Portuguese president to address nation as govt crisis looms

FILE PHOTO: Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa speaks during the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Antonio Costa and his new government, at Ajuda Palace in Lisbon, Portugal March 30, 2022. REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes

LISBON (Reuters) -Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will address the nation at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Thursday, a spokesperson for the presidency said, after his rift with Prime Minister Antonio Costa brought the country to the verge of a political crisis.

Opposition parties on Wednesday called on the president to use his power to dissolve parliament after Costa rejected an offer by Infrastructure Minister Joao Galamba to resign in a deepening scandal around state-owned airline TAP, snubbing Rebelo de Sousa.