🇵🇹 Portugal's politics and elections 3.0

[Mike88]

This is a bit funny:

With the ongoing housing package fiasco, mainly the controversy surrounding the mandatory lease of vacant houses, which the State has already "retracted", a bit, by giving a lot of exceptions, and the discussion that the State has thousands of empty buildings that could be turned into homes but the Government isn't investing on them or even interested, SIC TV has decided to ask viewers to sent them photos and locations of abandoned and vacant State owned buildings:

https://twitter.com/SICNoticias/status/1628519041273823232

Are you aware of any vacant building of the Portuguese State? Send us a photo and location to omeutestemunho@sic.impresa.pt

[Mike88]

More controversy from the housing package: Government proposes a definitive freeze in old rent contracts, with owners being compensated by the State.

https://twitter.com/ECO_PT/status/1628678684247818242

Old rent contracts are permanently frozen

With the government's housing package still generating a lot of discussion and criticisms, the government gave more details from another policy within the package: the permanent rent freeze for old contracts with the State compensating owners for what they lost. Housing minister, Marina Gonçalves, announced the details in an interview to Público newspaper, and contracts before 1990 will be frozen. The rent freeze is a controversial one as it dates back from the 1st Republic, cemented by the Salazar regime and maintained until 2012 when the then PSD/CDS government ended the long rent freeze in old contracts. The government is still unsure how many contracts will have an impact and is still studying the policy, adding that until the summer, the study will be completed. Overall, if tenants will not pay more rent increases, owners will receive, from taxpayers, what they would get if the rent was increased year by year.

[Mike88]

Intercampus poll for CMTV/CM newspaper on the 2026 Presidential election:

https://twitter.com/PortugalElects/status/1626675258445946898

[Mike88]

Some updates:
(...)
- Tensions between teachers and the government continue. Everyday, schools across the country are closed because of the teachers strikes and protests. Another protest against the government is schedule for next Saturday, 28 January, in Lisbon city;

Teachers protest gathers around 80,000 protesters in a walk between the Education ministry and the Presidential palace:

3rd teachers protest, in less than a month, gathers more than 150,000 protesters in Lisbon city according to unions:
(...)
New negotiations are set for next week, with the government optimistic about their outcome, but unions doubt any change in the government's position and, during this Saturday protest, warned that if the government doesn't change position, new strikes and protests will start in March.
(...)

No deal, again, between unions and the government. And a DA legal opinion regarding the strikes is creating more "bad" mood between both sides:

Once again, no deal. Teachers and the Government fail to reach an agreement and protests and strikes will continue:

Even though some progress has been made, a deal between teachers unions and the government is far from reach. Some unions will still wait for the government's final draft, but hope is very little. Another protest is expected for Saturday and a new strike is schedule for 2 and 3 March. Unions are also very upset with the way the government is using minimal services to "outpace" the strikes.

[Mike88]

Foreign Affairs minister, João Gomes Cravinho, involved in a new controversy surrounding his driver's license. The DA office is already investigating:

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1628867823119245312

João Gomes Cravinho may have been favored in renewing his driving license. President of IMT suspected of falsifying procedures

TVI revealed, this evening, that foreign affairs minister, João Gomes Cravinho, is being investigated because of the renewal of his driver's license. According to the network, by 2021, the minister's licence had expired 7 years ago and he had to renovated it by making a series of tests. But, the chairman of IMT, the government agency that manages drivers licensing, Eduardo Feio, is accused of favouring the minister by forging a series of mandatory documents in order for the license be renewed. Gomes Cravinho and Mr Feio are, therefore, being investigated for abuse of power and influence peddling. The minister's office denies any wrongdoing and says that everything was done by the law.

Gomes Cravinho is also involved in another controversy: While in a visit to Brazil, Gomes Cravinho announced that President Lula da Silva would give a speech at the 25 April day ceremony in Parliament but... no one was informed and backlash against the minister started with parties, left to right, accusing the minister of "running over" the authority of Parliament. PSD and IL refuse Lula's speech on the 25th April but are fine with another day, CHEGA accuses Cravinho of disrespecting Parliament, while BE accuses the government of making a "political number". Speaker Santos Silva says that decision will only be made at an "appropriate date" and only after parties are heard.

