🇵🇹 Portugal's politics and elections 2.0

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

But the Ventura strength in Alentejo Is real or just a mirage caused by the left wing split? Also, is really at the expense of the left or PSD?

Now, of course if you sum up Gomes/Matias/Ferreira you easily overtake Ventura, but his overperformance in Alentejo is as clear as the sun.

Also, it can't be a coincidence that aside from the massive discrepancy in Madeira (a product of Silva's 'home state' effect), the only three districts where Ferreira did worse for the PCP in 2021 than Silva had done in 2016 are... Beja, Évora, and Setúbal.

The same happened in 2011 with José Manuel Coelho, also a Madeira native, where he got 39% against Cavaco's 44%.

José Manuel Coelho was one of the strangest politicians in Europe

I mean, I opened his Portuguese Wikipedia page and his life starts with "He is the son of an ex-nun from a Franciscan congregation and of a folk poet who recited and sold his works written on pamphlets. He was baptized in the Catholic Church but converted to Adventism thanks to his father, who was an active member of the Adventist Church of the Seventh Day".
I wouldn't expect someone with such a background to become a normal politician lmao.
And indeed the anecdotes Mike88 mentioned are hilariously weird.

[Mike88]

Covid-19 vaccines: Plan to vaccinate all sovereign body holders has become very controversial.

https://twitter.com/ECO_PT/status/1354135844672720901

Right, PAN and PCP against giving priority to Covid's vaccine to “all” politicians. Some deputies abdicate.

The current Covid-19 vaccine plan was never unanimous, and after President Marcelo's Covid scare, many said it would be wise to vaccine the top branch of government holders. But, the new plan the government proposes is creating controversy. In the new plan, President, PM, Cabinet, MPs, Parliament employees, Regional government holders and Mayors would start being vaccinated next week. The plan is being trashed by all parties and other health organizations, except the PS, accusing the government of a ludicrous plan when several nurses/NHS staff and elder people are yet to be vaccinated. Several MPs and party leaders have already said they don't want the vaccine now. The PS accuses those who criticize the plan of being demagogues. During the afternoon, the government announced that the PM and 6 other cabinet ministers would be the firsts to get the vaccine due to their work in the frontline against the virus and because of the EU Portuguese Presidency.

[Mike88]

2021 Presidential elections: Around 5,000 voters may have voted for the "ghost candidate" Eduardo Baptista on election day.

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1354373691459690496

5,000 may have voted for "ghost candidate" in presidential elections

It's impossible to know for certain as ballots for Eduardo Baptista were counted as invalid, however, Correio da Manhã did a calculation based on their exit poll on election night. Intercampus polling company received 21 votes for Eduardo Baptista in a total of 23,581 voters that took part in the exit poll. This means that around 5,000 voters cast a ballot for Eduardo Baptista, who was on the ballot, due to timetable issues, but failed to deliver the necessary signatures to be a valid candidate. There were almost 40,000 invalid ballots in the elections. Contacted by the newspaper, Eduardo Baptista couldn't believe he may got those votes: "Almost 5,000 people voted for me? Is this serious? That is very good, it's a lot of people."

[Mike88]

2021 local elections: PSD and CDS will sign a broad coalition deal for the fall local elections.

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1354506495363309573

Local elections. PSD prepares elections with CDS and removes any connection to Chega.

The leaders of the PSD and CDS met today, in the PSD national headquarters, to announce they will sign a broad deal to contest the 2021 September/October local elections in coalitions across the country. A similar deal was done in 2013 and 2017. Both parties have, however, rejected any type of coalition or alliances with CHEGA but are open with alliances with other parties on the right like PPM, MPT, Alliance and, who knows, IL. The deal will be sign during mid-February. Possible coalitions will almost certainly include Lisbon city and other major cities. Porto, however, is a main doubt.

[Mike88]

Crisis deepens in CDS: One of Rodrigues dos Santos deputies resigns and 2 other leadership members also resign.

