PSD OPPOSITION leader Manuela Ferreira Leite has come under fire for saying that it would be great if democracy were suspended for six months to “put things in order” in Portugal.
The tongue-in-cheek gaffe, meant as a joke and criticism of José Sócrates’ authoritarian style of leadership, caused a stir at an American Club luncheon on Tuesday where Ferreira Leite was guest speaker.
She was speaking about necessary judicial reforms and the difficulty of negotiating in a democracy with social groups to bring reforms to a successful conclusion.
The PSD leader’s joke backfired as various political leaders, including PS parliamentary Chief Whip Alberto Martins, accused her of making “anti-democratic” statements.
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