The President of the Republic will hear all parties represented in Parliament this Wednesday, a day after the resignation of the Prime Minister. Antonio Costa understood that the suspicions falling on him as part of the Supreme Court investigation into his interference in the lithium and green hydrogen business were “incompatible with the dignity” of the position.
Facing dismissal, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza He has two options: either ask the parliamentary majority of the Socialist Party (PS) to nominate a new name for prime minister, or dissolve parliament and call early elections. In the latter case, the PS must give the PS time to organize internally and elect a new general secretary, which will take at least two months. Until Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s statement accepting António Costa’s resignation is published in the Diário da República, the government and all ministers will remain in power.
The President of the Republic also meets with the Council of State on Thursday, the day he addresses the country for the first time since the political crisis began.
by minute
Updated November 8, 2023 | 17:37
Ventura reminds that “in Portugal there is no figure of an interim prime minister”
President Chegi recalled that “in Portugal there is no figure of an interim prime minister,” emphasizing that replacing the head of the executive branch “is a constitutionally absurd and illegal decision.” If the resignation of António Costa is accepted by the President of the Republic, “the government will fall.”
Regarding the state budget, Andre Ventura said the party supports “any solution that guarantees an increase in wages and the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan.”
“We cannot impose a new state budget on the PS (…), but it is strange that the new executive director is managing this budget,” he emphasized.
Andre Ventura understands that the PS “should have some time” to choose António Costa’s successor and explained that Chega himself will go to the possible legislative elections after the Congress.
The refusal of PSD President Luis Montenegro to govern the country together with Chega did not bother Andre Ventura, stressing that he was abandoning the “agreement on parliamentary influence.”
The Liberal Initiative prefers that the state budget not come into force
The president of the Liberal Initiative said that the party prefers that “the state budget does not come into force.”
Without wanting to “get hung up” on the issue, Rui Rocha drew attention to the need for a “new political solution for the country”, given the “collapse” of the proposals presented by the government in various sectors.
The Liberals hope that the new electoral law will open a “chapter dedicated to growth and progress”, remembering that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed that the Socialist Party’s absolute majority depended on Antonio Costa when the government took power.
The PKP demands the dissolution of parliament
The General Secretary of the PKP spoke in defense of the dissolution of parliament and the holding of early elections for the president of the republic.
Paulo Raimundo recalls that the PKP has a negative assessment of the state budget and hopes that the party will see increased parliamentary representation in the new electoral law.
Regarding the suspicions that fall on António Costa, the communist asks that the investigation reach conclusions “within the time frame of justice,” noting that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “shares the concern.”
The left bloc is in favor of calling early elections
The coordinator of Bloco de Esquerda expressed “concern about the seriousness of the suspicions” that fall on António Costa and asked for the prosecutor’s office to speed up the investigation. “The proper functioning of institutions requires clarity,” stressed Mariana Mortagua.
Given the current scenario, the blocker leader stressed the urgency of “finding a solution to the political crisis” and supported the call for early elections to “urge the Portuguese to make a decision.”
PAN asks to ensure compliance with the state budget
The PAN representative asked that the state budget be respected, regardless of whether the decision involves “the dissolution of the Assembly of the Republic and the calling of new elections or the appointment by the government of a new prime minister.”
Ines Souza Real argued that this concern must be “above partisan interests” and guaranteed that the PAN was ready “for any circumstances.”
Livre argues that the Portuguese should be “better aware of the legal contours” of the case involving Antonio Costa.
Livre spokesman Rui Tavares said the Portuguese should be “better aware of the judicial contours” of the case involving António Costa, and said budget negotiations were “totally empty” and that if elections were to take place, they would have to happen quickly.
“It is not in the interests of the country that a situation of uncertainty continues and that for a long time we did not have a democratically elected parliament that could clarify the future path of the country,” he said.