Portas, Paulo

Born in a family originating from a traditional landowning aristocracy ^[1] . By the 1960s, it was a Portuguese middle class family of bourgeois intelligentsia and civil servants ^[2] . Moreover, representatives of the Portash clan were usually distinguished by liberal political views.

Nuno Portas - father of Paulo Portas - a famous Portuguese architect. Elena di Sacadura Cabral - mother of Paulo Portas - economist and famous writer. Leopold Barreiro Portas - paternal grandfather - a famous engineer, entrepreneur and politician of the New State , a staunch supporter of Antoniu Salazar ^[3] . Arthur Sakadura Cabral , maternal uncle - a celebrated military pilot. The godmother of Paulo Portas is the famous Portuguese writer Maria Velho da Costa ^[4] .

Since 1967, with the divorce of his parents, Paulo has remained with his mother, who was “the boss of the family” ^[2] . He studied at the Lumiar private college of São João di Brito . He graduated from the Faculty of Law of the Catholic University of Portugal .

Paulo Portasch was not twelve years old when the Carnations Revolution overthrew the authoritarian regime of the “New State”. From adolescence, he showed an active interest in politics. Adjacent to the youth organization of the People's Democratic Party; c 1976 - Social Democratic (SDP). He published a school newspaper, published in the right-wing publications of Lisbon.

At the age of fourteen, Paulo Portasz sent a letter to the SDP leader Francisco Sa Carneiro with his analysis of the political situation. Sa Carneiro became interested in the thoughts expressed and for a long time could not believe that the text was written by a teenager ^[5] .

At the age of fifteen, Paulo Portas gained national fame after the article Três Traições - Three Betrayals in the Jornal Novo newspaper. The schoolboy accused President Ramalia Eanes , Prime Minister Mario Soares and the leader of the Social Democratic Center party, Diogo Freitas do Amarala, in the “sale of Portugal” (it was primarily about decolonization), cheating voters, political incompetence. President Eanesh sued for libel - again not knowing that the text was written by a schoolboy. At the trial, Paulo refused to answer questions - defiantly in the wording used by the arrested oppositionists before PIDE investigators ^[3] .

After the arrival of Francisco Sa Carneiro to the post of prime minister at the end of 1979, Paulo Portasz repeatedly sought a reception and talked with the head of government. The SDP leader and prime minister appreciated the capable young man. In 1980, Sa Carneiro personally registered Portash's membership in the Social Democratic Party ^[5] .

Paulo Portas was one of the leaders of the Lisbon youth party organization. He stood on the positions of the Portuguese national - patriotism , social Catholicism and anti-communism . According to reviews of people who knew Portash, he was not just an ardent supporter of Sa Carneiro, but "admired Sa Carneiro as a caudillo " ^[3] .

December 4, 1980 Francisco Sa Carneiro died in a plane crash. For Paulo Portas, this was a great shock. In 1982 he left the SDP because he believed that Francisco Pinto Balseman had departed from the covenants of the founder of the party.

In the 1986 presidential election , Paulo Portas actively supported Freitas do Amaral as a single candidate of the right-wing forces. However, the head of state was elected socialist Mario Soares. After this, Paulo Portas for a long time moved away from party politics.

Temporarily abandoning party activities, Paulo Portas focused on journalism. He worked in the Lisbon newspapers O Tempo , Nuno Rocha , Semanário , the office of the Brazilian publication A Tarde . In 1988 he participated in the creation of the newspaper O Independente ^[6] .

Right-wing ideological positions were combined with Paulo Portasch with a special looseness of journalistic “revolutionary style”. The publication was perceived as the mouthpiece of new politicians - opposing the “nomenclature” generation, which established its dominance after the April Revolution. Portash’s sharply critical publications about Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva , Foreign Minister Juan Deuš Pinheiro , Finance Ministers Miguel Cadillo and Jorge Braga di Mashedu were widely resonated and sometimes became the subject of legal proceedings. Portas became one of the most famous and respected journalists in Portugal.

Also, Paulo Portasch is a host of popular television programs. At the same time he taught political science at the Modern University of Lisbon and led the center for the study of public opinion.

In 1995, Paulo Portas resumed active party political activity. This time he joined not the Social Democratic Party, but the conservative Social Democratic Center — the People’s Party (SDC — NP, the former Freitas do Amarala party) —the most right-wing of the political system in Portugal.

Paulo Portas supported the chairman of the SDTs-NP Manuel Monteiro (his classmate in his youth) in the ongoing party reform. From the very beginning Portash proved to be a strong politician and organizer. His actions in the regional elections caused serious damage to competitors from the Social Democratic Party and the Socialist Party ^[7] .

At the SDC-NP congress in Braga in 1998, Paulo Portas sought the election of a claim to the presidency. By then, he was already in conflict with Manuel Monteiro ^[8] . He defeated Maria Nogueira Pinto , which Monteiro promoted as his successor. On March 22, 1998, Paulo Portas was elected chairman. He gained a reputation as a tough politician who “swept away even his recent friends” ^[9] .

A total of about 16 years was the chairman of the SDC – NP Paulo Portasz: in 1998–2005 and 2007–2016 , which amounted to a record for the duration of party leadership. The ideological doctrine was focused on the legacy of the right-wing Christian democrat Adeline Amaru da Costa , one of the founders of the party, who died in a disaster along with Sa Carneiro. At the same time, both in political practice and at a symbolic level, a break with another party founder, Freytas do Amaral, was marked.

Portas sharply opposed Portugal’s accelerated European integration, spreading liberal EU standards to the country, especially against allowing abortion. Unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Lisbon in 2001 , but was elected to the city council.

Repeatedly elected to the Assembly of the Republic from the SDTs-NP. He was a member of the European Parliament for several terms ^[10] , and was vice-chairman of the Alliance of Europe of Nations Alliance of National Conservative and Eurosceptic Parties ^[11] .

By the 1999 elections , SDS-NP was in a coalition with the SDP, which was then headed by Marcela Rebela di Soza ^[12] . However, the Democratic Alternative bloc lost then to the Socialist Party. After the 2002 elections , SDC-NP returned to the government in a coalition with the SDP (the “truncated remake” of the Democratic Alliance 1979–1983 ). Paulo Portas received the post of Minister of National Defense in the government of Jose Manuel Barroso . He retained a post in the government of Pedro Santana Lopez .

The name of Paulo Portas is associated with important actions to reform the Portuguese armed forces - the abolition of conscription, the transfer of the army to a fully professional basis, focus on participation in anti-crisis and peacekeeping operations of NATO , enhanced rearmament. Portash's political course was characterized by a distance from the European Union with a clearly pro-American position.

The Portuguese military participated in the American invasion of Iraq , Paulo Portas fully solidified with the administration of George W. Bush . He maintained a demonstratively friendly relationship with US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld . He was awarded the US Department of Defense Medal ^[10] .

In the 2005 election , the ruling coalition was defeated, the Socialist Party came to power. Paulo Portas left his government post and resigned from the chairmanship of the SDC-NP. José Ribeiro and Castro, who replaced him, continued the Portas course.

In early 2007, most Portuguese voted in a referendum to allow abortion. This was a serious defeat for conservative forces, including SDS-NP. A movement arose in the party to return to Portash’s leadership, with whose name success was associated. Supporters of Manuel Monteiro and Maria Nogueira Pinto, who considered Portas an unprincipled, power-hungry pragmatist, opposed this ^[13] .

The meeting of the Party’s National Council on March 18, 2007 in Obidos took place in a highly conflicting atmosphere and was accompanied by physical violence ^[14] . Portash supporters took over. Direct elections were called for the chairman of the SDC-NP, in which Paulo Portas gathered more than 70% of the vote.

In the 2009 elections , SDC-NP received more than 10% of the vote, and contrary to pessimistic forecasts. The positions of Paulo Portáš sharply strengthened. In the 2011 early elections , SDC-NP spoke in alliance with the PSD and again achieved success: 11.7%, 24 seats. The party has not known such results since the 1970s.

The coalition of SDP with SDTs-NP was again formed. In the government of Pedro Pasush Coelho Paulo Portas received the portfolio of the Minister of Foreign Affairs ^[15] . He was primarily engaged in “economic diplomacy” related to overcoming the financial crisis and attracting investment. He decided to give preferences in Portugal to foreign investors. At the same time, Portash spoke from the position of right-wing social populism and distanced himself from unpopular austerity measures. In July 2013, Portasch resigned in protest against the appointment of PSD Minister of Finance Maria Luis Albuquerque , a supporter of a tough financial policy ^[16] .

A few days later, Paulo Portas was appointed deputy prime minister - coordinator of economic policy and state reform. Together with the Minister of Economics, Antoni Pires di di Lima , the Minister of Agriculture, Assunsan Cristas , Secretary of State Adolfo Mesquita Nunes Cortes, the Government created a large conservative group whose influence significantly exceeded the parliamentary weight of the SDC-NP.

In the elections of October 4, 2015, SDC-NP participated in the bloc with the SDP Portugal à Frente - Portugal in front . The coalition received the largest number of votes - almost 2 million, 37%, 102 mandates (of which SDS-NP - 18). President Kawaku Silva initially commissioned Pasush Coel to form a government. However, this government of Pasush Coelho existed only until November 26, 2015 ^[17] . From that moment, the Portugal Ahead coalition also ceased to exist. An important role in this situation was played by Paulo Portas, who put forward requirements for economic policy that were unacceptable for Pasush Coelho - refusing to strictly cut government spending in order to stabilize financially.

