LISBON, Oct 27 (NNN-XINHUA) – Portugal’s new government was sworn in on Saturday, by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the Ajuda National Palace.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa, together with 69 members of the government, including 19 ministers and 50 secretaries of state, attended the inauguration ceremony.
Antonio Costa, who is also general secretary of the Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), formed yet again a minority government, after leading his party to a victory in the national elections earlier this month, winning 108 seats in the 230-member Assembly of Republic. Most of the members of the previous government kept their portfolios.
During the inauguration ceremony, President Rebelo said, the previous government surpassed all expectations, but warned that, the new Costa government will face more challenges.
“The task that awaits you is not easy. Today’s Europe and the World are different, more complex, and more unpredictable,” said the president, warning that, the Portuguese expectations are now higher, with the new government having fewer resources to meet those expectations.
Acknowledging that Costa’s previous government achieved most of the goals it set itself, Rebelo alerted the new government on the existence of some goals that were left to achieve, like, the campaign against corruption, durability of growth and balance of external accounts, achievement of more pay equity and a bigger access to social infrastructures.
“It will be necessary to act with humility in serving, with impartiality and perseverance,… with proximity to the Portuguese, which prevents the sense of distance between those who govern and those who are the raison d’être of this government,” he added.
Costa, on his part, highlighted the achievements of the last four years – the “continuous growth,” the lowest deficit rate in the country’s recent history, the employment growth and the regaining of credibility at international level.
Costa acknowledged the difficulties the new government must face ahead.
“Portugal is, hopefully, a total different country from it was four years ago. But governance is even more demanding as the Portuguese demand that we do more and better,” he said.
According to Costa, the priority areas for his government in the next four years will be climate change, demographic sustainability, digital transition and fighting inequalities.
He pledged to increase the minimum monthly wage to 750 euros by 2023, and increase the Solidarity Complement for the elderly.– NNN-XINHUA
