New Prime Minister, Cabinet Take Office
Portugal’s new prime minister and his Cabinet took office, ending more than two weeks of political uncertainty after the country’s former leader became president of the European Commission.
Pedro Santana Lopes was sworn in as prime minister of Portugal’s 16th constitutional government at a ceremony with President Jorge Sampaio. He pledged to lead the conservative coalition government through the next two years of its mandate.
Santana Lopes, 48, has been Lisbon’s mayor for the last three years and has never held a senior government post. He said his administration would pay special attention to budget consolidation, investment, national security and European matters.
He replaced Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, who quit to take the European Union’s top job.
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