The upcoming Portuguese government, set to take office next week, is betting on familiar faces to navigate the political battlefield. Following the first plenary session on Tuesday, the administration's strong partisan lean is expected to persist, though the fate of its most contested ministers remains uncertain.
Key figures from the AD's first Executive team, including Prime Minister Montenegro, were prominently featured in the May 18 legislative race. Notably, 12 out of 17 ministers, such as the highly scrutinized Health Minister Ana Paula Martins, led their party lists. Meanwhile, two ministers, Miguel Pinto Luz and Nuno Melo, ran in second place.
Absent from the electoral lists were Labor and Social Security Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho, Internal Administration Minister Margarida Blasco, and Culture Minister Dalila Rodrigues. Speculation is rife about the latter two's departure due to ongoing criticism.
With President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa hinting at the swearing-in ceremony "next week," Montenegro has kept the new government's structure under wraps, including potential organizational changes. However, it's confirmed that Parliamentary Affairs will see a new face, possibly from outside the current administration.
The previous government fell after a no-confidence motion in March. In response, the PSD leader rallied his closest allies, appointing Paulo Rangel as Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento for Finance, António Leitão Amaro for the Presidency, Pedro Reis for Economy, Miguel Pinto Luz for Infrastructure and Housing, Margarida Balseiro Lopes for Youth and Modernization, and Pedro Duarte for Parliamentary Affairs.
Cohesion, Environment and Energy, and Agriculture are overseen by Castro Almeida, Maria da Graça Carvalho, and José Manuel Fernandes, respectively.
Comments
Join Our Community
Sign up to share your thoughts, engage with others, and become part of our growing community.
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts and start the conversation!