Portugal: Government balanced budget without losing support say experts What impressed economist Joao Duque is how Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa's government balanced the budget without losing the support of hard-left parties that propped up his minority government. Political scientist Marina Costa Lobo also says it is "novelty" to have a leftist government that "can govern within the framework of the euro zone, which is a very demanding framework in terms of budgetary and financial compromises." Socialist Costa is tipped to win a second term in an election on Sunday. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES