🇵🇹 Portugal's politics and elections 3.0

[Mike88]

Came across this Youtube comment.

In general, that's the consensus about this whole affair. Marcelo's speaks too much and is now paying a price for it and Costa "gambled" and "won", sort of, as it's very difficult to see what has he gained by saving a deeply unpopular minister at the same time Costa himself is also deeply unpopular. The mood right now is a bit rotten, the PS wants this whole TAP affair to be over and this is creating tensions with the Opposition in the CPI with accusations from both sides.

[Mike88]

Euthanasia bill: President Marcelo vetoes the new bill and the bill is sent back to Parliament.

Parliament will now decide if it will change, again, the text of the bill or force the same bill to the President.

Parliament reconfirms the Euthanasia bill and forces President Marcelo to sign it:

https://twitter.com/cnnportugal/status/1657000108867633153

Parliament confirmed this Friday the decree vetoed by the President of the Republic on medically assisted death, forcing its promulgation.

Marcelo has eight days to promulgate the decree, after having vetoed it four times.

Parliament has reconfirmed the new Euthanasia bill vetoed by President Marcelo last April. The parties who support the bill, PS, IL, BE, PAN and Livre, pressed that Parliament has all the legitimacy to rule on Euthanasia and that the Parliamentary majority should be respected. Parties that are against the bill, PSD, CHEGA and PCP, say that the bill is impossible to implement and that instead of Euthanasia, the State should invest more in healthcare. PSD pressed on the referendum proposal. In the end, the vote was the following:

129 In favour (107 PS; 8 PSD; 7 IL; 5 BE; 1 PAN; 1 Livre)
  81 Against (60 PSD; 12 CHEGA; 5 PCP; 4 PS)
    1 Abstention (1 PSD)
  19 Absent (9 PS; 8 PSD; 1 IL; 1 PCP)

President Marcelo has now 8 days to sign the bill, and he has basically no alternative. However, some law experts say that the President could evoke a "conscientious objection" to avoid signing the bill, but this was never done by any President and it's very unlikely to happen.

At the same time, parties could also send the bill to the Constitutional Court. A minimum of 23 MPs are needed to sign a petition to the Court and only the PSD has those numbers. The party has already confirmed that a significant number of MPs are planning to send the bill to the Court.

[Mike88]

(...)
President Marcelo has now 8 days to sign the bill, and he has basically no alternative. However, some law experts say that the President could evoke a "conscientious objection" to avoid signing the bill, but this was never done by any President and it's very unlikely to happen.
(...)

President Marcelo has confirmed that he will sign the bill. His words:

The Assembly confirms, the President promulgates.

[Mike88]

Some stories of the last few days:

CHEGA did a "siege" to the PS headquarters but it was a fiasco and little attention was paid to it, only PS and CHEGA tried to make a bid deal out of it:

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1657448119444054017

A protest, according to the party, to denounce what it says is the endemic corruption that exists in the country and the almost certain statute of limitations for the crimes of which José Sócrates is accused.

As usual in CHEGA rallies/protests, a "big" turnout is announced but then basically no one shows up. It happened the same last Saturday, 13 May. The party held a rally, they called it a siege, in front of the PS national headquarters and it was a total fiasco. Just 100, or so, people turned out and had little if no impact. Few media outlets gave importance to it and it was third rate news in most of the media. The PS, like CHEGA, tried to make a big deal out of it accusing CHEGA of a shameful attack on democracy but that they are not afraid of CHEGA. In the middle they also trashed Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas for allowing the protest.

Now, the media coverage is dominated by the new tobacco rules, proposed by the Government, and the highly anticipated Parliamentary hearings of minister João Galamba and his now former advisor, Frederico Pinheiro, in the TAP CPI next Wednesday and Thursday.

Regarding the tobacco rules, they are receiving a big backlash from left to right and the media. Some of the rules, like forbidding smoking near schools, hospitals and universities are labeled as impossible to implement. And the proposal of banning sales of tobacco in the overwhelming majority of shops is leading to accusations of violation of individual freedoms and that the Government may be opening the door to a wave of smuggling. There is also the accusation that the new proposed rules are just a distraction in order to stop more discussions regarding the recent government crisis. We'll see how this end, probably many of the rules will be dropped.

