Lisbon, Portugal
TV viewers in Portugal have touched off a national identity crisis by voting for their former dictator as the “greatest Portuguese of all time.” António de Oliveira Salazar brought stability to Portugal when he took power in a 1926 coup, but he also created a police state that tortured dissidents and censored all critics. Prime Minister José Sócrates blamed the choice of Salazar on a vocal group of right-wing bloggers who mobilized the extremist vote. “We are a modern European country,” Sócrates said. “We voted 59 percent in favor of liberalizing abortion.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.