Luís Montenegro

Luís Montenegro
Montenegro in 2024
Prime Minister of Portugal
Assumed office
2 April 2024
PresidentMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Preceded byAntónio Costa
President of the Social Democratic Party
Assumed office
1 July 2022
Secretary-GeneralHugo Soares
Preceded byRui Rio
Leader of the Opposition
In office
1 July 2022 – 2 April 2024
Prime MinisterAntónio Costa
Preceded byRui Rio
Succeeded byPedro Nuno Santos
President of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democratic Party
In office
29 June 2011 – 19 July 2017[1]
Preceded byMiguel Macedo
Succeeded byHugo Soares
Member of the Assembly of the Republic
In office
26 March 2024 – 2 April 2024
ConstituencyLisbon
In office
4 April 2002 – 5 April 2018
ConstituencyAveiro
Personal details
Born
Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves

(1973-02-16) 16 February 1973 (age 51)
Porto, Portugal
Political partySocial Democratic Party (1991–present)
Spouse
Carla Montenegro
​
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2
Alma materCatholic University of Portugal
Occupation
  • Lawyer
  • politician

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[edit]

Education and local politics[edit]

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][5] 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][6]

Assembly of the Republic[edit]

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.[7]

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 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[edit]

Montenegro, speaks at the PSD's 40th National Congress, 12 July 2022

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]

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.[16][17]

Prime Minister of Portugal[edit]

Montenegro delivers his first speech as Prime Minister in Ajuda Palace, 2 April 2024

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.[18][19] 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".[20]

Political positions[edit]

Leader of his parliamentary group between 2011 and 2015, he defended the implementation of a strict economic austerity program negotiated by Portugal in exchange for an international financial bailout.[21]

Ahead of the 2024 national elections, Montenegro promised the full privatisation of TAP Air Portugal.[22]

Personal life[edit]

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.[5] 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.[23] 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.[24][25][26][27][28] In 2019, Montenegro denied being a Freemason.[29]

Controversies[edit]

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.[30][31][32]

Electoral history[edit]

PSD leadership election, 2020

Ballot: 11 and 18 January 2020
Candidate 1st round 2nd round
Votes % Votes %
Rui Rio 15,546 49.0 17,157 53.2
Luís Montenegro 13,137 41.4 15,086 46.8
Miguel Pinto Luz 3,030 9.6  
Blank/Invalid ballots 369 – 341 –
Turnout 32,082 79.01 32,582 80.20
Source: Official results

PSD leadership election, 2022

Ballot: 28 May 2022
Candidate Votes %
Luís Montenegro 19,241 72.5
Jorge Moreira da Silva 7,306 27.5
Blank/Invalid ballots 437 –
Turnout 26,984 60.46
Source: Official results

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Luís Montenegro, PSD".
  2. ^ a b "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 lider of the PSD]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Lusa News Agency. 11 January 2019. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "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]. Público (in Portuguese). Lusa News Agency. 28 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  4. ^ 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)]. Público. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b Albuquerque, Mariana (22 January 2019). "Luís Montenegro: Filipe na família, Ervilha na escola" [Luís Montenegro: Filipe in the family, Pea at school]. Notícias Magazine (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Eleições Autárquicas 2005". STAPE Justice Ministry (in Portuguese). 9 October 2005. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  7. ^ "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]. Público (in Portuguese). 30 June 2011. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  8. ^ Lourenço, Eunice (17 February 2018). "Luís Montenegro sai do Parlamento e deixa avisos a Rio" [Luís Montenegro leaves Parliament and leaves advice to Rio] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  9. ^ ""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] (in Portuguese). SAPO. Lusa News Agency. 30 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Rui Rio reafirma que existe uma "teia maçónica" dentro do PSD" [Rui Rio reaffirms that there exists a "Masonic network" inside the PSD] (in Portuguese). TVI 24. 20 December 2019. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  11. ^ "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]. Observador (in Portuguese). Lusa News Agency. 23 January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Luís Montenegro vai ser candidato à liderança do PSD" [Luís Montenegro will be candidate for leadership of the PSD]. Público (in Portuguese). Lusa News Agency. 29 March 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  13. ^ Rita, Cristina (29 May 2022). "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%]. Novo Semanário (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  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. ^ "Portuguese centre-right party claims narrow election win". Euronews. Associated Press. 11 March 2024. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  16. ^ Lima, Joao (28 March 2024). "Portugal's New Premier Picks Sarmento as Finance Minister". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  17. ^ Dunn, Natasha (28 March 2024). "Composition of Portugal's minority government to be presented today". Portugal Resident. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  18. ^ Hubert, Hervé (2 April 2024). "President swears in the Prime Minister and ministers of the XXIV Constitutional Government". Pulse Portugal. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  19. ^ 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]. CNN Portugal (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  20. ^ Kassam, Ashifa (19 March 2024). "'It's a really big threat': Portuguese minorities on the rise of the far right". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  21. ^ "O homem que (quase) conseguiu: a amarga vitória de Luís Montenegro (por Sebastião Bugalho)". Expresso (in Portuguese). 14 March 2024.
  22. ^ Sergio Goncalves and Andrei Khalip (5 December 2023), Portugal's Social Democratic Party contender for PM wants full privatisation of airline TAP Archived 12 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine Reuters.
  23. ^ Montenegro, Luís (13 May 2020). "A Nação da paixão" [The Nation of passion]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  24. ^ Esteves, Fernando (17 January 2019). "WHATSAPP-CHECK: Luís Montenegro pertenceu à poderosa loja maçónica Mozart?" [WHATSAPP-CHECK: Did Luís Montenegro belong to the powerful Mozart Masonic lodge?] (in Portuguese). Polígrafo. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  25. ^ de Sousa, Luís; Batalha, João Paulo; Coroado, Susana (18 December 2020). "Mozart e os desafinados" [Mozart and the conflicting]. Público (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  26. ^ "Luís Montenegro na lista dos jantares da Loja Mozart" [Luís Montenegro on the Mozart Lodge's dinner list]. Expresso (in Portuguese). 5 January 2012. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  27. ^ Simões, Bruno (6 January 2012). "Nove em cada dez deputados são liderados por maçons" [Nine out of ten deputies are led by Freemasons]. Jornal de Negócios (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  28. ^ "Líder parlamentar do CDS também é maçom" [Parliamentary leader of the CDS is also a Freemason]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 6 January 2012. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  29. ^ Monteiro, Sara Beatriz (15 January 2019). ""Não sou maçon nem tenho nenhuma ligação à maçonaria"" ["I am not a Freemason nor do I have any link to Freemasonry"] (in Portuguese). TSF. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  30. ^ "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]. Expresso (in Portuguese). 29 December 2023. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  31. ^ "Ministério Público abre inquérito a negócio da casa de Montenegro" [Public Prosecution Service opens investigation into Montenegro's house business]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 29 December 2023. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  32. ^ 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]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
Party political offices
Preceded by President of the Social Democratic Party
2022–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition
2022–2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Portugal
2024–present 		Incumbent
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