Luís Montenegro Explained

Luís Montenegro
Office:Prime Minister of Portugal
Term Start:2 April 2024
President:Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Predecessor:António Costa
Office2:Leader of the Opposition
Term Start2:1 July 2022
Term End2:2 April 2024
Predecessor2:Rui Rio
Successor2:Pedro Nuno Santos
Office1:President of the Social Democratic Party
Term Start1:1 July 2022
Predecessor1:Rui Rio
Office3:President of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democratic Party
Term Start3:29 June 2011
Term End3:19 July 2017[1]
Term Start4:26 March 2024
Term Start5:4 April 2002
Term End5:5 April 2018
Predecessor3:Miguel Macedo
Successor3:Hugo Soares
Constituency5:Aveiro
Primeminister2:António Costa
1Namedata1:Hugo Soares
Birth Name:Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves
Birth Date:16 February 1973
Birth Place:Porto, Portugal
Party:Social Democratic Party (1991–present)
Children:2
Alma Mater:Catholic University of Portugal
Constituency4:Lisbon
Term End4:2 April 2024

Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves (born 16 February 1973)[2] is a Portuguese politician and lawyer currently serving as the prime minister of Portugal since 2024. He is the president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and leads the 24th Constitutional Government.

Montenegro was a member of the Assembly of the Republic from Aveiro from 2002 to 2018, leading his party's parliamentary group between 2011 and 2017. After being defeated by Rui Rio in his party's 2020 leadership election, he won against Jorge Moreira da Silva in 2022 and became President of the PSD.

Under Montenegro’s leadership, the PSD reached an agreement with the party CDS-PP and formed the centre-right Democratic Alliance ahead of the 2024 Portuguese legislative election. The Democratic Alliance took the most seats in the election with 80, two more than the Socialist Party. He was appointed prime minister by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, leading the XXIV Constitutional Government, a coalition minority government.

Biography

Education and local politics

Montenegro was born in Porto and raised in Espinho in the Aveiro District.[3] He graduated from the Porto School of Law at the Catholic University of Portugal and became a lawyer, the same profession as his father and grandfather.[4] He was president of the Social Democratic Youth in Espinho from 1994 to 1996. He served on the city's council from 1997 to 2001, and ran for mayor in 2005, losing to José Mota of the Socialist Party (PS) by a 45% to 38% margin.[2] [5]

Assembly of the Republic

In 2002, 29-year-old Montenegro was elected to the Assembly of the Republic for Aveiro. He became the PSD parliamentary group's deputy leader to Miguel Macedo in 2010, and he received 86% of the votes to lead the group in June 2011, after PSD member Pedro Passos Coelho had been elected prime minister.[6]

The early years of Montenegro's leadership coincided with the European troika intervention to deal with the financial crisis; he was criticised in January 2014 for saying "the life of the people is no better, but the life of the country is a lot better".[3] He defended the implementation of a strict economic austerity programme negotiated by Portugal in exchange for an international financial bailout.[7] He left parliament in February 2018 after Passos Coelho's resignation, warning that the PSD should not turn into new leader "Rui Rio's group of friends".[8]

Leader of the PSD

In January 2020, Montenegro was a candidate in the PSD leadership election, challenging Rio. During the campaign, Rio attacked Montenegro for being a Freemason.[9] [10] In the run-off, Rio won with 53.2% of the votes.[11]

Rio resigned following the PSD's poor performance in the 2022 Portuguese legislative election. Montenegro was the first person to put himself forward for the party leadership election,[12] in which he ran against former minister Jorge Moreira da Silva. Montenegro won with 72.47% of the votes, beating his opponent in every district.[13]

Under Montenegro’s leadership, the PSD reached an agreement in January 2024 with the CDS-PP for a pre-electoral alliance as they sought to bolster their chances of winning the national elections later that year.[14] The Democratic Alliance took the most seats in the election with 80, two more than the PS.[15] One of Montenegro's campaign promises was the full privatisation of TAP Air Portugal.[16]

On 21 March 2024, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa formally issued Montenegro an invitation to form a government. Montenegro's new government was then presented to, and approved by, the president on 28 March.[17] [18]

Prime Minister of Portugal

Montenegro was sworn-in as prime minister of Portugal, heading the XXIV Constitutional Government, on 2 April 2024 at a ceremony in the Ajuda National Palace in Lisbon.[19] [20] Prior to taking office, Montenegro vowed to govern with a minority government instead of forming a coalition with the ascendant right-wing populist party Chega, and decried their leader André Ventura as "often xenophobic, racist, populist and excessively demagogic".[21]

