What Type Of Government Does Portugal Have?

Portugal is a semi-presidential republic, and the citizens participate in choosing their leaders. Portugal has four sovereign bodies which are the President of the Republic who is the Chief of State, The Assembly of the Republic, the courts and the Government. The government is a sovereign body that majorly deals with conducting general politics and public administration. The term government in the Portuguese context refers to the collective ministry. The ministry consists of the team of ministers and the prime minister. The prime minister is the head of the government.

The Composition Of The Government Of Portugal

The government consists of the prime minister, the ministers, and the junior ministers or the state secretaries. The prime minister is the head of the Government. The ministers lead a ministry and the secretaries of state assigned to the same department.

Formation Of The Government Of Portugal

Formation of the government takes place after the assembly of the republic is elected or when the previous administration resigns. All the parties in the Assembly of the Republic give their views to the president. The president appoints the prime minister who in turn appoints other officials to form the government. The president then swears in the Prime Minister and the Government officials. The Government then draws its program and submits it to the Assembly of the Republic. The program outlines the federal guidelines and the measures intended for adoption during their term of service.

Functions Of The Portuguese Government

The Government performs the legislative, administrative and political functions. It has the power to negotiate with international organizations, to propose bills and submit to the assembly of the republic, to implement the annual State Budget and to make administrative policies. The government program guides all the actions of the government.

Dismissal Rules And Regulations

The government ends when a new administration takes office following the elections of a new Assembly of the Republic, or if the term of office of the prime minister ends. However, the Assembly can pass a motion of no confidence in the government before its period elapses and the motion is supported by a majority of the members of the assembly, or if the Assembly does not pass the Government's programs. The government also falls when the president dismisses it following the democratic rules and requirements of the Portuguese government, or if the prime minister resigns, dies or becomes mentally unstable.

The Council Of Ministers

The committee is made up of all ministers together with the prime minister. It holds meetings to discuss its political and administrative agendas.

The Legislative And Judicial Branch Of The Government Of Portugal

Portugal has a unicameral Assembly with 230 seats made up of 226 members elected directly in multi-seat constituencies, four members representing Portuguese living abroad. The members always serve for four years. The highest court is the Supreme Court which has 12 justices. There is also the Constitutional Court made up of 13 judges. The justices of the Supreme Court are nominated by the president, but the Assembly of the Republic appoints them. Ten of the constitutional judges are elected by the Assembly, and three are elected by the constitutional court judges. The judges serve for only one term of six years, and it is not renewable.