Future government leaders to be quizzed on potential legal, ethical, issues // Teachers fill Lisbon streets in massive protest
Future government leaders to be quizzed on potential legal, ethical, issues // Teachers fill Lisbon streets in massive protest
Portuguese news in English on Sunday, January 15, 2023.
Future government leaders to be quizzed on potential legal, ethical, issues
Future ministers or secretaries of state will have to respond to a list of questions about their life, Público reports, in a move designed to avoid repeats of the wave of resignations seen in the past month. The 36 questions will include queries about former and current jobs, business interests and legal issues, including involving spouses, and will be destroyed when the politician leaves the role. Speaking a week after the Liberal Initiative’s (IL) failed attempt to officially censure the government in parliament, Prime Minister António Costa distanced himself from his recently sacked secretaries of state, Público reports. Costa yesterday called on his Socialist Party (PS) to be “more demanding” in its choice of candidates, Público reports. One of the questions about family interests in businesses could impact Pedro Nuno Santos, the former infrastructure minister who had been tipped before quitting last month as a replacement for Costa, Diário de Notícias reports.
Teachers fill Lisbon streets in massive protest
Tens of thousands of school workers from all over the country have marched in Lisbon in one of the largest teacher protests in years, Público reports. The “march for education”, which was dominated by women and also included non-teaching school workers, filled the roads between Marquês de Pombal and Terreiro do Paço for five hours on Saturday. Education Minister João Costa’s recent comments questioning whether ongoing strikes were breaking the law further animated the crowd, which called for his resignation. Costa also spoke of the impact school closures were having on parents. Police estimated about 30,000–40,000 people took part while union organisers spoke of more than 100,000. The leader of teachers’ union STOP called for an increase of at least €120 a month for all education workers, including assistants and other non-teachers, Público reports. The lowest-paid teachers only earn €1100 and even those in the top band generally make less than €2000, Reuters reports, in English.
Central bank criticised Portugal’s inflation-fighting efforts
The European Central Bank has criticised Portugal’s efforts to reduce the impact of the inflation crisis, warning they may make the problem worse, Dinheiro Vivo reports. The ECB said the measures were badly designed because they didn’t respect the so-called three Ts: “targeted”, “tailored” and “temporary”. The bank was concerned the measures weren’t limited to those who really needed them, that the energy cost relief in particular could last longer than predicted and that the measures didn’t do enough to incentivise energy saving. In a recent European Commission report, Portugal was highlighted as the only country with very high debt at risk of not complying with European budget rules because of the energy measures.
A separate report released during the week found the average Portuguese worker earned just a little more than half the European average, at €13,113 in 2021, up from €12,696 the year before, Diário de Notícias reports. Meanwhile house prices have risen 80% from 2010 to 2022 and rents have jumped 28%, way above the Eurozone averages of 50% and 18%, Público reports. In Spain, where the government reduced IVA on energy and many essential goods — a move Portugal opted against —inflation is much lower, at 4.2%, Público reports.
In brief
Europe records its hottest summer ever. Overall, last year was the second hottest on record, behind 2020, but Portugal, Spain, the UK, France and several other countries recorded their hottest years on record. (Público)
Emigration grew less than expected but could change with cost of living. In 2021, 60,000 people left, 20,000 fewer than 2019 and half the figure from 2013. (Público)
Zika-virus-transmitting mosquito’s eggs found in Portuguese town. The Asian tiger mosquito can carry yellow fever, dengue, Zika and chikungunya. The detection in the Lower Alentejo town of Mértola follows isolated finds since 2017 in the North and Algarve. (Público)
On a lighter note
The World of Banksy, a non-authorised tribute to the famously mysterious street artist, is in Lisbon until the end of the year, Diário de Notícias reports. The show at the Capsule Gallery Lisbon on Rua Viriato near Parque Eduardo VII features replicas of the street artist’s work, some of the originals of which have been destroyed. The Briton’s site describes a recent “spate” of exhibitions of his work, saying none of them were consensual. But the list of exhibitions that follows doesn’t include this one, probably one of the most well known, so make of that what you will. Either way, it’s the only way to see a whole heap of Banksy (imitations) without getting on a tonne of planes.
