🇵🇹 Portugal's politics and elections 2.0

[Mike88]

Controversial rightwing convention starts today and ends tomorrow with Rui Rio's speech:

https://twitter.com/AEIOU_pt/status/1397130630174056448

“Honeymoon” of the rights starts today (and joins, for the first time, the 4 heavyweights of the spectrum)

The "Europe and Freedom Movement" convention (MEL), initials that in Portuguese mean "honey", started today and for the first time joins the leaders of the 4 rightwing parties in Portugal, PSD, CDS, CHEGA and IL. The convention has a lot of invitees from the right and also the left. However, the presence of André Ventura is creating tensions on the left and right. The left parties accuse the right and the convention organization of "normalizing" CHEGA and are trashing some PS members who will take part in the conference, although the PS members taking part are critics of Costa's government. On the right, mainly in the PSD, there's doubts about Rui Rio's presence in this convention. This convention goal, according to their organizers, is to discuss the future of Portugal and what paths the country should take. In the audience, there is the former PM, and ghost that still haunts the PSD, Pedro Passos Coelho.

Regarding the current internal tension within the PSD:

Tension in the PSD: Party's "tribunal" meets this afternoon to decide sanctions against Rio but everything is on the table, even dropping the whole thing.

The "tribunal" dropped all sanctions against Rio and will only give a warning to caucus leader Adão Silva:

Rui Rio hasn't reacted yet, but his caucus leader, Adão Silva, has and he labels the "warning" as unfair and will appeal to the Constitutional Court.

[Mike88]

Rui Rio hasn't reacted yet, but his caucus leader, Adão Silva, has and he labels the "warning" as unfair and will appeal to the Constitutional Court.

The ongoing tension in the PSD: Rio reacts to the "tribunal" decision, accusing them of damaging the party on the eve of elections and of "persecutory performance" and "sterile disturbance".

https://twitter.com/expresso/status/1397544461929000962

Rui Rio destroys PSD's ‘court’: “Persecutory performance”, “sterile disturbance“, “withering away”

Rio's leadership met yesterday to analyse the ruling of the PSD "tribunal" on sanctions against Rio because of the Euthanasia referendum vote bill. The tribunal cleared Rio from any sanctions but argued that he did violate party rules. In a statement in the party's website, Rio trashes the "tribunal" accusing them of persecuting and of having other political goals than inspecting party rules. The statement goes on to say that the confidence between the different structures within the party have been damaged. The statement concludes by saying that the "tribunal" decision has hurt the credibility of the PSD. However, Rio will not go ahead with his threat of suspending his functions as leader or calling for a motion of confident, it seems. The statement sent also says that the party will "deviate from its path", despite "all the stones that are put in the way", and will continue "to fight for reforms the country needs" and for solutions that will "consolidate the PSD as the hope for a reformist government of progress and future."

[Mike88]

The so-called "Congress of the rights" ended with Rio's speech, while Ventura spoke during lunch time:

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1397672750597222404

Rio reaffirms PSD in the center, embracing Passos

The so-called "Congress of the rights", MEL, ended tonight with the speech of PSD leader Rui Rio. Earlier in the day, during lunchtime, André Ventura, CHEGA leader, was the most awaited speaker. In his speech, Ventura pressed on the idea that there will be "no rightwing government in Portugal without CHEGA" and accused Rio of being a weak leader of the opposition. Nonetheless, he supported the idea that it's time for the rightwing to coalesce and defeat their common adversary, António Costa, and added his willing to make concessions to forge that unity, saying that CHEGA is a party of government not protest. His speech was very applauded by the audience, unlike Rui Rio's speech. Mr Rio speech was the closing of the convention and there was some expectation of what he would say. In speech where there were few applause, Rio said the PSD isn't a "rightwing party" but rather a centrist one and that he's not an ordinary leader of the opposition. He said he wants to reform the country, the economy, education, the justice system and even in the opposition he's willing to talk to the PS government, but, he added, he finds a wall as the PS is the anti-reform party. This was probably the only moment when he energised the audience, as Rio trashed the PS for being the "personification of the special interests". After he ended his speech, Rio was greeted by former PM Passos Coelho, who, in relation to Ventura, was very uncomfortable and didn't even greeted Ventura after he ended his speech leaving the conference room in a hurry.

The media is saying that Rio's speech was true to himself but it was the wrong speech for that audience, making his decision to be present there a mistake. Plus, the media also says the convention, as well its invitees, made the convention all about CHEGA which makes the whole event look like a platform for CHEGA.

