State of Nation debate: PM rejects claims of chaos

Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro used the State of the Nation debate yesterday to reject opposition claims that his government is engulfed in “chaos”, insisting instead that Portugal is “better” after two years of his administration, while firmly backing two ministers under intense political pressure.

In an opening address lasting roughly half an hour, Montenegro highlighted his government’s record on tax cuts, state reform and economic management – largely avoiding mention of the ongoing national exam marking crisis or the controversy surrounding Minister of Interior Administration Luís Neves.

The opposition quickly forced both issues onto the agenda.

Responding to criticism over widespread problems with the digital marking of secondary school exams, Montenegro acknowledged that “not everything went well” and admitted there had been “technical problems” with the new correction system.

However, he rejected descriptions of the situation as “chaos” and reiterated the government’s confidence in Education Minister Fernando Alexandre, dismissing speculation of an imminent ministerial reshuffle.

“I have full confidence in every member of my government,” said the prime minister.

Mr Montenegro also struck a more optimistic tone than his education minister had the previous day, insisting the government was still aiming to publish students’ exam results on schedule.

“By tomorrow we have to ensure the publication of the grades,” he told parliament, despite schools still awaiting final confirmation of the timetable.

He continued to defend the digital marking system, describing it as more “reliable, rigorous and transparent” and claiming it enjoyed the support of “the overwhelming majority of teachers” despite sustained criticism from education unions and opposition parties.

The prime minister devoted most of his speech to promoting what he described as the government’s achievements, citing two State Budgets delivered without tax increases, lower taxes, administrative simplification and reforms to the Court of Auditors as evidence that his administration was “transforming Portugal”.

The opposition painted a very different picture.

CHEGA leader André Ventura attacked the government’s handling of the controversy surrounding Luís Neves, unauthorised building work (and today, a seized PJ evidence trailer…), challenging the PM to submit a motion of confidence to parliament if he believed his administration still commanded political support.

The prime minister ignored André Ventura’s challenge.

Ventura later described the government as being in “accelerated decomposition” (whether this was meant as a pun on the executive’s drive for zones of ‘accelerated renewable energy’ was lost in the cacophony of dissent/ approval)

Montenegro insisted Neves has “committed no illegality” and ‘had not placed private interests above the public interest’.

Addressing CHEGA’s separate accusations that Neves had threatened André Ventura, the PM  rejected these outright, accusing the far-right party of intimidation.

“When it comes to intimidation, you could teach anyone”, he said, confirming that Neves will provide “all the necessary explanations” regarding the various allegations.

According to Expresso, some figures within the governing Democratic Alliance (AD) privately viewed the minister’s recent television interviews defending himself over the controversy as damaging – with one unnamed government source describing them as “a disaster”.

The newspaper also reported that Neves, a former national director of the Judicial Police (PJ), operates with greater independence from the PSD’s political communications machinery than most ministers, making him more difficult for party strategists to manage.

On the left, the Socialist Party was more focused on the national exams agony, demanding the government prepare a contingency plan should confidence in this year’s results be undermined; while the Left Bloc (BE) renewed calls for Education Minister Fernando Alexandre to resign and urged the government to waive the fees students pay when requesting a review of their exam grades.

Despite sustained criticism from across the opposition benches, Luís Montenegro emerged from the debate standing firmly behind his ministers, signalling that neither the exam crisis nor the growing controversy surrounding Luís Neves has, for now, shaken his confidence in both his strategy and his government.

Recent polls however do show that the majority of people questioned do not believe the country is ‘better’ after two years of AD government, but they equally do not want early elections. Surveys indicate that were early elections to take place, the PS and PSD would be neck and neck (meaning AD might not get back into power, and if it did, it would be exactly as it is now: a minority administration, fighting to get every policy through parliament, and frequently being thwarted).

Source material: Expresso