António Sebastião Ribeiro de Spínola (April 11, 1910 – August 13, 1996) was a Portuguese military officer, author, and politician who played an important role in Portugal's transition to democracy following the Carnation Revolution.

In his book, 'Portugal and the Future', edited in February 1974, just two months before the revolutionn, he expressed the idea that the only solution to the Colonial Wars was the discontinuation of the conflict. The book is considered to be very influential in the MFA (Movement of Armed Forces) that decided to overthrown the government in the 25th April revolution that ended 48 years of dictatorship in Portugal. Althought he didn't take any role in the movement itself, he became involved when former president of the council of minister Marcello Caetano said, on the day of the revolution, that he would surrender and resign in favour of Spínola. After the revolution he was named chief of the National Salvation Junta which nominated him as President of the Republic.