# XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal

The XVIII Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XVIII Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the 18th government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the Portuguese Constitution of 1976. It was in office from 26 October 2009 to 21 June 2011, and was formed by the members of the Socialist Party (PS). José Sócrates, leader of the PS, served as Prime Minister.

## Composition

The government was composed of the Prime Minister and 16 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries and under-secretaries of state.
| Office | Minister | Minister | Party | Start of term | End of term |
| Prime Minister | | José Sócrates | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of State and Foreign Affairs | | Luís Amado | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of State and Finance | | Fernando Teixeira dos Santos | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Presidency | | Pedro Silva Pereira | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of National Defense | | Augusto Santos Silva | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Internal Administration | Rui Pereira | Rui Pereira | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Justice | Alberto Martins | Alberto Martins | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Development | | José António Vieira da Silva | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries | António Serrano | António Serrano | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications | António Mendonça | António Mendonça | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning | Dulce Pássaro | Dulce Pássaro | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity | Helena André | Helena André | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Health | | Ana Jorge | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Education | | Isabel Alçada | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education | | Mariano Gago | Independent | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Culture | | Gabriela Canavilhas | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |
| Minister of Parliamentary Affairs | Jorge Lacão | Jorge Lacão | PS | 26 October 2009 | 21 June 2011 |

## Events

In 2008–09, with the Great Recession starting to hit Portugal and facing recession and high unemployment, austerity was waned as part of the European economic stimulus plan. Nevertheless, support for Sócrates and the Socialists eroded and the ruling party lost its majority in the 2009 election. The second government of José Sócrates faced a deterioration of the economic and financial state of the country, with skyrocketing deficit and growing debt. Austerity was resumed in 2010 while the country entered a hard financial crisis in the context of the European debt crisis.
On 23 March 2011, Sócrates submitted his resignation to President Aníbal Cavaco Silva after the Parliament rejected a new austerity package (the fourth in a year), leading to the 2011 snap election. Financial status of the country deteriorated and on 6 April Sócrates caretaker government requested a bail-out program which was conceded. The €78 billion IMF/European Union bailout to Portugal thus started and would last until May 2014. Sócrates lost the snap election held on 5 June 2011 and resigned as Secretary-General of the Socialist Party. For most of his political career, Sócrates was associated to several corruption cases, notably Independente University and Freeport cases.