- Title: Portugal's PM Costa says won election, to stick to pact with far-left
- Date: 7th October 2019
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (OCTOBER 7, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PORTUGAL PRIME MINISTER ANTONIO COSTA ARRIVING AT STAGE TO CELEBRATE SOCIALISTS VICTORY IN PORTUGAL'S ELECTIONS SUPPORTER CLAPPING VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS CELEBRATING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) SOCIALIST LEADER AND PORTUGAL PRIME MINISTER ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING: "We accept this task with determination, joy and a great sense of responsibility to fulfil as we did in the last four years the compromises we took with the Portuguese." SUPPORTERS CHEERING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) SOCIALIST LEADER AND PORTUGAL PRIME MINISTER ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING: "Well in my opinion according to these electoral results it is obvious that PS (Socialist Party) has been reinforced and the ally parties consolidated their position. The political interpretation is obvious, Portuguese liked that arrangement and liked that political solution. For us, in order to ensure stability it was necessary to renew this solution. It doesn't depend only of us, it depends on everybody. But there is something that I want to assure to Portuguese regardless the others will, our strong will and determination is to ensure four years of stability in Portugal." SUPPORTERS CLAPPING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) SOCIALIST LEADER AND PORTUGAL PRIME MINISTER ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING: "We will never give up in the defence of a stronger Europe, more cohesive and more solidarity because within Europe and with Europe we will build our future." SUPPORTERS CHEERING COSTA CHEERING PS (SOCIALIST PARTY) VARIOUS OF SOCIALISTS SUPPORTER CELEBRATING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) 49-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF THE PORTUGUESE SOCIALIST PARTY ANTONIO GAMEIRO, SAYING: "Great joy because it is a big electoral victory for the PS (Socialist Party) the PS as gain strength, it is the continuation of the work that Portuguese people watched and confirmed with this result. It is necessary to do more and better politics based on the four strategies that the PS has in the program." (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) 24-YEAR-OLD SOCIALIST PARTY SUPPORTER ALEXANDRA GAMEIRO, SAYING: "In my opinion this probes that the four years were worthwhile, all the sacrifices that Portuguese people did and now we are in a new era of Portuguese politics."
- Embargoed: 21st October 2019 01:38
- Keywords: Portugal elections polls elections Antonio Costa Socialist party PSD leader Rui Rio
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- City: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZYJZGN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Portugal's ruling Socialists (PS) won Sunday's (October 6) parliamentary election but fell short of an outright majority, meaning Prime Minister Antonio Costa will need to negotiate a new deal with one or both of his far-left allies in the previous legislature.
"It's clear from this election that the PS is reinforced and the allied parties consolidated their positions," Costa told supporters chanting "Victory! Victory."
"The Portuguese liked our arrangement. It would be desirable to renew it, but it does not depend on us. Our firm will is to negotiate," he said.
Negotiations are not expected to be as messy or as long as in neighbouring Spain, which still has no government more than five months after elections and is heading for a repeat vote in November.
Costa has benefited from an economy that is growing more than the EU average, helped by increased exports and a booming tourism industry that last year saw visitors outnumber Portugal's inhabitants.
Leaders of the Left Bloc and the Communists, which have backed Costa since the last election in 2015, both said they had no objections to him being nominated as premier and were open to negotiate if the Socialists committed to improving the lives of workers.
With most of the votes counted, the Socialists led with 106 seats. This meant they were first but, with only four seats still not accounted for, they cannot reach the full majority of 116 seats in the 230-seat assembly.
The main opposition Social Democrats (PSD) won 28% of the votes and at least 77 seats, according to preliminary results.
(Production: Marco Trujillo, Miguel Pereira Julio Torres, Silvio Castellanos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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