Jorge Sampaio had "enough" of crisis and accused the government of "contradictions and lack of coordination that contributed to its discredit". Therefore, Sampaio used his power of dissolution of Parliament and called a snap election, the only time till date such power was used in Portuguese democracy. A new election was called, by the President, for February 2005. Leadership changes PS 2004 leadership election On early July 2004, PS leader Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues resigned from the leadership against President Jorge Sampaio decision to nominate Pedro Santana Lopes as Prime Minister, following the resignation of Durão Barroso, rather than calling a snap legislative election. New elections to select a new leader were called for 25 and 26 September 2004. Former environment minister José Sócrates, Manuel Alegre and the son of former President Mário Soares, João Soares, contested the leadership ballot. José Sócrates was elected by a landslide and the results were the following: |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" ! align="center" colspan=2 style="width: 60px"|Candidate ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% |- |bgcolor=| | align=left | José Sócrates | align=right | 18,432 | align=right | 78.6 |- |bgcolor=| | align=left | Manuel Alegre | align=right | 3,903 | align=right | 16.7 |- |bgcolor=| | align=left | João Soares | align=right | 927 | align=right | 4.0 |- | colspan=2 align=left | Blank/Invalid ballots | align=right | 175 | align=right | 0.7 |- |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Turnout | align=right | 23,437 | align=center | |- | colspan="4" align=left|Source: Results |} PCP 2004 leadership election In the fall of 2004, PCP leader Carlos Carvalhas decided to step down from the party's leadership after 12 years in the post. Jerónimo de Sousa was selected as candidate for the leadership and was elected in the party's congress during the weekend of 27 and 28 November 2004. The results were the following: |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" ! align="center" colspan=2 style="width: 60px"|Candidate ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% |- |bgcolor=#f00| | align=left | Jerónimo de Sousa | align=right | 164 | align=right | 93.7 |- | colspan=2 align=left | Against | align=right | 1 | align=right | 0.6 |- | colspan=2 align=left | Abstention | align=right | 10 | align=right | 5.7 |- |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Turnout | align=right | 175 | align=center | |- | colspan="4" align=left|Source: Results |} Electoral system The Assembly of the Republic has 230 members elected to four-year terms.