[Mike88]

2021 Russiagate: Activists sue Lisbon city for moral damages and justice for victims.

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1628780851969261570

Anti-Putin activists sue Lisbon City Hall. “There have been no political responsibilities yet”

The 2021 Russiagate scandal, in which Lisbon city hall sent personal data from anti-Putin activists to the Russian assembly plus from other countries as well, got a new chapter this week as several Russian, Belarusian, and others, decided to sue Lisbon city hall for moral damages and demand justice for the victims, demanding 120,000 euros in repairs. The Data Protection Commission has already fined Lisbon city hall in more than 1,2 million euros but activists say it's not enough, adding that no political responsibilities were accepted and that no one benefited from that fine.

The "Russiagate" broke in the summer of 2021 when it was reported that Lisbon city hall, at the time led by incumbent Finance minister, Fernando Medina, was sharing personal data of activists living in Lisbon city with their country's of origin embassies. The majority of them were anti-Putin activists that had their data sent to the Russian embassy.

[Mike88]

PCP being just... PCP

https://twitter.com/ArVotacoes/status/1629174013552459777

Vote Project (PAR) In solidarity with Ukraine, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Federation

https://twitter.com/ArVotacoes/status/1629179035161960453

Vote Project (PCP) Condemning the escalation of confrontation and war, solidarity with its victims and demand for peace

[Mike88]

Another teacher protest with around 50,000 protesters, alongside another protest against the high cost of living which gathered around 10,000 people, dominated the streets of Lisbon this Saturday.

https://twitter.com/Lusa_noticias/status/1629600652287520770

Thousands of education professionals do "burial of the public school" in Lisbon

The teachers vs government "battle" seems to have no end in sight and polls have been showing that voters are siding overwhelmingly with teachers and are giving a "red card" to the government:

Intercampus poll for CMTV/CM newspaper:

Q: Do you think teachers are right to be upset?

78.9% Yes
15.4% No
  5.6% Undecided

Poll conducted between 3 and 10 February 2023. Polled 602 voters. MoE of 4.00%.

UCP–CESOP poll for RTP and Público newspaper:

Q1: The teachers demands are fair or unfair?

84% Fair
12% Unfair
  4% Undecided

Q2: Who has had the best posture in the search for a solution?

57% Unions
20% The Government
12% Neither
  2% Both
  9% Undecided

Poll conducted between 9 and 17 February 2023. Polled 1,002 voters. MoE of 3.10%.

UCP–CESOP also polled voters on the most important issues currently facing Portugal:

UCP–CESOP poll for RTP and Público newspaper:

Vote share %:

32% PS (-6)
31% PSD (+1)
11% CHEGA (+3)
  8% IL (+2)
  7% BE (+2)
  4% CDU (-1)
  2% PAN (+1)
  2% Livre (nc)
  1% CDS (nc)
  2% Others/Invalid (-1)

Government popularity:

52.2% Bad/Very bad (+15.2)
38.9% Average (-11.1)
  7.0% Good/Very good (-3.0)
  1.9% Undecided (-1.1)

Poll conducted between 9 and 17 February 2023. Polled 1,002 voters. MoE of 3.10%.

Q: Most important issue facing the country right now:

20% Inflation/Cost of living
15% The Government
11% Corruption
  7% The Economy
  4% Low wages
  4% Healthcare
  4% Lack of credibility of politicians
  3% Housing
  2% The war
  2% Inequality
28% Others/Undecided

Poll conducted between 9 and 17 February 2023. Polled 1,002 voters. MoE of 3.10%.

[Mike88]

General Inspectorate of Finance says that former Treasury Secretary Alexandra Reis compensation from TAP has several irregularities and illegalities. President Marcelo is already "warning" Fernando Medina:

A report from the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF), requested by Finance minister Fernando Medina, says, according to media reports, that former Treasury Secretary, Alexandra Reis, compensation from TAP airlines, due to her exit from the airline, is full of irregularities and illegalities. Both TAP and Ms. Reis have already responded, in private, to the IGF report and a final and definitive report could be published during this week.

Facing this news, President Marcelo is "warning" Fernando Medina of the political consequences of this report. Talking to reporters, Marcelo said that Medina will have to ponder that consequences of the report's conclusions. Did Marcelo just said that Medina could be forced to resign? Other possible consequence of this report could be the dismissal of the current TAP administration, which could hurt the ongoing privatization process. In response to the President, Medina has said that "the Government will determine what is imposed on TAP".

We'll see. This week could be a very tense one politically.

[Mike88]

BE leadership: Catarina Martins announces she is leaving the leadership.
(...)
Possible candidates for the leadership are MPs Mariana Mortágua and Pedro Filipe Soares. Update: MP Pedro Filipe Soares just announced he will not run for the leadership.