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1354739849526448128

Filipe Lobo D’Ávilla resigns and leaves Rodrigues dos Santos more isolated

CDS leader, Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos, has lost his majority in the party leadership. One of his deputies, Filipe Lobo D’Ávilla, resigned last night and with him, another two members in the party's national council also resigned. The 3 resigned because they are against Rodrigues dos Santos leadership strategy that is hurting and making CDS irrelevant. This come one day after one of Rodrigues dos Santos harshest critics, Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, demanded a snap party congress in order to elect a new leader to save the party.

[Mike88]

2021 Presidential elections: Results from Macao are announced.

Vote share % (1,474 ballots cast)

64.6% Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
14.5% Ana Gomes
  8.0% André Ventura
  4.6% Tiago Mayan
  3.5% Marisa Matias
  2.9% João Ferreira
  1.9% Tino de Rans

Still to be announced are the results from Beijing. Voters in Beira, Mozambique, will cast ballot this weekend.

[Mike88]

Still to be announced are the results from Beijing. Voters in Beira, Mozambique, will cast ballot this weekend.

Beijing is also in. Just 19 ballots out of 235 registered. Ana Gomes won 10 votes, Marcelo 5, Tiago Mayan 3 and Tino de Rans one vote. Ventura, Matias and Ferreira all got zero votes in Beijing.

[Mike88]

And the Gaffe of the day goes to Internal Affairs minister Eduardo Cabrita:

https://twitter.com/ordemespontanea/status/1354859158261137416
In the debate to approve the 10th extension of the State of Emergency, the opposition made several criticisms towards the government for their lack of planning in the 3rd wave of the pandemic. Internal affairs minister, Eduardo Cabrita, spoke to MPs announcing several measures like closing the Spain-Portugal border, but he committed a gaffe that is becoming viral on social media:

Tell the right that came here to criticize the vaccination plan, who would be left behind? Were the people in nursing homes? Were they health professionals? this is the clear answer that they have to say about the vaccination plan that will now advance, already for firefighters, yes already for people with mobility problems, yes already for people over 80 thousand years old. In a time of national cohesion, of fighting the pandemic, it is not a time for demagogy.

Priceless. xD Anyway, the new State of Emergency was easily passed:

In favour: PS, PSD, CDS, PAN, MP Cristina Rodrigues (196 votes)
Against: PCP, PEV, CHEGA, IL, MP Joacine Katar Moreira (15 votes)
Abstention: BE (19 votes)

[Mike88]

Crisis deepens in CDS: One of Rodrigues dos Santos deputies resigns and 2 other leadership members also resign.

CDS leader Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos retracts his refusal to discuss a possible snap congress. Calls a national party council and is considering a snap congress.

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1355078228721893380

CDS leader to convene the party's National Council - RTP Notícias

Several CDS members and MPs are starting to distance themselves from Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos. Although the current CDS leader refused, just a day ago, any talk about a snap leadership congress, he is now calling for a national party council to discuss the matter and is, according to the media, willing to accept a snap congress. There isn't a date yet for the meeting, but Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos will not resign and if a snap congress occurs, he is planning to face Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, who started all of this discussion.

[Mike88]

Final Euthanasia vote: Parliament approves the final draft of the bill by a 136-82 margin:

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1355168566606237698

BREAKING NEWS | Euthanasia. Parliament approves decriminalization of medically assisted death - RTP Notícias

Parliament approved, this afternoon, the final draft of the Euthanasia bill that was passed last February. Before the vote, the PSD proposed postponing the vote because of the high number of deaths due to Covid and that the vote could be badly seen. This proposal was rejected. The tally is the following:

In favour: 136 - PS (95), BE (19), PSD (14), PAN (3), PEV (2), IL (1), Ind (2)
Against: 82 - PSD (56), PS (10), PCP (10), CDS (5), CHEGA (1)
Abstention: 4 - PS (2), PSD (2)

PSD leader, Rui Rio, voted in favour, and the deputy secretary general of the PS, Costa's deputy in the PS, voted against. The bill will now be sent to President Marcelo which can sign it, veto it or sent it to the Constitutional Court for review.

[Mike88]

Crisis deepens in CDS: One of Rodrigues dos Santos deputies resigns and 2 other leadership members also resign.

CDS leader Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos retracts his refusal to discuss a possible snap congress. Calls a national party council and is considering a snap congress.

More resignations in CDS: Two board members of the policy committee resigned and other two members of the policy studies cabinets of the party also resigned.

The media is also reporting the content of last night tense meeting in the CDS headquarters. Rodrigues dos Santos refused to resign but said that if he leaves it's because he has had enough of the party, adding that a person has to have "self love".

It seems more and more likely that there will be a leadership contest in CDS.

[Mike88]

Covid vaccines: Director of Setúbal's Social Security Center, Natividade Coelho, resigns after being discovered she took the vaccine ahead of time.

https://twitter.com/Publico/status/1355231267726503942

Coronavirus: Director of the Setúbal District Social Security Center resigns after controversy with vaccination

In the last few days, a lot of reports have come public of several public employees and directors, plus also some Catholic Church members like priests, who had taken the Covid-19 vaccine ahead of time and that none were from risk groups. Yesterday, SIC TV reported that the director of Setúbal's Social Security, Natividade Coelho, also took the vaccine ahead of time. Ms Coelho and other 125 staff members of Setúbal's Social Security are suspected of having already taken the vaccine. Ms Coelho, a PS member and candidate for mayor in Palmela in 2013, resigned during this afternoon and her resignation was accepted by the Social Security board. But this is not the only case, INEM administrative staff, the emergency medical service, received more than 1,170 doses of vaccines and staff, directors and advisors were all vaccinated ahead of time.

[Mike88]

Covid-19 vaccine plan controversy: Many PSD MPs refuse to be vaccinated including their leader.

https://twitter.com/JNegocios/status/1355493409583194112

Among the 12 PSD MPs who will not be vaccinated as a priority on Parliament's list is party leader Rui Rio

The Covid-19 vaccine plan to vaccinate several public and political figures continues to create big controversy. Yesterday, the Speaker of Parliament, Ferro Rodrigues, released the list of 50 priority MPs that would receive the vaccine. Ferro Rodrigues and Rui Rio would be at the top of the list with the rest being MPs from all parties, except BE, PAN, IL and CHEGA. The PS initially wanted to vaccinate all their 108 MPs but accepted the new plan. However, in a press release this morning, the PSD announced that 12 of their priority MPs, including Rui Rio, don't want to take the vaccine or be classified as a priority. Only 7 PSD MPs accepted taking the vaccine in a total of now 38 MPs that will take the vaccine: 26 from the PS, 7 PSD, 2 PCP, 1 CDS, 1 PEV and Joacine Katar Moreira.

[Mike88]

CHEGA will hold leadership elections in the 3rd week of February after Ventura's "resignation":

https://twitter.com/tvi24pt/status/1355523849132109825

Ventura submits to a new vote by CHEGA members in the third week of February

After Ventura's "resignation" on election night, he today met with his party's leadership team and confirmed his resignation and that he will put his name forward for reelection. The leadership elections are expected to be on the 3rd week of February with a date yet to be confirmed, and a national congress will only be held when the State of Emergency is lifted. It's not expected for Ventura to face a rival in this leadership election.

[Mike88]

Tensions in the PS also? Infrastructure minister Pedro Nuno Santos blames PM António Costa for the rise of André Ventura:

https://twitter.com/ECO_PT/status/1355842084159283206

"PS contributed involuntarily to Ventura's affirmation", says Pedro Nuno Santos

In an op-ed in Público newspaper, this Sunday, Infrastructure minister Pedro Nuno Santos says the PS and António Costa have also blame in the rise and affirmation of André Ventura and CHEGA. In the op-ed, Mr Nuno Santos says that the PS when trying to escape a confrontation with President Marcelo, lost in the battle of ideas and values. He adds that the because the PS decided to "support" Marcelo, it hurt the "healthy dialectical antagonism between left and right" and created an informal Central Bloc between the President and the Government. He concludes by saying that a healthy democracy lives of ideological polarization, but that the PS is feeding another kind of polarization very dangerous for the stability of the regime. Minister Pedro Nuno Santos supported Ana Gomes and had a public feud with the PM, in December, regarding the TAP airlines bailout. He's considered on of the possible successors of Costa in the PS leadership.

