Presidential Elections in Portugal - A Foreign Perspective

Yesterday I followed carefully the news related to the election of the new President of Portugal. Without any surprise, Cavaco Silva will remain the President for another 5 years (53% of the votes). Also without any surprise, a couple of other things happened that marked these elections as another demonstration of incompetence of a country that I love, but also of a country that makes me sad.. specially now, seen from a foreign perspective.

Yesterday, a new system was tested in the whole country to facilitate people's votes. A new website was created that allowed a citizen to comfortably vote at home, without having to face long queues and the usual lack or organization of the places to exercise this right. Obviously, this didn't work out! The system "crashed" and everybody had to go to the usual places to vote. Together with this, the new electronic citizen's card (a truly remarkable card that puts together ID, tax no, social security no, health no., and also the old voter registration card ) also faced several problems leading a lot of people to give up voting and contributing to a turnout record number of 53,4% (the highest number ever seen)!

Well, if half of the population didn't vote, and half of the one that did vote for Cavaco, then with some simple math we conclude that 1/4 of the country wanted him to be elected. Nice!

Of course the turnout rate is not totally explained by these technical problems... This election took place amid a mounting debt crisis in Portugal. The country's economic problems have been compounded by sluggish growth and stringent labour laws that weaken business competitiveness. Unlike Greece, however, there has been no violent unrest in the streets. And unlike Ireland, where the economic crisis has led to a political near-collapse, its banks have not been exposed to toxic assets or property bubbles.

The president’s post is largely ceremonial but he does have the power to dismiss the prime minister and dissolve parliament without having to justify the decision.

The BBC's Alison Roberts reports from Lisbon that many on the left fear that, with a renewed mandate, a conservative president might be tempted before long to take such action in the hope of seeing the party he once led, the centre-right Social Democrats, return to government.

But after casting his vote in a chilly Lisbon, Cavaco Silva, a former economics professor who was prime minister from 1985 to 1995, said he did not want to speculate about that possibility.
“I am a president in favour of stability. I consider that it is very important for Portugal to have political stability to solve its problems,” he said.

This result is expected to ensure short-term political stability as the government fights to avoid an international financial bailout. However, my opinion is that everyday people care less and less about a possible change is the country's route. I see no hope on a beautiful country full of potential, but trapped under corruption, bad leaders, and no hope. As I usually say, the typical portuguese is happy as long as Benfica wins. The rest, doesn't matter that much.