PSD and CDS Join Forces for Upcoming Elections: Key Ministers and Controversies Revealed

PSD and CDS-PP Join Forces

In the lead-up to the early legislative elections on May 18, the PSD (Social Democratic Party) and CDS-PP (People's Party) have announced their coalition, now known as the Aliança Democrática. This coalition will feature 11 current ministers as head candidates, including Miguel Pinto Luz, who will be the second candidate on the Lisbon list.

Strategic Goals

During the extraordinary National Council of the PSD, Luís Montenegro, the party leader, emphasized the importance of having experienced figures to explain the party's future plans. He stated, "Nothing better than having the protagonists who have made and who are expected to continue making to explain what we are going to do."

The Council unanimously approved Montenegro as the prime ministerial candidate and discussed the candidacy lists, with a particular focus on the Aveiro electoral circle, where there will be a contest between Montenegro and Pedro Nuno Santos, the Socialist leader.

Notable Exclusions

Notably absent from the lists are two PSD deputies implicated in the Tutti-frutti operation, namely Luís Newton and Carlos Eduardo Reis. However, João Pedro Louro, the leader of the Youth Social-Democrats, secured an eligible position.

CDS-PP's Strategy

The CDS-PP will maintain its previous election formula with two eligible spots, one in Porto (Nuno Melo) and another in Lisbon (Paulo Núncio).

Controversial Candidate

Hernâni Dias, a former Secretary of State, heads the list for Bragança despite having resigned due to a conflict of interest scandal. Dias had recently established two companies that could benefit from a new land law he was responsible for, prompting Prime Minister António Costa to label his actions as "imprudent". Furthermore, he is under investigation by the European Prosecutor's Office for allegedly receiving kickbacks during his tenure as mayor of Bragança. Dias claims to be “absolutely at peace” and has acted with full transparency.

Departure of the Monarchical Party

The coalition is now without the PPM (People's Monarchist Party), which has opted out of the Aliança Democrática due to disagreements over candidate placements. PPM leader Gonçalo da Câmara Pereira expressed disappointment over the exclusion, stating, “The promises made to us did not come to fruition; we will go alone.” He also mentioned that PPM should be included in the coalition's name.

Future of the Coalition's Name

Hugo Soares, the PSD Secretary-General, indicated that they would announce the coalition's name in the coming days, asserting that there is nothing preventing the continued use of the Aliança Democrática designation for this candidacy.