XXIII Constitutional Government of Portugal

The XXIII Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XXIII Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the 23rd government of the Third Portuguese Republic under the current Constitution, and had António Costa as the Prime Minister, in his third consecutive term. It was in office from 30 March 2022 to 2 April 2024 and was formed by members of the Socialist Party (PS).[1]

XXIII Constitutional Government of Portugal
XXIII Governo Constitucional de Portugal

Cabinet of Portugal
Prime Minister António Costa
Date formed30 March 2022
Date dissolved2 April 2024
People and organisations
President of the RepublicMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Prime MinisterAntónio Costa
No. of ministers17 [a]
Ministers removed3 resigned [b]
Member partySocialist Party (PS)
Status in legislatureMajority government
Opposition parties
History
Elections2022 Portuguese legislative election
(30 January 2022)
Legislature term15th Legislature
PredecessorXXII Constitutional Government
SuccessorXXIV Constitutional Government

It was the second PS government to have absolute majority of seats in the Legislature, after the first government of José Sócrates, between 2005 and 2009. It was composed of 17 ministers and 40 secretaries of state.

Composition

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The government was initially composed of the Prime Minister and 17 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries, and sub-secretaries of state. On 3 January 2023, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing was split into the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of Housing, increasing the number of ministries to 18.[2][3]

Office Minister Party Start of term End of term
 

Prime Minister

  António Costa PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of the Presidency

  Mariana Vieira da Silva PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Foreign Affairs

  João Gomes Cravinho Independent 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of National Defence

  Helena Carreiras Independent 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Home Affairs

  José Luís Carneiro PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Justice

  Catarina Sarmento e Castro Independent 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Finance

  Fernando Medina PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister and for Parliamentary Affairs

  Ana Catarina Mendes PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of the Economy and Maritime Affairs

  António Costa Silva Independent 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Culture

  Pedro Adão e Silva Independent 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education

  Elvira Fortunato Independent 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Education

  João Costa PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security

  Ana Mendes Godinho PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Health

  Marta Temido PS 30 March 2022 10 September 2022
  Manuel Pizarro PS 10 September 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Environment and Climate Action

  Duarte Cordeiro PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
Minister of Infrastructure and Housing[c]   Pedro Nuno Santos PS 30 March 2022 4 January 2023
 

Minister of Infrastructure[d]

  João Galamba PS 4 January 2023 13 November 2023
  António Costa PS 15 November 2023[4] 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Housing[d]

  Marina Gonçalves PS 4 January 2023 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Territorial Cohesion

  Ana Abrunhosa Independent 30 March 2022 2 April 2024
 

Minister of Agriculture and Food

  Maria do Céu Antunes PS 30 March 2022 2 April 2024

Events

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Resignation of António Costa

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Costa announcing his resignation, on 7 November 2023

On 7 November 2023, Portuguese prosecutors detained António Costa's chief of staff Vítor Escária and named the minister of Infrastructure João Galamba a formal suspect in an investigation into alleged corruption in lithium mining, green hydrogen and a data centre deals. Over 40 searches were carried out in several buildings, including Escária's office, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Action.[5]

Costa met with the President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and announced his resignation in a televised statement in the afternoon, saying that "the dignity of the functions of prime minister is not compatible with any suspicion about his integrity, his good conduct and even less with the suspicion of the practice of any criminal act".[6]

On 9 November 2023, after meeting with the Council of State and talking with the political parties represented in the parliament, president Rebelo de Sousa announced snap legislative elections to be held on 10 March 2024. Because the 2024 government budget debate was still underway in the parliament and, by law, elections need to be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the parliament, president Rebelo de Sousa officially dissolved the parliament more than two months later, on 15 January 2024.[7][8] On 2 April 2024, the new center-right minority government, led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, took office to succeed António Costa, resulting from the slim victory of the Democratic Alliance in the snap election.[9]

Notes

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  1. ^ Not including the Prime Minister.
  2. ^ Not including the resignation of the Prime Minister.
  3. ^ Position replaced by the Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister of Housing on 4 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b Position created on 4 January 2023.

References

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  1. ^ Hatton, Barry (30 March 2022). "Portugal's new govt sees EU aid as firing up economic growth". Associated Press. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Government Composition". www.portugal.gov.pt. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  3. ^ "João Galamba vai ser ministro das Infraestruturas e Marina Gonçalves fica com novo Ministério da Habitação". Expresso (in Portuguese). 2 January 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  4. ^ Portuguesa, Presidência da República. "Primeiro-Ministro assume funções de Ministro das Infraestruturas e Presidente da República aceita nomeação de Secretário de Estado Adjunto e das Infraestruturas". www.presidencia.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  5. ^ Demony, Catarina; Rua, Patricia Vicente; Goncalves, Sergio; Demony, Catarina (7 November 2023). "Portuguese PM to address lithium probe as minister named suspect in graft case". Reuters. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Portugal's PM Costa resigns over corruption investigation". Reuters. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  7. ^ Goncalves, Sergio; Demony, Catarina; Demony, Catarina (9 November 2023). "Portugal president calls March snap election, leaves time to pass budget". Reuters. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  8. ^ "É oficial: Presidente Marcelo decreta a 9.ª dissolução do Parlamento". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 15 January 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Portugal's new government aims to outmanoeuvre radical populist rivals". euronews. 2 April 2024.