Portugal's former Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coelho, has told the press, “it’s over” - the coalition between his Social Democrat Party and Paulo Portas’ CDS-PP has come to a natural end.
"The agreement ended with the end of the last government," according to Passos Coelho, adding that there was no need formally to end the coalition.
Pedro Passos Colho aims to continue to coordinate actions with his former ally Paulo Portas and may have agreements in the future without being a formal coalition.
"We have a good relationship with the CDS. The parties are different, each has its natural space, and a history of government, which is important."
Unable to get over the irritation of winning the most votes in the October 4th election, but ending up on the opposition benches, Passos Coelho said the coalition agreement between PSD and CDS-PP ended with “the overthrow of the twentieth Constitutional Government in Parliament.”
"The PSD and the CDS-PP had a coalition government agreement, and the government was overthrown in parliament. Therefore, the government coalition agreement no longer exists, of course, it ended with the end of the government. No formal act is needed for the coalition brought to an end."
In an ebullient mood after the CDS Christmas lunch, Passos Coelho referred to the parliamentary majority (PS / BE / PCP / PEV) and said,
"Now, at least, we must create conditions so that it can govern, so we do not have a political crises every time we have a disagreement, thereby generating anguish in society and in the economy. Uncertainty is the enemy of investment, growth and wealth creation. We cannot have elections every six months, or a political crises every six months."
Passos Coelho is astute to distance himself from Paulo Portas, the skulking politican whose political machinations earned him few friends as he plotted and got the job of deputy prime minister. Portas now leads a party of just 18 MPs and in losing the coalition's cloak of power, slides back into the depths of obscurity.
However, neither coalition party on its own has a chance of getting relected independently so Passos Coeho is wise to keep the coalition door open.
