Old leaders still leading the new?

There is a saying in my country; “Vanhassa vara parempi” that is freely translated “you’ll be secured with the old” but I wonder if that’s the case with politics? As a foreigner, watching the news and reading news papers, there is something shining out from the portuguese political field that really strikes me. You see, in a peculiar and weird way this country seems to want to hear the opinions of previous presidents or PM’s. I must say, I don’t know many European countries with a similar desire. Think about it; do you see or hear Sarcozy analyzing Hollande or Mr Blair insisting David Cameron to do otherwise.

Better yet,  do we hear George Bush advising Obama on any level?  No, we don’t.

In northern scandinavian  countries you normally do not see this at all.

However, in the portuguese media the old seem to know better. They seem to still fight for their party. Let’s take an example; former Portuguese President Mario Soares who was in office during 1986-1996.  Seems to know it all,- when it comes to modern technicalities of the current political field as often he expresses his points of view to the public. My questions is... Really? With all respect, as he is almost 90 years old. I wonder doesn’t he seem more of a burden than a beneficial aid to his party?

Or Mr. Socrates, who is now highly civilized after pursuing studies in France (after he lost the previous elections in 2011) and regularly comments on RTP his ideas about the current government. 

Final example; Mrs. Manuela Feirreira Leite, who has announced all the things she would have done differently as a PSD leader. So I ask, how does this favor the social democrats?

I have to say, I am in awe of the socialist frontier of politics as i don’t see how they benefit from it. With no offense, butwe all know that the world is a bit different than it was in post-cold-war frontier and it has even changed from the last 2 years when socrates admitted game over loss. 

Where I come from, if you are smart you stay out of it as there are simply new facts you can not know, state secrets you see. Thus, maintain one’s legitimacy. It makes you wonder if the previous politicians just hold the parties back instead of leading them on to a future.

It "Snowd en" in Moscow: Hollywood and real politik...

 Has anyone been watching the news lately about Snowden and thought “ I saw this movie!”... To me it seems like the movie ‘Terminal’ inside out. Remember, its the movie where Tom Hanks plays a traveller to New York from a former soviet country and due to the political situation that happens during his flight his access to Us is denied. So he sleeps at the airport seeks a temporary residence. I don't’ think any Hollywood producer thought this could happen the other way around.

As the american citizen Mr. Snowden is currently hanging out at Moscow airport going “Tom Hanks”.

So it is U.S Government put to the test as The EU has begun its negotiations towards its terms and free trade with US. At the same time everyone seems to astonished about the US spy abilities towards European countries.

Then comes the Bolivians and the plane search; who said what... Americans insulted; therefore Snowden can come and stay with us.. Meanwhile, The EU is finding it hard to swollow publicly that they are in "shock " of how  the US have used their resources to get information.

Ouh, c’mon... It’s so Hollywood that I think Ben Affleck and Catherine Bigelow should work together on this one.

Who´s a team player?

Recently, the portuguese government has been challenged by the utmost pressure to re invent itself. The coalition party of the current government - CDS-PP - has announced that it will not tolerate the thriven political ambition nor support the PM’s choice of a new finance minister since Mr. Vitor Gaspar resigned. If this will happen; the portuguese government will be consisted of a one party entirely.

Understandably, the power party PSD (social democrats) has tried to save the country with it’s strict and firm loan and tax policy; which of course the socialist parties in the opposition has ironically criticized. The Socialist party itself could be another story in this entirely, because they were the ones in power previous to PSD and got the the country to the mess its in in the first place.

However, coming back to the topic. What I’d like to question is why don’t the portuguese winning parties aim towards a ‘team played’ government which would include several parties?

As it happens, the portuguese government, if its lucky, will be founded by 2 parties (in this case CDS and PSD). Very american I must say.

So I ask my friends, where is the democracy in this? It stuns me that no party is willing to negotiate a government that would include all parties - because most likely it would favor the legitimacy of the winning party and let the ones who lost still have a voice. 

In Northern Europe this is standard procedure. Maybe this has also been the downfall of Passos Coelho’s government as getting the country back on its feet including all parties would have favorable to him. Now, people are anticipating new elections to in the near future, one can only hope that the upcoming winning party would take a new toll on manner to run the country, otherwise their time in power will be limited as well.

P.s ... By no means am I a fan of any particular portuguese party but one might wonder whether Passos Coelho should replace Gaspar with Antonio Jose Seguro? Think about it;  the PS would have a shot to show exactly what do they mean to do better and Passos Coelho would enjoy legitimacy equally fathered government... and perhaps in the end would get to say...”i told you so!”.. 

As a foreigner it’s a shame to see that this sense of togetherness “we can get through this” is not being forced by any political leader, therefore no hope is given to people who so desperately need it. One could compare FDR from the US and his politics to save America from the great depression and managing to get re-elected. Could this happen to Mr. Coelho? Time will tell.