Who are the shadow ministers of Pedro Nuno Santos

It is always a difficult exercise to compose the cast of a government of a party that is not in power, but from this exercise and perception that voters have the ability of parties to assume governance functions often depends on their decision when voting.

That is why, in the past, PS and PSD, when they were in opposition, they even presented shadow governments. Names and guys that helped give credibility to leaders and political projects.

This time this was not the case, the precipitation of the electoral calendar did not give Pedro Nuno Santos time to bring together teams, nor to make the program that expected could leave a general states that were expected to last a year. With the political crisis everything had to be accelerated and adapted, but even so, among programmatic meetings in Largo do Rato and choosing lists, Pedro Nuno Santos resorted to a strong name to start the electoral combat. «We have Fernando Araújo, they have Ana Paula Martins», with this phrase the socialist leader defined a program: showing to his side a strong name in an area that worries the Portuguese and in which the government did not get results. The country learned who will be the Minister of Health of Pedro Nuno Santos and the name he chose is identified by the Portuguese with the image of competence.

We went looking for other names that can be part of an executive led by the PS. We heard opinions from closer and more distant socialists from Pedro Nuno Santos and came to a set of possible or likely names. Just over a year ago in the party lead, there are names closer to the leader, others who have had governing experience and others who may come from civil society.

Repeating rulers
Some of Pedro Nuno Santos’s closest were his colleagues in the governments of António Costa, some as ministers, others as secretaries of state. He was the PS leader who referred to previous secretaries of state as good assets of the Socialist Party that he would like to put on the lists of candidates for deputies and could later integrate a government led by themselves.

Duarte Cordeiro is the oldest and closest friend of Pedro Nuno in the Socialist Party. In recent times he has moved from executive positions because of the suspicions that rose upon themselves as part of the Tutti-Frutti process. In recent months, the investigation of the process has been completed without accusations of Duarte Cordeiro, which in the meantime began a life in the private sector. Despite not having entered the PS lists, in case of victory of the socialists, Cordeiro will have no room to refuse an invitation to go to the government. To what they tell us, your name may arise in any executive folder. It is unlikely to return to the environment and it is very likely to accumulate a folder of sovereignty with the functions of vice prime minister.

Mariana Vieira da Silva, who in the governments of António Costa was her right-hand man, even occupying in the last government the place of number two, is also given for certain in the choices of Pedro Nuno Santos. The closest guarantee that they would like to be Minister of Education and that Pedro Nuno Santos would probably want him.

Eurico Brilhante Dias, who was the last parliamentary leader of the Costist era, occupied in a previous government the place of Secretary of State for Economy. It is one of the probable names to now take the place of minister to a sector, in which names such as João Neves (who was also Secretary of State for Economy) or, less likely, Elisa Ferreira are also pointed out.

José Luís Carneiro is another former minister appointed to join a government of Pedro Nuno Santos. In the opinion of the socialists we hear, when choosing this name to the executive, the leader gives a sign of unity to the party and simultaneously includes someone who is seen as competent in various areas of governance.

With no governing experience, but highly likely in a government of Pedro Nuno Santos is Pedro Delgado Alves. The deputy and commentator is a constant presence alongside the leader, having played a determining role in the definition of strategies in the last year. His political experience, his argumentative capacity and legal and constitutional knowledge point to places of political coordination, such as the presidency of the Council of Ministers or parliamentary affairs.

Fernando Araújo is really the name that should not be changed, the former SNS executive director, chosen in the last days of António Costa’s government to lead a new body that he himself conceived to solve the structural problems of the health sector, is, after accepting being the head of the socialist party list by the circle of Porto the undisputed name to occupy the place. Araújo is to Pedro Nuno Santos, as Mario Centeno was to António Costa.

In finance a name with credits
It is always a choice that is analyzed for magnifying glass. The name chosen to lead finances arise immediately readings about government credibility. According to several opinions heard by the sunrise, Pedro Nuno Santos will want to find the name of the Minister of Finance. There are three choices that are given as possible: Ricardo Mourinho Félix was the right arm of Mario Centeno at Banco de Portugal and then at the Ministry of Finance as Secretary of State. It is now pointed out as probable choice.

Nazaré Costa Cabral, current president of the Public Finance Council is another name given as possible for the finance portfolio.
Sofia Batalha who was Secretary of State for Fernando Medina and currently occupies functions in the European Court of Auditors is a name that arises as possible but unlikely.

António Mendonça Mendes, he has also occupied governing functions at the Ministry of Finance, is a spokesman for the socialist party and also emerges as a probable option for Pedro Nuno Santos.

Any of these names is given as more or less likely according to the circumstances in which socialists can reach the government. If stability prospects are few, more independent names like Mourinho Felix, Nazaré Costa Cabral or Sofia Batalha will hardly accept the challenge. They all occupy important functions in heavy organisms and will not be available to leave to perform governmental functions in a situation of great fragility. In this case the choice should fall in silver of the house and Mendonça Mendes will be the most likely.