The motion of no confidence presented by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) against the Government was defeated in Parliament this Monday (June 25). After three-and-a-half hours of debate, the Members of Parliament (MPs) gave their verdict with 124 votes against – 105 from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and 19 from the Popular Party (CDS–PP) – 68 abstentions from the Socialist Party (PS), and only 23 votes in favour – 13 from PCP, 8 from the Left Wing party (BE) and 2 from the ‘green’ political group Os Verdes.
During the debate, MPs questioned Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, urging him to reveal further austerity measures, but the leader of the PSD-CDS-PP coalition government refused to unveil any new policies, saying that it is “too soon” to consider such a scenario. Not convinced by the Prime Minister’s statement, PCP’s parliamentary leader Bernardino Soares said at the end of the debate that it is clear that the Government is preparing more austerity measures. He also criticised PS’s abstention, saying that the only thing that “truly drives the PS party is defending José Sócrates and its government, not the Portuguese people”. As he left Parliament, Pedro Passos Coelho refused to give any statement.
