Portugal Turns Right!

[RAGNAR]

LISBON -(Dow Jones)- Portuguese voters on Sunday picked the country's main conservative party to lead them through a harsh EUR78 billion ($114 billion) bailout program, in a closely watched election that will determine the scope and speed of economic overhauls.

With more than 85% of the votes tallied, Pedro Passos Coelho from the center- right Social Democratic Party had 40% of the votes, compared with 28% for incumbent Prime Minister Jose Socrates of the Socialist Party.

He has vowed to downsize ministries and state agencies. He also seeks to implement an ambitious privatization program that goes beyond conditions set by Portugal's creditors and revise current infrastructure projects.

Portugal's shift to a center-right leadership after six years of a leftist government follows that of other EU countries. Of the 27 members, only Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Austria and Cyprus are now led by Socialists.

WSJ: Conservatives Win Portugal Vote

Let's hope it's a lasting change . . .

[PCP]

Originally Posted by RAGNAR

WSJ: Conservatives Win Portugal Vote

Let's hope it's a lasting change . . .

Conservatives win in Portugal????

You don't know what you are talking about

The party that won the elections was Partido Social democrata (PSD), translating: Social Democratic Party (38.6%) in second place with 28.4% was Socialist Party and on the third place the CDS (Christian Democrats) with 7.9%.

They are all Democrats, all believe in Democracy and I, this dangerous collectivist, I have voted on CDS, to the right of the party that won the elections



Regards

Paulo

[RAGNAR]

Originally Posted by PCP

Conservatives win in Portugal????

You don't know what you are talking about

First, that's not me talking, that's the Wall Street Journal (WSJ may have a small government editorial page but, as I've been told by good minds that read that publication regularly, its journalists are lefties.)

Second, I think the term "conservative" was used relationally, not as an absolute.

Nice to hear from you, though, PCP . . .

[Dirtboy]

How's that radical drug abuse policy working out, PCP?

It's my understanding that Portugal has decriminalized small quantities of many drugs. Has drug use increased, decreased, no change??? Drug related crime? Just wondering ....... from the man-on-the-street.

DB

[PCP]

Originally Posted by Dirtboy

How's that radical drug abuse policy working out, PCP?

It's my understanding that Portugal has decriminalized small quantities of many drugs. Has drug use increased, decreased, no change??? Drug related crime? Just wondering ....... from the man-on-the-street.

DB

No, the only European country that has done that was Holland and I think with success. What we are going to start is a program that exists already in some European countries related with places to inject drugs. The state offers places with clinical assistance for the ones that want to inject and drug themselves. The results have been positive.

Drug consumption facilities in Europe and the establishment of supervised injecting centres in Australia

DB,
Drugs are a problem in Portugal but not with the dimension that has in the US. There are little violence associated with it, almost none related with drug dealers and only some regarding burglary by addicts in need of money for a fix.

Portugal has less than average addicts comparing with Europe and in Europe the consumption has stabilized and started to decrease, specially in what regards marijuana. On Europe the total number of addicts is estimated in 4 millions for a total population of 850 millions.

To give you an idea of the importance of the problem in Portugal, in a recent survey it appears in 13th in a concern list of the most important problems to the population.

Regards

Paulo

[Dirtboy]

Thanks, Paulo. I think the biggest drug problem we have in this country is the open sale of drugs on the street. In any American city of any size (even small towns) there are places to buy drugs ...... and everybody knows .... EVERYBODY. Still they remain. Billions spent yet they remain. Our war on drugs is a complete failure yet it, too, remains.

DB