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☆ Explainer-What's Next After Portugal's Inconclusive Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The centre-left Socialist Party (PS) won 77 seats, down sharply from its absolute majority of 120 in the previous legislature, after the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa amid a corruption investigation. Failure to approve a budget usually means the government's collapse and a new election. Portugal's constitution sets out that a new general election cannot happen earlier than six months after a new legislature first convenes, nor in the six months before a presidential election, which is due in January 2026. AD'S POLICY PROPOSALSThe newly-formed AD is led by the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) - the Socialists' main traditional rival. Investors do not expect much divergence from established fiscal prudence and economic growth from an AD government.

Persons: Andrei Khalip LISBON, Antonio Costa, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Luis Montenegro, Andre Ventura, Rebelo de Sousa, Chega, Ventura, Sergio Goncalves, Aislinn Laing, Mark Heinrich Organizations: Democratic Alliance, Liberal Initiative, Socialist Party, Socialist, Conservative, Social Democratic Party, PSD, Socialists, Investors Locations: Montenegro, Portugal, Brussels

☆ Spanish Farmers Take to Streets for Fourth Day, Plan Madrid Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

TORIJA, Spain (Reuters) - Spanish farmers on Friday blocked streets across the country in a fourth day of protests and announced plans to gather in Madrid as they railed against the EU's environmental rules and what they see as excessive taxes and red tape. Since Tuesday, Spanish farmers have joined peers from Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Belgium in daily protests that include blocking several highways and ports. The three main farmers' associations - COAG, Asaja and UPA - kicked off their demonstrations on Thursday, though many had started earlier in the week. Plataforma 6, a newly created farmers' group, said it would gather outside all regional government buildings in Spain, including Madrid. The head of business association CEOE Antonio Garamendi expressed solidarity with the farmers' protests but said they had to be conducted "in moderation to avoid harming other sectors".

Persons: Javier Corral, CEOE Antonio Garamendi, Guillermo Martinez, Marco Trujillo, Catarina Demony, David Latona, Andrei Khalip, Charlie Devereux Organizations: UPA, Farmers, El Mundo Locations: Spain, Madrid, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Asaja, Torija, Jerez, Moroccan, Merida, lobbing

☆ Catalan Leader Denies Spy Agency Claim He Led Separatist Protest Group
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Joan FausBARCELONA (Reuters) - Catalonia's regional leader on Friday denied allegations by Spain's spy agency CNI that he had secretly led a radical separatist protest group, which he said CNI had used as a pretext to snoop on him. Pere Aragones told reporters he had received on Thursday some heavily redacted declassified CNI documents related to the alleged espionage he had been subject to, and he called for those responsible to be held accountable. Asked about the documents, Spain's Justice Minister Felix Bolanos reiterated that the government did not know about nor authorise the alleged spying. "(The documents) make this affirmation that is obviously out of touch with any minimum sense of reality," Aragones told reporters, adding that the documents provided no explanation for such suspicions. Aragones said the documents were full of falsehoods and their aim was to destroy the legitimate political project of Catalan independence from Spain.

Persons: Joan Faus BARCELONA, Spain's, CNI, snoop, Pere Aragones, Felix Bolanos, Aragones, Paz Esteban, Esteban, Joan Faus, Andrei Khalip, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Citizen, Pegasus, Spain's Locations: Canada, Spain, Barcelona

☆ Spain's Top Court Rules Mass Deportation of Minors to Morocco Was Illegal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID (Reuters) - The deportation of hundreds of Moroccan youths from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in August, 2021 after a mass border crossing was illegal, Spain's Supreme Court ruled on Monday, dealing a blow to the leftist coalition government's immigration policy. The judges dismissed the government's appeal against an earlier ruling by a local court in Ceuta that had ordered Madrid to ensure the youths' return to Spain as it deemed their expulsion unlawful. Around 700 of them were sent back to Morocco in mid-August following an agreement between the neighbouring countries. The Supreme Court said the minors' collective expulsion flouted not only domestic immigration laws, but also breached the European Human Rights Convention. Authorities in Ceuta failed to meet any of these conditions, the Supreme Court ruled, adding that the minors' rights to physical and moral integrity were violated, as they were "put in serious danger of suffering physical or psychological harm".

