As the political stand-off and bickering continues between Portugal's main political parties, and unnatural alliances are suggested only to fade away, the President of the Republic (pictured) has given his squabbling brood until next week to come up with clear proposals as to how best Portugal should be governed, and by whom.
Today was the day that President Cavaco Silva’s announcement of the new prime minister was due, but the ruling coalition is unable to sit in the same room as the socialists and its leaders are taking the high ground as the October 4th general election winners, despite being without sufficient seats in parliament to get anything done - especially next year’s State Budget.
Cavaco Sila announced on his official website today that he will start to hear submissions from party leaders next Tuesday and Wednesday with a view to deciding who should be in charge of what sort of government.
Hardly conclusive stuff but if there are no agreed power-sharing proposals from the main parties, the right wing Cavaco Silva by nature will go for Pedro Passos Coelho as the next Prime Minister, leading the coalition.
The President will hear the parties in parliament, a constitutional obligation, next Tuesday and Wednesday and then make up his mind who gets the job.
When Silva has heard submissions from the PSD, CDS, PS, BE, PCP and PAN, smallest first, he “shall appoint the Prime Minister after hearing the parties represented in Parliament and taking into account the election results."
Passos Coelho, the coalition (PAF) leader, said that he "fully expects to be nominated prime minister" as the coalition got the most votes.
Government ministers then are appointed by the President on the suggestion of the Prime Minister, with five ministers due to quit including Pires de Lima at Economy and Teixeira da Cruz at Justice.
After the appointment of the prime minister, the government’s new programme must be submitted to parliament within ten days and can expect to get nowhere without alliances.
Cavaco Silva is somewhat miffed with the media, stating "as often happens in times of most important political decisions, the mass media seeks to anticipate the decisions of the President."
The media, and much of the rest of the electorate is miffed at the president who has failed to get any sense from the party leaders who in turn have proved unable and unwilling to form any sort of alliance that would enable legislation to be passed without a political horse trade before every vote.
The coalition received 38.57% of the vote giving it 107 seats. The Socialist Party came in a close second with 32.31% of the vote and 86 seats followed by the Left Bloc with 19 seats and the CDU coalition with 17 seats.
If Cavaco Silva hands power to Pedro Passos Coelho, whose current arrogance is not endearing himself to anyone but his acolytes, parliament will lack the necessary structure to pass legislation.
Algarve
In the Algarve, trade association ACRAL's leader is concerned about the current political impasse and appeals for some "common sense and statesmanship" from the parties involved in the negotiation process for the formation of the next government.
"...we know how much stability is fundamental to economic activity in the country," said Victor Guerreiro, president of the Association of Trade and Services of the Algarve Region.
Guerreiro believes that the uncertainty regarding the formation of the next government could have consequences in the medium term for the economy, "This political uncertainty affects the necessary predictability of the economy, reducing investor confidence with the inevitable impact on the creation of wealth and employment."
The president of the multi-sector association believes also that "destabilising the country calls into question all the sacrifices of the Portuguese over the last four years."
