Five New Ministers, Six State Secretaries Join Portugal Govt.
President Antonio Ramalho Eanes has sworn in five new ministers and six state secretaries in a Cabinet shuffle brought on by a leadership dispute within the Social Democratic Party.
The Social Democrats are junior partners in the two-party coalition led by Prime Minister Mario Soares’ Socialists.
Rui Machete, justice minister in the previous Cabinet, defeated Carlos Mota Pinto as leader of the Social Democrats last week after a bitter party struggle. He now succeeds Mota Pinto as deputy prime minister and defense minister.
Joao de Deus Pinheiro was sworn in as education minister to replace Jose Seabra, who quit the government with Mota Pinto after the upheaval in the Social Democrat leadership. Mario Raposo became justice minister.
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