Costa aspiring to be PM of Portugal

Antonio Costa, a Portuguese lawyer and politican born in Lisbon in 1961, with Goan descent (once a Portuguese colony in India) through his father and writer Orlando da Costa could become next Prime Minister of Portugal, after the right wing government headed by Pedro Passos Coelho was brought down within 11 days of assuming power by a non-confidence vote and country has been thrown into political turmoil.

Portugal’s president Anibal Cavaco Silva, who has previously vowed to protect the country from anti-EU forces in the Communist and radical left bloc parties, will ultimately decide if the left-wing can enter office. A constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority vote in the country’s 230-seat parliament. If the motion fails the president faces the choice of appointing a caretaker regime for six months or relenting and allowing the socialists to enter power.

Portugal’s economy is not improving and GDP growth grounded to a halt at just 0 per cent in the third quarter. Costa, known as Gandhi of Lisbon for his simple way of life, was declared as the Socialist party’s PM candidate before the polls and now heads an alliance including Bloco de Esquerda (left bloc), Socialist party and the Communist and Green Alliance. In the past he served as a Mayor of Lisbon from 2007 to 2015 and minister of Internal administration from 2005-2007 in the erstwhile Socialist government.