Politics in Portugal this week

After the government approved the draft budget for 2019, Prime Minister António Costa reshuffles the cabinet

The move follows the resignation of Defence Minister Jose Azeredo Lopes in the aftermath of an arms theft from a military facility in 2017
The arms were later recovered, though no suspects have been arrested and the background of the theft was not uncovered which led the accusations of a cover-up by the defence ministry.

The European Union’s ambassador to Brazil, Joao Gomes Cravinho, will take over the post of Defence minister.
As part of the cabinet changes, former cabinet minister Pedro Siza Vieira will take over an enhanced economy ministry. Going forward its responsibilities will also include the energy sector that had previously been part of the portfolio of the environment ministry.
The changes in the cabinet were completed by Graca Maria da Fonseca as new minsiter of culture and Marta Temido as new health minister. Temido had been head of the central administration of the public health system before.

Reuters: Portugal’s premier reshuffles cabinet

Ahead of the next general elections in 2019 the Socialist minority government is enjoying favourable poll numbers with about 40% support.
Prime Minister António Luís Santos da Costa also leads in favourability versus his main rivals, his predecessor Pedro Passos Coelho and the current leader of the opposition Rui Rio both from the Social Democratic Party, as well as the former Prime Minister and former member of the Socialist party Pedro Santana Lopes who is working trying to create a new political movement called Aliança (Alliance).

Wikipedia: Opinion polling for the next Portuguese legislative election

With just 12 minutes to spare, Finance Minister Mario Centeno submitted the 2019 budget to parliament Monday night.
The draft includes a reduction of the deficit from this year’s projection of 0.7% of GDP to 0.2% next year. Since the debt crisis 2011 to 2014, the Portuguese economy has made a strong recovery. Unemployment is predicted to fall from currently 6.9% to 6.3% next year, continuing the downward trend since its peak at 17.5% in January 2013.
The countries debt to GDP ratio is projected to fall from 121.2% in 2018 to 118.5% next year, moving further away from its highest level of 130.6% in 2014 but still far away from levels below 80% last seen before the global financial crisis that started 2007-2008.

Portugal: government debt to GDP

(Link: Foto source)