The Portuguese Prime Minister unexpectedly resigns

Portugal’s Prime Minister António Costa unexpectedly resigned on Tuesday, hours after police raided government buildings as part of an investigation into corruption and “influence trading” and issued an arrest warrant for Costa’s chief of staff.

Mr Costa, who has been in power since 2015, said in televised remarks that he was “surprised” to learn he would be the subject of criminal proceedings and that “no wrongful act weighs on my conscience.”

“I am of the opinion, however, that the dignity of the office of Prime Minister is not compatible with any suspicion of your integrity, your good conduct and even less with the practical suspicion of any criminal offense,” he added. “That is why I have of course submitted my resignation under these circumstances.”

A judge authorized police to search 37 locations – including the office of Mr Costa’s chief of staff, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Infrastructure, a town hall in the town of Sines and several private homes, police said. a statement of the Attorney General’s Office.

The investigation covers lithium exploration concessions in northern Portugal and a hydrogen energy production and data center in Sines, on the country’s southern coast, the statement said.

Mr Costa was not named, but it was said that arrest warrants had been issued for the head of the Prime Minister’s Office – identified by local media as Vítor Escária – along with the mayor of Sines and three other people. The Portuguese infrastructure minister and the head of the Portuguese Environment Agency were also named as suspects in the statement.

The Public Prosecution Service said investigations showed that the suspects had invoked Mr Costa’s name and authority “to unblock proceedings” relating to the exploration concessions.