Portuguese president asks opposition leader for "governance solution"

Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva on Monday asked main opposition Socialist Party (PS) leader Antonio Costa to clarify issues including the approval of state budget and Portugal's commitment with the Europe Union before the formation of a new government.

Silva requested Costa to make efforts "to provide a stable, lasting and credible governance solution," according to a statement issued by the presidential palace after their meeting.

The major issues the president wants Costa to clarify include approval of the state budget, in particular the budget for 2016, compliance with budgetary rules applied to all eurozone countries, respect for international commitments of Portugal in the framework of collective defense organizations.

Portugal is undergoing political uncertainty as the center-right minority government was ousted in a parliamentary vote of motion by main opposition PS and its leftist alliance only 11 days after it was sworn in on Oct. 30.

The coalition, led by leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, and CDS-PP leader Paulo Portas, won most votes in the Oct. 4 election, gaining 107 seats in the 230-seat parliament, but lost an outright majority.

Silva has yet to decide whether to keep Passos Coehlo on as a caretaker prime minister or empower Costa to form an alternative government with other leftist parties.

He fears a new left-wing government led by Costa will derail the slow economic recovery in the country because of their anti-austerity and anti-European stance.

The Portuguese constitution does not allow another election within six months. Endit