‘Exclusive’ today suggests dramatic ‘about turn’ by Portugal’s president
“The President of the Republic has decided. If the 2025 State Budget is vetoed, there will be early elections”.
This quote comes in an ‘exclusive’ today in tabloid Correio da Manhã, and is credited to a “source in Belém” palace (the president’s official residence).
It goes directly against what has been suggested by ‘insiders’, indeed Marcelo himself, in the recent past. Why?
According to CM, Marcelo is worried about “a potential disaster” if the budget doesn’t pass: Ratings agencies could reduce Portugal’s investment standing; European funding regarding payments under the PRR (plan for recovery and resilience) “could be even more delayed” – all “at a time of looming instability due to the uncertainty of the result of the American elections”.
For this reason, if the AD government, PS Socialists and right-wing CHEGA (the country’s three leading parties) do not come to an agreement over the budget, the Portuguese will be faced with the prospect of a third round of legislative elections in just three years.
As political commentator Luís Marques Mendes said in one of his latest appearances on SIC’s Jornal de Noite, this would be “completely ridiculous“. It would see the country in 2025 facing three different election campaigns: legislative, municipal and finally presidential. “It would be too much – exactly what the country does not need”, he said.
This appears to be the crux of the ‘exclusive’: Marcelo betting on political parties ‘coming to their senses’, and thinking of the country rather than themselves.
The decision will have been prompted by the dismal results of the government’s two meetings with opposition parties over its budget proposals to try and reach some kind of understanding. PS Socialists are digging in their heels over AD’s taxation plans (both to relieve businesses and young people), while CHEGA is digging its heels in over various issues (they keep changing).
As CM’s deputy director general Eduardo Dâmaso explains, “the discussion over the State Budget has not been serious. It has transformed into a boxing match of egos served by a myriad of megaphones (…) In the middle of the cacophony, Marcelo has chosen the path of good sense. He is asking that (politicians) look at the country rather than the catastrophic, narcissistic thesis of the social democrats, Socialists and CHEGA. At a point where the world wobbles in Ukraine, America and the Middle East, there is nothing else to say (…) Delay in the execution of the PRR is not an option. The message from Marcelo to (political leaders) could not be clearer: stop playing games and come to an agreement. Do what you like with your electoral shopping list but think of the country”.
For the rest of us, we just have to hope that Marcelo’s tactics work. ND