The TAP CPI continues on giving and giving. Last week, MPs questioned, behind closed doors, the directors of the Secret Services (SIS) regarding the "robbery and collection" of the famous laptop during the events of the 26th April in the Infrastructure ministry. What came out of them is that nothing makes sense, even more:

https://twitter.com/SICNoticias/status/1657837209901252614

Next week promises to be hectic in Parliament. João Galamba and Frederico Pinheiro will be heard in the TAP inquiry commission on the case involving the Portuguese secret services.

- The Parliamentary Committee that overseas the SIS says that there was no robbery, contradicting the Prime Minister who, after rejecting the resignation of João Galamba, pressed that his now former advisor committed a "shameful act" of robbery;

- The director of SIS assumes that it was he asked for the recovery of the laptop but was totally unaware of what was in it and basically just followed a request by the Infrastructure ministry;

- Then, there were reports that it was the secretary-general of the Secret Services who activated the search for the laptop, but she denied and confirmed that she has, or had, no knowledge of any crime being committed;

So, another week of confusing and contradictory remarks. Let's see what awaits us from Galamba's and his advisor's hearings.

[Mike88]

Police arrests deputy mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia and 6 others in raid for suspected corruption. The mayor is also a suspect.

https://twitter.com/observadorpt/status/1658433320563380224

Gaia and Porto City Halls targeted by the PJ on suspicion of corruption. 7 arrested, including the deputy mayor of the municipality of Gaia:

The police conducted a series of raids in Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia city halls, the 3rd and 4th most populated municipalities in the country, for suspicions of corruption schemes worth 300 million euros in both cities. Several people were arrested, seven, and one of them is the deputy mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia, Patrocínio Azevedo (PS), which is accused of shady deals to approve urban projects and of receiving bribes. In Porto city hall, the Urbanism Councillor, Pedro Baganha (Ind.), had his phone seized by the police and is a suspect in this investigation. A few local construction businessmen were also arrested.

Earlier this week, the mayor and deputy of mayor of Tabuaço, Viseu district, both from the PSD, were suspended from their posts because of a corruption investigation regarding, again, shady deals in urban planning and projects.

Update: The media is revealing that the mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues (PS), is also a suspect in the investigation that led to the arrest of his deputy. Vítor Rodrigues is suspect of benefiting private companies and third parties and his private cell phone was seized by the police.

[Mike88]

(...)
President Marcelo has now 8 days to sign the bill, and he has basically no alternative. However, some law experts say that the President could evoke a "conscientious objection" to avoid signing the bill, but this was never done by any President and it's very unlikely to happen.
(...)

President Marcelo has confirmed that he will sign the bill. His words:

The Assembly confirms, the President promulgates.

President Marcelo has signed the Euthanasia legalization bill into law. The Government now has 90 days to approve the regulation of the bill and after that approval, the law takes effect 30 days afterwards.

However, complications along the way could delay, once again, the new law. The Order of Physicians is saying they will not nominate anyone to the committee that, by law, will approve cases of euthanasia, which could ensure a legal battle between doctors and Parliament.

[Mike88]

So, another week of confusing and contradictory remarks. Let's see what awaits us from Galamba's and his advisor's hearings.

TAP Parliamentary Committee: Another day of confusing, contradictory, outrageous and also ridiculous/pathetic revelations, from pressures from the Secret Services to total different versions of events.

https://twitter.com/Publico/status/1658944395943485447

Ex-advisor increases pressure on Galamba and weakens the performance of the secret services

The TAP Parliamentary Committee (CPI) hearings of minister João Galamba former advisor, Frederico Pinheiro, and his chief of staff, Eugénia Correia, were highly awaited and they didn't fall short in terms of revelations. Mr. Frederico Pinheiro made a series of revelations that surprised MPs: He accused João Galamba of threatening him with "two punches in the face" in a phone call; He said he was threatened by a Secret Services (SIS) agent who pressured him in returning the infamous laptop without issues, warning him that if he didn't cooperate things "would get nasty to him" and that he had "orders from above"; He rejected any accusations that he was violent on the 26 April night events in the Infrastructure ministry building saying he was made hostage by the Galamba's staff and that he was the "real" victim and even has a Hospital declaration proving his bruises; He pressed that he didn't lie about the notes regarding the secret meetings between the TAP CEO, the minister and PS MPs and that Galamba himself, and his staff, were totally aware of those notes, adding that all were aware that he took notes regulary; He said his working Iphone had all messages and documents deleted by order of Galamba's chief of staff well before he was fired from his post; And he also accused the "government spin machine" of creating a defamatory campaign against him and that he's pondering he will file lawsuits and minister Galamba and/or Prime Minister António Costa. In the end of his testimony, he accepted a request to send his Iphone to the police for criminal expertise.