Persons: flouted, David Latona, Andrei Khalip, Ed Osmond Organizations: Interior Ministry, Human Rights, European Locations: MADRID, Ceuta, Madrid, Spain, Rabat, Western, Morocco

☆ Amid Drought, Water Curbs in Portugal's Algarve, Spain's Catalonia
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Sergio Goncalves and Joan FausLISBON/BARCELONA (Reuters) - Portugal's caretaker government has ordered cuts to the amount of water used in farmland irrigation and in urban environments including hotels in the tourism-dependent southern region of Algarve, where a severe drought has nearly emptied reservoirs. Across the Iberian peninsula, Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia is suffering its worst drought on record and authorities in the greater Barcelona area said on Thursday they would reduce water pressure in some towns' supply systems. If nothing was done in relation to moderation on the consumption side, we would reach the end of 2024 without water for public supply," he said. In the southern region of Andalusia, officials on Thursday said there would be water restrictions in big cities such as Seville, Cordoba or Malaga by the summer in the absence of substantial rain before then. (Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; additional reporting by Joan Faus in Barcelona and Emma Pinedo in Madrid; editing by Andrei Khalip and Bernadette Baum)

Persons: Sergio Goncalves, Joan Faus, Duarte Cordeiro, Emma Pinedo, Andrei Khalip, Bernadette Baum Locations: Joan Faus LISBON, BARCELONA, Algarve, Catalonia, Barcelona, Portugal, Andalusia, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Madrid

The logo of Spanish telecoms firm Telefonica is seen atop the company's building in Madrid, Spain, September 6, 2023. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Telefonica told unions on Monday it was seeking to cut around 5,100 jobs in Spain by 2026 in an effort to reduce costs and adapt the company's size to the current market, a UGT union spokesperson said. The company based the decision on productivity, organization and technical reasons, the union spokesman said as Telefonica and the unions started negotiating the layoffs. In a statement Telefonica confirmed the labour "adjustment", but declined to say how many jobs it intended to axe. The company will negotiate the extent of the job cutting with the union, so that the actual cuts could be fewer than the 5,100 ones targeted by the company, UGT spokesperson Diego Gallart said.

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, Diego Gallart, Inti Landauro, Matteo Allievi, Jakub Olesiuk, Andrei Khalip, Jan Harvey Organizations: Telefonica, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain

☆ Planes, tails and mid-flight snacks -Spain's Vueling rolls out pet treats
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A dog sits as tourists at Gran Canaria airport queue to return to their countries after the closure of hotels during the health emergency of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Borja Suarez/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 4 (Reuters) - Spanish low-cost airline Vueling has started offering treats for pets as part of the buy-on-board menu on its flights, it said on Monday, adding that it was the first such initiative in Europe. A significant part of Vueling's customer base travels with pets and there is demand for such a service, the airline said. "We are trying to be diverse," it added. ($1 = 0.9249 euros)Reporting by Jakub Olesiuk, editing by Andrei Khalip and Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Borja Suarez, Vueling, Jakub Olesiuk, Andrei Khalip, Susan Fenton Organizations: Gran Canaria, REUTERS, Edgard, Cooper, Thomson Locations: Gran, Spain, Europe, Belgian

☆ Hundreds of Portuguese police raid farms in human trafficking crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Portuguese maritime police at one of two sites where hundreds of human trafficking victims, mostly migrants from Southeast Asia, were found near Portugal's capital Lisbon, in Samouco, Portugal, June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Miguel Pereira/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLISBON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Hundreds of police raided farms in Portugal's southern Alentejo region on Tuesday, arresting 28 people suspected of human trafficking and labour exploitation, police said. Those detained, both Portuguese and foreign nationals, are suspected of human trafficking, criminal association, aiding illegal immigration, illegal labour recruitment, extortion, money laundering and exerting physical harm, among other crimes. Cases of labour exploitation, when poor migrants are trapped in unpaid work, and human trafficking have been growing in Portugal, particularly in the agricultural sector. The Council of Europe has reported that Portuguese authorities identified 1,152 suspected victims of trafficking in 2016-2020, but the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions was low for such a large number.

