04 June 2011

PORTUGAL: 6 May UPDATE: Socrates Loses; Passos Coelho Must Form Coalition.

LINK CHANGE/ BBC

     The center-right Social Democrats (PSD) led by Pedro Passos Coelho won Sunday's parliamentary elections over caretaker PM Socialist Jose Socrates party (above).
     Many leaders of struggling Eurozone nations have suffered defeat because of new austerity measures.
     Sócrates had claimed Passos Coelho has a "radical agenda" to curb free healthcare and schooling.
    An election was called because Sócrates couldn't get some austerity measures through parliament.
    Both candidates have accepted bailout conditions imposed by the media's so-called "troika"--the EU, IMF and ECB.
     Passos Coelho's center right party may have won...but will have to form a coalition with the third-ranked CDS.
    Sócrates' defeat leaves the 27-member EU with just 5 left-leaning leaders – in Spain, Austria, Greece, Slovenia and Cyprus.

UPDATE: TO SEE 1:33 EURONEWS English Report:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3BUYQoeXXA&feature=feedu