Politics in Portugal takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Portugalis the head of government. Portugal has a multi-party system. The President of Portugal is the executive head of state and has several significant political powers, which he exercises often. Executive power is exercised by the President and the Council of Ministers. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Assembly of the Republic. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Since 1975, the party system has been dominated by the social democratic Socialist Party and the liberal-conservative Social Democratic Party.