Portugal’s dithering president, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, today made a decision. Not, as many hoped, on the pressing political question of the day – who will be running the country – but on the date to hold an election to choose his replacement.
The 24th of January 2016 will see a hotly contested election for the next President of the Republic of Portugal, but one that will exclude Cavaco Silva as he already has managed two terms of office, notable primarily for his right wing views and lack of decision making powers.
One presidential candidate needs to win at least half of the votes or a second round between the top two candidates will be held on February 14th, 2016.
Cavaco Silva’s last day at work is March 9th next year and the official election campaign will run between January 10th and 22nd.
In the meantime, the president is faced with the biggest decision of his political career, one that if he gets wrong may cause civil revolt, strikes and disturbance in a country better known for its general acceptance of the status quo rather than being noted for taking to the streets in significant numbers.
Tomorrow, Cavaco Silva will be receiving the heads of Portugal’s political parties. He may not want to, but has to, as part of his constitutional job description.
Silva then must announce a new prime minister, the choices being Pedro Passos Coelho whose right wing alliance gained the most votes in the October 4th general election but not enough seats in parliament for a majority, or António Costa, who as Socialist Party leader also represents for the time being the loose alliance of left wing parties that have given him a majority of seats in parliament.
Cavaco Silva appointed Pedro Passos Coelho as prime minster after the October general election but watched the inevitable humiliation as Passos Coelho’s alliance was voted out, leading to the current political impasse.
The Socialist Party has agreements with three left-wing parties and aims to form a viable government but the president is right wing and may well ask Pedro Passos Coelho to stay on as PM in a caretaker capacity until the new president calls another general elcetion when he or she is in post early next year.
Cavaco Silva is spending today holding chats with fellow economists, until he finds one that agrees with him, as well as with the Governor of the Bank of Portugal.
Tomorrow he will interview the heads of the Social Democratic Party, Socialist Party, Popular Party, Left Bloc, Communist Party, Greens and People-Animals-Nature.
The president already has seen the heads of the country’s banks, representatives from the business sector and trade union leaders.
There is no formal deadline for a decision on who will lead the country, but time has run out as European institutes such as the EC and Troika of lenders observe the damage the current dithering already has caused to Portugal’s international standing and ability to borrow money at sensible interest rates.