After Pinheiro's 5 hour hearing, it was Eugénia Correia's, Galamba's chief of staff, turn to speak at the CPI. She denied Pinheiro's version that she and the minister were aware of the secret meeting notes and basically called him a liar. She pressed that Mr. Pinheiro was violent against her, even punching her, and other staff in the ministry. She said that Pinheiro was "fired" from his post and was barred from entering in the ministry and that his request of taking that laptop was out of the question, which ended, according to her, in violence. Then, it becomes ridiculous and or pathetic. She said that she and 4 other female staff members hide in a bathroom and tried desperately to call the police and/or 112 (the Portuguese 911), but no one responded and they remained in hiding in the bathroom as they heard loud noises coming from the lobby. Asked who decided to close the ministry and "trap" Mr. Pinheiro inside, she was evasive saying it was one of her colleagues but that she didn't asked who. Following Pinheiro's exit from the building, as the police arrived only at the request of Mr. Pinheiro, the women were identified but didn't file a complaint. Shortly after, Ms. Correia said she started "dealings" to recover the laptop and called the Intelligence Services (SIRP) and later received a call from the Secret Services (SIS). Asked who told her to do those calls, she was, once again, evasive and said she had been instructed to act like this in situations of robbery of State objects, adding that the laptop had sensitive info. Pressed on who actually told her to act like this, she didn't respond. The question of the CCTV images was also a topic of ridicule as she confirmed that CCTV cameras were only working in the lobby and were broken in the rest of the building.

Uff... I think that's a somewhat good summary of today's events. Let's see what happens tomorrow in João Galamba's hearing.

[Mike88]

Regarding the tobacco rules, they are receiving a big backlash from left to right and the media. Some of the rules, like forbidding smoking near schools, hospitals and universities are labeled as impossible to implement. And the proposal of banning sales of tobacco in the overwhelming majority of shops is leading to accusations of violation of individual freedoms and that the Government may be opening the door to a wave of smuggling. There is also the accusation that the new proposed rules are just a distraction in order to stop more discussions regarding the recent government crisis. We'll see how this end, probably many of the rules will be dropped.

PS MPs set to drop several of the Government's proposed new restrictions on smoking and sale of tobacco:

https://twitter.com/ECO_PT/status/1659098038869061633

PS prepares to soften restrictions of the new tobacco law

Socialist Party MPs were quite upset with the new smoking bans and new tobacco sales rules, saying that they are "abusive and intrusive", and therefore, several party MPs are preparing changes to the new rules mainly on the limitation of sale of tobacco and the bans in smoking outdoors. Other big discussion between PS MPs is the government's proposal to equate conventional cigarettes with electronic ones, with some even suggesting that this comparison is illegal. The new rules that the Health minister Manuel Pizarro announced last week will, a bit as expected, see a lot of them being changed and/or dropped after they arrive in Parliament.

[Mike88]

Uff... I think that's a somewhat good summary of today's events. Let's see what happens tomorrow in João Galamba's hearing.

Minister João Galamba's CPI hearing is till underway and it's expected to last well into the early hours of the morning. But, in summary, the minister is calm and not his usual heated persona, but he's stumbling a lot, making a lot of contradicting statements, involving more ministers in the whole affair and seeming a bit lost regarding information about TAP airlines itself. Anyway, when it's over, I will make a larger and detailed summary of the hearing.

[Mike88]

Uff... I think that's a somewhat good summary of today's events. Let's see what happens tomorrow in João Galamba's hearing.

Minister João Galamba's CPI hearing is till underway and it's expected to last well into the early hours of the morning. But, in summary, the minister is calm and not his usual heated persona, but he's stumbling a lot, making a lot of contradicting statements, involving more ministers in the whole affair and seeming a bit lost regarding information about TAP airlines itself. Anyway, when it's over, I will make a larger and detailed summary of the hearing.

The hearing was cut a bit short because CHEGA was forced to leave the hearing as they changed their representative without following the rules and the rest of the parties disagreed with the party's change.

