In a vote held this Wednesday, the 27th, the Parliament of Portugal elected José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, representative of the center-right, as president of the Assembly of the Republic, marking a significant union between the center-right and left-wing parties against Chega, a far-right party.
Aguiar-Branco received 160 votes, surpassing Chega’s candidate, Rui Paulo Sousa, who received 50 votes.
This election comes after an agreement between the center-right and the left-wing Socialist Party (PS), which stipulates a rotating presidency of Parliament.
Aguiar-Branco will hold the position for two years, after which he will resign to allow the election of a socialist representative.
The election result reflects the composition of the new Democratic Alliance (AD), led by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which emerged victorious in the March 10 general elections, followed closely by the PS.
Chega, by winning third place, demonstrated significant growth, expanding its parliamentary presence in a context of the rise of right-wing populism in Europe.
The AD, even though it is the winning coalition, faces a minority government with just 80 seats out of a total of 230, raising questions about its governance capacity without Chega’s support.
Negotiations between the parties were marked by disagreements and accusations, especially after the AD’s rejection of a formal agreement with Chega.
Chega’s leader, André Ventura, criticized the AD for allegedly reneging on a previous “understanding” regarding Aguiar-Branco’s election, accusing the party of marginalizing Chega.
The election of Aguiar-Branco as President of Parliament and the formation of an alliance between PSD and PS indicate a new direction for Portugal’s governance, with Ventura highlighting the choice of coalition partners and future challenges for government collaboration.
With information from G1
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2024/03/27/extrema-direita-e-isolada-em-portugal-apos-acordo-da-centro-direita-com-socialistas/