The media is reporting that Mariana Mortágua is going to run for the leadership and that the announcement will be made in the next few days. SIC Notícias is reporting that Mortágua is seen as a "unity" candidate that could unite the main factions within the party. This points that Mortágua could be the sole candidate to the leadership, but we'll have to wait and see.

Mariana Mortágua officially launches her bid for BE leadership:

https://twitter.com/cnnportugal/status/1630170227303489536

The MP and bloquist member Mariana Mortágua announced this Monday her candidacy for leadership of the Left Bloc, at a press conference at the party's headquarters, in Lisbon.

As expected, MP Mariana Mortágua announced her candidacy for the BE leadership this morning. The announcement was expected for a few days now, after Catarina Martins surprise departure from the leadership. In her speech, Mortágua said that only a leftwing alternative can solve the country's problems and trashed the PS majority, accusing it of being "arrogant, intransigent and unstable". She added that the PS isn't fulfilling its promises and promissed that she will fight for labour, housing, equality and the right for a good life. She went on to say she counts in all of the people who feel that the PS government has "given up" and that the PS is promoting "politics of fear" by using CHEGA as a scarecrow. Her candidacy was signed by more than 1,300 BE members.

However, it's expected that she will have an opposing candidate in the party's convention in May, as some members have collected the necessary 194 signatures to file a candidate opposing Mortágua. The name of the candidate is yet to be known.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

PCP being just... PCP

https://twitter.com/ArVotacoes/status/1629174013552459777

Vote Project (PAR) In solidarity with Ukraine, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Federation

https://twitter.com/ArVotacoes/status/1629179035161960453

Vote Project (PCP) Condemning the escalation of confrontation and war, solidarity with its victims and demand for peace

I am in Lisbon (as I anticipated) and one of the first things I saw here was a graffiti that says "Russia, Putim + PCP = assassinos de crianças".

[Mike88]

PCP being just... PCP

https://twitter.com/ArVotacoes/status/1629174013552459777

Vote Project (PAR) In solidarity with Ukraine, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Federation

https://twitter.com/ArVotacoes/status/1629179035161960453

Vote Project (PCP) Condemning the escalation of confrontation and war, solidarity with its victims and demand for peace

I am in Lisbon (as I anticipated) and one of the first things I saw here was a graffiti that says "Russia, Putim + PCP = assassinos de crianças".

You will find tons of them in Lisbon.

[Mike88]

Aximage poll for DN Madeira newspaper on the 2023 Madeira elections:

Vote share %: (after 9.0% of undecideds are excluded)

55.0% PSD/CDS (+1.0)
16.8% PS (-9.8 )
13.8% JPP (+4.4)
  3.6% CHEGA (+0.9)
  3.2% IL (+0.9)
  1.9% CDU (+0.8 )
  1.4% BE (+0.5)
  0.9% PAN (+0.7)
  3.4% Others/Invalid (+0.5)

Poll conducted between 14 and 24 February 2023. Polled 603 voters. MoE of 3.99%.

[Mike88]

Gomes Cravinho is also involved in another controversy: While in a visit to Brazil, Gomes Cravinho announced that President Lula da Silva would give a speech at the 25 April day ceremony in Parliament but... no one was informed and backlash against the minister started with parties, left to right, accusing the minister of "running over" the authority of Parliament. PSD and IL refuse Lula's speech on the 25th April but are fine with another day, CHEGA accuses Cravinho of disrespecting Parliament, while BE accuses the government of making a "political number". Speaker Santos Silva says that decision will only be made at an "appropriate date" and only after parties are heard.

The "Lulagate" is now apparently settled: President Lula will not speak at the 25 April ceremony and will give a speech to Parliament in a separate session. The day is yet to be decided. CHEGA was the only party to vote against.

If with this decision by parties puts Gomes Cravinho in an even more "delicate" position, there's this: Gomes Cravinho, foreign affairs minister, "WTF" quest to renew his driving license had a new chapter. After TVI published a report in which the minister was being investigated due to the way his license was renewed, documents and procedures are suspected to have been forged, a new report came out in which is now said that the minister, just last summer, did an online course to... renew his license, 13 months after several documents were allegedly forged in his favour and when the DA office was already investigating the minister;

A few other stories:

