Luis Montenegro has been named the New Prime Minister of Portugal.
In a significant political development, Portugal’s President has designated Luis Montenegro as the leader of the Center-Right Democratic Alliance (AD) and the nation’s new Prime Minister, extending an invitation to him to establish a minority government after eight consecutive years of socialist governance.
Following the eagerly awaited outcome of the March 10 elections, which included the tallying of votes from overseas. The AD secured 80 seats in the 230-member parliament. This positioned them just ahead of the Socialist Party and the far-right Chega Party with 78 and 50 seats, respectively.
About Luis Montenegro:
At the age of 51, Luis Montenegro is a seasoned lawyer and lawmaker who will step into the role vacated by Antonio Costa of the Socialist Party, who held office since 2015 but resigned in November amid corruption charges. The burgeoning political influence of the far-right Chega Party has garnered attention with their representation quadrupling, marking the first instance of a far-right party amassing 50 seats since the fascist dictatorship’s fall 50 years ago.
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Montenegro has disclosed plans to unveil his cabinet of ministers to Rebelo de Sousa, with the government set to be sworn in on April 2, 2024. The AD alliance campaigned on pledges to revitalize Portugal’s economy by implementing tax cuts in response to escalating inflation and living expenses. Economic growth decelerated from 6.8 percent in 2022 to 2.3 percent in 2023, prompting a focus on fortifying public health services and addressing challenges within the education sector, notably marked by strikes over salary disputes among teachers and school staff.