PORTUGAL: VOTERS HEAD TO THE POLLS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN OUSTING OF THE RULING SOCIALISTS AS SLUMP IN ECONOMY CONTINUES
Record ID:
328667
PORTUGAL: VOTERS HEAD TO THE POLLS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN OUSTING OF THE RULING SOCIALISTS AS SLUMP IN ECONOMY CONTINUES
- Title: PORTUGAL: VOTERS HEAD TO THE POLLS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN OUSTING OF THE RULING SOCIALISTS AS SLUMP IN ECONOMY CONTINUES
- Date: 18th March 2002
- Summary: (U3) LISBON, PORTUGAL (MARCH 17, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV MAN AT NEWSPAPER STAND; SCU NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES; SCU POSTER WITH DETAILS OF ELECTION (5 SHOTS) 0.25 2. SLV POLLING STATION; MV OFFICIALS PREPARING BALLOTS (7 SHOTS) 1.12 3. MV FIRST VOTERS ENTERING A POLLING STATION; MV /SCU FIRST VOTERS CASTING THEIR VOTES; SLV INTERIOR POLLING STATION (6 SHOTS) 1.58 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 2nd April 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Reuters ID: LVA7IBVX0G0QWGF8TVQXRA3DB19V
- Story Text: Voters in Portugal are heading to the polls, expected
to result in ousting the ruling Socialists as the country's
slumping economy falls ever further behind the rest of the
European Union.
Polling stations opened on Sunday (March 17, 2002) at 0800
GMT and exit polls will be run by main television stations as
soon as the vote ends at 1900 GMT.
Campaigning for the elections has been dominated by the
slowing economy in Portugal, one of the EU's poorest
countries, and its failure to keep up with the rest of the
15-nation bloc despite billions of euros in EU aid.
A number of polls published on Friday (March 15) indicated
the centre-right Social Democrats, headed by former foreign
minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, would finish ahead of the
ruling Socialists and leader Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues.
The Socialists have been expected to lose control of the
government after Prime Minister Antonio Guterres resigned in
December because of a sweeping win by Social Democrats in
local elections.
However, the Social Democrats are likely to fall short of
an overall majority in parliament.
The polls showed many Portuguese were still uneasy about
the two main parties. A survey in Publico newspaper said
almost 30 percent of voters were still undecided or would
abstain.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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