- Another minister, the new Infrastructure minister João Galamba, is also on the news for not wanting to pay taxes on a house he sold for double the price he bought it. This case started in 2007 but dragged on in Courts until 2017, just before his entry into Costa's government. In 2007, Galamba sold a house by double the price he had bought it and in order to avoid paying capital gains taxes, he declared that he reinvested the capital gains in another house for permanent use. But, in 2011, tax authorities ruled that there was no proof that he was eligible for the tax benefit and mandated him to prove this. Galamba rejected the ruling and presented two witnesses that were considered by a Court as "non convincing". In the end, he was forced to pay taxes worth 14,500 euros, but in a time when there's a housing problem and the government is being criticized for its "complicated" housing package, this story is... well, a bit embarrassing, to say the least;

- And another minister is facing pressures. Health minister Manuel Pizarro is facing more NHS complications and the reorganization of ERs across the country. The latest problem are the minister's "flip-flops" on the closing of pediatrician ERs in Loures hospital. Despite saying strongly that no emergency rooms, of anykind, would close or be half open, the minister then announced that ERs of pediatrician in Loures hospital would close during the night. Loures, a Lisbon suburb with more than 200,000 inhabitants, would be without childcare during night hours and the hospital's emergency team has already tendered its resignation because of this decision and, also, due to lack of staff. Loures hospital was, until January last year, ran by a private-public partnership but is now 100% State run and many say that the services in the hospital have deteriorated immensely since then;

- Pedro Passos Coelho, former PM between 2011-2015, is back on the news because of a speech he made and also because President Marcelo was also there and made a big deal aboout of it, again. In a private event, the former PM talked about EU reform and trashed Christine Lagard's tenure as ECB chairwoman, adding that Portugal needed a "cause" to fight for. Marcelo highlighted Passos speech saying that Passos was speaking "of a series of values and principals that define a political life of someone who is talking about the future". The discussion if Passos wants to run again for Prime Minister or start a Presidential run is back on the table;

[Mike88]

Intercampus poll for CMTV/CM newspaper:

Vote share %: (after 17.5% of undecideds are excluded)

28.4% PS (-2.7)
27.6% PSD (-1.9)
14.1% CHEGA (+3.4)
  9.0% IL (+1.4)
  5.8% BE (-1.5)
  4.7% CDU (+1.0)
  2.9% PAN (-0.7)
  1.6% Livre (-0.8 )
  1.1% CDS (+0.4)
  4.8% Others/Invalid (+1.5)

Popularity ratings: (between 1 and 5)

2.8 João Cotrim Figueiredo (nc)
2.8 Luís Montenegro (-0.1)
2.7 Rui Tavares (nc)
2.6 António Costa (nc)
2.5 Inês Sousa Real (-0.1)
2.5 Catarina Martins (-0.1)
2.4 Nuno Melo (-0.1)
2.4 André Ventura (+0.1)
2.3 Paulo Raimundo (-0.1)

Poll conducted between 3 and 10 February 2023. Polled 602 voters. MoE of 4.00%.

The crosstabs of the February Intercampus poll were published in the ERC website, the entity that regulates the media. Costa and his government are completely "under water", while President Marcelo reached the lowest approval rating, so far, in his seven-year term.

President Marcelo approval rating:

41.2% Approve (-5.6)
28.4% Disapprove (+2.1)
28.7% Neither approve or disapprove (+3.4)
  1.7% Undecided (nc)

PM Costa approval rating:

51.4% Disapprove (nc)
21.4% Approve (-4.3)
25.4% Neither approve or disapprove (+4.2)
  1.8% Undecided (+0.1)

Government approval rating:

54.6% Disapprove (+0.2)
17.8% Approve (-1.3)
25.7% Neither approve or disapprove (+1.1)
  1.8% Undecided (nc)

[Mike88]

Another weekend, more protests against the government: Teachers held protests in Lisbon and Porto cities:

https://twitter.com/JornalNoticias/status/1632083136854249472

Demonstrations in Lisbon and Porto bring together 80,000 teachers

Another weekend is passing and more anti-government protests are on the streets. If last week it was the STOP union to lead the protests in Lisbon, this weekend it was FENPROF's turn to lead protests in both Lisbon and Porto cities. The union says that in total around 80,000 people went to the streets, but the police says that 15,000-20,000 people protested in Porto city, and around the same number in Lisbon city. Unions and the government will meet for a final, and ultimate?, time next Thursday, 9 March, to try to reach a deal, with the Education minister, João Costa, very optimistic about the outcome. However, unions reject the optimism of the minister and accuse the government of not responding to any of the demands and of wanting to put public opinion against teachers.

