Portugal’s PM-designate Antonio Costa
LISBON, Oct 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Portuguese Prime Minister-designate Antonio Costa pledged continuity and stability for his new minority government.
Costa announced the lineup of the new government after meeting with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the Belém Palace in Lisbon and winning his approval.
Costa told reporters that the new government will be “the continuity of what has been the governance of the last four years but more politically reinforced by election results.”
Costa, also secretary general of the Socialist Party (PS), led his party to victory in the Oct 6 elections, winning 106 seats in the 230-member assembly.
Costa’s last minority government made outstanding economic achievements in the past four years with the support from Left Bloc (BE) and Portuguese Communist Party (PCP).
In the new government, Mário Centeno, who is regarded as the “mastermind” behind the debt-ridden country’s first balanced budget in over four decades, retained his portfolio as Finance Minister, while five new faces join the government for the first time.
In the cabinet list, Augusto Santos Silva remained foreign affairs minister. Health minister Marta Temido and economy minister Pedro Siza Vieira also kept their roles.
It is noted that Pedro Siza Vieira’s portfolio is broadened from Minister of Economy to Minister of Economy and Digital Transition, showing that the new government will pay more attention to digital economy to promote the country’s role in the fourth industrial revolution.
There are no big surprises but some of the new names include former tourism secretary of state Ana Mendes Godinho who became employment minister.
The Socialists are set to take office next week, the president said in a statement.
Costa was invited to form a new government on Tuesday last week after the Socialists won a general election on Oct 6 but landed shy of a full majority.
The election results led Costa to open talks with his far-left partners, the Communists and the Left Bloc, which backed him up in parliament over the past four years.
Costa also met with the Greens, environmentalist People-Animals-Nature (PAN) party and the left-wing Livre.
Negotiations between Costa and party leaders are ongoing. — NNN-AGENCIES