[Mike88]

Head of the Covid vaccination plan, Francisco Ramos, makes controversial statement by saying that people who cheat in order to get the 1st vaccine shot will get a second one, and only those who voted for Ventura think that's immoral:

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1355665957339979780

Are “cheats” in vaccination immoral? Only for those who voted for André Ventura, says Francisco Ramos

Francisco Ramos, the head of Portugal's Covid vaccination plan, made a controversial statement, yesterday, in a TV interview on SIC Notícias. Pressed by the reporter about the constant stories, lately, of irresponsible uses of the Covid-19 vaccine and what kind of punishment should exist, Mr Ramos said that these kind of acts are regrettable but that the system was built up to vaccinate people and not to find those who cheat. He added by saying that it would be wrong not to vaccinate with a 2nd dose those who cheat in order to get the first dose, concluding that only "the 11 or 12% who voted for André Ventura" have a "vengeful spirit " and find it immoral. Just today, the Health minister has created a  "Bank of alternatives" in order to prevent "infiltrated", like the INEM/Pastry situation, in the vaccination plans. Those who cheat could face the Courts.

[Mike88]

The results of the 2021 Presidential elections are now final. Overseas voters in Beira, Mozambique, cast ballots today and the results were announced a short while ago. Only 18 voters, out of 1,087, cast a ballot giving 14 votes for Marcelo, 2 for Ventura and 1 for Ana Gomes. One ballot was invalid.

So, the final tally of the results is the following:

60.7% Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (2,534,734 votes)
13.0% Ana Gomes (541,555)
11.9% André Ventura (496,770)
  4.3% João Ferreira (180,516)
  4.0% Marisa Matias (164,739)
  3.2% Tiago Mayan Gonçalves (134,484)
  2.9% Tino de Rans (122,774)

  2.0% Blank/Invalid (87,079)

39.2% Turnout* (4,262,651)

*In Portugal alone, turnout stood at 45.5%. Overseas, only 1.9% of voters cast a ballot.

Results will now published by the Electoral Commission, some minor reviews are possible, and then they will become official when published in the Diário da República.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Is it normal that Portuguese abroad have such an abysmal turnout rate? Even considering that overseas citizens of any country tend to vote rarely, that's incredibly low.

[Mike88]

Is it normal that Portuguese abroad have such an abysmal turnout rate? Even considering that overseas citizens of any country tend to vote rarely, that's incredibly low.

It became more abysmal after the 2018 change in which all voters overseas would be registered automatically, rather than personally registered in embassies/consulates. Now you have 1,5 million voters overseas, which pushes way down the turnout rates even though more ballots are being cast in the elections. For example, in the 2019 elections, more than 158,000 ballots arrived from overseas, a record high, but turnout rates fell to record low levels of around 10%. But, even before the 2018 change, turnout overseas was going down and down in every election. (before 2018 there were around 300,000 registered voters overseas)

[Mike88]

CDS crisis: Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos will present a motion of confidence in order to stop Adolfo Mesquita Nunes.

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1356294573815975950

CDS leader to move forward with confidence motion

CDS leader Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos spent the last few days reflection on how to respond to Adolfo Mesquita Nunes's challenge of calling a snap leadership election because the current leadership is failing. But, Rodrigues dos Santos, aka Chicão, will not give up and he will announce he will convene the party's national council and propose a motion of confidence. This is the same strategy used by PSD leader Rui Rio, in January 2019, when he faced a leadership challenge from Luís Montenegro. The result was a victory for Rui Rio. We'll see how this plays out in CDS.

[Mike88]

With the 2021 Presidential elections over, let's take it off from the title.

The next elections, the local elections, are due for September/October. There will be 308 mayors, 2,000 or so councillors, more than 6,400 municipal assembly members, more than 3,080 parish Presidents and more than 25,000 parish assembly members to be elected.

Also, the future of Costa's 2nd term, Rui Rio's leadership in the PSD and also the future of the PCP will be at stake.

[Flyersfan232]

With the 2021 Presidential elections over, let's take it off from the title.

The next elections, the local elections, are due for September/October. There will be 308 mayors, 2,000 or so councillors, more than 6,400 municipal assembly members, more than 3,080 parish Presidents and more than 25,000 parish assembly members to be elected.

Also, the future of Costa's 2nd term, Rui Rio's leadership in the PSD and also the future of the PCP will be at stake.

any new general elections polls out?

