The European People’s Party (EPP) warmly congratulated today for their election victory the leader of the PSD, Pedro Passos Coelho and the leader of the CDS-PP, Paulo Portas. The PSD won 38.63% of the votes and first place and CDS-PP 11.74% and third place; both parties are members of the EPP. Following the completion of coalition negotiations, Pedro Passos Coelho is expected to become EPP’s 17th head of government in the European Union.

EPP President Wilfried Martens warmly congratulated the two leaders:

“I congratulate Pedro Passos Coelho for the victory of the PSD. Pedro Passos Coelho and his government will provide Portugal a fresh start and much needed change after six years of failed socialist policies,” EPP President Wilfried Martens stated.

“I also congratulate Paulo Portas for the excellent result of the CDS-PP and for his intention to participate in Portugal’s new centre-right, EPP government. Portas and the CDS-PP will have a key role in putting Portugal back on track,” the EPP President underlined.

“The Portuguese people have entrusted our EPP member parties to carry out the difficult but necessary economic and structural reforms in the framework of the bail-out agreement. This shift to the centre-right will bring a new impetus and political stability to the country, which will lead to growth and jobs. I look forward to personally congratulating Pedro Passos Coelho at the June 23rd EPP Summit, prior to the meeting of the European Council,” Wilfried Martens added.

EPP Secretary General Antonio López-Istúriz also congratulated the two leaders:

“I congratulate Pedro Passos Coelho and the PSD. By acting with transparency towards the citizens and informing them about the upcoming difficult reforms, Pedro Passos Coelho has already initiated this change. I congratulate also Paulo Portas and the CDS-PP. Paulo Portas will surely bring added momentum to the reform process of the new government,” EPP Secretary General Antonio López-Istúriz stated.

Note to editors:
The EPP is the largest and most influential European-level political party of the centre-right, which currently includes 75 member-parties from 39 countries, the Presidents of the Commission, Council, and Parliament, 16 EU and 6 non-EU heads of state and government, 13 members of the European Commission and the largest Group in the European Parliament.

For more information:

Kostas Sasmatzoglou, Spokesman, Tel: +32-2-2854147
Javier Jiménez, Senior Press and Communication Officer, Tel: +32-475480446