In May 2024, the Portuguese government under Montenegro announced that a new Lisbon airport would be built in Alcochete and would be ready by 2034.[22]

Days before the 2024 European Parliament election in Portugal, Montenegro announced a toughening of Portugal's immigration laws; the country had previously allowed those with a tourist visa to apply for residency. He said that the existing laws had led to "excessive abuse of our willingness to receive".[23]

In July 2024, he announced a reduction in corporate income tax from the current 21% to 15%. This measure would cost the public purse around 500 million euros a year.[24]

Personal life

Montenegro was nicknamed Ervilha ("Pea") as a child for being small, round-figured and green-eyed, while his immediate family knew him by his middle name, Filipe.[25] He took part in football and beach volleyball, and worked as a lifeguard as a youth, later taking up golf.[3] In football, he supports FC Porto and S.C. Espinho, the teams of his birthplace and residence, respectively.[26] As of May 2022, he is married and has two children.[3]

A variety of sources dating from 2012, including SAPO's Polígrafo fact-checking website, Público, Expresso, Jornal de Negócios and Diário de Notícias maintain that in 2008, Montenegro was admitted into the Mozart Lodge, a Masonic lodge comprising politicians, businessmen and spies.[27] [28] [29] [30] [31] In 2019, Montenegro denied being a Freemason.[32]

Controversies

In 2023, an anonymous complaint was sent to the Portuguese Public Prosecution Service stating that Montenegro received tax benefits granted for the restoration of old buildings when he did a complete demolition of an old building and built a new one in its place, in Espinho. A criminal investigation was later opened.[33] [34] [35]

Electoral history

Espinho City Council election, 2005

|-! colspan="2" | Party! Candidate! align="center" style="width: 50px"| Votes! align="center" style="width: 50px"|%! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/−|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"|PS| align=left |José Mota || 9,208 || 44.9 || 4 || ±0|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"|PSD/CDS–PP| align=left |Luís Montenegro || 7,784 || 38.0 || 3 || ±0|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"| CDU| align=left |Fausto Neves || 1,460 || 7.1 || 0 || ±0|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"| BE| align=left |Carminda Flores || 590 || 2.9 || 0 || new|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"| Independent| align=left |Alfredo de Araújo || 463 || 2.3 || 0 || new|-| colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 995 || 4.9 || – || –|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout| 20,500 || 67.70 || 7 || ±0|-| colspan="7" align=left|Source: Autárquicas 2005[5] [36] |}

PSD leadership election, 2020

See main article: 2020 Portuguese Social Democratic Party leadership election. |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"! align="center" rowspan=2 colspan=2 style="width: 60px"|Candidate! align="center" colspan=2 style="width: 50px"|1st round! align="center" colspan=2 style="width: 50px"|2nd round|-! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Votes! align="center" style="width: 50px"|%! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Votes! align="center" style="width: 50px"|%|-|bgcolor=orange|| align=left | Rui Rio| align=right | 15,546| align=right | 49.0| align=right | 17,157| align=right | 53.2|-|bgcolor=orange|| align=left | Luís Montenegro| align=right | 13,137| align=right | 41.4| align=right | 15,086| align=right | 46.8|-|bgcolor=orange|| align=left | Miguel Pinto Luz| align=right | 3,030| align=right | 9.6|colspan="2"| |-| colspan=2 align=left | Blank/Invalid ballots| align=right | 369| align=right | –| align=right | 341| align=right | –|-|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Turnout| align=right | 32,082| align=right | 79.01| align=right | 32,582| align=right | 80.20|-| colspan="6" align=left|Source: Resultados[37] |}

PSD leadership election, 2022

See main article: 2022 Portuguese Social Democratic Party leadership election. |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"! align="center" colspan=2 style="width: 60px"|Candidate! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Votes! align="center" style="width: 50px"|%|-|bgcolor=orange|| align=left | Luís Montenegro| align=right | 19,241| align=right | 72.5|-|bgcolor=orange|| align=left | Jorge Moreira da Silva| align=right | 7,306| align=right | 27.5|-| colspan=2 align=left | Blank/Invalid ballots| align=right | 437| align=right | –|-|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Turnout| align=right | 26,984| align=right | 60.46|-| colspan="4" align=left|Source: Resultados[38] |}

Legislative election, 2024

See main article: 2024 Portuguese legislative election. |-! colspan="2" | Party! Candidate! Votes! align="center" style="width: 50px"|%! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/−|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"|AD| align=left |Luís Montenegro || 1,867,442 || 28.8 || 80 || style="color:green;"| +3|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"|PS| align=left |Pedro Nuno Santos || 1,812,443 || 28.0 || 78 || style="color:red;"| –42|-| style="background:#202056;"|| align="left"| Chega| align=left |André Ventura || 1,169,781 || 18.1 || 50 || style="color:green;"| +38|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"| IL| align=left |Rui Rocha || 319,877 || 4.9 || 8 || ±0|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"| BE| align=left |Mariana Mortágua || 282,314 || 4.4 || 5 || ±0|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"| CDU| align=left |Paulo Raimundo || 205,551 || 3.2 || 4 || style="color:red;"| –2|-| style="background:;"|| align="left"| Livre| align=left |Rui Tavares || 204,875 || 3.2 || 4 || style="color:green;"| +3|-| style="background:teal;"|| align="left"| PAN| align=left |Inês Sousa Real || 126,125 || 2.0 || 1 || ±0|-| style="background:#1D4E89;"|| align="left"| ADN| align=left |Bruno Fialho || 102,134 || 1.6 || 0 || ±0|-| style="background:white;"|| colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties| 104,167 || 1.6 || 0 || ±0|-| colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 282,243 || 4.4 || – || –|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout| 6,476,952 || 59.90 || 230 || ±0|-| colspan="7" align=left|Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições[39] |}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Luís Montenegro, PSD.
  2. News: Luís Montenegro, de rosto do Governo de Passos Coelho a candidato a líder do PSD . Luís Montenegro, from face of Passos Coelho's government to leader of the PSD . 1 February 2022 . . . 11 January 2019 . Portuguese . 1 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201143532/https://www.dn.pt/poder/perfil-luis-montenegro-de-rosto-do-governo-de-passos-coelho-a-candidato-a-lider-do-psd-10427525.html . live .
  3. News: Luís Montenegro, de tribuno nos tempos da troika a 19.º presidente do PSD. Luís Montenegro, from the benches in the time of the Troika to the 19th president of the PSD. 29 May 2022. Público. Lusa News Agency. 28 May 2022. Portuguese. 28 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220528224101/http://www.publico.pt/2022/05/28/politica/noticia/luis-montenegro-tribuno-tempos-troika-19-presidente-psd-2008093. live.
  4. News: Alvarez . Luciano . 18 January 2019 . Luís Montenegro, deputado e pouco mais (com algumas polémicas à mistura) . Luís Montenegro, deputy and little else (with some controversies in the mix) . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605212339/https://www.publico.pt/2019/01/18/politica/noticia/luis-montenegro-deputado-polemicas-mistura-1858388 . 5 June 2023 . 18 March 2024 . Público.
  5. News: Eleições Autárquicas 2005 . 5 July 2022 . . 9 October 2005 . Portuguese . 5 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705191326/https://www.eleicoes.mai.gov.pt/Autarquicas2005/CM/D01/C07.html . live .
  6. News: Luís Montenegro eleito líder da bancada do PSD com 86 por cento dos votos . Luís Montenegro elected parliamentary leader of the PSD with 86 per cent of the votes . 1 February 2022 . Público . 30 June 2011 . Portuguese . 1 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201143532/https://www.publico.pt/2011/06/30/jornal/luis-montenegro-eleito-lider-da-bancada-do-psd-com-86-por-cento-dos-votos-22385253 . live .
  7. Web site: 2024-03-14 . O homem que (quase) conseguiu: a amarga vitória de Luís Montenegro (por Sebastião Bugalho). The man who (nearly) got it: Luís Montenegro's bitter victory (by Sebastião Bugalho). Expresso . pt.
  8. News: Lourenço . Eunice . Luís Montenegro sai do Parlamento e deixa avisos a Rio . Luís Montenegro leaves Parliament and leaves advice to Rio . 1 February 2022 . . 17 February 2018 . Portuguese . 1 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201143534/https://rr.sapo.pt/noticia/politica/2018/02/17/luis-montenegro-sai-do-parlamento-e-deixa-avisos-a-rio/105946/ . live .
  9. News: "Ninguém tem coragem para o dizer, mas eu digo-o": Rui Rio considera que a Maçonaria tenta "condicionar muitas coisas" no país . "Nobody has the courage to say it, but I'm saying it": Rui Rio considers that Freemasonry tries to "condition many things" in the country . 1 February 2022 . Lusa News Agency . SAPO . 30 November 2019 . Portuguese . 1 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201145035/https://24.sapo.pt/atualidade/artigos/ninguem-tem-coragem-para-o-dizer-mas-eu-digo-o-rui-rio-considera-que-a-maconaria-tenta-condicionar-muitas-coisas-no-pais . live .
  10. News: Rui Rio reafirma que existe uma "teia maçónica" dentro do PSD . Rui Rio reaffirms that there exists a "Masonic network" inside the PSD . 1 February 2022 . . 20 December 2019 . Portuguese . 1 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201143533/https://tvi24.iol.pt/videos/politica/rui-rio-reafirma-que-existe-uma-teia-maconica-dentro-do-psd/5dfcffd10cf2a6f042be1727 . live .
  11. News: Resultados finais: Rui Rio venceu segunda volta com 53,2% dos votos, mais 2.071 do que os conseguidos por Montenegro . Final results: Rui Rio won second round with 53.2% of the votes, 2,071 more than Montenegro won . 1 February 2022 . . Lusa News Agency . 23 January 2020 . Portuguese . 1 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201143532/https://observador.pt/2020/01/23/resultados-finais-rui-rio-venceu-segunda-volta-com-532-dos-votos-mais-2-071-do-que-montenegro/ . live .
  12. News: Luís Montenegro vai ser candidato à liderança do PSD . Luís Montenegro will be candidate for leadership of the PSD . 29 March 2022 . Público . Lusa News Agency . 29 March 2022 . Portuguese . 29 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220329063005/https://www.publico.pt/2022/03/29/politica/noticia/luis-montenegro-vai-candidato-lideranca-psd-2000522 . live .
  13. News: Rita . Cristina . Luís Montenegro é o novo líder do PSD e ganhou por 72,47% . Luís Montenegro is the new leader of the PSD and won with 72.47% . 29 May 2022 . Novo Semanário . 29 May 2022 . Portuguese . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010141115/https://onovo.pt/politica/luis-montenegro-e-o-novo-lider-do-psd-e-ganhou-por-7247-JD11030933/ . live .
  14. Sergio Goncalves and Catarina Demony (5 January 2024), Portugal's main opposition seals pre-electoral alliance with right-wing party CDS-PP Reuters.
  15. News: Portuguese centre-right party claims narrow election win . 11 March 2024 . Associated Press . . 11 March 2024 . 11 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240311051346/https://www.euronews.com/2024/03/11/portuguese-centre-right-party-claims-narrow-election-win . live .
  16. Sergio Goncalves and Andrei Khalip (5 December 2023), Portugal's Social Democratic Party contender for PM wants full privatisation of airline TAP  Reuters.
  17. News: Portugal's New Premier Picks Sarmento as Finance Minister. Joao. Lima. Bloomberg News. 28 March 2024. 28 March 2024.
  18. News: Composition of Portugal's minority government to be presented today. Natasha. Dunn. Portugal Resident. 28 March 2024. 1 April 2024.
  19. News: President swears in the Prime Minister and ministers of the XXIV Constitutional Government. Hervé. Hubert. Pulse Portugal. 2 April 2024. 2 April 2024.
  20. Web site: Céu . Beatriz . 21 March 2024 . Luís Montenegro apresenta Governo dia 28 de março e toma posse a 2 de abril . Luís Montenegro presents Government on 28 March and takes office on 2 April . https://web.archive.org/web/20240321045700/https://cnnportugal.iol.pt/eleicoes-legislativas/luis-montenegro/luis-montenegro-toma-posse-a-2-de-abril/20240321/65fb8157d34e8d13c9b90fe2 . 21 March 2024 . 21 March 2024 . CNN Portugal . Portuguese.
  21. News: Kassam . Ashifa . 'It's a really big threat': Portuguese minorities on the rise of the far right . 25 March 2024 . . 19 March 2024.
  22. Web site: Novo aeroporto só em 2034. Investimento poderá ser superior aos 6 mil milhões apontados pela comissão técnica .
  23. News: Portugal toughens migration rules ahead of upcoming EU elections . 5 June 2024 . Euronews . 4 June 2024.
  24. Web site: 2024-07-04 . Governo aprova redução gradual da taxa de IRC até 15% . CNN Portugal . pt.