[Mike88]

With the 2021 Presidential elections over, let's take it off from the title.

The next elections, the local elections, are due for September/October. There will be 308 mayors, 2,000 or so councillors, more than 6,400 municipal assembly members, more than 3,080 parish Presidents and more than 25,000 parish assembly members to be elected.

Also, the future of Costa's 2nd term, Rui Rio's leadership in the PSD and also the future of the PCP will be at stake.

any new general elections polls out?

The last one was conducted with voters as they left polling stations for the Presidential election a week ago:

UCP-CESOP poll for RTP:

Vote share % (compared with the previous poll)

35% PS (-4)
23% PSD (-5)
  9% CHEGA (+1)
  8% BE (+1)
  7% IL (+2)
  6% CDU (nc)
  2% PAN (nc)
  2% CDS (nc)
  1% Livre (+1)
  7% Others/Invalid (+4)

Poll conducted on 24 January 2021 as voters left polling places. Polled 4,627 voters.

There will be more polls published in the next few days, also.

[Mike88]

MPs Covid vaccination controversy: The trainwreck 72 hours of the list of MPs that will take the Covid vaccine.

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1356393377504190467

The 72 hours in which the list shrunk. There are 35 MPs left wanting the vaccine (and may not stop there)

In a week where the media is full of stories of illegal uses of the vaccine, the MPs vaccine plan has been controversial since the beginning, a week and a half ago, and the controversy continues. It all started last week when the Speaker of Parliament, Ferro Rodrigues, decided to create a plan and set a timetable for parties to say which MPs want the vaccine. PM António Costa asked the Speaker for a list of MPs that would want to take the vaccine, and sent the letter to all caucuses in Parliament to decide. A deadline was set up for Friday, 29 January, for parties to reveal their lists of MPs for vaccinations. Some parties protested against this vaccination plan saying it was an affront to millions of people, from NHS workers to elderly people, who haven't received the vaccine yet. BE, PAN, CHEGA and IL refused to have any of their MPs vaccinated ahead of time. CDS just said one MP was available, and PCP 2 MPs. But PSD and PS didn't send any names. The PSD held a caucus meeting in which they asked MPs to sent an email about their decision, but at the time of the deadline, the PSD didn't have any names, nor did the PS. Speaker Ferro Rodrigues sent to the PM, the list of names his office drew.

But, on Saturday, fury erupted in the PSD as many MPs, including Rui Rio, refused to be vaccinated ahead of time and demanded their names to be scraped from the list. The Speaker's office refused to change the list and blamed the PSD. But, in the PS there was also a lot of fury because of the names sent to take the vaccine. On Sunday, the PS caucus leader, Ana Catarina Mendes, sent a letter to the Speaker which messed up even more the situation. She defended that only the Speaker and two PS deputies should be vaccinated. This Monday, the PSD demanded that the list should be thrown to the garbage and create a new "minimalist one". The Speaker refuses once again but in the PS, MPs start to also refuse to take the vaccine, so far 3 including the most controversial one - MP Maria Begonha accused of forging her CV. Of the initial 50 MPs that would take the vaccine, the number has drooped to 35 but the real number could be 28, as the PSD MPs could follow the decision to throw the original list into the garbage.

And the "trainwreck" continues.

[Mike88]

CDS crisis: Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos will present a motion of confidence in order to stop Adolfo Mesquita Nunes.

Update: The motion debate in the CDS's National Council meeting will be this Saturday.

https://twitter.com/expresso/status/1356687075542720519

Rodrigues dos Santos refuses to dispute the leadership with Mesquita Nunes and presents a motion of confidence

As expected, CDS leader Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos presented a motion of confidence that will be discussed and voted next Saturday. It will be an on-line meeting because of the pandemic. In a speech in the CDS headquarters, "Chicão" said that in the last few days he received a lot of messages of support from the party's base and that he's confident his leadership will be strengthened. However, just this afternoon, another CDS leadership member resigned. Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, who is challenging Rodrigues dos Santos, has already reacted by saying that Rodrigues dos Santos lacks confidence and demanded, once again, snap leadership elections. Let's see what happens on Saturday.