STATUTES OF THE PORTUGUESE POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION
Approved at the General Assembly held on 26 November 2025
Registered by public deed on 9 April 2026
Chapter I — Name, Registered Office and Objectives
Article 1
The Portuguese Political Science Association, hereinafter referred to as APCP, is a non-profit legal person.
Article 2
The Association is established for an indefinite period and has its registered office at Avenida Professor Aníbal de Bettencourt, 9, 1600-189 Lisbon, on the premises of ICS-ULisboa. The registered office may be transferred to any other location within Portuguese territory by resolution of the General Assembly, upon proposal of the Board.
Article 3
The Association shall have the following objectives:
a) To contribute to the development of Political Science and all its branches and subfields, including, among others, International Relations, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and Public Administration and Public Policy;
b) To promote research, plural scientific debate, and contribute to the dissemination of its results;
c) To promote the integration of Portuguese Political Science into the international community;
d) To foster relations with other disciplines and national and international scientific communities.
Chapter II — Members
Article 4
1- The Association shall comprise honorary members and full members.
2- Honorary members shall be Portuguese or foreign individuals who stand out for their support of the Association or who have made a significant contribution to its objectives.
3- Full members shall be persons whose academic training, professional experience and/or activity are relevant to the pursuit of the Association’s objectives.
4- The admission of honorary members shall be approved by the General Assembly, upon a reasoned proposal by the Board, after obtaining the agreement of the person concerned.
5- Applications for full membership shall be submitted by the interested persons to the Board, together with the elements requested and listed on the Association’s website, and shall be subject to approval by the Board.
6- Refusal of admission shall be reasoned pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article and communicated in writing to the interested person.
Article 5
1- Payment of membership fees shall be mandatory for full members and optional for honorary members.
2- The annual membership fee shall be set by the General Assembly.
3- Members enrolled in a study cycle in the field of Political Science, in any of its branches or subfields, at a Portuguese or foreign, public or private higher education institution, may request a 50% reduction in the nominal amount of the membership fee, upon presentation of valid documentary proof of student status.
4- All members shall promote the purposes and objectives of the Association and contribute to its development.
5- All members shall be bound to comply with these Statutes and with the resolutions of the Association’s bodies.
6- Honorary and full members in full enjoyment of their rights and, in the case of the latter, with their membership fees paid, shall have the right to elect and be elected to the Association’s bodies, and to participate and vote in the General Assembly.
7- Honorary and full members in full enjoyment of their rights and, in the case of the latter, with their membership fees paid, may, under the terms of these Statutes, request the convening of an extraordinary General Assembly and propose to the competent body initiatives aimed at promoting the Association’s objectives and ensuring its proper functioning.
Article 6
1- Membership shall be lost by anyone who:
a) Being a full member, fails to pay membership fees for two years, after prior notice to pay within 60 days, indicating the amounts outstanding;
b) Gives written notice of resignation;
c) Seriously breaches the rules and objectives governing the Association;
d) Seriously breaches the resolutions of the Association’s bodies.
2- Loss of membership pursuant to subparagraphs c) and d) of the preceding paragraph may be requested, in a reasoned manner, to the General Assembly by the Board of the Association or by a group of at least 10% of the members in full enjoyment of their rights.
3- Loss of membership pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall require an opinion from the Council of Jurisdiction and must be approved by the General Assembly by three quarters of the members present.
4- Loss of membership by holders of elected offices in the Association’s bodies shall entail loss of the corresponding mandate.
5- In the cases provided for in subparagraphs c) and d) of paragraph 1, the member shall be notified to exercise the right to be heard within 10 days, and the proposal for exclusion shall be accompanied by an opinion from the Council of Jurisdiction.
Chapter III — Bodies of the Association
Article 7
The bodies of the Association shall be the General Assembly, the Board, the Supervisory Board and the Council of Jurisdiction.