[Astatine]

I first thought that was Slovak Deputy PM Richard Sulík in the picture and not Pedro Passos Coelho? Damn, he's changed.

[Mike88]

I first thought that was Slovak Deputy PM Richard Sulík in the picture and not Pedro Passos Coelho? Damn, he's changed.

After he left office in 2015, his life has pretty much gone downhill: his leadership in the PSD was trashed, plus he has had a lot of personal problems in the last few years, like his wife's death from cancer, and he started to lose a lot of hair so he decided to become bald.

Also, it's almost ridiculous that the media and the same people who trashed his leadership during 2016-2017, are now saying he's the right person to lead the PSD again. This doesn't make any sense, at least in my opinion.

[Mike88]

PS leadership: António Costa runs for a 4th term as PS leader.

https://twitter.com/ECO_PT/status/1397961020069580805

António Costa run again for the PS leadership

António Costa announced, today, he's running for a 4th term as PS leader. The leadership elections will take a place in June, after being postponed a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. He will face a challenger, like in 2018, but will easily be reelected with 90%+. He also unveiled his manifesto for the party leadership in which he says his goal is to win the 2021 local elections and successfully complete the economic recovery and the vaccination program in order to launch the post Covid recovery and resilience plan. He adds that the pandemic opened scars in society and more investment in the NHS, more and better housing and fighting bad working conditions are the goal. He also proposed a discussion and possible referendum on regionalization in 2024 and said he trashed the PSD and said he has no intentions of negotiating with them and only with the left.

[Mike88]

CHEGA holds their 3rd congress, in 2 years, to discuss their program and position regarding a future PSD government:

https://twitter.com/expresso/status/1396152750002642947

Chega recognizes that changes to their program are to halt attempts for illegalization.

CHEGA will convene for the 3rd time in just 2 years in a congress this time in Coimbra city. The main topics in this congress are changes in the party's program and possible future alliances regarding a PSD government. Regarding their program, CHEGA is confirming they are changing their party platform to stop any attempt to illegalize the party. According to the media, Ventura is going to change a lot pf faces in his leadership team and drop many of the radical faces within the party. The media also reports that in a party meeting, Ventura told members that this changes are to "moderate" the party as there are internal pressures to turn CHEGA in a more moderate party on the right of the PSD. This isn't unanimous within the party, however. Regarding a future support for a PSD government, Ventura will ask the congress what kind of approach should CHEGA have. Ventura supports the idea that CHEGA has to be a "party of government" and should demand cabinet positions from Rui Rio, or whomever is the PSD leader. If not, he says that the party could block a PSD government in Parliament.

The police is also in alert as antifa groups are expected to concentrate in Coimbra city and protest against CHEGA and André Ventura.

[Mike88]

RTP-Bullfights controversy: 125 personalities, including 35 PS MPs and members, signed an open letter against the RTP and the government's decision to ban bullfights from the network.

https://twitter.com/AEIOU_pt/status/1398339559239434241

Open letter against bullfighting ban on RTP includes 35 socialists.

The government's decision to ban the transmission of bullfights on RTP channels is creating backlash, especially within the PS. 125 personalities signed an open letter against the government's decision and accuse Costa's cabinet and RTP of "censorship" and that bullfights are a "integral part of the heritage of Portuguese material and immaterial culture". The letter has the signatures of 35 PS MPs and high profile members including the party's chairman, Carlos César, and Mário Soares son, João Soares. They also accuse the current director of programs in RTP, Nuno Artur Silva, of a "campaign against bullfighting" and that they are not imposing any cultural vision just that RTP should respect regional diversity and cultural expressions. In terms of MPs, 27 PSD MPs signed the letter and also 19 from the PS, 6 from PCP and 4 from CDS. 18 PS mayors in areas where bullfighting is very popular also signed the letter.

[Mike88]

Champions League final fallout: President Marcelo criticizes the government's handling of it, and PSD leader demands an apology to the country.

https://twitter.com/dntwit/status/1398678278051794951

Marcelo criticizes Government: "It is not possible to say that fans come in a bubble and then they don't come in a bubble".

