CARLOS JALALI (D.Phil, Oxford, 2002) is currently Assistant Professor at the University of Aveiro, and director of the Political Science Masters course. His research concentrates on Portuguese political institutions, party systems and electoral behaviour in comparative perspective, having most recently published Partidos e Democracia em Portugal, 1974-2005 (Lisbon: ICS) and “The Woes of being in Opposition – the PSD since 1995”, in A. Bosco and L. Morlino, eds., Party Change in Southern Europe (London: Routledge). Additionally, he is also the principal investigator of the “Political Patronage in Portugal” research project.