As well as scheduling a direct election by party members of the secretary-general, and holding a party congress, the party's national secretariat may also call for a congress of district party federations.


Although Costa did not, in his speech following Sunday's election defeat, directly address the question of holding a party congress, he signalled that he was ready to accept the verdict of members.


"There is one that all Socialists have known about me since I signed up in the [Socialist Youth] at the age of 14: I am not nor will I ever be a problem for the PS," he told party activists. "I shall never stand by when I'm needed and I shall never stay when I'm not."


Portugal's right-of-centre governing coalition won 38.55% of the vote in the general election, giving it 104 seats, short of a majority.

The PS came second, with 32.38% and 85 seats. Four seats for emigrant constituencies have yet to be allocated.