Meeting to analyse financial and economic situation, at home and abroad
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is convening a meeting of the Council of State (made up of his ‘closest advisors’ plus political leaders) for October 1, to analyse the international and national financial and economic situation.
Coming ahead of the presentation by the country’s minority State Budget for 2025, it suggests Portugal’s head of State wants to fully discuss the financial picture ahead of what will certainly be acrimonious debate on the government’s spending plans for the next 12 months.
Opposition parties (on the left and right) have vowed to vote against the budget proposal (whatever it entails) – a situation which ‘could’ send the country into another ‘political crisis’.
In many ways, opposition parties appear to be ‘preparing for possible new elections’ (PS leader Pedro Nuno Santos has been on a ‘walkabout’ at a local festival, insisting it is something he will always do, and has no connection with a possible political crisis… CHEGA likewise) even though President Marcelo, the government and political commentators insist that new elections are the very last thing the country needs.
Knowing the exact financial/ economic situation will help President Marcelo gauge which way the wind can blow ahead of the State Budget.
He has stressed he will be convening a second Council of State after the State Budget has been voted on, “probably at the end of November”.
The first Council of State is scheduled for 5pm on October 1, at Belém Palace, the president’s official residence.
