Portugal's politics and elections

[Josecardoso17]

i think the psd establishment wanted Santana to win ....

[Josecardoso17]

thank you !

I heard some psd voters who received phone calls to go vote in Santana,but that´s some usual stuff xD
I think that what really won the election to Rui Rio was is support in the north and huge turnout there.
Not suprise if psd changes its parlamentary leader to Leitão Amaro and etc.....

Sorry about the poor English xD

[Josecardoso17]

Do you think Santana is politically dead ?
Because i think he as lost 5 or 6 elections in a row,but he still has some popular support,and people forgot the mess is government was.Not talking about the economy and that stuff ,but the cabinet ministers didn´t knew what post they would have until the day of the swearing of the government and etc.

[Josecardoso17]

I have to congratulate you for the topic and your unbiased opinion (something dificult to see in this country xD)

I have another question for you related to the CTT(postal service)

I think that the state did very bad in privatizing the company because it was profitable and because they made a very good service in the past delivering and helping people that lived far from the cities and "from civilization" .I know this because i live near Serra da Estrela.

What do you think about it?

[Josecardoso17]

I believe that the state should own some strategic companies .The privatization of the CTT was very bad because it wasn´t a significant help to the country´s finances .And because in private hands it is being led to the ridicuolus .I mean,say to the people in other countries this: The postal service in your country is also now a bank.

The lack of regulation is true ,because it is a step back to our economy .It helps the big companys and pushes the small one´s to the ground.

And no major party realises that.But i think if the Socialist Party reaches a majority in the next election they will push some things to change that.Maybe Yes,Maybe Not .Depends in the Political Mood.

[Josecardoso17]

Yes ,because with a majority ,i think the party would turn a bit to the center ,depending a bit from the mood.I think it would also try to mantain a close relation with the left,because the lack of criticism from the left makes everything easier .
The Socialist Party also needs to answer to some of his voting base (some small and medium business) and because it needs contributions(because of the financial state of the party)

[Josecardoso17]

do you think PS have a chance of winning in Madeira in 2019?

[Josecardoso17]

but i think that if in this election ,the winner wins without a majority ,will form government at the same.It happened in azores in 1996 i think .

[Josecardoso17]

yes,but like in the local elections ,the winners is always the mayor,even that it doesn´t have a majority.That´s why i think that the winner will form government anyways .But as you said anything can happen ,and the decision is always in the hands of the president of the republic in office .Which i think will give the power to the winner(keeping the status quo).

[Josecardoso17]

looks like psd is in civil war in this moment ,damn!!!

[Josecardoso17]

what do you think will happen to Hugo Soares?

[Josecardoso17]

i think their demands would be more in some social issues . CDU would give more importance to Nationalization of stuff,minimum wage,pensions,workers rights and stuff like that.BE also agrees with that but they would give more importance to things  like  legalizing cannabis, euthanasia,and making improvements in LGBT rights ,racial equality and housing rules.
BE works to improve its standing with the youth voters and the growing community of foreigners and minorities.Which they hope will be their future base.
This is my opinion,i don´t know if Mike88 agrees xD

[Josecardoso17]

being a ps supporter i have to say that sadly that´s not entirely true .The budget for education and health its very tight and for other things also very small.But pensions are being raised and  minimum wage is up.So it´s true but not entirely true.

[Josecardoso17]

i forgot to quote the last post ,sorry xD

[Josecardoso17]

I don´t know much about this especific case,because i still live a bit far from Covilhã(i live in Oliveira do Hospital).But i can tell that this cases are very common around the region.There are reports of crimes like these supposedly commited by mayors , parish presidents and etc...But usually these cases don´t receive great attention of the media,and they end in nothing most of the times or they don´t even get to court .But because of the importance of Covilhã its normal that receives greater coverage.Sometimes these cases don´t even affect the incumbent at all.

[Josecardoso17]

I don´t know much about this especific case,because i still live a bit far from Covilhã(i live in Oliveira do Hospital).

