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Portugal's minority center-right coalition gov't sworn in

Xinhua, October 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

Pedro Passos Coelho was sworn in as Portugal's prime minister of minority center-right coalition government by President Anibal Cavaco Silva in a ceremony at the Ajuda Palace in Lisbon on Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas along with 15 ministers and 36 secretaries of state of the new government were also sworn in.

At the swearing in ceremony President Cavaco Silva said that "it is now up to parliament to respect the government's program", in view of "higher national interest".

"The external financing depends on the country's image internationally," he said, emphasizing that "the external image" depends on the "sense of responsibility that the political, economic and social agents demonstrate internally."

"Without stability, Portugal would be ungovernable," he added.

"Portugal is now a credible and respected country in which many wish to invest and rely on the markets," the president said.

He said that it is the party that won the election should form the government, which will come into its full role after its program is assessed by members of parliament.

The main opposition Socialist Party has vowed to unseat the center-right minority government with a no-confidence motion on Nov. 10 when the program is voted on after a two-day debate.

The coalition comprising Social Democratic Party (PSD) and CDS-PP won the Oct. 4 general election and gained 107 seats in the 230-seat parliament but failed to secure an outright majority of 116 seats.

After the election, the PS has locked in negotiations with the leftist Left Bloc and Communist Party (PCP) in an attempt to form an alternative coalition in Parliament with a majority of 122 seats. Enditem