SOCIALISTS, communists and anti-capitalists brought down the Portuguese government yesterday after a conservative coalition held onto power for just 19 days.

An alliance between the Socialist Party (PS), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), the Greens and the Left Bloc was cemented in the morning ahead of presenting a vote of no confidence in the right-wing cabinet of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho.

A government between the conservative Social-Democratic Party (PSD) and the Christian conservatives of CDS-PP had been appointed on October 20 by President Cavaco Silva despite only holding 39 per cent of the parliamentary seats.

In a statement issued in the morning, the Communist Party said: “Insisting on the misconception that their policies led to a path of economic recovery — and seeking to conceal the increasing difficulties that affect the workers and the people, what the PSD/CDS government presents is the prospect of continuing and intensifying the policy that worsened exploitation and impoverishment, deepened injustice and inequality and imposed a degradation of the democratic regime.

“The approach and mutual assessment between the PS and the PCP enable to identify a number of matters where it is possible to ensure a convergent action to address some of the immediate problems of the workers and of the Portuguese people.”

In parliament, the left-wing forces, which together take over half of the seats, proposed a new government fronted by PS leader Antonio Costa.

Their joint policy agreements included the decision to unfreeze state pensions, fight precarious employment and exploitative internships and safeguard the homes of families threatened with eviction due to arrears.

During parliament’s first debates on the new government, Mr Costa said: “What is being presented to us here is a minority executive, which has not built conditions for governability or stability.

“Portugal needs another government.”

Left Bloc member Rodrigo Rivera told the Star: “On October 4 the Portuguese went to vote to elect a new parliament, after four years of severe austerity.

“Four years of wage cuts and pensions led to massive unemployment and forced emigration for hundreds of thousands of Portuguese.

“The election result was clear, with a parliamentary majority against austerity.

“A feeling of hope walks the streets of the country with the enthusiasm of a new politics.”