The Portuguese socialist party is again topping the polls, just five weeks out from the country’s parliamentary elections on 10 March – having bounced back from a corruption scandal that rocked the party in November.
The socialists have recovered from a corruption scandal that rocked the party on 7 November and led to the resignation of Prime Minister António Costa, now scoring 30% of votes up from the 25% on 14 November, according to Europe Elects’ latest projections for Euractiv.
However, they are still far from the 41% they reached in the 2022 election.
On the other side of the spectrum, centre-right PSD (EPP) is scoring 27%, and far-right Chega 18% – together reaching 46%.
Despite PSD’s leader Luis Montenegro affirming they will not cooperate with the far-right, the socialists are wary, looking back at a regional governing coalition the two right-wing parties agreed on in Acores in 2020.
“We know that without an agreement [with the far-right] there is zero chance of the PSD governing or leading a government in Portugal. So either a PSD victory means political instability in Portugal. Or is there an alliance?” the socialists’ leader, Pedro Nunes Santos, told a group of journalists on 31 February in the European Parliament.
No Socialist-PSD collaboration on the cards
However, when asked by Euractiv whether the socialists would be open to collaborating with PSD after the elections to prevent the far-right from reaching government – like what happened in 1983 – Santos affirmed it is “almost impossible” as it would be “bad for democracy”.
“The democratic system in Portugal needs alternatives, it needs an escape valve for politicians and parties, centre right and left,” Santos said, arguing that a centre government would contribute to Chega’s surge.
“We also have a very different vision of Portugal, of our society and of our policies. So it’s almost impossible,” he added.
The other option for the socialists would be, according to current polls, to gather a complex and fragmented broad majority composed of all leftist forces to reach 45%, potentially also needing the support of the liberals (IL) as they are projected to score 6% of votes.
Schmit and EU elections
“We have a beautiful candidate, an excellent candidate, with competence, with experience, with proven track records,” Santos said when asked about the EU socialist lead candidate for the European elections in June, Commissioner Nicolas Schmit.
However, Portugal’s political parties will not start preparing for June’s EU elections until after the elections in March, as Santos expressed: “The legislative elections are decisive for the life of the Portuguese people, that’s what we’re focused on.”
[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]
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Source: euractiv.com
