Porto, April 2, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal's prime minister, Luís Montenegro, said on Wednesday that his government, which took office only in April of last year but now faces fresh elections, has implemented one third of the measures set out in its programme, in comments after a cabinet meeting held in Porto.
"The government is in office, it's working, we've had the opportunity to take stock of the various policies that we've been implementing, so that in about one fifth of the time that would be filled in this legislature, the government has implemented one third of the measures set out in the government's programme," he told journalists at the briefing following the meeting, which was held in Porto's Bolhão Market.
The prime minister emphasised that the country has "economic stability" and "financial stability" as well as "political stability" with the government having achieved much and still working in a caretaker capacity.
"It's now going through a moment of clarification, but it has had political stability during this year," he said.
Montenegro then went on to list various measures taken by the government, criticising those who said that the governing coalition - made up of the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the conservative People's Party (CDS-PP) - was "going to destroy the effort that had been made to consolidate the budget, and that the achievement of the country's financial objectives was even at stake.
"For, a year later, not only has the economy grown more than predicted, but the surplus in the public accounts has exceeded the government's most optimistic estimate," he emphasised.
The cabinet met on Wednesday in Porto, on the day that the current government completed one year in office. It resigned after parliament last month rejected a motion of confidence that it had tabled, and Portugal's president then decided to dissolve the assembly and scheduled snap legislative elections for 18 May.
The cabinet meeting at the market had been announced as focussing on taking stock of one year of government.
After the briefing, cabinet members walked to the Café Majestic in Rua de Santa Catarina for lunch.
On his arrival at the Bolhão Market for the cabinet meeting, the prime minister exchanged kisses and hugs with well-wishers among members of the public, but said that he was not "really" campaigning.
Welcomed by the mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, and flanked by the minister for parliamentary affairs, Pedro Duarte - who had just announced that he was standing in the Porto council elections - Montenegro when asked if he was campaigning replied "not really" and that he was merely greeting people.
As to whether he was might also be campaigning for the local elections, since he was flanked by Duarte, Montenegro rejected the idea that he had anything to do with that.
"That's no longer my business," he said, as he walked around the lower level of the market, where he was approached by stallholders who encouraged him with phrases such as “lots of luck” and “we're going to win” or even “I'm with the PSD” and “let's show who we are” or “congratulations.”
On Friday, when asked if the government would mark its first year in office, despite now being in a caretaker capacity, the prime minister replied in the affirmative.
"We will not fail to keep a record, although naturally at this stage with great restraint, because we know that we also have a duty of neutrality, of impartiality," he said.
JE/ARO // ARO.
Lusa