Minister João Galamba's hearing: Contradictions and new versions from the minister, from the call to the Interior minister to Galamba's "stumble" in his own words:

https://twitter.com/expresso/status/1659320776267296768

"Rebuilding the truth takes work" and Galamba does not remember everything: the minister's various versions of the SIS

After almost 8 hours being grilled by MPs in Parliament, minister of the Infrastructure João Galamba's hearing had a lot of contradictions, new versions of the events and embarrassing moments in which the minister "stumbled" in his own words. The hearing started with a BE MP citting some phrases regarding the events, which led João Galamba to fumble and contradict himself without realizing that the BE MP was citting Galamba's own words from a press conference 3 days after the events happened. He pressed that he didn't lie to the country regarding the "secret meetings" or about blocking documents. Then, he added a new version by saying he also called the Interior minister, José Luís Carneiro, to connect him with the National Director of the Police (PSP), but gave a complicated timeline of the events with the hours of the phone calls to different people.

He confirmed that his chief of staff initiated talks with the Secret Services (SIS) by her own initiative and that, at the same time, he was also calling the Deputy Secretary of the Prime Minister which advised him to activate the Secret Services and only after he was informed, by his chief of staff, that she also talked with the Secret Services. He also contradicted himself about when he also informed the Judiciary Police (PJ), if it was prior or after, his alert to the Secret Services. He confirmed that he tried also to call PM Costa but he didn't picked up, but that he was able to talk with Costa a few hours later and explained the whole affair, which was another revelation as there reports that say the PM wasn't informed of any Secret Services involvement. He pressed that his former advisor, Frederico Pinheiro, was violent and that he stole with violence the laptop and that Mr. Pinheiro was fired because he lied to the minister, his colleagues and stayed up until late hours making photocopies which its purpose is unknown. He also pressed that the "secret meetings" with the former TAP CEO were normal and that he doesn't understand all the fuss about them, saying that she, TAP's former CEO, was nervous about attending a Parliamentary Committee. Galamba also refused categorically the allegations that he wanted to "punch" Frederico Pinheiro's face, saying that it was Pinheiro who physically threatened the minister. Galamba, during the hearing, seemed also a bit lost about some info regarding TAP dossiers.

Confusion, confusion, confusion...

[Mike88]

Update: The media is revealing that the mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues (PS), is also a suspect in the investigation that led to the arrest of his deputy. Vítor Rodrigues is suspect of benefiting private companies and third parties and his private cell phone was seized by the police.

At the same time the media is covering the whole Galambagate/TAPgate, another story broke regarding another cabinet member:

Health minister Manuel Pizarro being investigated for alleged malfeasance in the investigation around the current mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia:

https://twitter.com/Lusa_noticias/status/1659496299417292802

Minister of Health investigated for suspected malpractice

After the police raids, this week, in Vila Nova de Gaia's city hall that led to the arrest of the deputy mayor and other people, it was also reported that the mayor of Gaia, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues (PS), was also being investigated but not in the same one of his deputy, it's another investigation. In this one, Vítor Rodrigues is accused of abuse of power and corruption for benefiting people and private companies and for paying to a major Porto newspaper for positive stories of his office. Manuel Pizarro, Health minister, is caught in this investigation and is a suspect as the Prosecutor Office believes that Pizarro asked Vítor Rodrigues to benefit a local PS member by hiring him to a Gaia city job he had no qualifications.

Minister Pizarro has already reacted to this accusation and his position as a suspect saying he never asked for any special treatment and only asked if there was a vacancy in Gaia city.

[Mike88]

After the last two days hearings in the TAP CPI, parties started to have official reactions and they were quite predictable: Galamba has to resign, again, and that the PM has to explain the phone call with Galamba hours after the 26 April night events.

President Marcelo was also expected to hold "press conference" type event, it was like this that his office put it, but after a speech by PSD leader Luís Montenegro in which he said he had talked with the President and the PM, pressing for the resignation of both Galamba and the head of the Intelligence Services, Marcelo cancelled his "event", the official reason was he had no time, and decided to exit the Presidential Palace by the front door, where all the media was, talk to them a bit, he didn't say much other than he stands by everything he said 15 days ago, and entered back to the Palace by a side door. Between this, he took selfies with tourists and passersby, plus "rearranged" stones in the pavement. All filmed live by TV cameras:

https://twitter.com/politicanatuga/status/1659608593002381319

[Mike88]

PAN has announced that a leadership ballot will be held on 20 May 2023. There are two candidates for the leadership, so far: Inês Sousa Real, incumbent leader, and Nelson Silva, former MP between 2019 and 2022.

