fbpx
Log in

Login to your account

Username *
Password *
Remember Me

Create an account

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
Name *
Username *
Password *
Verify password *
Email *
Verify email *
Captcha *

António Costa edges closer to leading Portugal

antoniocosta3Socialist Party leader António Costa must answer get agreement from left wing parties on six key areas of concern, before the president will offer him the post of prime minister.

In today’s political leap forward after weeks of consultations and uncertainty, President Cavaco Silva has hit the ball deep into Costa’s court. The socialist leader now must negotiate with left wing parties, and more scarily with the Communist Party, and agree answers to these questions before he is appointed prime minister of a Socialist-Left Wing alliance.

The president wants a "stable, lasting and credible governance solution," so António Costa must formally clarify the six points which, if not answered and agreed, in the president’s view will raise "doubts as to the stability and durability of a minority Socialist Party-led government."

After today’s half-hour chat with Costa, Cavaco Silva delivered a document requesting the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party formally to clarify those issues that were not covered in the documents already signed and delivered by the Socialist Party, the Left Bloc, the Portuguese Communist Party and The Greens.

Cavaco Silva wants left wing agreement on:

a) approval of confidence motions;

b) approval of the State Budget, in particular the budget for 2016;

c) compliance with budgetary rules applied to all eurozone countries and endorsed by the Portuguese State, in particular those relating to the Stability and Growth Pact, the Budgetary Treaty, the European Stability Mechanism and the participation of Portugal in the Economic Union and Monetary and Banking Union;

d) respect for Portugal’s international commitments in the framework of collective defense organisations;

e) the role of the Standing Council for Social Dialogue, given the importance of their contribution to social cohesion and the development of the country;

f) stability of the financial system, given its central role in the financing of the Portuguese economy.

The President said that agreement on these points are critical as if he appoints Antonio Costa as prime minister, the socialist leader will need the agreement of all left wing parties to ensure parliament can function.

Costa will not be appointed if he fails to obtain unanimity on these points; if there is agreement then he will lead the country.

Suddenly, after years of marginalisation, the Communist Party politburo holds a key role as without its agreement and signature, António Costa will not be appointed PM.

One well-placed political observer commented to algarevdailynews that

"Cavaco Silva would already have appointed Costa, if only Costa had presented a proper coalition deal rather one that turned out to be a rather loose "confidence and supply" deal, without concrete assurances on the "confidence" part.

"The crux of the problem is the Communist Party which has spent the past 40 years slagging off the Socialists for being ‘stooges of the capitalist system’ and now is being offered a place at the government table.

"The Communist Party leadership will not easily give up its beliefs and workers' struggle.

"The Bloco de Esquerda under Catarina Martins is more pragmatic, some would say opportunistic, and would be prepared to enter into a more formal coalition with the Socialist Party, but will not do so unless the Communists Party does first."

The main thing today is that the President of the Republic has indicated which way he is heading and a Socialist Party/Left Wing alliance is close to being agreed, after which Portugal can get on with some work.

Pin It

Comments  

0 #8 JJ in Gibraltar 2015-11-26 11:41
Quoting Simon:
Quoting JJ in Gibraltar:
Quoting Simon:
Maybe its time to try a digital government of the people for the people. Politicians can put their arguments and solutions directly to the electorate who can say yes or no. That would be a novelty!


Please see the (1970s?) film 'The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer'.

Do I really need to watch a film? What are you saying?


It's by no means a 'novelty'. The film explored the possibilities at least 30 years ago.
-2 #7 Simon 2015-11-25 11:49
Quoting JJ in Gibraltar:
Quoting Simon:
Maybe its time to try a digital government of the people for the people. Politicians can put their arguments and solutions directly to the electorate who can say yes or no. That would be a novelty!


Please see the (1970s?) film 'The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer'.

Do I really need to watch a film? What are you saying?
+1 #6 JJ in Gibraltar 2015-11-24 16:21
Quoting Simon:
Maybe its time to try a digital government of the people for the people. Politicians can put their arguments and solutions directly to the electorate who can say yes or no. That would be a novelty!


Please see the (1970s?) film 'The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer'.
+3 #5 JJ in Gibraltar 2015-11-24 16:19
Quoting tnbiscates:
Strange when the will of the people, as expressed through the ballot box and worked through however improbable mechanistic charades, is only allowed (by an obviously biased functionary) to proceed so far before an entirely new set of conditions are imposed.


Fairly typical of right wings everywhere - don't like a decision? Change the rules! cling to power.
-1 #4 Simon 2015-11-24 09:49
Maybe its time to try a digital government of the people for the people. Politicians can put their arguments and solutions directly to the electorate who can say yes or no. That would be a novelty!
+2 #3 dw 2015-11-23 19:37
"The crux of the problem is the Communist Party which has spent the past 40 years slagging off the Socialists for being ‘stooges of the capitalist system’ and now is being offered a place at the government table."

ie you're not really allowed to be in government unless you are stooges of the capitalist system.
+6 #2 tnbiscates 2015-11-23 17:55
Strange when the will of the people, as expressed through the ballot box and worked through however improbable mechanistic charades, is only allowed (by an obviously biased functionary) to proceed so far before an entirely new set of conditions are imposed.
+5 #1 Malcolm.H 2015-11-23 17:12
The Communist Party leadership will not easily give up its beliefs and workers' struggle....

Particularly as so many of its members in Portugal died, disappeared or were tortured so far pointlessly over the last 100 years to bring about no change whatsoever in Portugal !

Behind this shopping list, which will be happily signed off by Costa, we can sense there are sweating palms over whether the Commies will really push for a Truth and Reconciliation programme as they have often talked about.

WW2 German Concentration guards can still be prosecuted, and most of Portugal's secret police and their informers stayed in Portugal - so should not be hard to find.

You must be a registered user to make comments.
Please register here to post your comments.