At the centre of the political crisis that could trigger a third early election since 2022 is a consultancy firm owned by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's family, which has made contracts with private companies that the opposition says have benefited the premier.
“The country needs political clarification and this is the moment,“ Montenegro told parliament.
Montenegro's motion first needs cabinet approval and is unlikely to be voted before next Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, the president would not pre-commit to any scenario, saying he would meet the ruling parties and his consultative Council of State after the vote and then decide. If an election were unavoidable, the earliest dates would be May 11 or 18, he said.
Montenegro's party has said he would lead it in any new election.
“The prime minister knows that the Socialists will reject the confidence motion. The responsibility for the political crisis is yours alone,“ said Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos, asking Montenegro, “Why don’t you just resign?”
The government has been preparing the privatisation of TAP airline, in which several key industry players have shown interest, a tortuous process that now risks stalling again.
Montenegro founded data protection consultancy Spinumviva in 2021 when he had no political job.
The opposition said that since Montenegro is married and assets acquired after marriage, under Portuguese law, belong to the couple, the transfer of ownership to his wife is invalid.
Montenegro denied any wrongdoing or ethical shortcoming and said his income and all assets were included in the declarations he submitted when he became premier. (Reporting by Sergio Goncalves and Andrei Khalip; editing by Andrei Khalip, Gareth Jones and Richard Chang)
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