Inês Sousa Real has been very criticized for her strategy and bad election and polling results, plus scandals regarding herself, and Nelson Silva accuses her of transforming PAN into an "irrelevant" party and that now the party needs to be saved. Nelson Silva was the 2nd candidate on the party's list for Lisbon district in the 2022 general elections.

PAN leadership ballot: Inês Sousa Real reelected with 73% of the delegates votes.

https://twitter.com/RTPNoticias/status/1660020068477206529

Inês Sousa Real was re-elected this Saturday for the leadership of the PAN with more than 70 percent of the votes, at the congress in Matosinhos.

PAN leader Inês Sousa Real was reelected as party leader this afternoon in the party's congress in Matosinhos city. Of the 133 delegates voting, Ms. Sousa Real won 97 votes and her opponent, Nelson Silva, just 35 votes. One delegate voted Invalid. The congress had a few "tense moments" with both sides criticizing each other because of the party's results in the last few elections. In her speech, Sousa Real said that the challenge for PAN now is to grow in the next electoral acts. The next one is the Madeira elections, in late September/early October, and PAN is polling badly at around just 1%.

[Mike88]

Former President and PM Cavaco Silva appears at a PSD event and gives one of the most violent speeches of a former President against a sitting Government:

https://twitter.com/SICNoticias/status/1659997147045953540

The former President of the Republic gave a very critical speech to Prime Minister António Costa and the Socialist Government and said that sometimes prime ministers "decide to present their resignation"

Cavaco Silva, former PM 1985-1995 and President 2006-2016, appeared again in a PSD event and this time, his speech is surprising many for its tone. Cavaco started by saying he's very worried about the "Socialist governance of the country" specially for young people, adding that the PS is leading the country to a path of impoverishment and political degradation and that they are just "incompetent". He accused Costa of losing all of his authority and gave a "hint" to Costa by saying that sometimes, PMs have a "conscience strike" and resign. He added that the Socialist are only good at making up "lies and propaganda" and that they are anesthetizing the Portuguese people. He pressed that the PSD is the only alternative to the PS and that the PSD should focus only on their attacks to the PS and ignore "other parties" that are just worried about appearing in the news. He also advised the Social Democrats to not talk about future coalitions, as that would be a mistake. He ended his speech by praising Luís Montenegro, saying that Montenegro is much better prepared to be PM than he was in 1985 and is ready to be Prime Minister.

The PS, of course, furiously reacted to Cavaco's speech, accusing the former PM and President of an "offensive and antidemocratic" speech and that Cavaco is just full of "rage and hate", adding also that he's just a "crutch" for Montenegro.

[VPH]

I love how Marcelo is always doing something completely random when the media wants to talk to him. Eating ice cream, shuffling pavement stones, etc.

[Mike88]

I love how Marcelo is always doing something completely random when the media wants to talk to him. Eating ice cream, shuffling pavement stones, etc.

The problem of Marcelo is exactly that. He exposes himself too much and that's why his position is quite diminished right now, and he can only blame himself. These kind of things like eating ice-cream and shuffling pavement stones and so on, are making him look a bit silly and not serious. The same applies to Costa, as while his Infrastructure minister, João Galamba, was being grilled by MPs in the TAP CPI, and contradicting himself a lot, the PM was filmed signing at a Coldplay concert in Coimbra city.

[VPH]

I love how Marcelo is always doing something completely random when the media wants to talk to him. Eating ice cream, shuffling pavement stones, etc.

The problem of Marcelo is exactly that. He exposes himself too much and that's why his position is quite diminished right now, and he can only blame himself. These kind of things like eating ice-cream and shuffling pavement stones and so on, are making him look a bit silly and not serious. The same applies to Costa, as while his Infrastructure minister, João Galamba, was being grilled by MPs in the TAP CPI, and contradicting himself a lot, the PM was filmed signing at a Coldplay concert in Coimbra city.

Yeah neither of them is helping their case by being so cagey yet also so in the public, but the whole scandal seems very complicated.

[Mike88]

I love how Marcelo is always doing something completely random when the media wants to talk to him. Eating ice cream, shuffling pavement stones, etc.

