In Portugal, a political earthquake may lead to an early election. The reason is that the Communist Party (PCP) and the Left-wing Group (BE) announced that they will vote against the 2022 budget proposed by the socialist government.
The leaders of the PCP, Jeronimo De Sousa, This Monday made it clear that his 12 representatives will vote against the budget. They did the same thing from the BE team. In addition to reaching an agreement at the last minute, the 18 members of BE also opposed the proposed budget for 2022.
In neighboring countries, the Socialist Party is governed by 108 deputies, accounting for 230 in the House of Representatives. In order to implement the budget, the Socialist Party needs 12 seats in the PCP or 18 seats in the BE to abstain, because 79 representatives of the PSD (middle right) will vote against it.
Communist leader Jerónimo de Sousa (Jerónimo de Sousa) He once said that he would vote against it because “the country needs a clear signal to solve problems such as low wages”.
Sousa insisted that some pensioners “charge 300 or 400 euros per month”, so the salary issue described it as a “national emergency” in the collected statement Effie.
“There is no need to conceal the truth,” Jeronimo de Souza said, recalling that his party had “long-term negotiations” with Antonio Costa’s socialist government in recent months.
On the possibility of reaching an agreement In extreme cases Before the vote next Wednesday, Jeronimo de Souza assured reporters that he did not believe in “Bruges.”
“The question is not whether elections will be held, the question is not the political crisis, The problem is the fundamental problem of Portuguese society”, Assure the leaders of the PCP.
Catalina MartinsThe leaders of BE made it clear in several speeches over the weekend that they would vote against it. He recalled this Monday that the nine points his group made to the government had been rejected.
Fighting poverty, pensions or energy value-added taxes is one of the main differences raised by Catarina Martins.
Even so, he insisted that the door to a possible agreement for them to abstain or vote against will remain open “until voting day.”
Three abstentions left
In order to prevent the 2022 budget from being overthrown, Costa needs to add eight representatives who do not vote against, that is, get a majority of votes in favor or abstention from the House of Representatives.
If the 108 representatives of PS LE add 8 abstentions, the situation will be resolvedarrive.
On Monday morning, three representatives of the zoologist PAN announced that they would abstain. Like Cristina Rodrigues, the non-affiliated deputy who left PAN a few months ago, she also announced that she would not reject the budget.
Joacine Katar Moreira, the non-affiliated representative of the LIVRE party who won the seat in the 2019 elections, will also abstain, so the key is to add three more representatives. They must leave the PCP seats (12) or BE (18), because PSD has made it clear They will be rejected.
Government defense
In view of the rejection of the left-wing parties, Costa stepped up his defense of his budget in the last few hours, both on social networks and through Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Duarte Cordillo and ministers who made public appearances on Sunday at the Ministry of Labor and Health. Ana Mendes and Marta Temido are respectively.
Duarte Cordillo, one of the strongmen of the SS, insisted that the government has responded to BE’s health, work or pension requirements.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will reach a possible agreement as quickly as possible at the last minute, but if no agreement is reached, the House of Representatives will be dissolved and a legislative election will be held.