Sunday, 11 October 2015

The destruction of the Socialist Party

Ex-PM José Sócrates, António Costa and ex-PM, ex-president, Mário Soares

Some say that António Costa, with his recent lovingly flirting 
with the left-wing radicals, 
will endanger the future of the Socialist Party. 
Not so: Costa has already largely destroyed the PS. 
But WHY? 
Because the PS has ceased to be a party which can be trusted. 
It has lost all its credibility.
Before, there has always been one certainty for the moderate voters. 
They could peacefully vote for the Socialists (PS)
 as the socialists, would prevent the PCP (communist Party), 
from forming part of a Government. 
Now, whatever happens, that certainly has ceased to exist. 
Even if the agreement with the left-wing radicals is not confirmed, 
this guarantee, 
that the PS would not hand over the country to the Communists, 
has been destroyed.
But the opposite is also true. 
If the PS, after having insinuated that it could form a left-wing coalition,
 but then starts supporting a government of the PSD / CDS, 
the socialists will be seen as traitors by the left-wing parties. 
Costa will be seen as someone who have spent all these days 
deceiving the left. 
And if the left never really liked Antonio Costa before, 
they will now loathe him. 
This zigzagging between the left and the right 
had already begun to wreak havoc with the presidential issue. 
António Costa extemporaneously gave the idea 
that he would support Sampaio de Nóvoa - 
thereby causing a negative reaction within the party 
and the advancement of the candidacy for president, of Maria de Belem. 
And once again, Costa managed to divive the PS, 
splitting it into two - 
virtually handing over the power of presidential candidate 
to the right-wing candidate, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Some feel that these maneuvers of António Costa, 
shows how 'very capable' he is in negotiating. 
The results, however, are in sight. 
Some socialists 
have already left the field before the game is over, 
such as Sérgio Sousa Pinto. 
It won't be long before others follow suit, such as: 
Francisco Assis, Vera Jardim, Antonio Vitorino, 
Maria de Belém, Álvaro Beleza, António Galamba, etc.
But whatever happens, 
the credibility of the PS has been seriously shaken.

Adapted from an article of opinion by José António Saraiva

No comments: