Portugal heads to polls, Socialists set to remain in power | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
May 30, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2023
Portugal heads to polls, Socialists set to remain in power

Politics

Reuters
06 October, 2019, 09:15 am
Last modified: 06 October, 2019, 09:17 am

Related News

  • SCC polls: How will ‘low-income’ mayor contenders meet electioneering cost?
  • Khulna City polls: Nomination of 4 out of 7 mayoral candidates cancelled
  • Polls of over 50 UPs, seven municipalities to be held in July: EC
  • Portuguese minister resigns in growing airline scandal, PM keeps him in job
  • Portugal should apologise, confront past role in slavery, says president

Portugal heads to polls, Socialists set to remain in power

The main opposition Social Democrats, polling at under 30% now, are expected to lose seats.

Reuters
06 October, 2019, 09:15 am
Last modified: 06 October, 2019, 09:17 am
Portugal heads to polls, Socialists set to remain in power

Portugal's center-left Socialists are expected to retain power and win more parliament seats in general elections on Sunday, after four years of economic growth, but still fall short of an outright majority.

If opinion polls hold true, Prime Minister Antonio Costa, the Socialists' leader, will win the election with between 36.5% and 38.8% of the vote but will have little option but to ask other parties for support.

"The main question is whether we'll have our hands tied," Costa said during a campaign rally on Friday. "We need to have the strength to guarantee four years of stability and not be a short-term government."

When the Socialists took power in 2015, Costa won the parliamentary support of two far-left, Euroskeptic parties, the Left Bloc and the Communists.

But, four years on, the love affair has waned. The hard left is demanding more public spending and has accused Costa of veering to the right. Costa has already ruled out a formal coalition government but may try to renew his pact with one of the parties, or both.

The main opposition Social Democrats, polling at under 30% now, are expected to lose seats.

Costa's minority government has received praise from Brussels and at home for combining fiscal discipline with measures to promote growth after recession and the austerity of Portugal's 2010-14 debt crisis.

Portugal is expected to record its lowest budget deficit in 45 years of democratic history this year. The economy is on course to grow 1.9% this year, above the EU average, helped by export growth and a booming tourism industry.

But a series of scandals, from a nepotism row to the alleged involvement of a former minister in an army cover-up of the theft of weapons from a military base, have hit the Socialists' ratings.

During Costa's last pre-election rally in Lisbon on Friday, shop owners shouted from the sidelines: "Shame on you!"

Since the last vote, the People-Animals-Nature party (PAN) has emerged as a potential new king-maker in parliament. PAN has said it is ready to support Costa if he commits to its environmentalist proposals, but it remains to be seen whether the party wins enough new seats.

"There is a risk things will get very divided ... I have some fear," said 46-year-old Leticia Goncalves, who works in a Lisbon gallery.

Goncalves said the Socialists' policies made her upbeat about the country's future but she was worried that the party will not win a working majority.

Voting begins at 8 am (0700 GMT) and closes at 7 pm (1800 GMT).

Top News

Portugal / Socialism / Polls

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Priority on fighting inflation, funding projects
    Priority on fighting inflation, funding projects
  • Private credit growth hits 13-month low in April
    Private credit growth hits 13-month low in April
  • DSA may scare away potential investors: UN special rapporteur
    DSA may scare away potential investors: UN special rapporteur

MOST VIEWED

  • Miliband, pictured at the Hay festival in 2018, said the Iraq war in 2003 was ‘a strategic mistake’. Photograph: David Levenson/Getty Images via The Guardian
    Former UK foreign secretary 'deeply regrets' support for Iraq invasion
  • A person holds a ballot at a polling station in Ankara, Turkey May 28, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman
    Voting starts in Turkey presidential election runoff
  • Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters during a rally ahead of the May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections, in Izmir, Turkey April 29, 2023. Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS
    Erdogan positioned to extend rule in Turkey runoff election
  • FILE PHOTO: Japan's new Chief of Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu announces new cabinet members at a news conference in Tokyo, Japan October 4, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
    Russia accuses Japan of 'cynical speculation' after Tokyo's nuclear rebuke
  • Chinese Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui leaves the headquarters of the Russian foreign ministry following talks in Moscow, Russia, 26 May, 2023. A sign reads: "Entry without face masks is prohibited". REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
    China will make concrete efforts for political solution to Ukraine crisis - special envoy
  • Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan
    Pakistan establishment closes ranks in crackdown on Imran Khan

Related News

  • SCC polls: How will ‘low-income’ mayor contenders meet electioneering cost?
  • Khulna City polls: Nomination of 4 out of 7 mayoral candidates cancelled
  • Polls of over 50 UPs, seven municipalities to be held in July: EC
  • Portuguese minister resigns in growing airline scandal, PM keeps him in job
  • Portugal should apologise, confront past role in slavery, says president

Features

An exquisite symphony of flavours awaits in the heart of Old Dhaka, as this vegetarian ensemble takes centre stage, showcasing the rich heritage of traditional cuisine. Photo: Noor-A-Alam

Jagannath Bhojonaloy: Vegetarianism, the traditional way

16h | Food
Inside Airbus's mega plan to develop the aviation ecosystem in Bangladesh

Inside Airbus's mega plan to develop the aviation ecosystem in Bangladesh

19h | Panorama
How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics

How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics

18h | Panorama
Media companies are rushing to capture the youngest market of news consumers in the misplaced hope that this will ensure their survival. Photo: Bloomberg

News firms are too obsessed with wooing the young

17h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Erdogan prevails in election test

Erdogan prevails in election test

10h | TBS World
Why AB turns its focus on agri from corporate lending?

Why AB turns its focus on agri from corporate lending?

12h | Corporate Talks
Sword of Tipu Sultan sold in auction

Sword of Tipu Sultan sold in auction

13h | TBS World
Who will be the champion if rain washes out reserve day?

Who will be the champion if rain washes out reserve day?

13h | TBS SPORTS

Most Read

1
End of zero tax!
NBR

End of zero tax!

2
Photo: TBS
Energy

Wind power feeds national grid for first time Friday

3
File Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS
Bangladesh

Low-cost housing planned for 4 lakh Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar workers

4
Cenbank prints Tk70,000cr new money in 11 months to support nat'l budget
Budget

Cenbank prints Tk70,000cr new money in 11 months to support nat'l budget

5
File Photo: UNB
Bangladesh

US govt's new visa policy does not bother Bangladesh government: Shahriar Alam

6
Govt to double gain tax on land, flat registration
Budget

Govt to double gain tax on land, flat registration

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]