Persons: Miguel Pereira, Patrícia Vicente Rua, Andrei Khalip, Nick Macfie Organizations: Portuguese, REUTERS, Rights, Police, of, Thomson Locations: Southeast Asia, Portugal's, Lisbon, Samouco, Portugal, Rights LISBON, Alentejo, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, India, Senegal, Pakistan, of Europe

☆ Amazon's logistics workers in Spain plan Cyber Monday walk-outs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Amazon is seen at the company logistics center in Lauwin-Planque, northern France, January 5, 2023. There are three working shifts a day at Amazon in Spain. Cyber Monday is the first working day after Thanksgiving, an important date for retailers as consumers return to work and start ordering Christmas gifts. Logistics workers at Amazon on both sides of the Atlantic have complained about working conditions and unionisation is starting to build pressure on the company. Amazon has grown fast Spain in the past couple of years in both logistics for its e-commerce business and data centres to support its cloud computer unit, Amazon Web Services.

Persons: Pascal, CCOO, Douglas Harper, Inti Landauro, Andrei Khalip, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Amazon, Reuters, CCOO, Logistics, Amazon Web Services, Thomson Locations: Lauwin, France, Rights MADRID, Amazon's, Spain, U.S, United States, Britain

☆ Flamenco cradle Seville hosts historic Latin Grammy awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Shakira poses with the Song Of The Year, Best Pop Song and Best Urban/Fusion Performance Awards at the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in Seville, Spain, November 17, 2023. Seville is the cradle of flamenco, a fiery music genre that has influenced generations of artists around the world. Latin American female performers swept most of the top awards in at Thursday's late-night gala. "Seville is the birthplace of flamenco. Reporting by Mariano Valladolid, Elena Rodriguez; writing by Andrei Khalip; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shakira, Jon Nazca, Argentine DJ Bizarrap, DJ Bizarrap's, Colombia's Karol G, Rosalia of Spain, Omar Montes, Mariano Valladolid, Elena Rodriguez, Andrei Khalip, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Argentine DJ, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Seville, Spain, SEVILLE, Argentine, Spanish, United States, American, Thursday's

☆ Sanchez wins Spanish parliament's backing for new term as PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

His Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) had reached separate deals with a number of regional parties to earn their backing, including a contentious bill on amnesty for Catalan separatists that has sparked protests across Spain. Sanchez's bid garnered 179 votes in favour and 171 against, with no abstentions. The "nays" stemmed from the conservative People's Party, the far-right Vox and the People's Union of Navarre's lone lawmaker. PSOE's hard-left ally Sumar, Catalan pro-independence parties Junts and ERC, Basque parties PNV and EH Bildu, Galicia's BNG and the Canary Coalition all voted for Sanchez, who first acceded to the office in 2018. Reporting by Belén Carreño, Inti Landauro and Emma Pinedo; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, amnesties, Catalonia's, Sanchez's, Vox, Navarre's, PSOE's, Sumar, Galicia's BNG, Sanchez, Belén Carreño, Inti Landauro, Emma Pinedo, David Latona, Andrei Khalip Organizations: Spain's, Spanish Socialist Workers ' Party, PSOE, People's Party, People's Union, Junts, ERC, Canary Coalition, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Spain, Catalan, Basque

☆ Sanchez Wins Spanish Parliament's Backing for New Term as PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's lower house of parliament on Thursday voted to make Pedro Sanchez prime minister for another term by a wafer-thin margin, ending a protracted deadlock after an inconclusive general election in July. His Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) had reached separate deals with a number of regional parties to earn their backing, including a contentious bill on amnesty for Catalan separatists that has sparked protests across Spain. The "nays" stemmed from the conservative People's Party, the far-right Vox and the People's Union of Navarre's lone lawmaker. PSOE's hard-left ally Sumar, Catalan pro-independence parties Junts and ERC, Basque parties PNV and EH Bildu, Galicia's BNG and the Canary Coalition all voted for Sanchez, who first acceded to the office in 2018. (Reporting by Belén Carreño, Inti Landauro and Emma Pinedo; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Andrei Khalip)

