rapidly evolve towards a traditional liberal-democratic direction , aligning with the liberalconservative turn in the West in the late 1970s ( Loff , 2024 ).
In conclusion , the paths to democratisation were different . Both countries certainly consolidated democratic systems that endure to this day and achieved full integration into the international community . However , neither of these transitions was inevitable or pre-planned , nor did the political actors of the time necessarily see it that way , given the uncertainties of these processes . In Spain , a negotiated transition was chosen , which was not solely the result of elite negotiations but was also shaped by pressure and protest from the streets , which intensified in 1976 . In Portugal , the process was initiated by a popular revolution , particularly led by groups of young officers from the colonial army , influenced by revolutionary ideas .
2 . Portuguese people on an armored car during the Carnation Revolution , April 25 , 1974 | Unknown author . Source : Centro de Documentação 25 de Abril , Wikimedia Commons . overview
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