Today's protests didn't had the participation of the STOP union. If currently there's a unions vs government battle, there's a union battle between STOP and FENPROF. FENPROF is more aligned with the PCP and seems to have been losing steam in the last few years, while STOP union seems to be galvanizing teachers and its charismatic leader, André Pestana, had connections with the small far-left party MAS, Socialist Alternative Movement. FENPROF is known for using "old school" union practices, while STOP is characterized for more radical, and innovative, actions like nonstop strikes and protests.

[Mike88]

Housing package update:

The government proposed housing package enters in its final week of public discussion with more controversies and criticisms. The government has been announcing more details of the package but doubts and questions of feasibility remain and, in some cases, even increase. The most controversy proposal, the mandatory lease of vacant buildings, remains in the spotlight: The government wants to force water and gas companies to do a list of houses with no consumption. This rule already exists, but only if local government asks for. Another detail in the proposal is that owners will have 100 days to put vacant houses to use or on lease, or the State will force the lease of the property. And another detail of the housing package is that people with savings of more than 29,786 euros will not receive any benefits from the package's banking housing credit aid.

Like I wrote above, criticisms from all sides, owners, tenants, entrepreneurs, housing specialists, etc, are everywhere, and adding to this, more and more stories of abandoned and vacant State buildings continue to be reported, putting on center stage the "morality" of some proposals.

If opposition parties, left to right, are trashing the housing package for different reasons, of course, in the PS the mood isn't different: The media is reporting that many PS members are "nervous" with the proposed policies and are warning that the party cannot be seen like it is at "war" against the Private sector. Other reports also say that Costa is pressuring PS mayors to implement the package, but Costa's appeal is being received with skepticism by the Socialist mayors with many suggesting the PM is "anxious" and that his reassurances aren't calming or clarifying the many doubts mayors have.

[Niemeyerite]

Why is Marcelo getting more unpopular? Do people also blame him for the mistakes of the Government?

[Mike88]

Why is Marcelo getting more unpopular? Do people also blame him for the mistakes of the Government?

Well, Marcelo has a tendency for wanting to "excuse" the government from some things, but at the same time, he has, in some occasions, no problem in suggesting that government members should be ousted.

However, in my opinion, the reason for Marcelo's drop in popularity is because he...talks too much. Seriously, about everything and more often than not, he's caught with "his foot in his mouth". From downplaying the sexual abuses in the Church, to always talking and talking about stuff no one asked him about, and that no one cares, and so on. It becomes tiring and makes him look a bit adrift.

[Mike88]

General Inspectorate of Finance says that former Treasury Secretary Alexandra Reis compensation from TAP has several irregularities and illegalities. President Marcelo is already "warning" Fernando Medina:
(...)
Facing this news, President Marcelo is "warning" Fernando Medina of the political consequences of this report. Talking to reporters, Marcelo said that Medina will have to ponder that consequences of the report's conclusions. Did Marcelo just said that Medina could be forced to resign? Other possible consequence of this report could be the dismissal of the current TAP administration, which could hurt the ongoing privatization process. In response to the President, Medina has said that "the Government will determine what is imposed on TAP".

We'll see. This week could be a very tense one politically.

Government receives the report and decides to fire the current TAP administration:

The General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) report on the controversial firing of former Treasury secretary Alexandra Reis from TAP airlines, was presented this Monday by Finance minister Fernando Medina and his cabinet colleague Infrastructure minister João Galamba. The report, like it was already published, says that Ms Reis firing was illegal and that her exit deal has to be nullified. Adding to this, the report states that Ms Reis has to give back 450,000 of the 500,000 euros in the compensation she received. Facing these results, the government decided to fire the Chairman and CEO of TAP airlines, Christine Ourmières-Widener, for just causes and that no monetary compensations will be given to them. The new TAP CEO will be the current SATA Azores airlines CEO, also in a process of restructuring after a near bankruptcy, Luís Rodrigues and he will accumulate both the CEO and Chairman posts.

Alexandra Reis, via statement, has already commented on the report and said she doesn't agree with the conclusions but that she doesn't want "one more cent" that wasn't for her and she will give the money back.

The still incumbent TAP CEO, Christine Ourmières-Widener, has yet to publicly react to this government decision, but, a note from her in the IGF report suggests she may go the Courts and challenge the government.

[Mike88]

Here we go again...

