The success achieved by the Portuguese Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa was a success beyond expectations. Forced to go to early elections, he won them clearly: for the second time in its history the Portuguese Socialist Party won an absolute majority of seats in the parliament, 117 out of 230 with 41.62% of the votes cast.
The 60-year-old former mayor of Lisbon came to power in 2015 sealing a left union unprecedented since the 1974 Carnation Revolution, but now the result allows him to form a one-party government and no longer depend on his ex allies of the radical left, the same that had provoked these early elections by denying the vote to the draft budget for 2022.
The results concern all the constituencies except the foreign ones, which elect four deputies, but can be considered definitive. In addition to the victory of the Socialists, the exploit of the far-right party stands out, Chega (Basta!) Which with 7.15% ranks third behind the conservatives of the Social Democratic Party who keep roughly the same votes as in 2019, just above the 27.8%. International reactions
“Years of government, great results and today still trust in the Portuguese socialists and the leadership of @antoniocostaps. Juntos Seguimos e contiimos”. The European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni , writes on Twitter .
“Congratulations, dear Antonio Costa, on your victory. Portugal has once again bet on a social democratic project that combines growth and social justice. Together we will continue to promote in our countries and in Europe a socialist response to the challenges we share”. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez , wrote it on Twitter , commenting on the outcome of the vote.
“Well done #Costa President! A great result for #Portugal and for Europe”. The secretary of the Democratic Party, Enrico Letta , writes on Twitter , commenting on the clear victory in the Portuguese elections for the PS. The scenery
The early elections were called after the government led by Costa fell last November, in the middle of the four-year mandate, having rejected the general budget for 2022. The socialists have led Portugal for six years, in the historic alternation which for decades has seen them in power with the Social Democrats.
The vote came during the Covid-19 pandemic, which in recent days has brought a new wave of infections to the country, fueled by the Omicron variant. About a million electricians and voters were in isolation at home while the polls were open, according to official data: the authorities have provided for them the possibility of exceptionally going out to vote.
In fact, the stakes are high: Lisbon is preparing to deploy 45 billion euros in funds from the EU to revive the economy and the Portuguese see those resources as an opportunity. Two thirds of the funds are expected to go to public projects, such as infrastructures, while a third is aimed at private companies.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, speaking to the nation on the occasion of the vote, had asked the citizens to go to the polls, calling the elections “a way of saying that nothing and no one can silence your voice”, while the next few years will be dedicated to mission to “leave a painful pandemic behind and urgently rebuild the economy”.
