CLIENT: free work

DATE: April 2024

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Description:

On April 25th, 2024 Portugal was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, and here are 5 short facts about this historical event. 

The Carnation Revolution, also known as the 25th of April Revolution, occurred in Portugal in 1974. It was a peaceful military coup that overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo regime, which had been in power for nearly half a century under Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar and later Marcelo Caetano. The revolution was named after the widespread use of carnations as a symbol of peace during the event.

The revolution was sparked by various factors, including Portugal’s colonial wars in Africa, economic stagnation, censorship, and repression of civil liberties. On April 25, 1974, the Armed Forces Movement (Movimento das Forças Armadas, MFA), composed of dissident military officers, initiated the coup by seizing key points in Lisbon without bloodshed.

The revolution led to the collapse of the authoritarian regime, the end of Portugal’s colonial empire, and the establishment of a democratic government. It marked a significant turning point in Portuguese history, ushering in a period of political and social change known as the „Carnation Revolution,“ characterized by democratic reforms, decolonization, and modernization of the country.