Just realized this Jose, you live in a swing municipality, unlike me. Oliveira do Hospital has voted with the winner of every general election since 1999. If in 2019, the PS has a big early lead from the more rural areas of Oliveira do Hospital, Costa will win by a landslide.

yes,but those areas are considered sleeping leaning right-wing areas so suprising things could happen and the CDS is investing there.And there is also the effect of the wildfires that almost killed us .But if everything goes correct,that is what is gonna happen.As you said ,if the PS as a big lead, in a area hit by such a disaster ,well...in a areas without a disaster xD
Did you saw that from the CNE website ,right?

[Josecardoso17]

The reconstruction is going good but slow,but we are recovering .The industrial park is still in the same state because the owners of those factories have financial problems.
That website is very good,and i discovered things there about my parish that i didn´t even knew XD.But still the CNE could provide more data about stuff

[Josecardoso17]

Left parties fail to unite about the Catalonia situation:

Yesterday, CDU presented two votes in order for the Portuguese Parliament to punish Spain's actions. The first vote asked for a political solution for the situation in Catalonia, and it was approved by the votes of PS, BE, CDU, while PSD and CDS voted against. The second vote, where CDU condemns "the repressive measures and the authoritarian drift of the Government and Spanish authorities in relation to the situation in Catalonia", was struck down with the votes of PSD, CDS and PS, while 21 PS MPs voted in favour and 8 abstained.

These votes created some criticisms in the PS, where the leader of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sérgio Sousa Pinto (PS), said that Parliament has become a "rabble of nonsense" in terms of foreign policy.

Also: The President of the Republic doesn't think Rio will defeat Costa.

This is basically a foregone conclusion. The PSD situation right now is basically a copypaste of 1998/99 and 2008/09, time when the party was divided towards their leader, which ended always in a PS win in the following elections.

President Marcelo is having flashbacks from is leadership period xD.

[Josecardoso17]

Left parties fail to unite about the Catalonia situation:

Yesterday, CDU presented two votes in order for the Portuguese Parliament to punish Spain's actions. The first vote asked for a political solution for the situation in Catalonia, and it was approved by the votes of PS, BE, CDU, while PSD and CDS voted against. The second vote, where CDU condemns "the repressive measures and the authoritarian drift of the Government and Spanish authorities in relation to the situation in Catalonia", was struck down with the votes of PSD, CDS and PS, while 21 PS MPs voted in favour and 8 abstained.

These votes created some criticisms in the PS, where the leader of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sérgio Sousa Pinto (PS), said that Parliament has become a "rabble of nonsense" in terms of foreign policy.

Also: The President of the Republic doesn't think Rio will defeat Costa.

This is basically a foregone conclusion. The PSD situation right now is basically a copypaste of 1998/99 and 2008/09, time when the party was divided towards their leader, which ended always in a PS win in the following elections.

President Marcelo is having flashbacks from is leadership period xD.

So true, and he was so unpopular back then.

How things change with time xD

[Josecardoso17]

Political update:

With the cultural/arts funds still a bit unresolved, the week started with more news of budget restraint, this time in the NHS. On Monday, newspapers reported the the child cancer facilities in St John Hospital, Porto city, were in terrible shape. The facility, which is provisional for the last 10 years, is in very bad shape with children being treated in corridors alongside garbage bags, plus rain normally enters also. Parents are outraged by this and the Hospital board is blaming the government for not giving the money necessary for the construction of a new building.


St. John Hospital, Porto city.

This situation is falling in the hands of, not the health minister, but the finance minister, Mário Centeno. According to the media, the hospital has the money but it requires a signature from Mr Centeno, which he hasn't gave yet. Speaking in Parliament, yesterday, Mr Centeno blamed the previous PSD/CDS government of promissing the construction without funds and said the money will come, but didn't gave any hint on when that will happen.


Mário Centeno, finance minister, in Parliament.

