XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal
The XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XVIII Governo Constitucional de Portugal) had José Sócrates (PS) as the prime minister and lasted from 26 October 2009 [1] to 21 June 2011.
XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal | |
---|---|
Cabinet of Portugal | |
Date formed | 26 October 2009 |
Date dissolved | 21 June 2011 (1 year, 7 months and 26 days) |
People and organisations | |
President | Aníbal Cavaco Silva |
Prime Minister | José Sócrates (PS) |
No. of ministers | 16 ministers and the prime minister |
Member party | Socialist Party |
Status in legislature | Minority government |
Opposition parties |
|
History | |
Election(s) | Portuguese legislative election, 2009 |
Predecessor | XVII Constitutional Government of Portugal |
Successor | XIX Constitutional Government of Portugal |
Composition
Ministry | Incumbent | Party | Term | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Prime Minister | José Sócrates | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
State and Foreign Affairs | Luís Amado | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
State and Finance | Fernando Teixeira dos Santos | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Minister of the Presidency | Pedro Silva Pereira | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
National Defence | Augusto Santos Silva | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Internal Administration | Rui Pereira | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Justice | Alberto Martins | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Economy, Innovation and Development | José António Vieira da Silva | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries | António Serrano | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Public Works, Transport and Communications | António Mendonça | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Environment and Spatial Planning | Dulce Pássaro | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Labour and Social Solidarity | Helena André | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Health | Ana Jorge | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Education | Isabel Alçada | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Science, Technology and Higher Education | Mariano Gago | Independent | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Culture | Gabriela Canavilhas | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 | |
Parliamentary Affairs | Jorge Lacão | Socialist Party | 26 October 2009 – 21 June 2011 |
Events
In 2008–09, with the Great Recession starting to hit Portugal and facing recession and high unemployment,[2] austerity was waned as part of the European economic stimulus plan.[3] Nevertheless, support for Sócrates and the Socialists eroded and the ruling party lost its majority in the 2009 election.[2] The second government of José Sócrates faced a deterioration of the economic and financial state of the country, with skyrocketing deficit and growing debt.[2] Austerity was resumed in 2010 while the country entered a hard financial crisis in the context of the European debt crisis.[4]
On 23 March 2011, Sócrates submitted his resignation to President Aníbal Cavaco Silva after the Parliament rejected a new austerity package (the fourth in a year), leading to the 2011 snap election. Financial status of the country deteriorated and on 6 April Sócrates caretaker government requested a bail-out program which was conceded. The €78 billion IMF/European Union bailout to Portugal thus started and would last until May 2014. Sócrates lost the snap election held on 5 June 2011 and resigned as Secretary-General of the Socialist Party.[5] For most of his political career, Sócrates was associated to several corruption cases, notably Independente University and Freeport cases.[6]
References
- "Taking possession of the 18th Constitutional Government, (in Portuguese),". Republica Portuguesa. 26 October 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- "Portugal > Sovereign debt crisis". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- Peres Jorge, Rui (30 May 2017). "2009: O procedimento que ensombra o país há oito anos" [2009: the procedure that haunts the country for eight years] (in Portuguese). Jornal de Negócios. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- "Sócrates dá primeira entrevista após aprovação do pacote de austeridade" [Sócrates gives first interview following approval of the austerity package] (in Portuguese). Jornal de Negócios. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- "Socrates demite-se". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 5 June 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
- Gomes, Margarida (22 November 2014). "José Sócrates: uma carreira cheia de suspeitas" [José Sócrates: a career full of suspictions]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 August 2018.