Portugal 2009

[minionofmidas]

The left-wing Socialists won a landslide victory in 2005 over the right-wing Social Democrats and look likely to repeat that performance, albeit with a stronger far-left presence.

drool

The CDU is really just the old Communist Party - that Green alliance partner is a joke. The BE is sorta half-Green half-Trot (*just* my cup of tea, then ).

[minionofmidas]

This poll isn't surprising. It's looking like the PSD will destroy himself and there is no alternative to the PS. The leaders of the PSD are a joke and why should the people vote for this party when they make war against each other.

All people who says the PS government isn't good and not really socialistic, they will voting for the Communist Party/CDU (this is the authoritarian part of the far-left) or the Bloque Esquerda (this is the more libertarian part of the far-left). I think in the next election the PS don't get more than 50% of the seats, but they are the strongest power in the parlament and nothing is possible without the PS.

The CDS/PP isn't a Christian Democratic Party. I think Bono isn't right. The CDS/PP is a mixture of a ultraconservative catholic Party and a neo-liberal Party(like a ultra-FDP). I think that's not a good combination and this is the reason the never get more than 10%.

I speak not about things I haven't knowing. My father is from Portugal and I'm well informed about politics in Portugal. It's better like my English.

Hans, the current CDS leader, who is supposedly a member of its "liberal" wing, recently proposed abolishing co-payments in the National Health Service--note that these co-payments are something ridiculous as 10€ for a specialist visit, and half the people are already exempt anyway. If this is an "ultra-liberal" FDP analogue, then I'm sad for the state of liberalism in Europe.

If it`s the poorer people who're exempt, then yes that would be exactly what the FDP is entirely about.

[minionofmidas]

While the CDS/PP is infinitely preferable to LAOS and the election system is also better, I can't help but note that the extent of the similarities between Portugal and Greece are remarkable.

[minionofmidas]

I'm really no friend of the CDS/PP, but they are a pragmatic party and not like LAOS. The CDS/PP was some years in government and then the stupid ideas will be minimized ;-)

Yes. I know. I was merely damning with faint praise.

But, well. The (very approximate) economic situation. The year 1974. The country size. The (only comparative) weakness of regional faultlines. A system of representation that is somewhat proportional but still quite clearly favors major parties. And now - even though it's a recent development - they both have a major center-left party, a major center-right party, two pretty far left parties to their left, of which the more traditionalist one is still called Communist. And a rightwing party to their right.

[minionofmidas]

I'm forced to agree with the PSD here. I like high turnout in my local elections.

[minionofmidas]

Wow at BE and CDS. Small wonder the PDS is ahead in that case.

comparing with last election this is

PSD +7.0
CDS / PP -2.9

PS -10.5
BE +6.7 (compared to a record result, too)
PCP / CDU +1.8

other -2.1

...and I just notice that's comparing with percentage of total rather than valid ballots. Redoing...

PSD +6.2
CDS / PP -3.1

PS -11.9
BE +6.8
PCP / CDU +1.6

other +0.4

[minionofmidas]

B.E. 75.9
CDU 68.8
PS 67.9
PSD 47.3
PP 40.2

[minionofmidas]

Yay, Lewis Trondheim's Official Endorsement™: Bloque Esquerda

[minionofmidas]

What time to expect results here?

[minionofmidas]

That's a theoretical PS-BE majority, is it?

[minionofmidas]

That's a theoretical PS-BE majority, is it?

Yes, but I'm not sure that we see. Maybe we get a minority government of the PS

A minority government able to rely largely on the BE is fine with me. But when Commie or Bourgeois support is needed, the PS tends to prefer Bourgeois support. Hence why a theoretical PS-BE majority is important.

[minionofmidas]

It is. Since you insist, it's anti-clerical country. The land of large landowners, agricultural workers and a much more collectivist spirit than the north. It's like

Andalusia before irrigation, tourism and retirees.