Leonardo Morlino (1947-2025)

It is with deep sadness that the Portuguese Political Science Association marks the passing of Leonardo Morlino, which occurred on June 17, 2025. The Italian political scientist played a leading role in the development of the discipline, both scientifically and professionally. Leonardo Morlino’s academic work focused on the development of an empirical theory of democracy, highlighted by the publication of numerous works with prestigious international publishers and in the co-editing of the International Encyclopedia of Political Science (with B. Badie and D. Berg-Schlosser). At the institutional level, he was one of the founders of the ECPR Standing Group on Southern Europe and served as President of the International Political Science Association from 2009 to 2012.
His research on democratization in Southern European countries is particularly noteworthy, as he led pioneering projects on political institutions and regime change processes. Through a longitudinal and transnational comparative approach, he made fundamental contributions to the empirical analysis of Portuguese democracy. This interest remained constant throughout his career, evolving from studies on democratic consolidation to more recent investigations focused on Europeanization and the effects of the economic crisis on the quality of democracy.
Beyond his scholarly work, Leonardo Morlino had a pivotal role in training and collaborating with numerous political scientists dedicated to the study of Portugal, decisively contributing to the institutionalization of political science in the country. His legacy thus includes not only his academic works but also the development of a generation of researchers who continue to deepen our understanding of Portuguese democracy. The Portuguese academic community pays tribute to an exceptional scholar whose work and dedication have left an indelible mark on the study of democracy and political institutions.