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Cool, I'll work on a "state of the nation" effortpost later. I'll try to keep it neutral, but my fellow portuguese goons might have different opinions than me on stuff!
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Dec 7, 2014 18:39
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| # ¿ May 14, 2024 17:41 |
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Parties with parliamentary representation PSD (108 MP, 6 MEP) "The name might be somewhat misleading, as the PSD is not a traditional Social Democratic Party, being much closer to the right-wing. It is the Portuguese equivalent of any other centre-right party in Europe such as the UK Conservatives, the Spanish PP, or the German CDU. PSD was founded right after 1974 Revolution as Partido Popular Democrático (People's Democratic Party) by many personalities of the so-called "liberal wing" of the fascist regime, like Francisco Sá Carneiro, Francisco Pinto Balsemão and Joaquim Magalhães Mota. Its leader, Pedro Passos Coelho, is the current Prime Minister of Portugal." Currently in power, PSD is an association of misfits: they've got every kind of politician or ideology under the sun united for the sake of getting some power, as most centre-right parties do. The msot influential of the two big parties in terms of the media. PS (74 MP, 8 MEP) "Social Democrat, founded in 1973, it is a party which resembles the British Labour Party, the German SPD or the Spanish PSOE. The party was founded before the 1974 Revolution in Bad Münstereifel West Germany by Mário Soares, one of the main opponents of the fascist regime, and by other personalities. The last Socialist Prime Minister, til date, was José Sócrates (2005-2011). Its current leader is António José Seguro, elected with 68% of the vote on 23 July 2011." Wikipedia's description is slightly out of date, as the Socialists recently elected the Gandhi of Lisbon, António Costa, after an incredibly poor showing by Seguro during his three years as opposition leader. If you've ever voted for a centre-left party, you know what you're getting into. PS's power first came in 1974-75, when they were essentially the USA-backed alternative to the more hardline revolutionaries like the PCP. Since then, they've always really been the biggest party in town, and PSD/CDS's turns in power always come after PS leaders gently caress up. Created lots of nice stuff like Social Security and the national healthcare system; are destroying them nowadays. CDS-PP (24 MP, 1 MEP) "A traditional Christian Democrat party, very similar to the German CSU. Also founded after the revolution it is to the right of the PSD, and advocates stringent social and religious conservatism. In 1976 it was the only party that voted against approval of a socialist constitution. After a more populist right-wing tencency with his leaders Manuel Monteiro and Paulo Portas in the early to late 1990s and early 2000s, it returned to its centrist Christian Democrat roots with Paulo Portas' second period in its leadership in the late 2000s." Possibly the only Christian Democrat party led by a(n allegedly) homosexual man, CDS is not only the church's party as well as the party that harbors right-wing populists, people that yearn for the old regime, Mises Institute libertarians and that weird college buddy of yours. Paulo Portas is probably the best politician in Europe, because he manages to be all things to all people and hold on to immense power even without anyone voting for him. Watch this space - in the next elections, who knows what will happen! In government right now, in a coalition with PSD. PCP (14 MP, 3 MEP) "The major left-wing party, founded in 1921 as the Portuguese Section of The Communist International (Comintern), has its major influence among the working class and played a major role in the opposition to the Salazar regime, being brutally repressed for the duration of the dictatorial regime. After being one of the most influent parties in the years that followed the Carnation Revolution it lost most of its power base after the fall of the Socialist Bloc of eastern Europe, but still enjoys popularity in vast sectors of Portuguese society, particularly in the rural areas of Alentejo and Ribatejo and also in the heavily industrialized areas around Lisbon and Setúbal. It also has a major influence among the biggest Portuguese Labour Union – General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers (CGTP). Its historical leader, now deceased, was Álvaro Cunhal. " PCP is an interesting historical anomaly, being basically the only european communist party that held on to its name, iconography and ideology after the fall of the Berlin Wall. You know what you can count on when you're voting CDU (their coalition with PEV), and that includes scathing criticisms of capital, the biggest political summer festival in the world, and defending North Korea. Have been gaining strength in recent years, but refuse an alliance with PS, so, it's pretty unlikely they'll get any national-level power - they did grab a municipality in the last elections, though. BE (8 MP, 1 MEP) "Formed in 1999 by several left-wing parties, it adopts a wide range of left-wing policies, concentrating its efforts on the legalisation of abortion, gay marriage and soft drugs. It portrays itself as a modern, progressive alternative to the Communist Party. In the last years the party lost some of its radical wordiness and proposals, slowly becoming a mainstream party on one hand and more closely resembling the Communist party (from where some of its founders had defected) on another." Dead, so I won't speak ill of them. The Left Bloc managed to shift the Overton window to the left for a while there, making former PS PM José Sócrates co-opt their social causes for votes. It worked, and gay abortions are now legal and mandatory. When the Troika came and took over the country, they refused to meet with them, signaling the start of their fall into becoming PCP-lite, and everyone who wants to vote for the communists will just vote for the real ones instead. PEV (2 MP) Not a real party, but their leader, Heloísa Apolónia, is an important voice in parliament. I love the term watermelon party - green on the outside, red inside. Other parties MPT (2 MEP) Populist shitlord Marinho Pinto ran under the party for the Europarl elections, got enough votes to elect himself and some other random guy, then bailed on them to create his own party. Will not get any MPs next elections. LIVRE The newest leftist party, led by Rui Tavares, who got elected to the Europarl as an independent via BE and then ended up leaving BE. Didn't get their goal of electing Tavares back into the parliament, but got a decent percentage. Are running in a coalition with a movement of a bunch of other former-BE dudes, and will probably elect one or two MPs in urban areas. PAN The "party for the animals and nature", they might elect a guy in Lisbon. Apparently believe in acupuncture and holistic medicine. PDR Marinho Pinto's new party. He's probably getting elected, at least. A bunch of other "anti-corruption" populists might join him and get elected too.
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Dec 7, 2014 19:53
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Mans posted:But mostly people don't vote or vote blank. The apathy in Portugal can be cut with a knife, specially after all the social unrest in the beginning of the current government simply fizzled out. It'd have to be an incredibly apathetic knife, too.
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Dec 9, 2014 00:02
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So, what's the deal with that new law?
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Dec 13, 2014 02:37
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Juntos Podemos has never been/will never be more than a cheap attempt by four or five dudes to try and grab some media attention by pretending they're Podemos. And with regards to abstention, well... maybe people would vote if they had any faith in the political process, but not with the parties we have.
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Feb 9, 2015 21:26
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