Yesterday afternoon, Luís Montenegro, the new Portuguese Prime Minister, met the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to present the names of the new conservative government. It was in great secrecy and anxiety that Montenegro also made his debut as head of government. The conservative leader kept secret until the last moment the names of those who make up the 24th constitutional government of Portugal. The inauguration of the Executive will take place next Tuesday.
It only took 15 minutes for the Portuguese Prime Minister to present the composition of his government. Even if the Portuguese were waiting for the announcement yesterday Thursday, the names that make up this new government were hardly surprising, since, being a weak government in the sense that it was formed without an absolute majority in Parliament after the elections of March 10, Montenegro had to “bet all its cards” on those who are “close” to it within the Social Democratic Party (SPD, center-right). The political alternative discussed for months cannot be implemented given the very predictable composition of the Cabinet.
Traditionally, the president of the Assembly of the Republic (which supervises the Government), which is the second most important body in the country after the President of the Republic, is of the same political affiliation as the winner of the elections. Montenegro has proposed José Pedro Aguiar Branco and it would be natural for him to be chosen given a comfortable parliamentary majority.
The fact is that this did not happen and it took two days and it could not be done in the traditional way because of the contempt that Montenegro has shown in recent times. Andre Ventura. The leader of the far-right Chega party did not support the PSD candidate for the presidency of Parliament, so the Prime Minister had to negotiate with the main opposition party, the Socialist Party (PS). Following the negotiation and contrary to what is traditional for a legislature which should last four years, the PS and the PSD divided the duration of the presidency: two years for the conservatives and the following two years for the socialists. A sign of the difficulties that Chega has posed since day one in wanting to impose itself in politics, which the PS and Montenegro do not want. The far right wants to assert its position as the third force in the country after having obtained bring together the discontent of the Portuguese with the ballot boxes.
The election of the President of Parliament, which is generally peaceful and rapid, demonstrates the instability that this government and, consequently, the Portuguese, risk facing.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Prime Minister, António Costa, presented yesterday the results of his eight years of government. The socialist leader boasted of having left his “coffers full”, claiming to have left the country with the largest budget surplus of a democracy.
However, the PSD rejects this narrative and responds that the aforementioned surplus is the result, on the one hand, of the inflationary context in which Portugal lives and, on the other hand, of the excessive tax burden. The reality is that the PS wants to look good in the photo to be able to say later that it left the conservatives a country in good hands and that the PSD did not know how to take advantage of the favorable situation in which the country found itself. Iberian. “given” to him.
The first test of this government will come during the European elections on June 9. The PSD could lose the elections, but in practice nothing would happen. The obstacles created by Chega and the socialist opposition could push voters to vote against the new government just two months after its formation. These are all unfavorable circumstances that do not allow the constitution of the government to be as broad as possible in terms of competent people from civil society and is limited to the hard core of Luís Montenegro. This could be a sign that society does not believe in the longevity of the new Portuguese government.