Santa Comba Dão's mayor goes ahead with the project for a "Salazar Museum", even though the government is unaware of any project:

https://twitter.com/expresso/status/1632805035477221378

“Museum Salazar”: Parliament condemned, Minister of Culture is unaware, but Santa Comba Dão starts with project in May

Once again, the ancient project by Santa Comba Dão's, Viseu district, local government, controlled by the PS, of creating a theme museum regarding the Salazar regime is on the news as the mayor of the village says it will start in May with phase one of the Interpretive Center and Museum of the Estado Novo. Back in 2019, Parliament condemned such idea, with the votes in favour of all left parties and the abstention of PSD and CDS, and the project was frozen. But now, the mayor of Salazar's native land is going ahead with the project with first creating a "model museum", to open in late May, and then go ahead with a final, and definitive, museum solution. For this later phase, the mayor is searching for funds. The mayor says this project is absolutely necessary in order to "interpret facts and show the virtues of democracy". The government has no knowledge of this project, according to Expresso newspaper.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Why does the government package seemingly drop the ball with social housing (from how you described it at least)? It would not be any more "radical" or "at war with the private sector" than whatever they're actually doing and I think it'd be more efficient and well-received.

[Mike88]

Why does the government package seemingly drop the ball with social housing (from how you described it at least)? It would not be any more "radical" or "at war with the private sector" than whatever they're actually doing and I think it'd be more efficient and well-received.

That's the big question of this package. But, because there were a lot of broken promisses regarding social housing and nothing was done in the last 7 years, now it's too late for the government to initiate big social housing projects. Now, they are being forced to propose "desperate" measures that in reality will not solve anything, probably just creating the appearance of solving, as all of the policies need to be regulated by local governments, and mayors from all sides are already saying "look, we don't have the capacity to do all of this". Several local governments have ongoing social housing projects, plus want the State to give them crumbling State owned building to be turn into housing, but the State is unresponsive. Adding to all of the above, the measures in this package are also, and as expected, infuriating housing investors, which the irony is, were crucial for the economic success during 2016-2019 which greatly benefited Costa's first government.

[Mike88]

General Inspectorate of Finance says that former Treasury Secretary Alexandra Reis compensation from TAP has several irregularities and illegalities. President Marcelo is already "warning" Fernando Medina:
(...)
Facing this news, President Marcelo is "warning" Fernando Medina of the political consequences of this report. Talking to reporters, Marcelo said that Medina will have to ponder that consequences of the report's conclusions. Did Marcelo just said that Medina could be forced to resign? Other possible consequence of this report could be the dismissal of the current TAP administration, which could hurt the ongoing privatization process. In response to the President, Medina has said that "the Government will determine what is imposed on TAP".

We'll see. This week could be a very tense one politically.

Government receives the report and decides to fire the current TAP administration:
(...)
The new TAP CEO will be the current SATA Azores airlines CEO, also in a process of restructuring after a near bankruptcy, Luís Rodrigues and he will accumulate both the CEO and Chairman posts.

The government's decision to nominate Azores SATA CEO as the new TAP CEO is being badly received by the Azores government as the latter wasn't consulted in this decision:

If the silence of the still incumbent TAP CEO is news, the pick of the new CEO is also creating a bad mood between the National Government and the Azores Government. In the regional parliament this morning, the finance secretary of the Azores, Duarte Freitas, said that the regional cabinet was not consulted in the exit of the SATA CEO and was only informed 5/6 hours before the official announcement. He also accused the national government of statelessness. Parties in the Azores, left to right, are also upset with the government's decision, with PPM accusing the PS national government of wanting to "destroy" the Azores regional government while PAN accused the PS of removing any stability from SATA airlines. Other parties are also worried by this change in leadership at a time where SATA also prepares its privatization.

[Mike88]

Azores government: IL and Independent MP "tear" the agreement with the PSD. Snap elections in the horizon?

https://twitter.com/Lusa_noticias/status/1633460781487382529

IL breaks parliamentary agreement with the Government of the Azores

In the end, it wasn't CHEGA to slam the door, it was the Liberals. This afternoon, the IL-Azores announced it was tearing up the deal with the PSD-Azores because of deep disagreements on transport policy and nominations for public offices. Shortly after, the dissident CHEGA MP, Carlos Furtado, also announced his exit from the deal, accusing the regional government of treating him like a "minor parent". The President of the regional government, José Manuel Bolieiro, hasn't reacted yet but a reaction is expected during the day. With this decision, the Azores government has 27 seats, against the 28 seats of PS, BE and PAN. Will snap elections be inevitable? Or will the government continue by negotiating law by law with IL and the Independent MP? We'll see.

Crals, give us your take.