Portugal: Left Front government prospect rocks the establishment | 22 comments (22 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (none / 0)

In all likelihood, he will chose Passos Coelho for the job by late Tuesday. After forming a government, the latter should present a budget to Parliament by the end of this month or the beginning of the next. If the left front holds until then, this budget should be refused, with the PàF government entering into care taking mode.

I don't get this. Isn't the new government required to win a vote of confidence by the parliament? Does the budget court as such a vote? And what happens if the government does not have the confidence of parliament?

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Oct 19th, 2015 at 12:16:18 PM EST

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (4.00 / 5)

Let me take this apart: 1. The government is appointed directly by the President, the Parliament is not involved at this stage and a confidence vote is not required. 2. Any parliamentary group may require a confidence or un-confidence vote at any time. If the government is defeated it is left in office with limited powers (care taking government). After such situation usually the President calls an early election and dissolves the Parliament. 3. In order to effectively govern, the government needs Parliament to approve a budget every year. If a government in office fails to pass a budget in Parliament it again enters care taking mode. 4. The President is not obliged to call early elections and may leave a care taking government in office until the following regular election.

luis_de_sousa@mastodon.social

by Luis de Sousa (luis[dot]de[dot]sousa[at]protonmail[dot]ch) on Mon Oct 19th, 2015 at 12:37:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (none / 0)

Appologies for the bad formatting.

luis_de_sousa@mastodon.social

by Luis de Sousa (luis[dot]de[dot]sousa[at]protonmail[dot]ch) on Mon Oct 19th, 2015 at 12:38:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (none / 0)

So in theory a presidential republic. But if I understand you correctly, in praxis it has been more or less a parliamentary republic, with the president as a formal role rather than a power role? And now the outgoing president is likely to set aside praxis?

by fjallstrom on Mon Oct 19th, 2015 at 04:22:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (4.00 / 2)

It is not a presidential republic because the President has no executive powers, and the budget must approved by Parliament. In essence, a successful government emerges out of an equilibrium between President and Parliament.

luis_de_sousa@mastodon.social

by Luis de Sousa (luis[dot]de[dot]sousa[at]protonmail[dot]ch) on Tue Oct 20th, 2015 at 03:05:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (none / 0)

Ok, but is appointing a PM against the will of the parliament's majority not a break with tradition?

by fjallstrom on Tue Oct 20th, 2015 at 02:23:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (4.00 / 5)

Not only is it a break of tradition, it is also a pointless exercise. It will simply result in a care taking government without a budget to execute. With the 2015 budget unravelling and the 2016 budget already delayed, this is a very bad option.

luis_de_sousa@mastodon.social

by Luis de Sousa (luis[dot]de[dot]sousa[at]protonmail[dot]ch) on Wed Oct 21st, 2015 at 02:21:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Portugal: left front goverment prospect (4.00 / 2)

While such a government can't do much, it can certainly stop the other side from doing anything either.

Which certainly is of great value if the president doesn't like the other side...

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid on Sat Oct 24th, 2015 at 10:46:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Portugal: Left Front government prospect rocks the establishment | 22 comments (22 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Top Diaries

Ireland 2023 Rugby World Cup Squad selected

Integrating Ukraine Into NATO Family

Leinster's demise and Munster's hope

Southern Irish disinterest in Northern Ireland affairs

Joe Biden. America's Interventionist Hero

Recent Diaries

NATO Stoltenberg Should Resign

NATO Posing the What If Question

Bi-Partisan Effort to Undermine Democracy

June 2023

Ireland 2023 Rugby World Cup Squad selected

Integrating Ukraine Into NATO Family

Southern Irish disinterest in Northern Ireland affairs

Incident Ukrainian War Display Gets Int'l Attention

German Climate Activists Group Outlawed

Leinster's demise and Munster's hope

Joe Biden. America's Interventionist Hero

Targeted Assassinations: a Bankrupt Strategy

Hijacking Peace by Zelensky for War Escalation

UA Drone Attack On Moscow

May 2023

U.S. Provoked Conflict In Europe

U.S. Will Be Ousted From Middle-East

Settler Extremism Blessed by Jerusalem Leaders

Occasional Series