The problem of Marcelo is exactly that. He exposes himself too much and that's why his position is quite diminished right now, and he can only blame himself. These kind of things like eating ice-cream and shuffling pavement stones and so on, are making him look a bit silly and not serious. The same applies to Costa, as while his Infrastructure minister, João Galamba, was being grilled by MPs in the TAP CPI, and contradicting himself a lot, the PM was filmed signing at a Coldplay concert in Coimbra city.

Yeah neither of them is helping their case by being so cagey yet also so in the public, but the whole scandal seems very complicated.

Without going into details, they are extensively explained in past posts, it's basically this: When you mix stupidity with incompetence, spice it up with a bit of internal party infighting and serve it by trying to cover up the whole thing.... Voilá, there it is.

[VPH]

I love how Marcelo is always doing something completely random when the media wants to talk to him. Eating ice cream, shuffling pavement stones, etc.

The problem of Marcelo is exactly that. He exposes himself too much and that's why his position is quite diminished right now, and he can only blame himself. These kind of things like eating ice-cream and shuffling pavement stones and so on, are making him look a bit silly and not serious. The same applies to Costa, as while his Infrastructure minister, João Galamba, was being grilled by MPs in the TAP CPI, and contradicting himself a lot, the PM was filmed signing at a Coldplay concert in Coimbra city.

Yeah neither of them is helping their case by being so cagey yet also so in the public, but the whole scandal seems very complicated.

Without going into details, they are extensively explained in past posts, it's basically this: When you mix stupidity with incompetence, spice it up with a bit of internal party infighting and serve it by trying to cover up the whole thing.... Voilá, there it is.

Yeah, I've read quite a bit about it myself but I mean it's not something that makes perfect sense for Costa certainly, and to a lesser extent Marcelo to come out super clearly and publicly on.

[Estrella]

I love how Marcelo is always doing something completely random when the media wants to talk to him. Eating ice cream, shuffling pavement stones, etc.

I feel like Marcelo is basically Charles if he grew up in a normal family and could just be himself.

[Mike88]

I love how Marcelo is always doing something completely random when the media wants to talk to him. Eating ice cream, shuffling pavement stones, etc.

I feel like Marcelo is basically Charles if he grew up in a normal family and could just be himself.

The funny thing is that Marcelo's family, the Rebelo de Sousa family, is basically Lisbon "royalty": Marcelo's father was Governor of Mozambique during the Estado Novo regime; Marcelo's godfather was Marcelo Caetano; His brother heads one the most powerful law firms in the whole country; And Marcelo had, and still has, big connections with the most powerful men and women of country;

[Mike88]

Police arrests deputy mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia and 6 others in raid for suspected corruption. The mayor is also a suspect.

A few updates on this story:

- The deputy mayor of Gaia city, Patrocínio Azevedo, has resigned from office and his successor has already been chosen, and the mayor of the city, who is also a suspect but in another investigation, has ordered an audit into all suspicious urban projects licenses;

- Patrocínio Azevedo confessed that he received a series of luxury watches but he denied to the police they were an exchange for favourable decisions in City Hall, saying they were Christmas presents and that he returned them. He added, to the police, that he was betrayed by a friend, a lawyer, who, according to him, sold him fake influences. Patrocínio Azevedo is also suspect of receiving almost 100,000 euros in bribes, in a bag, given to him at a bathroom in one of Porto's biggest shopping malls;

[Mike88]

Police raids Lisbon city hall because of suspicions that Fernando Medina signed contracts with the goal of illegally financing the PS:

Finance minister Fernando Medina on the verge of being an official suspect in the investigation surrounding the illegal financing of the PS. Medina says that any such allegations are "totally false".

More investigations around Fernando Medina: Finance minister suspected of making "secret pacts" with the PSD in order to distribute political jobs between the two main parties while he was mayor of Lisbon:

https://twitter.com/dntwit/status/1661105228010364928

Medina suspected of celebrating a secret pact with PSD in exchange for personal benefits

Besides the other corruptions investigations around Fernando Medina, Finance minister, he's also involved in the famous "Tutti-Frutti" corruption case which involves corrupt and shady deals between PS and PSD in Lisbon City Hall. The investigation has been lasting for more than 6 years, and it still continues, and TVI revealed this evening that several emails and wiretappings prove that Medina, as Lisbon mayor, and several PS and/or PSD members and leaders made "secret" deals in order to secure political jobs in exchange of personal benefits, from picking PS weak candidates in PSD parishes to the PSD approving PS budgets and/or bills in Lisbon city. Medina is also suspect in another investigation as he seems to have hired an advisor, via city hall, to prepare his TV pundit show in 2017. Medina reacted to the report by denying all of the accusations revealed and that he was never contacted by the authorities.

