The Socialist Party has won the European elections in Portugal, marked by a record low in Sunday’s turnout at the polls with 37% of those eligible bothering to vote.
With the Vila Real result still to come in, the Partido Socialista (PS) party led by António José Seguro, has secured a share of around 31.46% of the vote, ahead of 27.7% received by the ruling coaltion Alliance, and will return 8 or 9 Socialist MEPs to the European Parliament.
Seguro refers to this result as a "great victory" for the Partido Socialista which means "the current government has come to an end."
In fourth place was a blinding performance from Partido da Terra, the Earth Party, contrasting with a sharp drop for the Left Bloc.
With only 20 results yet to come in Portugal and from 17 consulates overseas, the ruling PSD is firmly in second place with 27.7% of the votes.
The Earth Party led by António Marinho Pinto has emerged as the main surprise of the European elections with 7.15% of the country's vote.
Another party that can claim victory is the communist CDU, the coalition between PCP and the Greens which has two MEPs elected and should reach a third, with 12% of the vote.
The Left Bloc will be able to send only one MEP to Brussels as it received less than 5% of the votes cast.
The Socialist Party’s Francisco Assis said a "new cycle" was starting in Portugal and that the PSD/CDS coalition has had a "historic defeat" and that the Socialist Party once again has become the largest party in the country.
"It starts a new cycle in the Portuguese political life. It is evident that the Portuguese want a change," said Assis.
Socialist satisfaction was highlighted later by the party leader, António José Seguro, who commented, "the PS had a big win today."
Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho congratulated the Socialist Party on its victory, in elections, he said, "there's only one winner."
Comments
These are just empty labels ..... far more accurate to describe the original Star Trek episode - A Piece of the Action.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Piece_of_the_Action_%28Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series%29
Why else did over 60% of Portuguese abstain - if not to emphasise their protest that the 1974 Revolution never really changed anything for the better here?
Add to the political mix in these ex-fascist countries the far longer established practices of Rosfeti - the exchange of favours - and Fakelaki - bribes to get what you want - and the distance grows wider.
That maybe true but in a country where half the voting population either works for the state, or is dependant on it in one form or another, then socialism is bound to be the preference.
Alert Brits will have noticed on the english language expat websites how natives dressing themselves up as 'us' have for years been steering our naive countryfolk to bring their life savings and retirement packages to Portugal.
Without difficulty look for the regular zealots / posters and their Ministry of Information enthusiasm in telling everyone coming here - particularly those intending to be economically active - to follow the law ..and that this is the relevant / currrent law!!!
And their total obliviousness to the constant stream of Brit. posts describing inexplicable, unnecessary, highly expensive or illegal complications, delays and difficulties.
The classic NIMBY'ism that Europe's north may now be beginning to show in response.