The fallout of the chaotic organization of the Champions League final is Porto city continues. The government continues silent but President Marcelo, while visiting a food bank in Lisbon, criticized the government's handling of the CL final. Marcelo asked the government for coherence adding that the government's speeches need to be close to reality and trashed the "bubble of fans" plan saying it didn't work. Asked if the event was a total failure, Marcelo didn't went that far but said that things didn't went as planned. PSD leader Rui Rio is also trashing the government and the mayor of Porto for their handling of the final. On social media, Mr Rio accused the government of not learning a thing about the chaotic Sporting celebrations two weeks ago, and that they and Porto mayor Rui Moreira owe an apology to the Portuguese people. Porto mayor Rui Moreira already responded to Rui Rio and accused him of having a "problem with Porto city" and of having "Portofobia".

[Mike88]

CHEGA's 3rd congress ends: A very divided party who wants to be in government, but that can't even manage a party congress.

https://twitter.com/TSFRadio/status/1399115797285408769

A mystery program, "ghost" motions and the turnaround with Rio. The three-day congress of CHEGA.

The 3rd congress of CHEGA, in just 2 years, ended this evening with the speeches of Ventura and Matteo Salvini, the Italian Lega leader. But, the congress showed, once again, how divided and confusing is CHEGA's internal organizations and its members. The main topic of this congress was, supposed to be, the discussion of the party's program/platform as there is the fear that CHEGA could be ruled as illegal by the Courts. CHEGA has been debating changes in its program for some weeks now, and the media even published reports that the goal was to "moderate" the party to avoid any threat of illegalization. However, the program is a mystery as no one knows what's in it and any discussion of it was pushed to a later date as the document "is to complex". In the end, delegates to the congress elected party leaders without knowing the main policy lines of the party for the next 2 years. At the same time, Ventura got what he really wanted: an overwhelming vote of support within his party. Unlike last year's trainwreck congress, Ventura leadership team got 79% of the votes in the first ballot, but it wasn't a victory without any setbacks. Ventura's new picks showed he had dropped some key people in the party's structure and replace them. One of them was Nuno Afonso, the party's local election coordinator, who labeled Ventura's decision, of removing him from the leadership team, as a "betrayal". Then there were a series of "ghost motions", as the Congress leadership team refused to put up for a vote around 40 of the 80 motions presented. One of the motions, to elect local party representatives, was rejected by the Congress chair because the party "doesn't have money for local party elections".

And then there was the PSD-CHEGA clash. PSD was invited to be in the congress and they accepted. However, in his speeches on Friday and Saturday, Ventura trashed Rui Rio and the PSD, once again, and the demands that Rio had to include CHEGA in a PSD cabinet, otherwise they would join the left and struck down a future PSD government, made the PSD furious. In a statement to the press, during lunch time, the PSD announced they were canceling their presence in CHEGA's congress as Mr Ventura had "gone too far" and had "no decency". Earlier on Friday, PSD leader Rui Rio, had already trashed CHEGA accusing them of having "megalomaniac dreams ". IL also cancelled their appearance in the congress and at the end, only CDS was present. At the end of the congress, the appearance of Matteo Salvini was expected and in his speech, Salvini hoped that CHEGA would join his dream of a "big European family of popular, conservative and identity parties". The surprise was the appearance, by video, of a Likud representative supporting CHEGA.

The congress also had two very weird and confusing moments: one was Saturday afternoon, when as some delegates were speaking at the podium, other delegates were booing and the Congress chair forced a 15 minutes break in order "for delegates to relieve themselves in the bathroom". Other confusing moment was a fire outside the building, in a bush, that created some panic as it was near the parking lot.

[Mike88]

Another controversy from CHEGA's congress: Delegate accused of plagiarizing a speech from Giorgia Meloni, leader of Fratelli d'Italia.

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1399455887908081670

Chega member plagiarized leader of Italian party, but says it is "ridiculous" and "pitiful" to make "value judgment"

There's another controversy surrounding the CHEGA congress this weekend. This time, the media found that a CHEGA young member, Rita Matias, plagiarized a speech from Giorgia Meloni, leader of Fratelli d'Italia. Ms Matias literally copied complete sentences from a Meloni speech in 2019:
https://twitter.com/inesjfrodrigues/status/1399122765660237828

Rita Matias is rejecting the idea that she plagiarized Meloni's speech and her speech was much more "broad" while confessing that Meloni is a political reference for her.

[Mike88]

Intercampus poll for Funchal - PS incumbent, 104,000 inhabitants:

Vote share %:

46.7% PSD/CDS (-2.4)
38.3% PS/BE/PDR/NC (+0.4)
  2.9% CHEGA (-0.5)
  2.6% CDU (+0.2)
  2.2% IL (+0.1)
  1.5% JPP (+0.5)
  1.1% PTP (+0.4)
  4.7% Others/Invalid (+1.3)

Poll conducted between 17 and 26 May 2021. Polled 402 voters. MoE of 4.90%.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Hahahahahahaha lmao

Very funny to see CHEGA doglapping the Italian hard right in more ways than one. To be fair, considering how strong Lega and FdI summed together are in the polls now, this is not shocking.