[Mike88]

A few updates:

Police raids Lisbon city hall because of suspicions that Fernando Medina signed contracts with the goal of illegally financing the PS:

Finance minister Fernando Medina on the verge of being an official suspect in the investigation surrounding the illegal financing of the PS. Medina says that any such allegations are "totally false".

More investigations around Fernando Medina: Finance minister suspected of making "secret pacts" with the PSD in order to distribute political jobs between the two main parties while he was mayor of Lisbon:

The "Tutti Frutti" investigation continues on the news as TVI/CNN Portugal continues to reveal details of the Prosecutor's investigation, despite criticisms towards the Justice system for not making a single accusation from a 7-year investigation. The center of the case is the "shady deals" between a few PSD-Lisbon politicians that then gave hints and new revelations about other "shady deals" involving PS politicians like Medina and current Environment minister Duarte Cordeiro. The main suspect is a former PSD MP, Sérgio Azevedo, who through a series of connections, schemes and backroom deals received bribes and hired and/or put friends in high party or local government offices. This all happened during the 2017 local election campaign and lasted until the PSD leadership ballot of early 2018, in which Azevedo and a few others seemed to have tried to "buy" votes in favour of Santana Lopes against Rui Rio.

The PSD members involved in this case are trashing the investigation and accusing TVI of "fabricating" and manipulating things. One of the suspects, PSD MP Carlos Eduardo Reis, is going to sue TVI because of the revelation of this case and accuses TVI/CNN of not giving him a chance to give his own narrative. TVI/CNN says that this is a lie as Mr. Eduardo Reis had responded to messages from the news outlet and is now playing the "victim card". Within the PSD, this is also creating a "little" tension: In a caucus meeting this morning, MP Carlos Eduardo Reis trashed his party stance on this case saying he's not willing to be a "useful idiot" in order to knock down two government minister. He reportedly received a lot of support from other PSD MPs, but the PSD caucus leader says that the party will probably take a position regarding people involved in the investigation.

This new release of documents is creating a very bad mood between the PS and the Opposition as the Socialists accuse the Opposition of leaking "secret info" from the government:

After a Parliamentary investigation on a possible leak of secret info from the TAP CPI the result was... nothing. The investigation found out that no documents were leaked from the CPI and if they were leaked was because they were already with someone else before these documents were declared secret. Opposition parties applauded the results of the investigation and demanded an apology from the PS, and specially from its caucus leader Eurico Brilhante Dias, as he accused the Opposition of leaking documents in order to damage the Government. Mr. Brilhante Dias continues to say that there was a leak in order to hurt the PS and the Government, but that he apologizes for suspecting that Opposition MPs were leaking the documents.

[Mike88]

BE leadership convention this weekend: Mariana Mortágua expected to be easily elected.

https://twitter.com/Publico/status/1662392086002388992

Left Block Convention starts looking for reinvention in continuity

This weekend, 654 delegates will elect the new leader of BE after Catarina Martins departure from the leadership. Mariana Mortágua, MP from Lisbon, is expected to be easily elected against her rival, Pedro Soares, which leads a list of members that oppose Martins and Mortágua's strategy and results. Mortágua has around 81% of the delegates in the convention, while her opponent only has 14%. In her final speech as party leader, Catarina Martins trashed the PS majority government by saying that its "contaminating" all political discussion and that the Socialists are now the stepfather of all kinds of populism, by not doing a thing and by always playing the "victim card". She also said that the party will not fail with the people and hailed the role of women in the party. The leadership ballot will be held during Sunday's morning.

However, this convention was marked by a somewhat demobilization of the party: Just 20% of the party's 7,000 members cast a ballot to elect delegates a week ago, and a party fundraising to finance the convention turned into a fiasco as of the 80,000 euros asked by the party, only 7,000 euros were raised by just less than 200 people. The 2022 election, in which BE just won 5 seats, a loss of 14, resulted in a deep financial crisis in the party that led to closure of headquarters, budget cuts and dismissal of party staff.