Portugal's left block party accuses ruling coalition of "democratic suffocation"

The head of Portugal's Left Block party accused the ruling center-right coalition on Thursday of "democratic suffocation" for not yet setting a date for a televised debate before the elections.

"Yesterday, the deadline ended to set a date for the debates and we know that the right-wing coalition didn't respond,," Catarina Martins, Left Block spokesperson, said before entering the Palace of Justice in the northern city of Porto, according to Portuguese Lusa News Agency.

Martins pointed out that the ruling coalition had presented a law at parliament to alter the rules regarding the coverage of the general elections, namely television coverage.

Martins said that if debates did not take place this year, it would be the first time in decades.

"This is called democratic suffocation," she said, claiming the ruling party wanted to "hide its proposal."

Recently the government caused uproar amid media companies in Portugal who were told they had to present their election coverage plans to be approved.

The Portuguese general elections are taking place on October 4, with the ruling coalition highlighting the country's recovery from bankruptcy thanks to harsh austerity in the hope that it will be re-elected.

The center-right coalition took power in 2011 when the Socialists were forced to seek a 78 billion euro bailout program. Endit