âAbsolute majority doesnât mean absolute powerâ (AntĂłnio Costa)

Against all odds, Portugalâs centre-left Socialists won a straight parliamentary majority in last week’s general election, securing a strong new mandate for Prime Minister AntĂłnio Costa. It is for the first time the Socialists have won an absolute majority after six years in power. This means the country will have a stable government to oversee the application of the EU pandemic recovery package of 16.6 billion euros.
The striking victory didnât remain unnoticed abroad as was highlighted in the international press headlines.
âSocialists win surprise outright majority (Guardian)
âAntonio Costa, the shrewd negotiatorâ (El PaĂs)
âPrime Minister with few obstacles and more longevityâ (El Mundo)
âAntĂłnio Costa builds its legendâ (La Vanguardia)
âThe indestructible socialist, who united the leftâ (El Español)
âAntĂłnio Costaâs revengeâ (Le Monde)
âPortugal promotes the Costa modelâ (La Republica)
âAn overwhelming majority, animosity with Chegaâ (Folha de SĂŁo Paulo)
Portugalâs Socialists win an Outright Majority in Parliament (New York Times)
âAntĂłnio Costaâs impressive victoryâ (Politico)

The Socialist Party (PS) smashed its former far-left allies, the Left Bloc (BE) and the Communists (PCP) both losing more than half of their seats in parliament. The centre-right fared barely better. The second-largest Social-Democratic Party (PSD) gathered only 30% of the vote (against the Socialistsâ around 42%).
The People and Nature party (PAN) lost three of its four MPâs and the Christian Democrats (CDS) lost all its five MP’s in parliament, including its leader.Â
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, turnout was on track to beat 2019âs record low participation of 49%.

But the election results also showed a less pleasant surprise.
The far-right Chega (Enough) emerged as the third-largest parliamentary force, making a big leap from just one MP to 12 in the 230-seat parliament.

Costa â PM since 2015 – has won plaudits for turning around the countryâs 2011-2014 debt crisis, reversing unpopular austerity measures, decreasing the budget deficit, and overseeing one of the most successful Covid vaccination programs in Europe. Still, Portugal remains western Europeâs poorest country. His biggest challenge will therefore be to promote economic growth.

The PM declared in his victory speech: âAn absolute majority doesnât mean absolute power. It doesnât mean to govern alone but to govern with and for all Portugueseâ.
But there is also a warning. The last time the Socialists had an absolute majority was with José Socrates in 2005 and that administration was marked by corruption and authoritarianism.
Enjoy your week — Tenha uma semana fixe (pic PĂșblico/Sapo)