  25. News: Albuquerque . Mariana . 22 January 2019 . Luís Montenegro: Filipe na família, Ervilha na escola . Luís Montenegro: Filipe in the family, Pea at school . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220702145417/https://www.noticiasmagazine.pt/2019/luis-montenegro-filipe-na-familia-ervilha-na-escola/historias/235761/ . 2 July 2022 . 29 May 2022 . Notícias Magazine . Portuguese.
  26. News: Montenegro . Luís . A Nação da paixão. The Nation of passion . 25 March 2024 . . 13 May 2020 . Portuguese.
  27. News: Esteves . Fernando . WHATSAPP-CHECK: Luís Montenegro pertenceu à poderosa loja maçónica Mozart? . WHATSAPP-CHECK: Did Luís Montenegro belong to the powerful Mozart Masonic lodge? . 1 June 2022 . Polígrafo . 17 January 2019 . Portuguese . 9 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509171353/https://poligrafo.sapo.pt/fact-check/1826 . live .
  28. News: de Sousa . Luís . Batalha . João Paulo . Coroado . Susana . Mozart e os desafinados . Mozart and the conflicting . 1 June 2022 . Público . 18 December 2020 . Portuguese . 1 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220601185522/https://www.publico.pt/2020/12/18/opiniao/noticia/mozart-desafinados-1943215 . live .
  29. News: Luís Montenegro na lista dos jantares da Loja Mozart . Luís Montenegro on the Mozart Lodge's dinner list . 1 June 2022 . . 5 January 2012 . Portuguese . 28 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210628204235/https://amp.expresso.pt/actualidade/luis-montenegro-na-lista-dos-jantares-da-loja-mozart=f697994 . live .
  30. News: Simões . Bruno . Nove em cada dez deputados são liderados por maçons . Nine out of ten deputies are led by Freemasons . 1 June 2022 . . 6 January 2012 . Portuguese . 30 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730161245/https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/economia/detalhe/nove_em_cada_dez_deputados_satildeo_liderados_por_maccedilons . live .
  31. News: Líder parlamentar do CDS também é maçom . Parliamentary leader of the CDS is also a Freemason . 1 June 2022 . Diário de Notícias . 6 January 2012 . Portuguese . 1 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220601191025/https://www.dn.pt/politica/lider-parlamentar-do-cds-tambem-e-macom-2224421.html . live .
  32. News: Monteiro . Sara Beatriz . "Não sou maçon nem tenho nenhuma ligação à maçonaria" . "I am not a Freemason nor do I have any link to Freemasonry" . 1 June 2022 . . 15 January 2019 . Portuguese . 9 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509172854/https://www.tsf.pt/politica/nao-sou-macon-nem-tenho-nenhuma-ligacao-a-maconaria--10444475.html . live .
  33. Web site: 29 December 2023 . Procuradoria confirma inquérito à construção da casa de Luis Montenegro em Espinho . Prosecutor confirms investigation into the construction of Luis Montenegro's house in Espinho . https://web.archive.org/web/20240318195919/https://expresso.pt/sociedade/justica/2023-12-29-Procuradoria-confirma-inquerito-a-construcao-da-casa-de-Luis-Montenegro-em-Espinho-bcde0a2a . 18 March 2024 . 18 March 2024 . Expresso . Portuguese.
  34. Web site: 29 December 2023 . Ministério Público abre inquérito a negócio da casa de Montenegro . Public Prosecution Service opens investigation into Montenegro's house business . https://web.archive.org/web/20240318195921/https://www.dn.pt/politica/ministerio-publico-abre-inquerito-a-negocio-da-casa-de-montenegro-17578908.html/ . 18 March 2024 . 18 March 2024 . Diário de Notícias . Portuguese.
  35. News: Ribeiro . Teresa . 30 December 2023 . Montenegro afirma que casa em Espinho está dentro da lei e mostra-se disponível para entregar toda a documentação . Montenegro states that the house in Espinho is within the law and is available to deliver all documentation . https://web.archive.org/web/20240202234917/https://expresso.pt/politica/2023-12-30-Montenegro-afirma-que-casa-em-Espinho-esta-dentro-da-lei-e-mostra-se-disponivel-para-entregar-toda-a-documentacao-a3b4e024 . 2 February 2024 . 22 March 2024 . Expresso . Portuguese.
  36. Web site: Auto de Sorteio das Listas Eleições AL 2005 . Comissão Nacional de Eleições . 4 August 2024.
  37. Web site: PSD Congressos e eleições directas . PSD . 5 August 2024.
  38. Web site: Resultados Oficiais Diretas 2022 . PSD . 5 August 2024.
  39. Web site: Comissão Nacional de Eleições Mapa Oficial n.º 2-A/2024 . Comissão Nacional de Eleições . 23 March 2024 . 23 March 2024.