XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal

XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal

Cabinet of Portugal
Prime Minister José Socrates
Date formed26 October 2009 (2009-10-26)
Date dissolved21 June 2011 (2011-06-21) (1 year, 7 months and 26 days)
People and organisations
President of the RepublicAníbal Cavaco Silva
Prime MinisterJosé Sócrates
No. of ministers16 ministers
Member partySocialist Party (PS)
Status in legislatureMinority government
Opposition parties
History
Elections2009 Portuguese legislative election
(27 September 2009)
PredecessorXVII Constitutional Government of Portugal
SuccessorXIX Constitutional Government of Portugal

The XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XVIII Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the 18th government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the Portuguese Constitution of 1976. It was in office from 26 October 2009 to 21 June 2011, and was formed by the members of the Socialist Party (PS). José Sócrates, leader of the PS, served as Prime Minister.[1]

Composition

The government was composed of the Prime Minister and 16 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries and under-secretaries of state.

Office Minister Party Start of term End of term
Prime Minister José Sócrates
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Luís Amado
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of State and Finance Fernando Teixeira dos Santos
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Presidency Pedro Silva Pereira
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of National Defense Augusto Santos Silva
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Internal Administration Rui Pereira
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Justice Alberto Martins
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Development José António Vieira da Silva
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries António Serrano
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications António Mendonça
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Dulce Pássaro
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity Helena André
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Health Ana Jorge
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Education Isabel Alçada
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education Mariano Gago
Independent 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Culture Gabriela Canavilhas
PS 26 October 2009 21 June 2011
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Jorge Lacão
PS 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

  1. ^ "Taking possession of the 18th Constitutional Government, (in Portuguese),". Republica Portuguesa. 26 October 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Portugal > Sovereign debt crisis". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Socrates demite-se". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 5 June 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  6. ^ Gomes, Margarida (22 November 2014). "José Sócrates: uma carreira cheia de suspeitas" [José Sócrates: a career full of suspicions]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 August 2018.