Budget blocked, sparking likely early elections // Pandemic not over, flu circulating in Europe
Portuguese news in English on October 29, 2021.
By the numbers
Our figures are pretty stable at the moment in a slightly odd way. Compared to last week, cases are up, hospitalisations are up but deaths are down and the number of people in ICU basically hasn’t changed for about two weeks. It’s hard to know how much of this is down to vaccines and how much the time lag between all these different indicators but the changes are relatively minor and all four figures remain low compared to what we were seeing even last month.
Budget blocked, sparking likely dissolution of Parliament and early elections
The Socialist minority government’s budget proposal has been rejected, prompting likely early elections and a tricky few months politically, Público reports. Left-wing parties Left Bloc (BE) and the Portuguese Communist Party (PSP), who had generally supported the centre-left Socialist government over the past six years, joined with opposition parties such as the centre-right Social Democratic Party to vote down the proposal. Although the failure doesn’t guarantee early elections, before the vote, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had warned he would dissolve Parliament if the budget wasn’t approved. He’s set to meet with party leaders on Saturday and announce a decision next week. Prime Minister António Costa says he won’t resign, leaving the executive to continue on with significantly reduced power and more control in the hands of the President. Elections would be expected early next year and several major parties have leadership votes or national consequences before those dates, further complicating things. You can read more on the politics of it all in English from the Associated Press, Reuters and Politico.
What that means for the government
While the government will be unable to act on key topics such as euthanasia and a national anti-corruption strategy, many changes, such as an increase to the minimum wage, are still possible through decrees even with the expected dissolution of Parliament, Público reports. The blocked budget will have a few other practical effects, leaving a host of unions from doctors to teachers evaluating whether or not they’ll continue with a wave of strikes planned for November, Público reports. It also means the tax changes I mentioned last week won’t be going ahead, Público reports.
Pandemic not over and flu circulating in Europe
We’re again seeing an increase in Covid-19 case numbers and being warned that the pandemic is not over. Health Minister Marta Temido said Portugal was seeing an increase in infections, similar to the rest of Europe, Diário de Notícias reported. Prominent pulmonologist Carlos Robalo Cordeiro says we’re not really seeing that translated into hospitalisations and deaths, in large part thanks to Portugal’s high vaccination rates. But he also warns that the flu is circulating in Europe and says we should continue with protective measures such as distancing, hand-washing and wearing masks in enclosed public spaces. In a long interview with Diário de Notícias, Director-General of health Graça Freitas said it was too early to say whether those under 65 would need a booster shot.
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In brief
Don't forget daylight saving ends on Sunday. Even though Europe has been trying for years to get rid of the change for some time now, at 2am, we “gain” an extra hour as the clocks go back to 1am. (Público)
One in five Portuguese are at risk of poverty, new indicator reveals (Público)
Web Summit starts in Lisbon on Monday. Security has been stepped up this year, including with metal detectors and X-ray machines in some parts. (Diário de Notícias)
International connections are back on the agenda at an Iberian rail summit. A series of decisions made in Spain have continually helped to cut Portugal off from the rest of Europe. (Público)
The Portuguese economy recovered another 2.9% in the third quarter. It’s not as big a jump as the 4.4% increase last quarter but still above the Euro zone average of 2.2%. (Público)
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On a lighter note
Today I bring you another moment of Peak Portugal and Peak Marcelo, all wrapped up into one. As the country absorbed the blocking of the budget and waited with bated breath to see what the President would do, he emerged from his palace in Belém to… go to the multibanco (ATM). We obviously don’t know what he was doing (or if it was just a publicity stunt) but the live TV coverage speculated he was paying some bills. Seems crazy but the man is 72 and Portuguese so I guess we shouldn’t really be surprised that he likes to play a little bit of multibanco tetris instead of getting online to pay the gas bill.
Marcelo’s options at the ATM: Dissolve the Parliament