[Mike88]

Hahahahahahaha lmao

Very funny to see CHEGA doglapping the Italian hard right in more ways than one. To be fair, considering how strong Lega and FdI summed together are in the polls now, this is not shocking.

CHEGA can only dream of having the kind of internal structure Lega or FdI have. Congress after Congress, it's clear CHEGA is Ventura and Ventura is CHEGA, there's nothing else not even a program/platform. If some day, Ventura does a "Santana Lopes", the next day CHEGA is over.

[Mike88]

2021 local elections update:

- In Pedrogão Grande, (Leiria district), the PS nominated candidate, incumbent mayor Valdemar Alves, announced he will not run for another term and will decline the PS nomination. Mr Alves is currently on trial because of corruption due to bad management of the 2017 wildfire recovery funds. His nomination was very controversial, with the local party supporting it, but the PS-Leiria district party opposing, forcing the national party to make a decision. The PSD is hoping to retake this village from the PS;

- In Vila Verde, (Braga district), a PSD bastion, the PS hasn't presented a candidate yet. Although the PSD has been dominant in this city for decades, it's involved in several corruption scandals and the current PSD candidate, the wife of a PSD MEP and former mayor of the city, is also suspected of corrupt deals. However, deep internal divisions are damaging the PS and the party hasn't find a candidate yet. So far, in this city only PSD, CDS and CHEGA presented their candidates;

- In Porto, the same occurs in the PS. The media is reporting that the local party is becoming fed up with Costa's delay in announcing a candidate and say that it will hurt the party's chances in the city. There is a deep division on the local party on who should run, and one of the likely candidates, Tiago Barbosa Ribeiro, has already dropped out, leaving Manuel Pizarro, the local party leader, and José Luís Carneiro, deputy PS general-secretary, as potential candidates;

- In Azambuja, (Lisbon district), there is a curious candidacy. A PS parish president has left the party and will run for mayor of Azambuja as the CHEGA candidate. Inês Louro, the parish president of the urban parish of Azambuja, has left the PS and, in an April interview to a local newspaper, said she supports many of CHEGA's ideas like more vocal support for rural areas;

- In Marco de Canaveses, (Porto district), the local CDS has "quit" from the coalition with the PSD as they accuse the party's negotiator in the coalition of being "disloyal". The coalition was imposed by the national CDS in a city where PSD and CDS actually hate each other, and the CDS negotiator rejected all of his party's picks for the lists and only accepted the PSD ones. So, the local party will not take part in the fall local election campaign;

- In the PSD, there's still a lot of people furious for not being picked and/or for being rejected by the national leadership. At least 5 local PSD branches, Aveiro, Barcelos, Castelo Branco, Lourinhã and Vila Nova de Paiva, have sent complaints to the party's "tribunal" and demand a clarification on who has the final say in picking candidates. The most complicated case is Barcelos where the local party actually threatens to take to an actual Court of law the PSD leadership because of the election process in that city;

More updates when available.

[Mike88]

Infrastructure minister Pedro Nuno Santos is being criticized for his posture within the PS:

https://twitter.com/dntwit/status/1400571524256464898

Criticism of minister Pedro Nuno Santos' performance reaches PS

Yesterday, the PS caucus leader, Ana Catarina Mendes, surprised pundits with a rather strong criticism of minister Pedro Nuno Santos handling of the ongoing TAP-Ryanair controversy. This controversy started after an EU court ruled that the TAP bailout was "insufficiently justified", which prompted a tense response by minister Pedro Nuno Santos accusing Ryanair of "commercial war" against TAP. There was also a meeting between both men, which ended badly with each side accusing each other: Nuno Santos refusing "any lessons from a private company" and Michael O"Leary, Ryanair chairman, saying the TAP bailout money was like throwing money down a toilet, and should be invested in other areas. The responses from Pedro Nuno Santos are being badly received within the PS leadership, with the PS caucus leader saying the minister should "behave" and ponder his words and not follow to the same level of Mr O"Leary.

