The government of Montenegro has the third largest number of women in the history of democracy.

The XXIV Constitutional Government will include 17 ministers in addition to the Prime Minister, the same number as the last chief executive António Costa, and will be the third most equal in democracy: 41% of the government team will be women.

According to the composition of the government proposed this Thursday by Prime Minister-designate Luis Montenegro and to which the President of the Republic gave his consent, the executive branch will consist of a total of 17 ministers.

This number is equal to that of the last government of Antonio Costa, which is now ending its duties, and the first government led by the outgoing prime minister, who took office in 2015.

Moreover, it is necessary to go back to the beginning of the century to find leaders with a similar number: both the XV Constitutional Government (2002-2004), led by Durán Barroso, and the XIV (1999-2002), led by António Guterres. There have also been 17 ministers serving as prime minister.

In the history of Portuguese democracy there have been six leaders with 17 ministers, not counting the prime minister, and only four of the 23 had a higher number.

The last government of Anibal Cavaco Silva (1991-1995), the first government of António Guterres (1995-1999) and the chief executive of Santana López (2004-2005) took office with 18 ministers. The XXII Constitutional Government (2019–2022), the second under the leadership of António Costa, began its work with 19 ministers, the largest number in the history of Portuguese democracy.

In terms of gender equality, the executive branch presented today by Luís Montenegro to the President of the Republic is the third most equal in the history of Portuguese democracy: 41% of the government team are women, less than the last two leaders.

There are seven women in total: Rita Giudice (Minister of Justice), Margarida Blasco (Minister of Internal Administration), Ana Paula Martins (Minister of Health), Maria do Rosario Palma Ramalho (Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security). , Maria da Graça Carvalho (Minister of Environment and Energy), Margarida Balceiro Lopes (Minister of Youth and Modernization) and Dalila Rodrigues (Minister of Culture).

This number is surpassed only by two leaders of António Costa: the XXII and XXIII Constitutional Government, which is now ending its functions. The latter was the executive that had the most women in the history of Portuguese democracy (nine), and the former had more female ministers than male ministers, with 52% of the government team consisting of women.

As for the XXII Constitutional Government, Costa’s second, there is only one less woman in the executive represented today by Luis Montenegro (seven versus eight), but the proportion is almost similar: there are currently 41% compared to 42% in 2019. .