The National Syndicalists (in Portuguese: Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista, MNS - "National Syndicalist Movement") were a political movement that briefly flourished in Portugal in the 1930s, and an influence on the Spanish Falange.

Cross of The Order of Christ, used by the Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista.

The National Syndicalists were fairly critical of the regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, because the Estado Novo adopted the fascist model in the Portuguese state. Initially Salazar appeared ready to allow the National Syndicalists to continue and permitted them to hold a national congress in November 1933. However the movement itself floundered under his rule as many members were attracted to the new regime and broke away to support the government. Salazar announced the dissolution of the group on July 29 1934.

Despite this official end the National Syndicalists carried on in secret and Preto helped to lead a conspiracy against the government, which also involved moderate monarchists, some members of the Portuguese Republican Party, and even a few socialists and anarchists who simply wanted to overthrow the regime. The revolt took place on September 10 1935 but it failed to gain the support of all but a small group of soldiers on board the Bartolomeu Dias warship and the in the Lisbon area of Penha de França, being crushed almost immediately. As a result of this Preto was forced into exile and the National Syndicalists were fully repressed. The dissidents of the National Syndicalists were subsequently integrated in the União Nacional.

See also

• National Syndicalism

References

• S. U. Larsen, B. Hagtvet & J. P. Myklebust, Who Were the Fascists: Social Roots of European Fascism, Oslo, 1980

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es:Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista it:Movimento Nazionale-Sindacalista nl:Nationaal-Syndicalistische Beweging pl:Narodowi Syndykali?ci (Portugalia) pt:Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista