site.btaWith Some Surprises, European Elections in Portugal Matched EU-Wide Trends, Portuguese Journalist Says

While they were not without surprises, the European elections in Portugal in general matched the EU-wide trends, Rebecca Abecassis, a journalist and freelance editor at the Radio and Television of Portugal (RTP), told BTA after her country voted to elect its representatives in the European legislature last Sunday. 

The Socialist Party got more seats, which was against the trend across Europe. On the other hand, the three right-wing parties and coalitions - the Unitary Democratic Coalition, CHEGA! and the Liberal Initiative - received a total of 11 seats, 7 for the Democratic Coalition and 2 each for the other two parties, she noted.

The other surprise was that the far right was expected to win more seats, but it did not, Abecassis said. 

Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced ambitions to become the next president of the European Council and it is likely that this post will be filled by a socialist. The current Prime Minister of Portugal, Luiz Montenegro of the Christian Democratic Party, immediately announced that he would support his candidacy and would make every effort to get his predecessor elected, Rebecca Abecassis recalled.

But the former socialist prime minister's chances will depend to a large extent on the corruption investigation against him and whether he is acquitted in full, she stressed.