The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, greets Pedro Passos Coelho.
What if Luís Montenegro loses the early elections? Scenario worries the head of state: the “is not no” could end.
“Who tries to open an internal war, dies“.
It was with such clarity that a source of the PSD management any name for the leadership of the party other than Luís Montenegro, at a time when the country is heading for early elections, with the motion of trust by the Prime Minister, which will be voted on the afternoon of next Tuesday, with rejection of for granted.
And the former Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coelhodoes not escape the rule: this and all the other options to succeed Montenegro in the leadership of the PSD, guarantees the observer.
However, the President of the Republic is already preparing for the period of political turbulence that comes and anticipates a turnaround on the PSD If Luís Montenegro cannot win at the polls – which has already foresaw that it is “”. And it is at this time that Marcelo sees Passos Coelho to return to the party presidency, advances this Thursday.
The history of the party dictates that when leaders are defeated, there is a tendency for their removal and replacement. According to the weekly, the head of state has an additional fear: the Approximation of a PSD led by Passos Coelho at arrives From André Ventura, fleeing the firm “not no” that characterized the PSD of Montenegro – and has shown to be increasingly “no”.
In fact, when Passos Coelho was still a leader, support for André Ventura in some local candidacies was explicit, such as Ventura’s own candidacy for Loures in 2017.
If the confidence motion is rejected, Marcelo has already stated that the convening of new elections will be inevitable. The president, who is entering his last year of office, has, from now on, an agenda divided into three cycles. In the first cycle, which begins now, he will devote himself to managing the political crisis; The second cycle begins in September, with the preparation for the presidential elections, and the third cycle will be the transition to the new president.
A confidence motion will be discussed and voted on Tuesday afternoonconfirmed source of the office of the President of the Assembly of the Republic. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considered it fundamental that political uncertainty is “reduced to the very least” and that the municipal and presidential elections are “in normal”.
Montenegro admitted that “the anticipation of elections is not desirable,” but it will be “a necessary evil to avoid the degradation of institutions and the loss of political stability.”
The socialist leader, Pedro Nuno Santos, has already confirmed that the PS will vote against the motion; also André Ventura, leader of There he said the party will never “give him any vote of confidence.”
IL will approve of trust
The liberal initiative (IL) indicated on Thursday that it will vote in favor of the confidence motion presented by the government.
“It’s a undescribable irresponsibility That in this national and international historical context, with challenging changes to Portugal and Europe, the country goes back to elections, being seriously distracted from the pressing problems that need to be resolved, ”can be read in a statement sent to Lusa agency.
The Liberal Party accused parties and various political actors of being “low policy, placing party and personal interests ahead of the country’s interests, not up to the historic moment.”
“This was the time to say ‘that the elections’ and governs’ and rule,” he said.
The party led by Rui Rocha pointed out that “he warned the prime minister several times what he should do to remedy the political crisis,” stressing that “it was his responsibility to have given the necessary clarifications and focus on governance.”
IL also stated that parties that vote to make the government fall will be irresponsible. But it also assured that “if early elections are called the liberal initiative is ready to face them, in the certainty that a vote in the liberal initiative was a vote in the stability, responsibility and maturity of institutions and politics in Portugal.”
“This vote in the motion of trust is a vote in the defense of the superior interests of the Portuguese, who want and deserve to advance with their lives, in the face of the disqualification of the various parties and their leaders,” he concluded in the same note.