As a result, a socialist minority government was formed, led by Antonio Costa . SDTs-NP again appeared in opposition. Paulo Portas announced that he did not intend to re-nominate his candidacy for party chair. In March 2016, Assunsan Kristash, who was always considered as a loyal supporter, like-minded person and “protégé” of Portash, was elected chairman of the SDTs-NP ^[18] .

After leaving the party post, Paulo Portas signed a contract with the television program Jornal das 8 . He works as a political commentator ^[19] .

Paulo Portas remains an informal leader and ideologist of the right-wing conservative forces of Portugal. He advocates a peculiar “anarcho-conservatism” - a doctrine combining Catholicism and nationalism with libertarianism and a focus on self-government. He severely criticizes the Portuguese Communist Party and the Socialist Party (which he blames in collusion with big capital). Fundamental principles calls family, religion, property. He advocates nationalism and Euroscepticism, but emphasizes the difference between his - national - rejection of the EU from the class approach of the left and the communists.

The main values ​​for every right are nation and freedom. I am a fundamentalist of freedom, but not a fundamentalist of democracy. History knows dozens of examples when the majority made mistakes. Now we are giving Europe sovereignty and losing democracy on this ... I guess I'm not a typical right-wing man, but I don't think it necessary to convince anyone of anything.
Paulo Portasch ^[3] .

In an interview in January 2017, Paulo Portas spoke out against the confrontation between the West and Russia , expressed the hope that the US administration of Donald trump will find ways to closer positions with Vladimir Putin ^[20] . According to Portash, the current contradictions are not ideological, but “ordinary” geopolitical in nature and therefore may well be resolved on a compromise basis.

We cannot continue to look at Russia with the same eyes that we looked at the Soviet Union, which is no longer there. It was a global totalitarian project, involving a forced military alliance and an international organization , the fifth columns in each country who wanted to implement the Marxist-Leninist project ... What exists in Moscow is not the Soviet Union ... I think that is much more like Russia's everlasting: centuries-old, autocratic, centralized ... To expect democracy from it, as in Westminster , is a child’s mistake, and such a vision does not contribute to solving international problems ... As for Russia, rapprochement is possible here, cat This should be seen as an opportunity rather than a problem.
Paulo Portas ^[21]

Several major scandals are associated with the name of Paulo Portas.

In 1999, the subject of the investigation was the sharing of an expensive car by Portash and the private university Modern University ^[22] . At the Modern University, a criminal community was discovered that maintained business and friendly ties with the Portash family.

In 2002, as Minister of Defense, he terminated the contract for the purchase of a batch of military helicopters of the Franco-German Airbus Helicopters in favor of the American Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk . As a result, Anglo-Italian AgustaWestland helicopters were purchased, but at an inflated price, without surcharge from the EU ^[23] .

In 2004, Portas decided to purchase two submarines manufactured by the German Ferrostaal for the Portuguese Navy ^[12] . Suspicion arose of the mediation of several ministers, including Portas, between the manufacturer and the Portuguese banking consortium in order to protest the transaction. A similar situation has developed in situations with the purchase of Pandur II armored vehicles and torpedoes for submarines.

In 2011, Portash was accused of violating the financial interests of the state when selling a bankrupt bank to the Angolan government. His name was also mentioned in connection with the unscrupulous bankruptcy of the financial group Espírito Santo in 2014 ^[24] . Earlier, an investigation was conducted into violations in investing SDC-NP party funds in the accounts of this group.

None of these situations revealed a violation of the current legislation by Paulo Portash (despite intensive investigations, including wiretapping of his telephone conversations).

Paulo Portas is principally committed to a single life. Maintains friendly relations with half-sister Katarina Portash , a well-known journalist and media businesswoman. With mother retains respect for kinship and business cooperation.

The elder brother of Paulo Portas Miguel Portas (1958-2012) was an activist in the Communist Party. He left the PKP with the Politika XXI group in 1989 under the influence of Soviet Perestroika , after which he became a prominent politician of the Left bloc ^[2] .

In the character of Paulo Portas it is noted, on the one hand, rigidity and readiness for sharp breaks even with close people, on the other hand, the ability to reconciliation and personal friendship even with political opponents. The most typical examples of this kind are Portas's relationship with Manuel Monteiro and Marcel Rebelo di Sosa.

Paulo Portas is known for household conservatism. Does not have a personal email and bank card. He agreed to use a mobile phone and SMS only under the pressure of Katarina Portash. Tailoring is ordered exclusively from the tailor Augushtu Saldanha - a prominent figure in the SDTs-NP ^[25] . It prefers bright colors, but excludes the red color, which it considers to be the property of the Communists ^[4] .

Hobbies of Paulo Portasha - books on history and political science, skiing, driving (prefers cars Mazda , Jaguar , Jeep ). He doesn’t drink alcohol, but he smokes a lot and is a coffee lover ^[5] .