It is still unclear how this will develop in Portugal. On November 10, a vote of no-confidence by the center-left parliamentary majority defeated Passos Coelho’s second attempt to form a government. The plan to maintain Passos Coelho in power – with the help of renegade PS parliamentarians – has failed. In accordance with democratic traditions, Cavaco Silva would have at least handed government power over to the left majority by now, which he persistently refusing to do. If he continues to persist, Passos Coelho will remain in office until new elections can be held, which, according to Portuguese law, can take place in June 2016, at the earliest. Passos Coelho could therefore continue governing without democratic legitimacy, for more than six months, in spite of a functional democratic parliamentary majority.No Room for DemocracyWithin the EU, over the past few years, democratic majorities have repeatedly been nullified, if they would not guarantee the implementation of a German-dictated austerity policy imposed on the entire Eurozone. In Italy for example, Mario Monti’s “cabinet of experts” ruled from November 16, 2011 until April 28, 2013. Prime Minister Monti did not rise to power through democratic elections. He was installed under pressure from Brussels. The “Troika” comprised of representatives of the EU, ECB and IMF – without democratic legitimacy – decides varying degrees of national policies in Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus. Last July – under German pressure – the EU even disregarded the Greek population’s clear rejection of a continuation of the austerity policy, imposed by Berlin and Brussels. A three-fifths majority had voted “No” in a referendum on the question. Greece was then punished with the imposition of even harsher austerity measures.[4] A leading German daily considered the de facto suspension of democracy in indebted countries to be an appropriate measure, by seeking to apply private law conditions to interstate relations, which are entirely different. “There are a few things in the world, where there is no room for democracy,” the daily wrote, “for example, debts.”[5]The Only WayIn Portugal, Cavaco Silva has repeatedly reiterated over the past few days that he will take his time in deciding on the next government. At the beginning of the week, he ostentatiously made a two day visit to Madeira for business talks, in spite of considerable indignation in Lisbon. Today, he will discuss the situation with board members of several Portuguese banks. Carlos Costa, head of the Central Bank, has already stated his opposition to a possible center-left government, warning that the country will have to “pay for all the mistakes made today,” meaning the sovereign decisions taken by an elected government.[6] The results of Cavaco Silva’s talks today with leading Portuguese bankers will also depend on the concessions the PS candidate for prime minister, António Costa, has made to leading bankers, with whom he negotiated on Monday.[7] Relinquishing all positions critical of the EU and its German-inspired austerity policy is usually the only way to win the acceptance by the EU-oriented establishment.
Source: www.german-foreign-policy.com




You must be logged in to post a comment.