LISBON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Three new ministers of the Portuguese government was sworn in by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Monday in an apparent preparation for the European parliament elections in May.
Nelson de Souza took office as minister of planning, Mariana Vieira da Silva as minister of the presidency and administrative modernization, and Pedro Nuno Santos as minister of infrastructures and housing.
Four new secretaries of state were also sworn in at the presidential palace by President Rebelo de Sousa, who also reappointed four other secretaries of state.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced the government reshuffle late on Saturday after the election of Pedro Marques, former minister of planning and infrastructures, to head the ruling Socialist Party (PS) list to the European parliament elections in May.
The government reshuffle took place nearly eight months before Portugal's parliament elections scheduled for Oct. 6.
The minority PS government headed by Costa came to power in November 2015 with the support of the Portuguese Communist Party and the Left Bloc.
