Ex-PM wins his party's support

Jose Socrates was re-elected leader of Portugal's Socialist party yesterday, four days after resigning as prime minister, and vowed to run in a parliamentary election on a platform opposing a financial bailout.

Mr Socrates, who won 93 per cent of the leadership votes despite the country's political crisis, spared no criticism of the opposition, whose rejection of his minority government's austerity measures last week led to his resignation.

"It is the moment for the Portuguese to choose between those who want a foreign aid programme, those who want the IMF to come, and those who will give everything, their best for Portugal to not have to ask for foreign aid," he told a party meeting after the vote.

Economic analysts say the crisis could force Portugal to request an international bailout from the EU and the International Monetary Fund.