Adding to all of this, the government approved the Stability Program 2018-2022, which downgrades the budget deficit to 0.7% this year, rather than the 1.1% in the 2018 budget. This downgrade is infuriating BE and CDU which are demanding more public investment on the NHS and Education. BE, and CDU also, are in collision course against Centeno, as they accuse the PS of behaving like if they had an absolute majority. There are already pundits saying the 2019 budget could be struck down by BE and CDU. Will there be a government crisis during this year? Odds are that it's still unlikely, but you never know.

Rui Rio also unveiled his "shadow team" that will help him make the opposition to Costa's government, plus it will be the team responsible for the elaboration of the PSD 2019 manifesto. The team has 16 coordinators and 16 spokespersons. The list of coordinators are:


Rui Rio, PSD leader, presenting his "shadow team".

European affairs: Isabel Meirelles
Foreign affairs: Tiago Moreira de Sá
Finance: Álvaro Almeida
State Reform: Álvaro Amaro
Defence: Ângelo Correia
Justice: Licínio Lopes Martins
Homeand security: José Matos Correia
Agriculture: Arlindo Cunha
Infrastructures: Falcão e Cunha
Environment: Ana Isabel Miranda
Economy: Rui Vinhas da Silva
Health: Luís Filipe Pereira
Solidarity and well being: Silva Peneda
Education: David Justino
Higher Education: Maria da Graça Carvalho
Sea affairs: Regina Salvador

Also, there will be 2 lists to the May 20th by-election in Vacalar Parish, Armamar, Viseu district. In 2017, PSD ran unopposed. The 2 lists are from:

PSD - Social Democratic Party
PPT - Group of Independent Citizens, Progress for All

If now the left decided to withdraw support for the PS,and the country went to elections,what do you think the results would be?

[Josecardoso17]

In order to all those who visit this topic know more and keep more updated on what's going on in Portugal, either in politics or general news, here's a list of the main newspapers and TV networks you can follow: (i will add political leanings, plus party preferences, although the media in Portugal doesn't have the tradition to reveal their political intention, but they are understood)

Newspapers:

Correio da Manhã - Right (similar to the Daily Mail); no party preference
Expresso - Center to Center-right; no party preference
Jornal de Notícias - Centrist; tilt PS
Público - Center-left (similar to the Guardian); PS
Sol - Center-right; PSD
Diário de Notícias - Center to Center-left; PS
Jornal i - Center-right; PSD
Jornal de Negócios - Centrist; no party preference
Observador - Center-right; PSD
Eco - Centrist; no party preference

TV networks:

RTP News (state owned) - no party preference
SIC News (private) - no party preference
TVI 24 (private) - no party preference
CMTV (private) - no party preference

in my opinion i would change Diário de Noticias to center right(neoliberal),and SIC as clear preference for PSD xD

[Josecardoso17]

What the hell is going on in the Socialist Party?? One day after many party officials said they are ashamed by the Sócrates corruption scandals, in their twitter page, they posted a picture of José Sócrates about the 45 years of the party:


https://twitter.com/psocialista/status/992007614602121219
Seriously!

ahahahah when i first saw the post i was like :this is not going to end well xD
Most stupid thing in portuguese politics recently

[Josecardoso17]

So earlier mentioned healthcare workers strike already had place
https://twitter.com/EPSUnions/status/991957139487895552


I wonder what was the reactions of ordinary people on the strike? Did they supported the strike or people were mainly pissed off by cancelled operations?

I also think the majority of the people support the strike .But it´s normal that the right side of the electorate says things like: "They have great wages " and other stuff like that .But the truth its not the wages mainly but the work hours and the condicions of the hospitals

[Josecardoso17]

i think if the eutanásia bill fails,the BE will just wait until the next election where the left is expected to have a better majority.

Looks like ,in my oppinion that the next leadership contest in PS its gonna be : Medina(center-left) vs Pedro Santos(a good performance but never forget the things he said about not paying debt) vs Ana Catarina Mendes(she is the second in command xD)

[Josecardoso17]

do you think 2021 will be like 2001? xD