The XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XVIII Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the 18th government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the Portuguese Constitution of 1976. It was in office from 26 October 2009 to 21 June 2011, and was formed by the members of the Socialist Party (PS). José Sócrates, leader of the PS, served as Prime Minister.
Party breakdown Party breakdown of cabinet ministers by the end of the government's time in office: (Prime Minister not included) Socialist Party 8 Independents 8
Composition The government was composed of the Prime Minister and 16 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries and under-secretaries of state. OfficeMinisterPartyStart of termEnd of termPrime MinisterJosé SócratesPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of State and Foreign AffairsLuís AmadoPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of State and FinanceFernando Teixeira dos SantosIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of PresidencyPedro Silva PereiraPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of National DefenseAugusto Santos SilvaPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of Internal AdministrationRui PereiraIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of JusticeAlberto MartinsPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of the Economy, Innovation and DevelopmentJosé António Vieira da SilvaPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and FisheriesAntónio SerranoIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of Public Works, Transport and CommunicationsAntónio MendonçaIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of the Environment and Spatial PlanningDulce PássaroIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of Labour and Social SolidarityHelena AndréPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of HealthAna JorgeIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of EducationIsabel AlçadaIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of Science, Technology and Higher EducationMariano GagoIndependent26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of CultureGabriela CanavilhasPS26 October 200921 June 2011Minister of Parliamentary AffairsJorge LacãoPS26 October 200921 June 2011
Events In 2008–09, with the Great Recession starting to hit Portugal and facing recession and high unemployment, austerity was waned as part of the European economic stimulus plan. Nevertheless, support for Sócrates and the Socialists eroded and the ruling party lost its majority in the 2009 election. The second government of José Sócrates faced a deterioration of the economic and financial state of the country, with skyrocketing deficit and growing debt. Austerity was resumed in 2010 while the country entered a hard financial crisis in the context of the European debt crisis.
On 23 March 2011, Sócrates submitted his resignation to President Aníbal Cavaco Silva after the Parliament rejected a new austerity package (the fourth in a year), leading to the 2011 snap election. Financial status of the country deteriorated and on 6 April Sócrates caretaker government requested a bail-out program which was conceded. The €78 billion IMF/European Union bailout to Portugal thus started and would last until May 2014. Sócrates lost the snap election held on 5 June 2011 and resigned as Secretary-General of the Socialist Party. For most of his political career, Sócrates was associated to several corruption cases, notably Independente University and Freeport cases.
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