PORTRAIT – The former socialist prime minister, who left the Portuguese government after an investigation was opened against his collaborators, has a long experience of politics and alliances on the left and the right.
To Madrid
He likes 1000 piece puzzles, and, according to a former minister, Lego. Antonio Costa’s talents for assembling unexpected coalitions and building majorities are well established in Portugal; It remains to be seen what reception Brussels has for the former socialist prime minister, who resigned when a minister and his chief of staff were accused of corruption by his country’s justice system. He is more than favorite for the post of President of the European Council. « He is a pragmatist much more than an ideologue, describes André Azevedo, professor at the Institute of Political Studies of the Portuguese Catholic University. And this character trait fuels his ability to build alliances and negotiate. »
The most striking demonstration of this quality is the way in which he came to power. In the 2015 legislative elections, the PS, which Costa has only controlled for a year, came second, behind the conservative coalition of the outgoing Pedro Passos Coelho.
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