▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁multip art y ▁dem ocracy . ▁Pere ira ▁stepped ▁down ▁as ▁General ▁Secretary ▁of ▁PA IC V ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Pedro ▁P ires ▁replaced ▁him ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁The ▁PA IC V ▁won ▁ 2 3 ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 9 ▁National ▁Assembly ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁multip art y ▁parliament ary ▁election , ▁losing ▁to ▁the ▁Mov ement ▁for ▁Dem ocracy ▁( M p D ). ▁Pere ira ▁was ▁subsequently ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁president ial ▁election , ▁and ▁PA IC V ▁again ▁f ared ▁poor ly ▁in ▁the ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁local ▁elections . ▁At ▁a ▁party ▁con gress ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁P ires ▁was ▁replaced ▁as ▁General ▁Secretary ▁by ▁Arist ides ▁Lima ▁and ▁was ▁instead ▁elected ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁PA IC V . ▁ ▁The ▁PA IC V ▁won ▁ 2 1 ▁out ▁of ▁ 7 2 ▁National ▁Assembly ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁parliament ary ▁election . ▁At ▁a ▁PA IC V ▁con gress ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁P ires ▁faced ▁José ▁Maria ▁Ne ves ▁in ▁a ▁leadership ▁contest , ▁and ▁P ires ▁was ▁elected ▁with ▁ 6 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁P ires ▁stepped ▁down ▁as ▁PA IC V ▁President ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁a ▁president ial ▁bid