Unconstitutional Government

In Portugal, the successive governments are numbered since the date of the foundation of the third republic in 1976. The current government is "Constitutional Government XIX".

Last Friday the Constitutional Court overturned a number of clauses in the 2013 budget on the ground that they infringe the constitution. Fortunately the Government and the President (both PSD) have concluded that they must battle on and not call elections, which would have caused irreparable damage to the country and its support from the international financial backers.

What I find strange is the Government's reaction to the Court's decision. They accuse it of not taking the financial crisis into account when reaching their decision! Surely that is the whole point of having a Constitutional Court: to uphold the constitution whatever the circumstances? Even the judges appointed by the current Government voted against the clauses that were overturned.

So with a record of two partial failures to comply with the constitution in two consecutive budgets, I propose that this should be renamed "Unconstitutional Government XIX".

Now stop playing the offended spouse and get on with governing!