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez's, Vox, Navarre's, PSOE's, Sumar, Galicia's BNG, Sanchez, Belén Carreño, Inti Landauro, Emma Pinedo, David Latona, Andrei Khalip Organizations: Spanish Socialist Workers ' Party, PSOE, People's Party, People's Union, Junts, ERC, Canary Coalition Locations: MADRID, Spain, Catalan, Basque

☆ Bank of Portugal imposes capital buffer for mortgages at four large banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A man walks with his dog outside Bank of Portugal in downtown Lisbon, Portugal, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLISBON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - The Bank of Portugal has told Millennium bcp (BCP.LS), Novo Banco, Banco BPI and the local unit of Spain's Santander (SAN.MC), to create a new capital buffer equivalent to 4% of their loan portfolios that are collateralised by home mortgages. It said in a statement on Wednesday the measure addressing "sectoral systemic risk" would come into effect on Oct. 1, 2024, and be reviewed at least every two years. "This instrument has a preventative nature and aims to increase the resilience of institutions in the face of a potential future materialisation of systemic risk in the residential real estate market in Portugal," it said. BPI is owned by Spain's Caixabank and Novo Banco by the U.S. fund Lone Star.

Persons: Rafael Marchante, Spain's Caixabank, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip Organizations: Bank of Portugal, REUTERS, Rights, Bank of, bcp, Novo Banco, Banco BPI, Spain's Santander, BPI, U.S, Lone Star, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, Rights LISBON, Bank of Portugal, Novo

Cosgrave resigned as CEO last month, saying his personal comments on the conflict had become a distraction from Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon. Web Summit appointed former Wikimedia Foundation CEO Katherine Maher as the chief executive. The Web Summit said more than 300 of its partners were coming to the event and that some "who were deliberating have come back on board and reversed their decision". The event attracts about 70,000 participants every year, drawing speakers from global tech companies and startups, as well as politicians. Reporting by Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, Katherine Maher, Maher, Gonzalo Calvo, Chelsea Manning, Kuo Zhang, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Andrei Khalip, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Web, Palestinian, Hamas, Google, Meta, Siemens, Web Summit, Wikimedia, Reuters, Ellanoor, WikiLeaks, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Lisbon, Israel, Irish, Gaza, Netherlands, Spanish

☆ Brazil's Dani Alves to stand trial for sexual assault in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BARCELONA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves will face trial in Spain on charges of sexual assault of a woman in a Barcelona nightclub last December, a Spanish court said on Tuesday. Alves was arrested on Jan. 20 and has been held in a prison outside Barcelona. 15 in Barcelona, which is yet to set a date for the proceedings to begin, said there were sufficient grounds for Alves to stand trial, following requests by the public prosecutor and the woman's lawyer. In August, judges formally indicted Alves after finding evidence of wrongdoing by the 40-year-old player. Reporting by Joan Faus, Editing by Andrei Khalip and Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dani Alves, Alves, Joan Faus, Andrei Khalip, Alex Richardson Organizations: Thomson Locations: BARCELONA, Barcelona, Brazil, Spain

☆ Portuguese Judge Orders Release of Those Detained in Corruption Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON (Reuters) - A Lisbon judge ordered on Monday that all five people detained last week for alleged corruption and influence-peddling, including the outgoing Portuguese prime minister's former chief of staff, be released from custody, the court said. They remain suspects in the investigation into alleged illegalities in the government's handling of lithium and hydrogen projects, as well as a large-scale data centre. The probe has led to the resignation of Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who is the target of a related investigation, and a snap election being called for March 10. Lacerda Machado was released on a 150,000-euro ($160,305) bail, while no bail was demanded for Escaria, who will be barred from travelling abroad, the court said. Others were named formal suspects in the investigation but were not detained, including Infrastructure Minister Joao Galamba, and head the environment agency APA, Nuno Lacasta.

