At the start of the first meeting of the Council of Ministers of the XXV Constitutional Government, which today was completed with the swearing-in of state secretaries, the government gathered for a family photo at the official residence in São Bento under a relaxed atmosphere.
Initially, the prime minister and the 16 ministers posed for photographers, who asked them to climb stairs to avoid spots of sun and shadow. “We will rise even more in the coming years,” joked Luís Montenegro as he obliged.
Subsequently, the 43 secretaries of state were called for another photo, and once again, in response to photographers’ requests for more people on the left side, political quips from the prime minister emerged. “Exceptionally to the Left,” Montenegro started, eliciting laughter from the officials.
When asked by journalists whether negotiations would lean more left or right — with the PS or Chega — he added, “As centrists, we go a little to one side and a bit to the other.”
When questioned about his plan for governance, the prime minister provided a more elaborate response. “Exactly, always with this very versatile way of rising, descending, soaring, to the Left, to the Right, and to the Center, but always forward,” he stated.
Montenegro did not offer a direct answer to whether he was concerned about the Bank of Portugal’s forecasts, which are more pessimistic than the government’s outlook for the economy. “No. What concerns me is looking at every Portuguese citizen daily and improving their living conditions,” he said only.
During the group photo preparation, the prime minister had already expressed confidence and optimism regarding the future of the second PSD/CDS-PP executive he is to lead. “We believe greatly in Portugal, that is what matters,” he said when asked if this government is stronger than the XXIV, which collapsed before completing its first year due to a vote of no confidence, a political crisis centered on his family’s company.
Ministers and state secretaries began arriving at São Bento shortly before 3 PM for this first government meeting, without any scheduled briefing at the end.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, today swore in the 43 secretaries of state of the XXV Constitutional Government in a ceremony at the National Palace of Ajuda in Lisbon, after swearing in the prime minister and 16 ministers at the same location on Thursday.
Luís Montenegro’s second government consists of 60 members, one-third of whom are women.
The Assembly of the Republic will debate the program of the XXV Constitutional Government between June 17 and 18, with the PS and Chega indicating they will not obstruct it, while the PCP announced it will present a motion of rejection.
The AD coalition (PSD/CDS-PP), led by Luís Montenegro, won the legislative elections without an absolute majority, electing 91 deputies out of 230, of which 89 are from the PSD and two from the CDS-PP.
Chega emerged as the second largest parliamentary force with 60 deputies, followed by the PS with 58, IL with nine, Livre with six, PCP with three, and BE, PAN, and JPP with one each.
Luís Montenegro has been prime minister since April 2 of last year, following an eight-year governing period by the PS.
