XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal
The XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XXI Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the 21st government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the current Constitution. It was in office from 26 November 2015 to 26 October 2019, and was formed by the members of the Socialist Party (PS). António Costa, leader of the PS, served as Prime Minister.
XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal XXI Governo Constitucional de Portugal | |
|---|---|
Cabinet of Portugal | |
Prime Minister António Costa | |
| Date formed | 26 November 2015 |
| Date dissolved | 26 October 2019 (3 years and 11 months) |
| People and organisations | |
| President of the Republic | Aníbal Cavaco Silva Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa |
| Prime Minister | António Costa |
| No. of ministers | 17 [a] |
| Member party | Socialist Party (PS) |
| Status in legislature | Minority government with confidence and supply from: Left Bloc (BE), Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV) |
| Opposition parties |
|
| History | |
| Election(s) | 2015 Portuguese legislative election (4 October 2015) |
| Predecessor | XX Constitutional Government |
| Successor | XXII Constitutional Government |
Background edit
After the 2015 legislative election had resulted in a hung parliament, the leader of the Portugal Ahead alliance (PPD/PSD.CDS–PP), then Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho was given the task of forming a new government. However, as his minority government failed to secure support by any other party, notably the Socialist, the Government Programme was rejected by a vote of 123 to 107 deputies, leading to the government's disbandment within less than a month.[1]
In the meantime, Socialist Party secretary-general António Costa had succeeded in securing support for a Socialist minority government by the Left Bloc (BE), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV), in a confidence and supply agreement. Subsequently, he was appointed as the new Prime Minister on 24 November 2015.[2] The cabinet members took their oath of office on 26 November 2015.
Composition edit
The government was composed of the Prime Minister and 17 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries and under-secretaries of state.[3]
| Office | Minister | Party | Start of term | End of term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | António Costa | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Augusto Santos Silva | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Premiership and Administrative Modernization | Maria Manuel Leitão Marques | PS | 26 November 2015 | 18 February 2019 | ||
| Mariana Vieira da Silva | PS | 18 February 2019 | 26 October 2019 | |||
| Minister of Finance | Mário Centeno | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of National Defence | José Alberto Azeredo Lopes | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 12 October 2018 | ||
| João Gomes Cravinho | Independent | 12 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 | |||
| Minister of Internal Administration | Constança Urbano de Sousa | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 18 October 2017 | ||
| Eduardo Cabrita | PS | 21 October 2017 | 26 October 2019 | |||
| Minister of Justice | Francisca Van Dunem | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Economy[b] | Manuel Caldeira Cabral | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 15 October 2018 | ||
| Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister (Ministro-Adjunto do Primeiro-Ministro) [b] | Eduardo Cabrita | PS | 26 November 2015 | 21 October 2017 | ||
| Pedro Siza Vieira | PS | 21 October 2017 | 15 October 2018 | |||
| Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and of Economy[c] | Pedro Siza Vieira | PS | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Culture | João Soares | PS | 26 November 2015 | 8 April 2016 | ||
| Luís Filipe Castro Mendes | Independent | 14 April 2016 | 15 October 2018 | |||
| Graça Fonseca | PS | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 | |||
| MInister of Science, Technology and Higher Education | Manuel Heitor | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Education | Tiago Brandão Rodrigues | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security | José Vieira da Silva | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Health | Adalberto Campos Fernandes | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 15 October 2018 | ||
| Marta Temido | Independent | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 | |||
| Minister of Planning and Infrastructure[d] | Pedro Marques | PS | 26 November 2015 | 18 February 2019 | ||
| Minister of Planning[e] | Nelson de Souza | PS | 18 February 2019 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Infrastructure and Housing[e] | Pedro Nuno Santos | PS | 18 February 2019 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Environment[f] | João Pedro Matos Fernandes | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 15 October 2018 | ||
| Minister of Environment and Energy Transition[c] | João Pedro Matos Fernandes | Independent | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Agriculture | Luís Capoulas Santos | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
| Minister of Sea | Ana Paula Vitorino | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 | ||
Notes edit
- ^ Not including the Prime Minister.
- ^ a b Replaced by the position of Deputy Minister and of Economy on 15 October 2018.
- ^ a b Position created on 15 October 2018.
- ^ Replaced by the positions of Minister of Planning and Minister of Infrastructure and Housing on 18 February 2019.
- ^ a b Position created on 18 February 2019.
- ^ Replaced by the position of Minister of Environment and Energy Transition on 15 October 2018.
References edit
- ^ Angelique Chrisafis (10 November 2015). "Portuguese MPs force minority government to quit over austerity". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ "Presidente da República indicou Secretário-Geral do PS para Primeiro-Ministro" (in Portuguese). Presidência da República. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ "XXI Government - Portuguese Republic". www.portugal.gov.pt. Retrieved 27 October 2023.