lacked a majority in the Assembly of the Republic and were forced to form a coalition with the Social Democrats, which achieved 27 percent, in what was called the "Central Bloc".

In October 1980, the Democratic Alliance (AD), led by Francisco Sá Carneiro, was reelected with reinforced majority but it was cut short with the death of Sá Carneiro, his partner Snu Abecassis, his Defense minister Adelino Amaro da Costa and his wife, plus other crew members, in a tragic plane crash in Camarate, Loures, shortly after taking off from the main runway of Lisbon Airport.

[1] This tragic air crash sparked a series of conspirancy theories, mainly because of Portugal's involvement in the Iran–Iraq War and the supply of weapons to both Iraq and Iran.

After the dissolution of the Democratic Alliance (AD), Diogo Freitas do Amaral resigned from the party's leadership, and a new congress to elect a new leader was called.

In the Social Democrats, these rifts came to a breaking point in February 1985 with party leader Carlos Mota Pinto resigning and announcing he would contest the next leadership ballot.

[21] But, Mota Pinto died unexpectedly just days prior to the 1985 PSD congress and Aníbal Cavaco Silva, which was against the Central Bloc, was elected as leader.