Coalition party leader Pedro Passos Coelho wants the constitution to be amended, now that his government has been voted out by the left wing and socialist alliance.
Portugal's redundant prime minister today demanded a change in Portugal’s constitution so he can participate in a snap election early next year.
Having been out of power for a matter of days, Passos Coelho has lashed out at the Socialist Party in a storm of vindictive complaint and called on Portugal's left wing opposition parties to support a move to dissolve parliament and hold another general election in March 2016, or earlier.
The Portuguese constitution, which has served everyone just fine for decades, states that a new general election cannot be held within six months of the last one.
Passos Coelho's coalition received the highest percentage of the country’s vote in the October 4th general election, but had no majority in parliament so was voted out after 11 days in power by a coalition of the socialist and left wing parties.
Pundits say that if there was another election soon, the result would be the same with Pedro Passos Coelho’s coalition winning the highest number of votes, but unable to govern as it would not have enough seats in parliament to pass any laws.
In a sharply worded attack, Passos Coelho revealed a bitter and twisted side to his character, saying today, “If those that want to govern instead of us, don't want to govern fraudulently, they should accept a constitutional revision and allow elections to take place."
Portugal's president, Cavaco Silva, is still going through the chicken entrails before making the decision about who should be the next prime minister, but is clear about one thing; democracy is just fine as long as it does not involve any party that would upset the EC and Portugal's bail-out lenders.
Cavaco Silva also has determined to be as disruptive as possible if he is forced to appoint socialist António Costa as prime minister, by blocking anti-austerity measures. The socialist alliance want to raise wages, rehire public sector workers, and halt privatisations - all of whcih the president will disrupt until he leaves his post early in 2016.
The amendment to the constitution demanded by the embittered Pedro Passos Coelho would need a two-thirds majority vote which he will not get unless the object of his ire, the Socialist Party, votes for his proposed amendment - which it is hardly likely to.
The political stalemate comes at a time when Portugal should be concentrating on its economy which currently is moribund, despite the pre-election hogwash that 'everything is going awfully well.'
GDP growth was zero in the third quarter (see below) and Portugal's creditors have urged whoever is next in charge to please continue to cut government spending, reduce debt levels and make crucial economic reforms, all of which were promised by Pedro Passos Coelho but not delivered.