Article 8
1- The members who form part of the Presiding Board of the General Assembly, the Board, the Supervisory Board and the Council of Jurisdiction shall be elected by the General Assembly by means of lists proposed for that purpose.
2- The term of office of elected members shall be two years, without prejudice to their right to resign or to lose their mandate under the terms provided for by law and by these Statutes.
3- No member may serve more than three consecutive terms in the same body of the Association, without prejudice to Article 15(4).
4- Candidate lists shall submit candidacies for all the bodies of the Association, identify all members standing as full and substitute candidates, and include duly signed declarations of acceptance of candidacy.
5- Candidate lists shall include substitute candidates for each body of the Association, in accordance with the following rules:
a) One substitute for the Presiding Board of the General Assembly;
b) One substitute for the Supervisory Board;
c) One substitute for the Council of Jurisdiction;
d) Between two and three substitutes for the Board, expressly indicating the order of precedence of the substitutes.
6- Candidate lists for the bodies of the Association shall be submitted to the President of the Presiding Board of the General Assembly no later than thirty days before the end of the current terms of office.
7- In the absence of complete lists, and only in such case, partial candidacies and/or incomplete lists shall be admitted, and the Presiding Board of the General Assembly shall promote the election of vacant positions by means of individual candidacies.
8- All members included in the lists referred to in the preceding paragraphs shall be in full enjoyment of their rights and shall comply with all conditions laid down in these Statutes.
9- Members of the Board may not simultaneously perform the functions of Coordinator of any APCP Specialised Section.
10- Office in the bodies of the Association shall cease in the following cases:
a) At the end of the term of office;
b) Upon loss of membership;
c) By resignation of the body, decided by a majority of its members in office and submitted in writing to the President of the General Assembly;
d) By resignation, submitted in writing to the President of the General Assembly;
e) By unjustified absence from more than three consecutive meetings or six non-consecutive meetings to which the member has been duly convened;
f) By removal from office by the General Assembly.
11- Presidents of bodies who cease to hold office shall be replaced by the respective vice-presidents or, failing them, by the members of those bodies who appear first on the elected list.
12- Vice-presidents of bodies who cease to hold office shall be replaced by the members or secretaries of those bodies who appear first on the elected list.
13- The remaining members of bodies who cease to hold office shall be replaced by the substitute members of those bodies, according to the order of precedence.
14- The substitutions provided for in the preceding paragraphs shall operate successively, and the substitute shall occupy the first vacant position resulting from such substitutions.
15- In the absence of a substitute for the vacant position, the President of the General Assembly shall convene an extraordinary General Assembly for the respective election, with the list to which the departing member belonged being responsible for submitting the candidate, who shall only be elected if he or she obtains a majority of votes in favour, and may not be elected if he or she receives more votes against than in favour.
16- In the event of resignation of bodies, the President of the General Assembly shall convene the early election of the resigning bodies.
17- The resignation of the Board shall entail the convening of the early election of all bodies.
18- Except in cases of removal from office or unjustified absences, members of the Association’s bodies who cease their mandate shall continue to perform their functions until their replacements are appointed or elected.
Section I — General Assembly
Article 9
The General Assembly shall be composed of all honorary members and full members with their membership fees up to date and in full enjoyment of their rights.
Article 10
1- Each member shall have one vote.
2- Elections to the Association’s bodies shall take place by secret and in-person vote, unless the Presiding Board of the General Assembly resolves that they may take place by electronic means ensuring the secrecy, authenticity and integrity of the vote.
3- Meetings of the General Assembly may be held in person, by telematic means, or in mixed format, by decision of the Presiding Board of the General Assembly.
4- General Assemblies held by telematic means shall be deemed valid where such means ensure the identification of participants, the authenticity of their interventions and the recording of resolutions.
5- The minutes of meetings held by telematic means shall state this fact and identify all participants and the resolutions adopted.
