Jose Socrates was elected in a landslide in 2005
Posted on 09/27/2009 5:38:21 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Portugal's Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates won a second term in a general election on Sunday but his centre-Left party lost its absolute majority in parliament.
Jose Socrates was elected in a landslide in 2005
Mr Socrates, who won about 37 per cent of the vote, has pledged to continue plans to spend his way out of the recession, promising big budget public works projects to stimulate growth as Portugal struggles with the highest unemployment rate in decades.
"The people voted and they spoke very clearly, the Socialist Party was chosen again to govern Portugal," Mr Socrates said, adding it was "too early to talk about" coalitions or pacts.
The centre-Right Social Democratic Party (PSD), led by Manuela Ferreira Leite, called for stringent reigning in of public spending to battle a ballooning deficit that threatens to saddle Portugal in debt for years to come.
But the opposition failed to win over voters.
Socrates, 52, was elected in a landslide in 2005, winning 45 per cent of the vote. While in office he embarked on a programme of labour reforms and a revision of the health and education systems but such measures angered Trade Unions and led to protests by teachers, civil servants and others directly affected by the changes.
Socrates has pledged to build a high speed rail network linking Lisbon and the north of Portugal to Madrid, and has unveiled plans for a new airport outside the capital in an effort to boost the economy.
Mrs Ferreira Leite, 68, the first woman to lead a major political party in Portugal, has accused the Socialists of "handing debts to future generations" but failed to outline specific cuts to rein in the growing public deficit.
Portugal's unemployment rate has risen to 9.1 per cent, its highest
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
A preview of 2010?
Socialists stay in power but loose majority. Take a good hard look Washington the image is in each and every mirror you pose in front of. And this will only be the begining
All these Leftists sound alike. But BO has managed to get our unemployment rate to 9.7%, so he’s doing worse than this Socialist in Portugal.
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