Yearbook 2023: CM editors selected national and international facts and events of the year

November 7, 2023 will forever remain in the history of Portuguese politics. At the center of the hurricane is a paragraph from the PGR statement, which reports on the judicial investigation involving António Costa. “During the investigation (…) it became known that the suspects invoked the name and authority of the Prime Minister and his intervention to unblock procedures.” It was a devilish day. António Costa urgently met with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the President summoned the Attorney General of the Republic, Lucília Gago, to Belém, the Prime Minister resigned, and the government fell. Two days later, the head of state announced the appointment of early elections for March 10 next year. The state budget for 2024 was approved at the end of November, already during the election campaign.

The resignation of Antonio Costa and the fall of the absolute majority government were the biggest events of the year.

HOUSING CRISIS

There are not enough houses to rent, and those that exist come at prices that are prohibitive for most Portuguese. But life is not any easier for those who repay bank loans, given the sharp rise in interest rates.

EDUCATIONAL STRIKES

The school year was marked by an endless number of teacher strikes, which affected school activities. They require full service of six years, six months and 23 days.

Figure of the Year
D. Américo Aguiar was the great organizer of World Youth Day, which brought together about one and a half million pilgrims in Lisbon. In an interview with CM, the current bishop of Setubal recalls this extraordinary event, the central figure of which was the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis. “Everything, everything, everything” – these are the slogans that the Pontiff left for the history of this huge journey of faith.

MARCELO HAS A HARD YEAR

He kept his promise that if Costa left the government the executive would fall, but he ended up becoming embroiled in a dispute that is far from over – the case of Portuguese-Brazilian twins being treated in Santa Maria.

PEPPER CHAMPION

He is one of the greatest Portuguese athletes and the greatest canoeist of all time. This year alone he won 13 medals, three of them gold. The next target of the Ponte de Lima phenomenon is the Paris Games.

International Personality of the Year
Vladimir Zelensky remains determined to expel Moscow’s army from his country, but the prospects are now better. The counteroffensive has not been as successful as expected, and support for Ukraine from its allies, especially the United States, is beginning to be questioned. As if that weren’t enough, the war in the Middle East has caused media to “disappear” from Ukraine, despite intense fighting between Kiev and Russian forces.

LAGARDE BRAKE

The President of the European Central Bank was the face of policies that led to higher interest rates, the main goal of which was to curb runaway inflation in the eurozone. The worst is over.

LULA RETURN

The international community welcomed Lula da Silva’s return as a breath of fresh air after four years of Bolsonaro’s rule, but claims about the war in Ukraine have left him isolated.

International fact of the year
And on October 7, the unthinkable happened. Islamic radicals Hamas carried out a large-scale attack in Israel, killing 1,300 people and taking two and a half hundred people hostage. More than five thousand Israelis were injured. The answer did not take long to arrive. The Gaza Strip has been devastated, leaving thousands dead.

TITAN TRAGEDY

The Titanic, which sank in April 1912, continues to be in the news. A visit to the wreck aboard the Titan ended in tragedy. All residents died as a result of the explosion.

RUBIALES KISS

Luis Rubiales’ kiss on Hermoso’s lips after Spain’s win at the Women’s World Cup caused a stir in football. He claims it was consensual, she says she was disrespected.