However, some PS MPs are not happy with the words of the caucus leader to the minister. Curiously this seems like a prelude of what Costa's succession within the PS will be like. For a while now, Pedro Nuno Santos, from the leftwing part of the party, was seen as the "natural heir" of Costa, but he has collided with Costa in many topics and their relation is now strained a bit, plus the media trashes him all the time. Ana Catarina Mendes could also be a possible candidate for the succession, especially if Lisbon mayor Fernando Medina fails to be reelected in this fall. Of course this will only happen some years from now, maybe in 2023 or a bit latter, but the trends and divisions within the PS are curious.

[Mike88]

Eurosondagem poll for Sol newspaper/Porto Canal/other regional newspapers:

Vote share %:

40.0% PS (+0.6)
27.2% PSD (-0.2)
  8.4% CHEGA (+0.4)
  5.5% BE (-1.1)
  5.0% CDU (nc)
  2.7% IL (+0.5)
  2.5% CDS (nc)
  2.2% PAN (-0.2)
  6.5% Others/Invalid (nc)

Left vs Right:

52.7% PS+BE+CDU+PAN
40.8% PSD+CHEGA+IL+CDS

Poll conducted between 31 May and 3 June 2021. Polled 1,021 voters. MoE of 3.07%.

[Mike88]

PAN congress: Party convenes to elect Inês Sousa Real as new leader.

https://twitter.com/tvi24pt/status/1401227451552997380

PAN: Inês Sousa Real wants party as an "alternative to governance models"

The People-Animals-Nature party (PAN) congress happens this weekend in Tomar city, Santarém district. The main topic of the congress is the election of a new leader, which will be PAN caucus leader Inês Sousa Real. The vote will occur during tomorrow, Sunday, morning. This will also be André Silva's last congress as party leader. During the congress, however, there were some tense moments. In one of the motion votes, a motion to limit family connections in the leadership created a lot of tension and confusion. Some members in the leadership have family ties with other members and they accused this motion of being unconstitutional. This motion was overwhelmingly rejected at the end, with 103 votes in favour and just 12 in favour.

[Mike88]

PAN congress: Party convenes to elect Inês Sousa Real as new leader.

Inês Sousa Real is now officially PAN's new leader:

Inês Sousa Real was elected leader of PAN, this Sunday morning, gathering 109 votes (87.2%) of the delegates in the party's congress in Tomar city, Santarém. There were 16 votes blank or invalid (12.8%). The vote was by secret ballot.

[Mike88]

Aximage poll for JN/DN newspapers and TSF radio:

Vote share %:

38.9% PS (+0.7)
24.0% PSD (-2.1)
  8.0% BE (-1.2)
  7.0% CHEGA (-0.2)
  5.7% CDU (nc)
  5.2% IL (+0.3)
  3.7% PAN (+1.0)
  1.4% CDS (+1.0)
  0.3% Livre (-0.5)
  5.8% Others/Invalid (+1.0)

Preffered PM:

52% António Costa (-3)
15% Rui Rio (-2)
24% Neither (+4)
  2% Both (nc)
  7% Undecided (+1)

Government approval:

44% Approve (-11)
29% Disapprove (+7)
22% Average (nc)
  5% Undecided (+4)

President of the Republic approval:

70% Approve (-1)
10% Disapprove (nc)
17% Average (+8)
  3% Undecided (+1)

Poll conducted between 26 and 30 May 2021. Polled 796 voters. MoE of 3.40%.

[Mike88]

PSD general-secretary, José Silvano, to go on trial because of the 2018 "passwords scandal":

https://twitter.com/JornalNoticias/status/1401979163385335808

Secretary General of the PSD goes to trial in case of presences in the Assembly of the Republic

A judge has ruled that the PSD general secretary, José Silvano, will go on trial because of the 2018 "password scandal" regarding MPs presences in the floor of Parliament. In November that year, Expresso newspaper reported that a PSD MP used Mr Silvano password while in a Parliamentary session. She was accused of using Mr Silvano password to registered him as present, something she denied, and it was also revealed that this was a common practice between MPs of all parties, but this was the only one caught by TV cameras. The PSD MP who used Silvano's password, apologized for what she did, and Mr Silvano denies any wrongdoing and says an inquiry proved that there was no financial benefits and that he never allowed the use of his password. He also says the ruling is infair but that he will defend himself in Court. The judge accuses Mr Silvano of "computer forgery".

