Francisco Fortunato Pires (born 24 November 1948) is a São Toméan politician. He was President of the country's

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

from November 16, 1994 to April 18, 2002. He was born in the hamlet of Canga, today a neighborhood of Cruzeiro not far from Trindade. He was also Minister of Justice in the 1980s. After independence, he attended at the

University of Lisbon The University of Lisbon (ULisboa; pt, Universidade de Lisboa, ) is a public research university in Lisbon, and the largest university in Portugal. It was founded in 2013, from the merger of two previous public universities located in Lisbon, th ...

in 1981 and the

University of Havana The University of Havana or (UH, ''Universidad de La Habana'') is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of the Republic of Cuba. Founded on January 5, 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the first ...

in 1987. He became Minister of Justice from 1985 to 1991. From 1981 to 1993, he was also Santomean ambassador to Portrugal. He represented MLSTP-PSD for the district of Cantagalo, a party he campaigned from 1974 to the legislative elections in 1980. After independence he represented Mé-Zochi in the legislative elections in 1985, 1994 and in 1998. Between 1994 and 2002, he was president of the Santomean National Assembly. He succeeded

Leonel Mário d'Alva Leonel Mário d'Alva (born 1935) is a São Toméan politician. He served as the prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from 21 December 1974 until 12 July 1975, when the country gained independence from Portugal. From late 1975 to 1980, D' ...

and was succeeded by

Dionísio Tomé Dias Dionísio Tomé Dias (born 11 August 1943) is a São Toméan politician. He was President of the country's National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, o ...

. Running as an independent candidate in the 29 July 2001

presidential election A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The pre ...

, Pires finished last out of five candidates, winning 0.71% of the vote. In 2003, he became judge of the Court of Auditors, a position he held until he retired in 2011, later in the year, he was nominated as member of Superior Council of Judicial Magistracy.

References

1948 births Living people Presidents of the National Assembly (São Tomé and Príncipe) Ambassadors of São Tomé and Príncipe to Portugal Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party politicians People from Mé-Zóchi District {{SãoToméPríncipe-politician-stub