The new government of socialist premier Antonio Costa took office in Portugal, thus putting an end to weeks of political instability, after the center-right failed to regain an absolute majority of seats in Parliament in the elections of last October 4 (despite the electoral success).
Costa is thus head of the new executive in the hands of the Socialist Party, which however needs to be supported from outside by the Communist Party, the Left Bloc and the Greens. However, the new prime minister promised during the inauguration of his government that will respect the European tax targets. On the other hand, without such a commitment, President Anibal Cavaco Silva would not have entrusted him with the job. Lisbon has yet to send the budget maneuver for next year to the European Commission.
Among the measures announced by the new premier, former mayor of the Lusitanian capital, however, there is an increase in the minimum wage to 600 euros a month, as well as two bonuses a year, subsidies for the poorest families for the payment of electricity bills, a cut in VAT for restaurants, a stop to privatization of the EGF water group and the TAP airline, as well as the liberalization of local public transport in Lisbon and Porto.