Persons: Antonio Costa, Prosecutors, Vitor Escaria, Diogo Lacerda Machado, Costa's, Lacerda Machado, Joao Galamba, Nuno Lacasta, Costa, Catarina Demony, Andrei Khalip, Aislinn Laing Organizations: Escaria, Infrastructure Locations: LISBON, Lisbon

☆ Centeno says outgoing Portugal PM only invited him to ponder on premiership
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Bank of Portugal Governor Mario Centeno, who is under fire from the opposition over an invitation by the outgoing prime minister to replace him as premier, said on Monday he never accepted the offer but was just asked to ponder on the matter. Portuguese opposition parties on Friday argued that such an invitation compromised the political independence of a central bank governor. The Bank of Portugal's ethics committee is expected to meet on Monday to evaluate his conduct. Prime Minister Antonio Costa stepped down on Tuesday over an investigation into alleged illegalities in his government's handling of lithium and hydrogen projects and a large-scale data centre. Centeno announced his departure from the finance ministry in June 2020, during Costa's second term, and was nominated to head the bank a month later.

Persons: Mario Centeno, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Centeno, Rebelo de Sousa, Olli Rehn, Balazs Koranyi, Francesco Canepa, Andrei Khalip, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Bank of Portugal, Socialist, European Central Bank policymaker, Bank of, ECB, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portuguese, Bank of Portugal, ECB's, Finland, Frankfurt

Pedro Nuno Santos poses for a portrait between the legislators of Socialist party and left bloc inside Portuguese parliament in Lisbon, Portugal June 21, 2016. The resignation also left Costa's job as secretary-general of the Socialist Party (PS) up for grabs, and whoever wins the leadership race will run for prime minister. Although Nuno Santos' popularity was hurt after he resigned in December 2022 in a scandal around a severance payout by state-owned airline TAP, he is seen as the front-runner by many. Nuno Santos successfully coordinated support for a previous minority government with the far-left in 2015-2019. Reporting by Catarina Demony and Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pedro Nuno Santos, Rafael Marchante, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Jose Luis Carneiro, Carneiro, Nuno Santos, pollsters Aximage, Costa, Adelino Maltez, Costa's, Intercampus, Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Socialist, REUTERS, Rights, Socialist Party, Interior, TAP, Diario, Socialists, Social Democrats, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, Rights LISBON, Portuguese

Andre Azevedo Alves, political science professor at Lisbon's Catolica University and St Mary's University in London, said the corruption investigation was a "very strong blow" to any PS ambitions. Analysts agree the PSD is likely to come out on top, but doubt its ability to build enough support to form a stable government. "Assuming the likelihood that the PSD will not have (enough) votes to form a government without Chega... we may go from one political crisis to another," Alves said. Waiting for a bus in central Lisbon, Ana Bernardino, 23, vented her concerns about the political outlook. "It is a political crisis and in my opinion it's a bit frustrating that elections are being held again...I'm a bit afraid."

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Costa's, Intercampus, Andre Azevedo Alves, Andre Ventura, Luis Montenegro, Alves, Antonio Barroso, Ana Bernardino, Maria Ines Ferreira, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Patricia Rua, Andrei Khalip, Nick Macfie, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Socialist Party, Social Democrats, Lisbon's Catolica University, St Mary's University, PSD, Chega, Liberal Initiative, CDS, Thomson Locations: Belem, LISBON, Portugal, London, Lisbon, Europe

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont delivers a statement after a deal was signed with Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) for Spanish government support, which is expected to include an amnesty law for Catalan separatist activists, in Brussels, Belgium November 9, 2023. The promise of a wide amnesty for Catalan separatists, including himself, that the 60-year-old fugitive from Spanish justice won in return is already dividing the country where protests have erupted in recent days. Puigdemont made his intentions clear in his inauguration speech, vowing to start "the constituting process of an independent state". A year and a half later, following an October 2017 independence referendum deemed illegal by Spanish courts, the same parliament declared Catalonia's independence. But he appears to have changed his tune since an interview published by Catalan newspaper ARA a week before Spain's election last July.

Persons: Carles Puigdemont, Yves Herman Acquire, Catalonia's, Pedro Sanchez, Puigdemont, Artur Mas, Spain's, Mariano Rajoy, Sanchez, Junts, Andrei KhalipMacfie Organizations: Spanish Socialist Workers ' Party, PSOE, Catalan, REUTERS, Rights, Spanish, Catalonia's, Spain's, ARA, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights BARCELONA, Spain, Spanish, Madrid, Girona, Germany, Italy, Catalonia

By law, an election needs to be held within 60 days of the publishing of the presidential decree dissolving parliament. "I hope that time, sooner rather than later, will allow us to clarify what happened," Rebelo de Sousa said. By calling the March election, Rebelo de Sousa also addressed the need of the PS to pick a new leader to run. Earlier, PS President Carlos Cesar said March would be the best timing, while other parties pointed to January or February. "It is urgent to reestablish trust and prestige in democratic institutions," the leader of the PSD, Luis Montenegro, said after the president announced the election.

