Portuguese president holds consultations with political parties

LISBON, March 26 (Itar-Tass) -- Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco
Silva on Friday held consultations with political parties in an effort to
find an exit from the political crisis. Judging by statements made by
party leaders, all political forces in most western EU countries are in
favor of early elections. As follows from the consultations that the
elections may be held on May 29 or June 5.
"In our opinion, the only way to overcome the political crisis caused
by the resignation of the prime minister is to call early elections, which
will give the Portuguese the opportunity to choose a future government,"
the leader of the main opposition right-wing Social Democratic Party
(SDP), Pedro Passos-Coelho, said after an audience with the head of the
state.
Passos-Coelho said he hoped that the elections would be held "in the
shortest possible time." Under the Constitution, they may be called no
earlier than May 29. Another probable date is June 5. It may be supported
by the leaders of other parliamentary parties, including the center-right
ruling Socialist Party.
"We believe that June 5 may be the most appropriate date," Economics
Minister Jose Vieira da Silva, of the Socialist Party, said after a
meeting with the president.
Before dismissing the legislature the president is obliged to hold
another round of consultations with the parliamentary political parties
and to convene a meeting of the State Council. Only after that he may
accept the resignation of the prime minister.
Prime Minister Jose Socrates tendered his resignation after the
Assembly of the Republic at a meeting on Wednesday rejected a new
austerity program, a fourth this year. After the 2009 elections, the
Socialist Party has had in the legislature 97 seats of the 230.
Judging by the latest opinion poll, the main contender for victory in
the upcoming elections in late May or early June will be Social Democratic
Party. It may be supported by 46.7 percent of respondents. That is enough
to get more than half of the seats in the Assembly of the Republic. The
center-right ruling Socialist Party has the support of 24.5 percent of the
respondents. The main parties are followed by the Trotskyite Left Block,
which is promised 8.9 percent of the votes, and the Communist Party,
acting in alliance with the Greens. The election bloc of the Communists is
supported by 6.7 percent of the voters. The right-wing People's Party is
the last with 6.3-percent support.