Armed Forces Movement

Portuguese political movement

Also known as: MFA, Movimento das Forças Armadas

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The Armed Forces Movement (MFA) was a Portuguese political movement composed of approximately 200 to 300 army officers. It was instrumental in planning and executing the coup of April 25, 1974, known as the Revolution of the Carnations, which overthrew the authoritarian regime. Key figures included Francisco da Costa Gomes and other officers.

The movement was galvanized by government measures that alienated career officers and by the publication of General António de Spínola's book, which argued against military solutions in colonial wars and advocated for autonomy for Portugal's African colonies. The MFA's actions led to the end of the dictatorship, the abolition of repressive state apparatuses, and the initiation of decolonization processes for Portugal's African territories. The revolution ushered in a period of transition towards a pluralist democracy in Portugal.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Portugal
The Revolution of the Carnations
…300 officers calling themselves the Armed Forces Movement (Movimento das Forças Armadas; MFA), led by Francisco da Costa Gomes and other officers, planned and implemented the coup of April 25, 1974, which came to be known as the Revolution of the Carnations.
Read More
…300 officers calling themselves the Armed Forces Movement (Movimento das Forças Armadas; MFA), led by Francisco da Costa Gomes and other officers, planned and implemented the coup of April 25, 1974, which came to be known as the Revolution of the Carnations.
Read More