Indisputable victory for the Socialists in the early legislative elections on Sunday 30 January. They win an absolute majority with 117 deputies out of 230 pending the result of the vote of the Portuguese diaspora which elects four deputies. Logically, Prime Minister António Santos will be reappointed. He places his new mandate under the sign of dialogue.
With our correspondent in Canada, Marie-Line Darcy
António Costa would like to point this out. The absolute majority of its formation, the Socialist Party, obtained after Sunday’s election, is not a ” absolute power “.
The outgoing Prime Minister, in his victory speech delivered with a broad smile that was clearly visible despite the mask, made numerous references to the “ dialogue “.
The Portuguese are wary of absolute majorities, which they associate with dictatorial excesses still rooted in people’s minds.
But Costa, known for his negotiating skills, now has free rein to pass his state budget, the very one that brought him down last October.
A priority of priorities, while Portugal is currently sailing on sight and spending a lot to fight the Covid pandemic. Employment, income, but also decentralization as a weapon to fight against social inequalities between the coast and the interior of the country.
António Costa wants to support justice, intend to fight against corruption. Theme dear to the far right which is entering Parliament with twelve deputies. António Costa warned: dialogue yes, but not with those.
This logic of the useful vote, to vote Socialist Party to avoid that the right does not come to power, or that there is a situation that there is not a clear majority which emerges from it. So, useful vote, fear that the far-right Chega party will have an important result, which it has had, and can play the arbiters, and also part of the electorate who were a little confused by the choice that was that of Bloco de esquerda (Left Bloc) and the Portuguese Communist Party to break away, it would seem that some of their voters did not follow and preferred to vote PS rather than have a government without a majority Claire. And there was a bonus for leaving after a rather successful management of the Covid pandemic crisis. The PS government has succeeded in improving the lowest salaries, has reduced unemployment enormously, and this, while reducing the deficits which have been very large since the financial crisis of 2008.
Victor Pereira, research professor at the University of Lisbon
Antonio Costa will logically be led to form a new government, with which he will have his draft budget for this year approved. A budget rejected by the radical left last fall, because deemed socially too cautious.
This time his objective supporters are collapsing in the hemicycle, and Costa has full latitude to carry out his reforms based on investment and improving the incomes of the Portuguese. It has a powerful weapon, the European economic recovery plan, 16 billion euros, which can be injected into growth sectors.
The Covid pandemic crisis is affecting Portugal much more than it seems due to the funds that the State is constantly injecting to support the economy. Costa will however have to reckon with the growing number of disgruntled people. The latter elected 12 deputies from the extreme right of the Chega party. A political upheaval that cannot be ignored.
►To re-read: Legislative anticipated in Portugal, the PS obtains an absolute majority