Miguel Pinto Luz, who was head of the Democratic Alliance (AD) list for the Algarve, will be the next Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, it has just been announced.
The former vice-president of the Cascais Chamber will take on a role in which he will deal with issues such as the requalification of the EN125, tolls on the A22 – to talk about topics directly related to the Algarve -, but also the future Lisbon Airport.
Miguel Pinto Luz's name was already expected to join the Government, as he is one of the two vice-presidents of the PSD.
Entering the Government will also mean that Cristiano Cabrita, vice-president of the Albufeira Chamber, will be deputy for AD. If he does not accept, Dinis Faísca will take the position, joining (at least until he sees) Cristóvão Norte and Ofélia Ramos, the other social democrats elected by the circle of Faro.
After presenting the list of ministers to the President of the Republic, the names were officially released and confirm, in part, what was already expected.
Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, former parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats, is the new Minister of Finance.
Paulo Rangel, historic PSD MEP, will be Montenegro's number 2, remaining as Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, an area he knows well.
Ana Paula Martins, former director of the Santa Maria Hospital, will take over the Health portfolio and Pedro Duarte is the new Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
In the current situation, the former Secretary of State for Youth of Santana Lopes will assume a key role, in a Parliament divided into three blocks.
The Defense portfolio will remain for the CDS, PSD's partner in the Democratic Alliance. Nuno Melo, president of the CDS, will be the minister – in a choice that was already expected.
Leitão Amaro, a figure close to Montenegro, will assume the role of Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Pedro Reis that of Economy.
As Minister of Justice, Rita Júdice will be appointed, while the Internal Administration portfolio, which promises to be one of the most difficult, will be occupied by Margarida Blasco.
The list of ministers also includes Fernando Alexandre (Education, Science and Innovation), Maria Palma Ramalho (Labour, Solidarity and Social Security), Maria da Graça Carvalho from Alentejo, former MEP and former minister in the governments of Durão Barroso and Santana Lopes, (Environment and Energy), José Manuel Fernandes, also a former MEP, (Agriculture and Fisheries) and Dalila Rodrigues, former director of the Jerónimos Monastery (Culture).
They are joined by Margarida Balseiro Lopes, who was leader of the JSD, who will assume the portfolio of Youth and Modernization and Manuel Castro Almeida who will remain as Deputy Minister and Territorial Cohesion.
The Government will have 7 women, for a total of 17 ministers.
The inauguration will take place next Tuesday, April 2nd, but the Government will only enter into full function on the 12th.
Complete list:
Minister of State and Foreign Affairs – Paulo Rangel
Minister of State and Finance – Joaquim Miranda Sarmento
Minister of the Presidency – António Leitão Amaro
Deputy Minister and Territorial Cohesion – Manuel Castro Almeida
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs – Pedro Duarte
Minister of National Defense – Nuno Melo
Minister of Justice – Rita Júdice
Minister of Internal Administration – Margarida Blasco
Minister of Education, Science and Innovation – Fernando Alexandre
Minister of Health – Ana Paula Martins
Minister of Infrastructure and Housing – Miguel Pinto Luz
Minister of Economy – Pedro Reis
Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security – Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho
Minister of Environment and Energy – Maria da Graça Carvalho
Minister of Youth and Modernization – Margarida Balseiro Lopes
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries – José Manuel Fernandes
Minister of Culture – Dalila Rodrigues
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