XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal

The XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XXI Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the 21st government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the current Constitution. It was in office from 26 November 2015 to 26 October 2019, and was formed by the members of the Socialist Party (PS). António Costa, leader of the PS, served as Prime Minister.

XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal XXI Governo Constitucional de Portugal
Cabinet of Portugal
Prime Minister António Costa
Date formed	26 November 2015 (2015-11-26)
Date dissolved	26 October 2019 (2019-10-26) (3 years and 11 months)
People and organisations
President of the Republic	Aníbal Cavaco Silva Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Prime Minister	António Costa
No. of ministers	17 [a]
Member party	Socialist Party (PS)
Status in legislature	Minority with confidence and supply from: Left Bloc (BE), Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV) 86 / 230 (37%)
Opposition parties	Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD) CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP) People–Animals–Nature (PAN)
History
Elections	2015 Portuguese legislative election (4 October 2015)
Predecessor	XX Constitutional Government
Successor	XXII Constitutional Government

Background

After the 2015 legislative election had resulted in a hung parliament, the leader of the Portugal Ahead alliance (PPD/PSD.CDS–PP), then Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho was given the task of forming a new government. However, as his minority government failed to secure support by any other party, notably the Socialist, the Government Programme was rejected by a vote of 123 to 107 deputies, leading to the government's disbandment within less than a month.^[1]

In the meantime, Socialist Party secretary-general António Costa had succeeded in securing support for a Socialist minority government by the Left Bloc (BE), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV), in a confidence and supply agreement. Subsequently, he was appointed as the new Prime Minister on 24 November 2015.^[2] The cabinet members took their oath of office on 26 November 2015.

Composition

The government was composed of the Prime Minister and 17 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries and under-secretaries of state.^[3]

Office	Minister		Party		Start of term	End of term
Prime Minister		António Costa		PS	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of Foreign Affairs		Augusto Santos Silva		PS	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of Premiership and Administrative Modernization		Maria Manuel Leitão Marques		PS	26 November 2015	18 February 2019
		Mariana Vieira da Silva		PS	18 February 2019	26 October 2019
Minister of Finance		Mário Centeno		Independent	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of National Defence		José Alberto Azeredo Lopes		Independent	26 November 2015	12 October 2018
		João Gomes Cravinho		Independent	12 October 2018	26 October 2019
Minister of Internal Administration		Constança Urbano de Sousa		Independent	26 November 2015	18 October 2017
		Eduardo Cabrita		PS	21 October 2017	26 October 2019
Minister of Justice		Francisca Van Dunem		Independent	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of Economy[b]		Manuel Caldeira Cabral		Independent	26 November 2015	15 October 2018
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister (Ministro-Adjunto do Primeiro-Ministro) [b]		Eduardo Cabrita		PS	26 November 2015	21 October 2017
		Pedro Siza Vieira		PS	21 October 2017	15 October 2018
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and of Economy[c]		Pedro Siza Vieira		PS	15 October 2018	26 October 2019
Minister of Culture		João Soares		PS	26 November 2015	8 April 2016
		Luís Filipe Castro Mendes		Independent	14 April 2016	15 October 2018
		Graça Fonseca		PS	15 October 2018	26 October 2019
MInister of Science, Technology and Higher Education		Manuel Heitor		Independent	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of Education		Tiago Brandão Rodrigues		Independent	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security		José Vieira da Silva		PS	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of Health		Adalberto Campos Fernandes		Independent	26 November 2015	15 October 2018
		Marta Temido		Independent	15 October 2018	26 October 2019
Minister of Planning and Infrastructure[d]		Pedro Marques		PS	26 November 2015	18 February 2019
Minister of Planning[e]		Nelson de Souza		PS	18 February 2019	26 October 2019
Minister of Infrastructure and Housing[e]		Pedro Nuno Santos		PS	18 February 2019	26 October 2019
Minister of Environment[f]		João Pedro Matos Fernandes		Independent	26 November 2015	15 October 2018
Minister of Environment and Energy Transition[c]		João Pedro Matos Fernandes		Independent	15 October 2018	26 October 2019
Minister of Agriculture		Luís Capoulas Santos		PS	26 November 2015	26 October 2019
Minister of Sea		Ana Paula Vitorino		PS	26 November 2015	26 October 2019

Notes

1. Not including the Prime Minister.
2. Replaced by the position of Deputy Minister and of Economy on 15 October 2018.
3. Position created on 15 October 2018.
4. Replaced by the positions of Minister of Planning and Minister of Infrastructure and Housing on 18 February 2019.
5. Position created on 18 February 2019.
6. Replaced by the position of Minister of Environment and Energy Transition on 15 October 2018.