07 October 2019

The Guardian: Portugal election result cements modest gains for Europe's centre-left

Portugal’s Socialists won the general elections but fell short of an absolute majority, leaving the prime minister, António Costa, needing to negotiate a delicate new alliance with the far-left parties that backed him last time around.

Cementing a modest and partial recovery for Europe’s centre-left after a disastrous few years of fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, the Socialists won 106 seats, up from 86 in the previous parliament, against 77 for the opposition centre-right Social Democrats (PSD), their worst result since 1983.

The result left Costa 10 short of a majority in the 230-seat assembly and the prime minister, who since 2015 has led a minority government with the support of the Left Bloc and the Communists in an unlikely alliance known as the geringonça or “odd contraption”, said he was likely to “renew the experience”.

The result showed the Portuguese “like this political solution”, he said. “The Socialist party has clearly won this election and strengthened its position. Stability is essential for Portugal’s international credibility and for attracting investors. We will strive to find solutions that ensure this stability for the entire legislature.”

The Left Bloc, which held the 19 parliamentary seats it won four years ago, and the unreconstructed Portuguese Communist party, which won 12 seats, five fewer than in the last vote, said they were prepared to back the Socialists again – but laid down demands for wage increases, greater public spending and improved labour laws.

Alternatively, Costa could seek a tie-up with the People-Animals-Nature party, which rode a wave of increasing environmental concern to capture four seats, and Free, an eco-socialist breakaway from the Left Bloc, which elected a single MP. [...]

Full article on The Guardian

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