Montenegro further said its government would seek to present a comprehensive plan to fight corruption and make the Portuguese government more transparent. This announcement comes six months after the resignation of his predecessor, António Costa, after a search of his official residence by the police as part of an investigation into influence peddling.
But it remains unclear how the Democratic Alliance of Montenegro coalition will pass the bills needed to make its promises a reality. Although the center right narrowly won last month’s early legislative elections, it is far from having obtained the 116 seats required to form a governing majority in the Portuguese Parliament.
Meanwhile, the far-right Chega party performed better than expected, winning 50 of the legislature’s 230 seats. With Montenegro pledging not to make any deals with Chega, its Democratic Alliance will be forced to seek support from the Socialist Party, which has governed the country for eight years.
Piecemeal agreements between the country’s two largest parties appear possible. After Chega refused to support the center-right candidate to chair the Portuguese parliament last week, Montenegro’s lawmakers managed to reach a deal with their center-left counterparts to split the presidency, with each party’s candidate being President of Parliament for two years.
Likewise, socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos indicated he was ready to help the new minority government modify the country’s budget to increase funding for teachers, police and health workers.
But a long-term collaboration seems unlikely. Santos has made clear that he does not intend to serve as a crutch for Montenegro, and the left wing of the Socialist Party is unlikely to provide support for the center-right’s proposed 2025 budget.
Politices
