Portuguese government on the edge of collapse
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The Portuguese Government of the Right Center is on the verge of collapse, because Prime Minister Luís Montenegro is facing a confidence vote on Tuesday, which launched a scandal because of his family business.
His defeat is likely to lead to PortugalThe third elections are in less than four years, because the Government is facing pressure to increase the cost of defense and resolve the increase in feelings against the immigrant who launched the far right.
Montenegro, which is led a fragile minority government For 11 months, he has been imbued with a storm for alleged failure that he is a share of the counseling he founded.
The SAGA enhanced the public perception of broad corruption in Portuguese politics, where previous premiere faced accusations for vaccination.
Montenegro, head of the Democratic Union party, founded a company called Spinumviv in 2021 when he was out of politics. But in defense, he was announced by the revelations that in 2022 he conveyed ownership of him to his wives and sons – the critics of the move said that he was invalid because, under Portuguese law, married couples were common owners of all assets acquired after they were married.
Socialist opposition leader Pedro Nuno Santos accused Crgun Gora of “receiving payment from companies” while the prime minister, because Spinumviva clients continued to pay for counseling.
When socialists threatened to establish a parliamentary investigation into the affair last week, Montenegro said that “the country needed political clarifications” and announced that they would bear their government for confidence vote.
Montenegro continues to accuse the opposition of alarm and insists that he has done nothing wrong.
Paula Espírito Santo, a political knowledge professor at the University of Lisbon, said Montenegro solved things poorly without selling or closing the counseling when he became a party leader in 2022.
In recent weeks, she said, “He had the ability to try to clarify everything, but not, and that was snow.. He was not ahead of the event. She responds to events.”
Last week, the wife of Montenegro transferred her shares to the company adult children’s children.
At the training lawyer, Montenegro said that the ad will lead to all new elections, which the president of the country said would happen in May.
The ad has been poll by two percentage points from late February, but still slightly ahead of the Socialist Party, with 33.5 percent of the vote compared to 28.8 percent, according to the CNN poll of Portugal conducted last week while the scandal intensified.
The new government will face the current pressure to increase the cost of defense, as US President Donald Trump oppose NATO members who do not pay their honest share. Portugal spent about 1.6 percent of GDP on defense last year, less than a 2 -half -four NATO goal that should be raised. Trump said he wanted it Increase a goal to 5 percent.
The advertisement of ads to achieve a parliamentary majority was a large extent to Rise ChegeThe far right party that exploits dissatisfaction with immigration and corruption. Chegs and socialists are expected to vote to eject Montenegro in a trust proposal.
Montenegro excluded working with Cheg while he was on duty, and his lack of most meant that he was unable to implement significant reforms. He conveyed certain reduction in taxes with the support of socialist and approved in 2025. The budget because socialists refrained.
Portuguese previous Prime Minister António Costa, now President of the EU Council, resigned in 2023 due to lobbying The prosecutors are still investigated, although they have not accused him of misconduct. José Sócrats, Prime Minister from 2005 to 2011, is waiting for trial for charges of money laundering and fake documents. They both deny injustice.