[1/2]A man looks at newspaper front pages the day after Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced his resignation amid the ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in multibillion-dollar lithium, green hydrogen and data center deals in Lisbon, Portugal, November 8, 2023. Portal/Pedro…Acquire license rights Read more
LISBON, Nov 9 (Portal) – Nearly 70% of Portuguese voters want an early election following the sudden resignation of the Socialist prime minister, a poll showed on Thursday, as President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was expected to announce his decision on the matter later during the day.
Antonio Costa resigned on Tuesday after prosecutors arrested his chief of staff as part of an investigation into alleged illegalities in his government’s handling of lucrative lithium and hydrogen projects.
Prosecutors said Costa was also the target of a related investigation. He has denied wrongdoing.
It is up to the conservative president to decide whether to allow the Socialist Party (PS), which has a parliamentary majority, to form a new or interim government, or whether to dissolve parliament and call new elections.
His office said he would address the nation after a meeting with his advisory body, the State Council. The meeting starts at 3:00 p.m. (1500 GMT).
An Intercampus poll for the newspapers Jornal de Negocios and Correio da Manha found that 67.8% of voters would prefer an early election, while 25.7% would prefer to see the PS elect a new prime minister and form a government .
Analysts also consider an election to be the most likely option, although Rebelo de Sousa could opt to give the PS more time to pass the budget for next year, which has already been approved by Parliament in first reading, in Parliament bring.
Joao Duque, dean of the Lisbon School of Economics and Management, said the president would likely take into account the volatile economic situation in Europe and allow lawmakers to vote on the draft budget, scheduled for November 29.
PS President Carlos Cesar said on Wednesday that March would be the best time if the president decided to call new elections. Other parties referred to January or February.
The budget includes lower income tax rates for the middle class, higher wages and social benefits.
Separately, those detained in the investigation, including Costa’s close friend and adviser Diogo Lacerda Machado, were due to appear in a Lisbon court on Thursday. They were suspected of corruption and influence peddling, prosecutors said.
Reporting by Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, editing by Andrei Khalip and Alex Richardson
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