2024-09-23 15:35:12
“If there is no budget there will be a political and economic crisis”the head of state told the media, without however confirming whether he intends to dissolve Parliament and call new elections six months after those of March, in the event of rejection of the Finance Law that the executive must present on October 10.
After accusing each other of unwillingness to reach an agreement on the budget, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and opposition leader Pedro Nuno Santos are due to meet on Friday. “There will be elections only if the government and the president want them”said Mr. Santos, reaffirming the “availability” socialists to negotiate, while demanding that the government renounce tax measures in favour of businesses and qualified young people.
Mr Montenegro’s government does not have a majority in parliament and, in order to secure a budget, it must negotiate the abstention of the Socialist Party or the favourable votes of the far-right Chega party, which strengthened its position as the country’s third political force by obtaining 18% of the vote in the March election. “Chega is not participating in this show because we understood from the first moment that the government does not really want to negotiate with anyone”party president André Ventura said on Monday.
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