Article 11
The General Assembly shall have competence to:
a) Elect biennially the Presiding Board of the General Assembly, the Board, the Supervisory Board and the Council of Jurisdiction from among the members in full enjoyment of their rights;
b) Admit honorary members upon a reasoned proposal by the Board;
c) Consider and vote on the management report and accounts submitted biennially by the Board;
d) Resolve on amendments to the Statutes;
e) Resolve on the exclusion of members;
f) Set the amount of the annual membership fee;
g) Remove holders of office in the Association’s bodies;
h) Dissolve the Association under the terms provided for in the Statutes;
i) Resolve on all matters of interest to the Association submitted to it by the Board, the Supervisory Board, the Council of Jurisdiction, or by members, under the terms of these Statutes.
Article 12
1- The Presiding Board of the General Assembly shall comprise a President, a Vice-President and a Secretary, elected for a two-year term from among the members in full enjoyment of their rights.
2- Without prejudice to Article 8(11), the Presiding Board of the General Assembly shall be elected at the same time as the Board, the Supervisory Board and the Council of Jurisdiction.
3- The President of the Presiding Board of the General Assembly shall be responsible for convening meetings and conducting their proceedings.
4- The President of the Presiding Board of the General Assembly shall be responsible for organising the vote for the Association’s bodies and ensuring its legality and conformity with the Statutes.
Article 13
1- General Assemblies shall be ordinary or extraordinary.
2- The ordinary General Assembly shall meet every two years, preferably on the occasion of the organisation of the National Congress of the Portuguese Political Science Association, and shall:
a) Discuss and vote on the management report and accounts submitted by the Board of the Association;
b) Set the amount of the annual membership fee;
c) Elect the members of its Presiding Board, the Board, the Supervisory Board and the Council of Jurisdiction.
3- The General Assembly shall meet extraordinarily whenever the Board, the Supervisory Board or the Council of Jurisdiction requests its convening from the President of the Presiding Board, or whenever such convening is requested by at least 10% of the members in full enjoyment of their rights.
Article 14
The convening and resolutions of the General Assembly shall comply with the following rules:
a) Notice shall be given at least 15 days in advance, by email sent to all members and published through the Association’s institutional channels;
b) The notice shall state the day, time and place of the meeting and the respective agenda;
c) The General Assembly shall be deemed constituted with the presence of at least half of the Association’s members in full enjoyment of their rights;
d) On second call, after thirty minutes have elapsed, the Assembly shall validly meet with any number of members present;
e) Resolutions shall be adopted by a simple majority of the validly expressed votes of the members present;
f) Resolutions on the removal from office of holders of positions in the Association’s bodies and on amendments to the Statutes shall require the favourable vote of three quarters of the members present;
g) Resolutions on the dissolution and liquidation of the Association shall require the favourable vote of three quarters of all full members;
h) Resolutions on the admission of honorary members shall require the favourable vote of three quarters of the members present;
i) Resolutions on the exclusion of a member shall require the favourable vote of three quarters of the members present.
Section II — Board
Article 15
1- The Board shall be composed of an odd number of members, up to a maximum of nine: a President, who shall have a casting vote, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and at least one ordinary member, up to a maximum of five.
2- The members of the Board shall be elected for a two-year term from among the members in full enjoyment of their rights.
3- The President of the Board shall be the President of the Association.
4- The President of the Board may be elected for a maximum of two consecutive terms.
Article 16
The Board shall have competence to:
a) Administer the Association and ensure compliance with its Statutes;
b) Draw up regulations and decide on the means and actions necessary for the pursuit of the Association’s objectives;
c) Execute the resolutions of the General Assembly;
d) Represent the Association;
e) Draw up and implement the biennial activity plan;
f) Request the convening of the ordinary General Assembly and submit the management report and accounts before the election of the new Board;
g) Propose the admission of honorary members to the General Assembly;
h) Decide on the admission of full members;
i) Bind the Association by the joint signature of two members of the Board, one of whom shall be the President or the Vice-President;
j) Initiate disciplinary proceedings and propose the exclusion of members under the terms provided for in these Statutes;
k) Create specific working groups, defining their mission, composition and duration;
l) Manage the members’ database, ensuring its registration, updating and protection, and may authorise access by APCP Sections solely for association-related purposes and under the terms defined in internal regulations and in accordance with the Association’s privacy policy and applicable legislation.
