Sudden resignation of the Portuguese Prime Minister

in Madrid

“In my opinion, the prestige of the position of Prime Minister is incompatible with any suspicion of his integrity and good conduct, much less with Suspicion of committing a criminal act. For this reason, in these circumstances, I clearly submitted my resignation to His Excellency the President of the Republic.» With these words that he said on Tuesday evening, the Socialist Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa, drew all the conclusions of the investigation opened by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against him and his entourage, who are accused of corruption.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, representing the center-right Social Democratic Party (Social Democratic Party), known for his political independence, will have to decide on Thursday between two options: appointing a new prime minister capable of winning the confidence of Parliament. , where the Socialist Party enjoys the majority; Or, more likely, dissolve the council and call early elections. “It’s a complete surpriseadmits Antonio Costa Pinto, professor of political science at the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Lisbon. It is a shock to society. For the first time in the history of Portuguese democracy, the current Prime Minister is subject to a judicial investigation and will likely be tried by the Supreme Court, which is the only one authorized to activate this procedure.

The Prosecutor General’s Office reported for the first time that an investigation had been opened against the relatives of the head of the executive branch. In four industrial projects linked to a data storage center, lithium mines and a hydrogen plant, justice suspects political leaders linked to Costa’s government, including his chief of staff, of influence peddling and corruption, but also a former advisor and personal friend. Then the Public Prosecution explained in a press statement: “It was also revealed during the investigations that the suspects invoked the name and authority of the Prime Minister and that he intervened to break the procedures. These signals will be independently analyzed as part of the investigation launched by the Supreme Court“.

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“You can get rid of all the ballot boxes.”

In his speech announcing his departure, Costa said:In the eyes of the Portuguese, committing any wrongful act weighs heavily on his conscience“He prevents,”He had no other choice but to resignIt is considered a Costa Pinto. All observers believe that those around him are more guilty than him. “But it is very difficult to believe that the judiciary is moving forward without hard evidence.”

For the first time in the history of Portuguese democracy, a sitting Prime Minister is subject to a judicial investigation and will likely be tried by the Supreme Court, the only authority empowered to activate this measure.

António Costa Pinto is a political scientist at the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Lisbon

Costa will represent Portuguese political history for nearly eight years in office. He is the first socialist leader to succeed in negotiating the support of leftist forces for the Socialist Party, and he also managed to get rid of his exhausted allies by obtaining an absolute majority in 2022.It also stripped the right of its monopoly on balanced budgets and good economic managementThe political scientist adds, To the point of presenting a surplus budget for the year 2024. Thus, he freed himself from the usual criticism that the left will lead the country to bankruptcy.“.

It remains to be seen who will replace him. In the event of early elections, the right-wing opposition, led by the Social Democratic Party, has the advantage of being in battle mode, under the rule of its president, Luis Montenegro, for eighteen months. On the other hand, there are fears in the Socialist Party that the elections will be held too early to consolidate the rise of a leader, for example the former Minister of Infrastructure, Pedro Nuno Santos, who is considered a representative of the left wing and who is the favourite. “In any caseCosta Pinto warns, “You can get rid of all the polls published until Tuesday, they are no longer valuable.” Stunned by an unexpected political crisis, the Portuguese sail away.