Portugal Finance Minister's new job in Brussels

Maria Luís Albuquerque, Portugal’s Finance Minister, is the hot favourite to become a European Commissioner.

Albuquerque’s name has been sent to Brussels and she is widely tipped to take up the post.

Sources with the Ministry of Finance admit that there are signs of change and Prime minister Pedro Passos Coelho has little option but to go with the flow, even though it means losing one of his most stalwart team members.

The PM will have to choose another Finance Minister at the crucial time of drawing up next year’s state budget, his pool of talent is not deep.

"Of all the names in the world, if Passos Coelho could choose one, it would be Maria Luís Albuquerque" according to an unnamed social democrat luminary, but Coelho leaves himself with a problem.

Portugal's PM has acknowledged his possible loss in a conversation with the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, but the hope is that Albuquerque would get a position in Brussels where she would command a major economic portfolio which may help resolve some of her home country's economic problems.

Comments  

+1 #7 Elsa 2014-07-24 11:50

No Portuguese should be given anything resembling a top EU job again, after Barosso returns - hopefully for German submarine questioning. Although only a figurehead; he was specifically intended to jolt Portugal forward into properly joining the EU.

30 years ago Portugal agreed to meet the minimum EU standards of a functioning system of justice and law and order. These EU laws and regulations underpin everything !!

Yet Portugal has singularly failed to even glance towards Brussels in that time. Preferring instead to seek answers to modern turmoil in its historical roots in North Africa.

Amongst so many examples how else to explain the lunacy of Municipal Sheiks being judged by how LITTLE Municipal DEBT their Oases / concelho's have ? Even with the tens of million available to each Oasis from Brussels - the idea of just spending what your Oasis had – or better still saving some amount - was clearly beyond them.

+1 #6 Ric 2014-07-24 09:38

In my first comment I omitted to add (and it was the main point of the comment) that Maria will only be paying 8% income tax on her income (which goes straight back into the slush fund), 0% Social security (the pensions covered and they get free private health cover), and of course she'll never get to see an I.V.A. cost as they live all expenses paid.

+1 #5 chez 2014-07-24 08:46

Espirito Santo's ex-boss Ricardo Salgado would make a good finance minister - good at juggling the books

+2 #4 Mike Towl 2014-07-24 07:29

And well deserved I say. A perfect choice for Brussels. Useless, incompetent and a complete and utter a--e licker. Forcé Portugal.

+3 #3 Ana Perreira 2014-07-23 20:26

So much for commitment and integrity.
Just drop everything the moment you get better off. Or is this just the perfect way out before the ship sinks?

+2 #2 mm 2014-07-23 20:24

can I carry her handbag 100k a year will do for me

+6 #1 Ric 2014-07-23 18:39

Amazing how these people look after themselves whilst consigning their subjects to fiscally induced penury.
She'll be joining the 250k a year club with another 100k in unaccountable expenses. She'll get a non-contributory 75% final salary pension after 5 years and she can even send her kids to university paid 100% by the commission.
Jobs for the boys (and girls).

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