Money António (Antonio Costa)

Money António (Antonio Costa)

Biography

2023: Resigning over corruption scandal

On November 7, 2023, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa resigned in connection with a corruption scandal. Police raided his official residence and the country's attorney general confirmed he was being investigated.

Costa, 62, said during a televised news conference that he was "surprised" to learn that "a criminal case has already been or will be brought against him." He stressed that he had nothing to do with one or another "illegal or reprehensible actions." Costa also says the gravity of the allegations at the heart of his investigation is "incompatible with the dignity of being prime minister." And this makes it impossible for him to continue in this post, in connection with which he resigns. Costa, who took over as Prime Minister of Portugal on November 26, 2015, also noted that he was ready to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the framework of the initiated case.

The Portuguese National Police conducted searches not only in the residence of Costa, but also in several buildings of government ministries. The raids are part of a corruption investigation related to lithium exploration schemes in the north of the country, as well as a megaproject to build a hydrogen plant in the port of Sinis. Another episode involves the creation of a large data center. As part of the investigation, the head of the Costa administration, Vitor Eshkaria, was detained. Energy Minister João Galamba and head of the environmental protection agency Nuno Lacasta also came under suspicion.

Costa's resignation letter took effect immediately. Portuguese President Marcel Rebel de Sousa will have to decide whether to dissolve parliament and call new elections or choose a new prime minister from Costa's Socialist Party.^[1]

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