Article 17
1- The Board shall meet at least once every two months, or whenever convened by its President.
2- The Board may only deliberate when the majority of its members are present.
3- Resolutions shall be adopted by a majority of the votes of the members present and, in the event of a tie, the President shall have a casting vote.
Section III — Supervisory Board
Article 18
1- The Supervisory Board shall comprise a President and two ordinary members, elected for a two-year term from among the members in full enjoyment of their rights.
Article 19
The Supervisory Board shall have competence to:
a) Monitor the work of the Board and supervise the Association’s accounts;
b) Submit to the General Assembly an opinion on the Association’s management report and accounts;
c) Request the convening of the General Assembly whenever it considers that there are irregularities in the management of the Association.
Article 20
1- The Supervisory Board shall meet at least twice a year or whenever convened by its President, and may only deliberate when the majority of its members are present.
2- Resolutions shall be adopted by a majority of the votes of the members present and, in the event of a tie, the President shall have a casting vote.
Section IV — Council of Jurisdiction
Article 21
The Council of Jurisdiction shall comprise a President and two ordinary members, elected for a two-year term from among the members in full enjoyment of their rights.
Article 22
1- The Council of Jurisdiction shall have competence to:
a) Issue opinions and recommendations to the other bodies, their respective members, and to members of the Association, concerning their conduct, namely in matters relating to possible conflicts of interest, compliance with the Statutes and regulations in force, and the removal from office of holders of positions in its bodies, under the terms of these Statutes and applicable legislation;
b) Issue an opinion on loss of membership under the terms of these Statutes.
2- Opinions and recommendations shall be issued on the Council’s own initiative or at the request of a member of another body or of at least ten members in full enjoyment of their rights.
Article 23
The Council of Jurisdiction shall meet at least once a year, or whenever requested by the Board or the General Assembly, and may only issue opinions when the majority of its members are present.
Chapter IV — Assets of the Association
Article 24
The assets of the Association shall comprise:
a) The proceeds of members’ fees;
b) Grants from public or private, Portuguese or foreign entities;
c) Contributions, donations, legacies and inheritances made by members or third parties;
d) Revenue from activities carried out by the Association;
e) Income from its own assets;
f) Any other occasional revenue, duly identified and accounted for.
Chapter V — Final Provisions
Article 25
1- The Association may create Specialised Sections, in Portugal and abroad, upon proposal by members to the Board and subject to the Board’s resolution, with the Board being responsible for drawing up and approving the respective regulations.
2- The Association may create working groups, upon proposal by members or on the Board’s own initiative, with the Board being responsible for approving them and defining their mission, composition and duration.
3- The Association may collaborate with official or private institutions and bodies for the implementation of its programmes and projects, by decision of the Board.
4- The Association may create prizes aligned with its mission and objectives, through the drawing up of specific regulations to be approved by the Board.
5- The Association may join international organisations pursuing related scientific objectives, by decision of the Board.
Article 26
1- The Association shall be dissolved by resolution of an extraordinary General Assembly expressly convened for that purpose with at least thirty days’ notice.
2- The resolution on the dissolution of the Association shall require the favourable vote of three quarters of the full members.
3- At the General Assembly at which the dissolution of the Association is resolved, a committee shall be appointed to proceed with the liquidation of the assets in accordance with the resolutions adopted and the law.
4- Any remaining assets, after liquidation, shall be allocated to a non-profit entity pursuing similar purposes, to be designated by the General Assembly.
Article 27
Transitional Provision
1- The governing bodies currently in office shall remain in office until the end of their respective term, under the terms of the Statutes in force on the date of their election.
2- Subsequent elections, scheduled for 2027, shall be held in accordance with the rules laid down in these revised and approved Statutes.