In the latest round of the fierce leadership battle ongoing within the Socialist party, 50 of the 74 Socialist MPs are now reported to have put their names to a petition calling for internal elections.
They want to get on with the job of electing a leader that will lead them through the upcoming elections in 2015 – and since the lukewarm results of the European elections in May, they consider their current leader António José Seguro has lost his credibility.
Thus the supporters of Lisbon mayor António Costa have the proverbial long knives out and sharpened.
At times yesterday, the parliamentary benches were almost devoid of Socialist MPs – all because of the plotting and intrigue ongoing behind the scenes.
As a source within the party told journalists on Friday, Socialist Party president Maria de Belém is being pressured to “transmit the parliamentary group’s displeasure” with Seguro and “not prolong the political crisis within the party at a time when the country so needs the PS” united and in full form.
As MPs packed up and left Lisbon for the weekend, next week promises to be another nail-biter in Parliament.
