The outgoing Portuguese government summoned the police and gendarmerie forces, which multiplied the forms of protest, to the point of legality.
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With our correspondent in Lisbon. Mary Line Darcy
The revolution of the Portuguese police and gendarmes has been brewing since November 2023 and risk bonuses have been given to their colleagues in the judicial police and to them only. Since then, anger has grown. Impressive petitions and demonstrations in Lisbon and Porto. On the weekend, numerous sick days among law enforcement officers prevented many football matches from being held.
Faced with this situation, the Ministry of Interior called on the forces to respect the regime, and threatened disciplinary sanctions if the unrest did not stop. Then a police union threatened to boycott the early legislative elections scheduled for March 10.
Taking advantage of police anger?
Then António Costa, the Socialist Prime Minister, came out of his reserve and decreed that extralegal forms of struggle were inadmissible, saying that he was convinced that the police would never resort to such an act that represented a betrayal of democracy.
Rumors are circulating about far-right movements exploiting police anger, while the populist Chiga party is on the verge of becoming the country's third political force.
