The four main organs of the national government are the presidency, the prime minister and Council of Ministers (the government), the Assembly of the Republic (the parliament), and the judiciary. The president, elected to a 5-year term by direct, universal suffrage, also is commander in chief of the armed forces. Presidential powers include appointing the prime minister and Council of Ministers, in which the president must be guided by the assembly election results; dismissing the prime minister; dissolving the assembly to call early elections; vetoing legislation, which may be overridden by the assembly; and declaring a state of war or siege.
CURRENT GOVERNMENT
President
Sampaio, Jorge
Prime Minister
Durao Barroso, Jose Manuel
Min. of Agriculture, Rural Development, & Fisheries
Sevinate Pinto, Armando
Min. for Cities, Environment, & Planning
Teias, Amilcar
Min. of Culture
Roseta, Pedro
Min. of Economy
Tavares, Carlos
Min. of Education
Justino, David
Min. of Foreign Affairs & Portuguese Communities
Martins da Cruz, Antonio
Min. of Health
Pereira, Luis Filipe
Min. of Internal Affairs
Figueiredo Lopes, Antonio
Min. of Justice
Cardona, Maria Celeste
Min. of Parliamentary Affairs
Marques Mendes, Luis
Min. of the Presidency
Morais Sarmento, Nuno
Min. of Public Works & Transportation
Rodrigues, Carmona
Min. of Science & Higher Education
Lynce, Pedro
Min. of Social Security & Labor
Bagao Felix, Antonio
Min. of State & Defense
Portas, Paulo
Min. of State & Finance
Ferreira Leite, Manuela
Adjunct Min. to the Prime Minister
Arnaut, Jose Luis
Sec. of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers
