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Portugal’s new president demands financial discipline | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
LISBON, Portugal — A center-right candidate scored a resounding victory in Portugal’s presidential election Sunday, warning he would use the largely ceremonial post to prevent the center-left anti-austerity government from worsening the debt-heavy country’s financial health. | |
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a veteran moderate politician and law professor, collected more than half the votes against nine rivals. | |
With 99 percent of the votes counted, Rebelo de Sousa won 52 percent while his nearest rival came in with less than half of that. | |
Rebelo de Sousa will move into the head of state’s riverside pink palace in Lisbon in March, replacing Anibal Cavaco Silva, who has served the maximum of two five-year terms. | Rebelo de Sousa will move into the head of state’s riverside pink palace in Lisbon in March, replacing Anibal Cavaco Silva, who has served the maximum of two five-year terms. |
The president has no executive power, and is largely a figurehead, but can be an influential voice and in a crisis has the power to dissolve Parliament if he feels the country is going off track. | |
A Socialist minority government runs Portugal with the backing of the Communist Party and the radical Left Bloc. The government is trying to pull off a balancing act by ending austerity measures while pledging to continue the financial prudence adopted after Portugal’s 78 billion-euro ($84 billion) bailout in 2011 amid a eurozone financial crisis. | |
The government’s critics say that is a risky policy in Portugal whose economy is struggling to gain momentum and where the jobless rate is over 11 percent. | |
Rebelo de Sousa said in his victory speech he expected the government to generate more economic growth “without compromising financial stability.” | |
At the same time he promised to be impartial and encourage consensus between political parties, “healing the wounds” of the recent crisis. | |
Prime Minister Antonio Costa vowed his “full cooperation” with the president. | |
Rebelo de Sousa, 67, has had a long career in the public eye, working as a newspaper editor, a popular media pundit, a junior member of governments since the 1970s, and a former member of the European Parliament. | Rebelo de Sousa, 67, has had a long career in the public eye, working as a newspaper editor, a popular media pundit, a junior member of governments since the 1970s, and a former member of the European Parliament. |
Turnout was low Sunday at 52 percent after a dull two-week campaign. | Turnout was low Sunday at 52 percent after a dull two-week campaign. |
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |