Portugal faces political crisis as leftists vow to topple new government [View all]
Source: The Guardian
Portugal faces political crisis as leftists vow to topple new government
Jon Henley
Monday 26 October 2015 18.19 GMT
Portugal appeared headed for months of political uncertainty even crisis on Monday after the main opposition Socialists and their allies pledged to bring down the countrys new minority government as early as next week.
Pedro Passos Coelho, controversially nominated as prime minister last week by president Aníbal Cavaco Silva following inconclusive elections on 4 October, looks set to fall at the first hurdle when he seeks parliamentary backing for the new centre-right governments programme, which he is obliged to do within 10 days of taking office.
His rightwing Forward Portugal Alliance (PAF), which over the past four years has pushed through a raft of tough pay, pension and public spending cuts as well as swingeing tax hikes as part of Portugals 78bn bailout agreement, won the most votes and has the largest bloc of seats in parliament, but lost its overall majority.
The moderate Socialist party and its allies the Communists, Greens and Left Bloc now control 122 seats in Portugals 230-seat parliament and the party leader, António Costa, has insisted a leftist alliance could form a stable and durable government. He accused Cavaco Silva of wasting time by nominating a prime minister who lacks majority parliamentary support.
[font size=1]
-snip-[/font]
Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/26/portugal-political-crisis-leftists-vow-topple-government