José Sócrates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Sócrates
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Sócrates in 2006
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| Prime Minister of Portugal | |
| In office 12 March 2005 – 21 June 2011 |
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| President | Jorge Sampaio Aníbal Cavaco Silva |
| Preceded by | Pedro Santana Lopes |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Passos Coelho |
| Secretary-General of the Socialist Party | |
| In office 27 September 2004 – 23 July 2011 |
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| President | António de Almeida Santos |
| Preceded by | Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues |
| Succeeded by | António José Seguro |
| Minister of Social Infrastructure | |
| In office 23 January 2002 – 6 April 2002 |
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| Prime Minister | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues |
| Succeeded by | Luís Valente de Oliveira |
| Minister of the Environment | |
| In office 25 October 1999 – 6 April 2002 |
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| Prime Minister | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Elisa Ferreira |
| Succeeded by | Isaltino Morais |
| Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister | |
| In office 25 November 1997 – 25 October 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Jorge Coelho |
| Succeeded by | Armando Vara |
| Secretary of State Assistant to the Minister of the Environment | |
| In office 30 October 1995 – 25 November 1997 |
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| Prime Minister | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Joaquim Poças Martins António Taveira da Silva |
| Succeeded by | José Guerreiro |
| Member of the Assembly of the Republic | |
| In office 5 April 2002 – 14 October 2009 |
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| Constituency | Castelo Branco |
| In office 13 August 1987 – 24 October 1999 |
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| Constituency | Castelo Branco |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa
6 September 1957 Vilar de Maçada, Alijó, Portugal |
| Political party | Independent (2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Social Democratic Party (1974–1981) Socialist Party (1981–2018) |
| Spouse | Sofia Costa Pinto Fava (Divorced) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra Lusíada University Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon Independente University University Institute of Lisbon |
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José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (born 6 September 1957), known as José Sócrates, is a Portuguese politician. He served as the prime minister of Portugal from 2005 to 2011. For part of 2007, he was also the president of the Council of the European Union.
Sócrates grew up in the city of Covilhã. He joined the Socialist Party in 1981. He was first elected to parliament in 1987.
José Sócrates: A Portuguese Leader
Early Life and Education
José Sócrates was born in Porto on 6 September 1957. He was registered in Vilar de Maçada, Alijó, which was his family's ancestral home. He spent his childhood and teenage years in Covilhã. His parents were Fernando Pinto de Sousa and Maria Adelaide de Carvalho Monteiro. He has two younger siblings.
Sócrates studied in Covilhã until he was 18. In 1975, he moved to Coimbra for higher education. He earned a degree in civil engineering in 1979. Later, he studied law and civil engineering further. In 2005, he received an MBA degree. After being prime minister, he studied political science in Paris and earned a master's degree in 2013.
Journey into Politics
José Sócrates was a founder of the youth branch of the Social Democratic Party. He later joined the Socialist Party in 1981. He worked as an engineer for the Covilhã City Council.
He was elected as a member of the Portuguese Parliament in 1987. He represented the Castelo Branco area. From 1989 to 1996, he was also part of the Covilhã Municipal Assembly.
In 1995, Sócrates joined the government as Secretary of State for Environment. This was in the first government led by António Guterres. Two years later, he became Minister for Youth and Sports. He helped organize the UEFA Euro 2004 football cup in Portugal. In 1999, he became Minister for Environment.
In 2004, José Sócrates was chosen as the leader of the Socialist Party. He led the party to win the 2005 election. This was the first time the party won an absolute majority of seats.
Becoming Prime Minister
After the 2005 election, President Jorge Sampaio asked Sócrates to form a new government. Sócrates and his first government took office on 12 March 2005.
Portugal was facing economic challenges at this time. Sócrates' government introduced policies to control government spending. They also made changes to public services. For example, they closed some schools and health facilities in rural areas.
His government also wanted to boost the economy. They invested in transportation, technology, and energy. They used partnerships between public and private companies for these projects.
In 2009, Sócrates was elected for a second term as prime minister. However, the economic situation worsened. Portugal faced a serious financial crisis.
On 23 March 2011, Sócrates resigned as prime minister. This happened after Parliament rejected a new plan to cut spending. This led to a new election. On 6 April, his government asked for financial help from international organizations. This help package was worth €78 billion. Sócrates lost the election held on 5 June 2011. He then resigned as leader of the Socialist Party.
Key Policies and Changes
Sócrates' government worked on several important areas.
Improving Public Services
His government aimed to make public services more efficient. They tried to reduce bureaucracy for citizens and businesses. For example, they introduced programs to make it easier to start a company. They also reformed the welfare system to make it more stable.
Boosting Technology
A major policy was the "Technological Plan." This plan aimed to make Portugal more competitive. It focused on knowledge, technology, and innovation. One well-known project was the "Magalhães" netbook. This was a low-cost computer for children in schools.
Education Reforms
The government put more money into education. They also improved technical education programs. They offered more financial support for students. They also closed some private universities that were not meeting standards.
A program called "Novas Oportunidades" (New Opportunities) was created. This program helped adults get school qualifications based on their life experience. This aimed to improve Portugal's education statistics.
Developing Transportation
Sócrates' government supported building new transport links. This included plans for a new airport for Lisbon. They also planned a high-speed rail network. After studies, the location for the new Lisbon airport was chosen in Alcochete.
Other Changes
His government also legalized same-sex marriage in Portugal in 2010. In 2009, new laws gave fathers and mothers equal rights. The government also increased the police force to deal with rising crime rates.
Portugal and Europe
José Sócrates served as the president of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2007. During this time, he focused on relationships between the EU and countries like Brazil and the African Union. He also played a key role in getting the Treaty of Lisbon approved. This treaty changed how the European Union worked.
Facing Economic Challenges
From 2005 to 2010, Portugal faced growing economic problems. The country had high unemployment and a large government budget deficit. This meant the government was spending much more than it was collecting in taxes.
In 2010, Portugal announced new measures to cut spending and raise taxes. This was to reduce the deficit. However, the economic situation continued to be very difficult. In 2011, Portugal had to ask for a financial bailout. This meant getting loans from the IMF and the European Union.
Later Life and Legal Matters
After leaving office, José Sócrates faced legal investigations. In 2014, he was arrested in Lisbon. He was accused of various financial wrongdoings. He was held in prison for a period. Later, he was placed under house arrest. He was then released but could not leave the country. The investigation, known as "Operation Marquis," continued for several years. In 2018, Sócrates left the Socialist Party.
Images for kids
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José Sócrates and President Dilma Rousseff in 2011
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Chris Dedicoat, Helder Antunes, and Sócrates at the 2008 Cisco Portugal Official Inauguration.
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Sócrates speaking in the ceremonial opening of a new railway line, on 27 March 2010.
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José Sócrates, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša during the EU-Brazil conference in Lisbon 2007
See also
In Spanish: José Sócrates para niños
