18 July 1974. The day that the 2nd Provisional Government, headed by Vasco Gonçalves, took office; the day that, for the first time in Portugal, a woman, Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, took up the post of Minister (of Social Affairs); the day that, in his speech presenting the new government, Spínola made another reference to the ‘Silent Majority’.
Three documents, two photographs and a sound recording, relating to the three events described, are available for consultation in CD25A's archives and collections.
Document 1 - Letter from M. Moreira de Queiroz to Vasco Gonçalves following his inauguration as Prime Minister of the 2nd Provisional Government, New York 18/07/1974. Vasco Gonçalves Fund.
Document 2 - Photograph of the swearing-in ceremony of the 2nd Provisional Government at Belém Palace, 18 July 1974. Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo is sworn in as Minister of Social Affairs, in front of the President of the Republic, Francisco Costa Gomes.
Document 3 - audio recording, containing, among other contents, António de Spínola's speech on the Silent Majority, available at (32':39): https://arqmultimedia.cd25a.uc.pt/en/mmcs/898
