Jorge Sampaio

Jorge Fernando Branco de Sampaio (European Portuguese: [ˈʒɔɾʒɨ sɐ̃ˈpaju] ; 18 September 1939 – 10 September 2021) was a Portuguese lawyer and politician who was the president of Portugal from 1996 to 2006. Sampaio was a member of the Socialist Party, a party which he led between 1989 and 1992. He served as the Mayor of Lisbon from 1990 to 1995 and High-Representative for the United Nations' Alliance of Civilizations between 2007 and 2013.

Sampaio was an opponent of the Estado Novo dictatorship, participated in the student movement of the 1960s, and played an active role in the political movements that led to the Carnation Revolution of April 25, 1974. Subsequently, he worked as a lawyer for political prisoners.

As president of Portugal, he used international diplomacy to raise the profile of the cause of Timor-Leste, supported the 1999 referendum and used Portugal's diplomatic channels to champion Timorese freedom during this transition as he sought to foster peace in the country. He was present during the transition and formal independence in 2002, and paid a historic visit to the country in 2000. Sampaio oversaw the handover of Macau to China, after a 442 years of Portuguese rule; two months after his re-election, he was confronted with the collapse of the Entre-os-Rios bridge in March 2001.