Political earthquake in Portugalwhere is that, that, that Prime Minister António Costa yes is resigned on live television. The decision came after I learned to be one examined by the judiciary as part of an investigation corruption which led to the indictment of another minister in his executive branch.
António Costa resigns on live TV: why he did it
The Prime Minister, who has been in office for over seven years, announced that he had tendered his resignation Head of State Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in a live speech on national television.
Costa said he was “confident that justice is working” but decided to take a step back after the news a criminal investigation at his expense. He made himself available to the investigators in order to clarify all aspects of the matter.
A recording of former Prime Minister Costa’s press conference
The President of the Republic has summoned the secretaries of the parties for tomorrow, Wednesday, November 8th, and Thursday State Councilor in Belem Palaceto understand the future of the executive branch, no longer led by Prime Minister Costa.
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A minister is also involved in the corruption investigation
The ongoing investigation concerns suspected cases related to bribery for lithium extraction in the country and does not only affect the former Prime Minister Costa, who is currently not clear whether he is only being investigated or whether he has also been charged. Several people close to him have been arrested in the past few hours.
Among them are the Chief Cabinet Secretary from Costa, Vitor Escariaand one of his advisors and confidants, Diogo Lacerda. Among those under investigation there are also Minister for Infrastructure Portuguese Joao Galamba. The police searched his ministry and the Ministry of the Environment, as well as the offices of the President of the Republic.
The scandal surrounding the government’s “green” investments could cost Galamba an indictment for active and passive corruption crimes, Influence peddling And Abuse of office. The subject of the investigation is the use of green hydrogen and the associated degradation of hydrogen Montalegrein the north of Portugal.
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Who is the Portuguese Prime Minister involved in the scandal in Portugal?
António Luís Santos da Costa was born in 1961 and is a Portuguese lawyer and politician who holds the position of Secretary General of the socialist party and since 2015 that of the Portuguese Prime Minister.
After being Interior Minister From 2005 to 2007 he was for several years Mayor of Lisbon before the “final” transition to the office of Prime Minister. Since 2014 he has led the Socialist Party, with which he won the 2015 elections.
His first measure was the increase in the minimum wage from January 1, 2016 from 589 to 616 euros, in order to then reduce the weekly working hours for civil servants to 35 hours and reduce the VAT for hotels and restaurants. Measures that have helped Portugal recover from the deep crisis of the last decade.
He was re-elected 2022 general election, won by the Socialist Party thanks to obtaining an absolute majority in Parliament. In the press conference in which he announced his resignation, he protested his innocence and stated that he had a clear conscience.
Photo source: ANSA