Portuguese socialist party has been hailed as a model center-left party. It’s european counterparts could only dream with the steady and comfortable lead socialists enjoyed for the last years. Despite the good results, the center-left party didn’t exactly had the best year. Record number of strikes, trouble in the national health service impacted the government’s popularity and recently, the government was also accused of establishing a nepotism network when it was exposed dozens of familiar connections in the government and also between the government and the socialist party. The socialists are still ahead in every poll and will most likely win both european and general elections this year but the absolute majority that was possible 1 year ago, is now nothing more than a mirage and, in this scenario, socialists will still have to rely on the communist party, Left Bloc or both to keep governing.



The downward trend can be inverted and the socialists might get back on track to a resounding victory that could possibly give them the absolute majority they desire. The government introduced a plan that could give them just that – a unique transportation pass. The policy will cost the government 100 million and it will impact 85% of the territory.

A great portion of people who work in Lisbon or Porto live in dormitory cities. They use multiple forms of public transporation like bus, train, metro, ferry boat and can buy several monthly pass tickets to move around the metropolitan areas. With this unique public transportation pass, they will have to buy only one pass ticket and the standard price will be much lower.



For example: Someone who lives in Mafra and works in Lisbon had to buy at least 2 bus passes that could cost 165 euros each month; with the new unique pass it will cost about 40 euros. Someone that lives in Setubal,in the other margin of the tagus river could pay a total of 161 euros, in different passes, now it will pay the same 40 euros. A person that lives in Sandim and works in Porto paid 80 euros, now it will go down to 40.

Prime-Minister António Costa with Mayor of Lisbon Fernando Medina and Minister Pedro Nuno Santos



The policy was embraced by every left-wing party. They all tried to claim the credit for themselves, stressing their own role in the production of this policy and celebrated the implemention of the unique transporation pass with travels in trains, buses in acts that resembled electoral campaigns.

Jerónimo



The policy wasn’t exempt from criticism. The government was accused of electoralism, neglecting rural heartlands and contributing to the chaotic state of public transportation. Rui Rio, leader of the opposition and PSD leader, pointed ‘’the government gives a subsidy for every innabitant of the metropolitan area of Lisboa of about 26 euros, of about 8 euros to every innabitant of the metropolitan area of Porto and the rest of the country would be subsidized of about 2 euros per person” He added that this plan created Portuguese of 1st, 2nd and 3rd class. Carlos Guimarães Pinto, President of Liberal initiative, a newly formed liberal party, criticized the policy for subsidizing the demand of a system that is already overused.



Politically, i think this policy could boost again the left-wing parties, in particular the socialist party. Hundreds of thousands of people who use public transportation in metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto and in other parts of the country will feel a reduction of the cost of the pass tickets and many could save up to 100 euros each month. It will be undoubtedly, one of this government’s policies that will be most felt in people’s pockets and will be implemented 1 month before the european elections and 5 months before the general elections. One issue that could arise would be the inequality of the impact of this measure. Central government subsidy for this plan will mostly go to the metropolitan area of lisbon, Porto and much less to the rest of the country. There could be a perception that the government is giving subsidies to the richest parts of the country while neglecting much deprived parts of Portugal. I think this perception will hardly be translated in votes, because other parts of the country will also feel a reduction in public transportation prices, albeit less needed and there is not, for now, a political conflict of urban vs rural like there is in the UK or France.