[Mike88]

Post Costa leadership in the PS? After Ana Catarina Mendes "attack" towards Pedro Nuno Santos, the media is saying that the PS is already thing in the future leader:

https://twitter.com/tvi24pt/status/1401993708363567107

Medina and Pedro Nuno Santos are options to succeed Costa in the PS

Ana Catarina Mendes, PS caucus leader, "attack" towards minister Pedro Nuno Santos has ignited, once again, the discussion of the future leadership of the PS. There are rumours and suggestions that Costa will not run again in 2023 in order to succeed Charles Michel in the Presidency of the European Council. There's also the suggestion that Costa could resign as PM next year as there's also rumours that EU leaders want to dump Michel next year, but this suggestion is very unlikely as it would be "political suicide" within Portugal. But the prospect of Costa not running for a 3rd term in 2023, is making pundits and the media look in a different way to the Mendes vs Nuno Santos feud. The likeliest candidates are minister Pedro Nuno Santos and Lisbon mayor Fernando Medina. Costa dislikes Nuno Santos and doesn't want him to succeed him, but, he's the strongest in the PS base. However, he has a problem as he is, according to polling, not a very popular minister and is currently inserted in the imbroglio of TAP airlines. Fernando Medina has a crucial test this fall with the local elections. A strong result in Lisbon would help him be the "Costa" candidate for the leadership. But, if Medina loses Lisbon, the media suggests that Ana Catarina Mendes could be Costa's solution to face Nuno Santos and fight him. (like I wrote in some posts above.)

Costa still controls the PS with a tight grip, but his hypothetical departure could divide the party. An interesting development to follow.

[Mike88]

2021 local elections: PS picks Eduardo Pinheiro, Mobility secretary, as the party's candidate for Porto city.

https://twitter.com/JornalNoticias/status/1402187165858107407

Eduardo Pinheiro is the PS candidate for the Porto City Hall.

This announcement is surprising the media and pundits. Costa has picked Eduardo Pinheiro, his mobility secretary, as the PS candidate for Porto mayor. The local PS was deeply divided and had been lacking a candidate in the country's 2nd largest city for months now, but this pick is surprising as Mr Pinheiro is quite unknown, and many in the local party are criticizing the pick and suggesting that there's a secret deal between Costa and Rui Moreira. Both PS and PSD decided to pick not very well known candidates this time around. Porto city now has 4 official candidates, from PS, PSD, CDU and BE. CHEGA will announce their candidate during the next few day and it could be a dissident from Rui Moreira's movement. Independent mayor Rui Moreira, involved in a corruption case, has yet to announce his candidacy but an announcement is widely expected in the coming weeks.

[Mike88]

Controversial government nominations are dominating the headlines:

The nomination of Pedro Adão e Silva as the chairman of the 50th anniversary of the 25 April revolution committee is being criticized for its mandate, wage and background:

https://twitter.com/P_Politica/status/1402246814783393795

True: Will Pedro Adão e Silva enjoy the “best benefits of the State” to organize the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April?

The day is being dominated by two government appointments that are generating a lot of controversy. The first, is the official nomination of Pedro Adão e Silva, a political commentator with ties with the PS, to the post of chairman of the 50th anniversary of the 25 April 1974 revolution committee, in which, the media is reporting he will hold that office until 2026 and earn 4,500 euros monthly. He will also have a personal chauffeur, a personal secretary and other people working directly to him. The opposition is trashing this nomination, with PSD leader Rui Rio accusing Costa of using taxpayers money to "pay" all the compensations Mr Adão e Silva did to the PS as a pundit. The government hasn't reacted yet, however, many PS members are accusing the opposition of populism.

There is other controversial nomination, this time for the Mobility and Transport Authority presidency. The government choose Ana Paula Vitorino, PS MP and wife of the deeply unpopular minister of internal affairs, Eduardo Cabrita, as the new chairwoman of the Mobility and Transport Authority. She will earn 12,000 euros per month, but what is really creating controversy is that this nomination seems to be resurrection the "familygate" scandal of 2019. In that scandal, the media found that many government picks had family ties, which created a lot of criticism and accusations of nepotism. This time, many accuse the government of, once again, nominating someone as a family favour.

[Mike88]

2021 local elections: PS picks Eduardo Pinheiro, Mobility secretary, as the party's candidate for Porto city.

Back to square one in the PS: Eduardo Pinheiro quits as candidate just 24 hours after being picked by his party. According to Público newspaper, he said that "after a carefull reflection" he declined the invitation to be a candidate.

This pick for Porto city was received with fury by the local party, with PS members accusing Costa of forging a secret deal with Rui Moreira. Is José Luís Carneiro, PS deputy secretary general, condemned to be a candidate, even against the wishes of the PS-Porto? We'll see.