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Rebelo, Mario Centeno, Filipe Garcia, Mercados, Carlos Cesar, Andre Ventura, Luis Montenegro, Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Marguerita Choy, Alistair Bell Organizations: Lawmakers, Socialist, Socialist Party, of State, Prosecutors, Bank of Portugal, Social Democrats, PSD, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, Portuguese, Lisbon, Belem, Europe, Western, Montenegro

☆ Poll shows most Portuguese want snap election, president readies decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

His office said he would address the nation after meeting his consultative body, the Council of State. PS President Carlos Cesar said on Wednesday that if the president decided to call an election, March would be the best timing. The budget includes lower income tax rates for the middle class, higher wages and social benefits. Separately, those detained in the investigation, including Costa's close friend and consultant Diogo Lacerda Machado, were due to appear before a Lisbon court on Thursday. Reporting by Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, editing by Andrei Khalip and Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antonio Costa, Pedro, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, illegalities, Costa, Correio, Rebelo de Sousa, Joao Duque, Carlos Cesar, Diogo Lacerda Machado, Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Socialist, Prosecutors, Socialist Party, of State, Jornal de Negocios, Analysts, Lisbon School of Economics, Management, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, LISBON

☆ Poll Shows Most Portuguese Want Snap Election, President Readies Decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON (Reuters) - Nearly 70% of Portuguese voters want an early election following the abrupt resignation of the Socialist prime minister, a survey showed on Thursday, as President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was due to announce his decision on the matter later in the day. His office said he would address the nation after meeting his consultative body, the Council of State. PS President Carlos Cesar said on Wednesday that if the president decided to call an election, March would be the best timing. The budget includes lower income tax rates for the middle class, higher wages and social benefits. (Reporting by Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, editing by Andrei Khalip and Alex Richardson)

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Correio, Rebelo de Sousa, Joao Duque, Carlos Cesar, Diogo Lacerda Machado, Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Alex Richardson Organizations: Socialist, Prosecutors, Socialist Party, of State, Jornal de Negocios, Analysts, Lisbon School of Economics, Management Locations: LISBON, Lisbon

Timing is everything," said political scientist Antonio Costa Pinto. By law, an election needs to be held within 60 days of the publishing of the presidential decree dissolving parliament. The PSD is still reeling from defeat in a January 2022 election that caused a leadership change. The 74-year-old former law lecturer and political commentator has used his constitutional power to disband parliament once before, in November 2021. Unlike now, Costa's government then had no parliamentary majority and had just had its budget rejected.

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Antonio Costa Pinto, Ines de Sousa Real, Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Barroso, Luis Montenegro, Pedro Nuno Santos, Andre Ventura, Patricia Rua, Aislinn Laing, Nick Macfie Organizations: Socialist, Socialist Party, Nature, Social Democratic Party, TAP, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portuguese, Montenegro

☆ Barcelona Dockers Refuse to Handle Military Material Amid Gaza War
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The decision on Monday is mostly symbolic and seeks to encourage other Spanish ports to follow suit, the secretary of the OEPB union, Josep Maria Deop, told Reuters on Tuesday. Deop said organisations promoting peace could help the union figure out which containers contain military equipment. He said he was convinced there were military shipments from Barcelona because "it's a port that moves all types of goods". Israel has been targeting Hamas military operations in Gaza in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas Islamists on Israeli towns that left 1,400 people dead and 240 abducted. Spain exported military equipment worth 1.3 billion euros ($1.39 billion) in the first half of 2022, with shipments to Israel amounting to 9 million euros, according to the latest available official data.

Persons: Joan Faus BARCELONA, Josep Maria Deop, Deop, EFE, Joan Faus, Andrei Khalip, Bernadette Baum Organizations: stevedores, Reuters, Western Locations: Barcelona, Gaza, Belgian, Barcelona's, Israel, Spain, Libya, Western Sahara, Nicaragua

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