Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva said he will not allow a coalition of left parties to form a government, despite the fact that they won an outright majority in October 4 parliamentary elections - on grounds it would "violate" existing commitments to the European Union.
Portugal
Will Portugal finally see the end of the austerity imposed over four years by the right-wing coalition of the Social-Democratic Party (PSD) and Democratic and Social Centre鈥擯eople's Party (CDS-PP)?
Will Portugal finally see the end of the austerity imposed over four years by the right-wing coalition of the Social-Democratic Party (PSD) and Democratic and Social Centre鈥擯eople's Party (CDS-PP)?
Massacre is an explosive theatre work about the politics and violence of East Timor. Produced by Stone/Castro (Australia) and Colectivo 84 (Portugal), it features John Romao as 鈥淭imor鈥 and Paulo Castro as 鈥淓ast鈥.
They work with 鈥渨eapons of grotesque, sarcasm and a thrash metal soundtrack to create a scenic, hypnotic and dangerous game. The mutant metamorphosis of Australia, Indonesia and Portugal make for an in-your-face confrontation to the East Timor crisis.鈥
The Portuguese tax-haven and tourist island of Madeira 鈥 a watering hole of Europe's super-rich 鈥 was the unlikely site of gains for the Left Bloc and the anti-corruption citizens鈥 movement Together for the People (JPP) in March 29 elections for the autonomous region鈥檚 legislative assembly.
The JPP, whose lead candidate Elvio Sousa promised 鈥渁 different way of doing politics 鈥 favouring the most victimised and the middle class鈥, won five seats (10.34%) in the 47-seat legislature.
What does the victory of radical left party SYRIZA in Greece's January 25 elections mean for politics in Europe, at Europe-wide and national levels? Both levels are closely intertwined, and since SYRIZA鈥檚 win have been having rapid feedback effects on each another.
Across Europe, the reverberations of SYRIZA鈥檚 win are being felt with rising force, both in 鈥減eripheral鈥 Europe, but also in the German-led European Union 鈥渃ore鈥.
Three years ago the Portuguese government, unable to raise funds on the capital markets, went for help to the infamous troika 鈥 the combination of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Union. In return for their bail-out, the troika imposed punitive conditions that have wrecked livelihoods.
In Portugal last September, the negative impact was expressed for me in one biting comment: 鈥淭hey are draining the life blood from Portugal.鈥
The results of the September 28 Portuguese local government elections would seem obvious: the big winner was the opposition Socialist Party (SP), and the big loser the governing alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Democratic and Social Centre鈥擯eople鈥檚 Party (CDS-PP).
The pattern was the same at all three layers of local government for which the Portuguese vote 鈥 municipal assemblies (councils in Australia), municipal chambers (the councils鈥 full-time executives, headed by the mayor), and parish or ward committees.
The June 27 general strike in Portugal, the fourth since the country became an economic protectorate of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund 鈥渢roika鈥 in 2011, was marked by several important firsts.
It was the largest general strike to date, with 80%-100% support from public sector workers and a clear rise in support from private sector workers.
Francisco Louca is an economics professor at the Technical University of Lisbon. Louca was part of the student movement against the Salazar dictatorship in the 1970s. He was a founding member of the Left Bloc, launched in 1999 when several left groups united. He served as the Left Bloc's chief coordinator between 2005 and last year. He was interviewed by Mark Bergfeld, a London-based socialist activist. The interview is abridged from .
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The 39th anniversary of Portugal鈥檚 1974 鈥渞evolution of the carnations鈥 that overthrew a 48-year-long dictatorship, was marked on April 25 by a huge march against austerity in Lisbon.
The symbols of that revolution 鈥 the carnations and the song 鈥淕randola, Vila Morena鈥 (broadcast in the early hours of April 25, 1974 as the signal to start the revolt )鈥 were massively present.
They now stand for the need for another rebellion, this time against the austerity imposed on the country by the 鈥渢roika鈥 -- the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund.
Whenever there is a protest in Portugal you are almost certain to hear the haunting song 鈥淕randola, Vila Morena鈥 (鈥淕randola, sunburnt town鈥), with its line 鈥渨ho most rules within you, O city, is the people鈥. On March 2, at huge protests across Portugal, 鈥淕randola, Vila Morena鈥 was sung by more voices than ever before.
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