The Birth of Integralismo Lusitano

Integralismo Lusitano was a radical pro-monarchist right-wing group of Portuguese intellectuals that was modelled on the example of Charles Maurras' Action Française. Formed by young Portuguese men living in France, to where they had been exiled following the overthrow of the Portuguese Consitutional Monarchy and the instauration of the Portuguese Republic in October 1910, Integralism sought to recreate a mythical medieval-type monarchy in Portugal, promoting a corporatist style of government that would allow the people to concentrate on themselves and their communities. This essay describes the formation of the group, the ideology of its leading proponents, the alliances it formed as it began to exert an influence over the politics of the era