Socrates, Portugal's centrist, telegenic PM, takes EU helm

(LISBON) - Portugal's pro-market Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates takes the reins of the European Union presidency this weekend, bringing his reputation as a reformer and image-conscious politician not used to compromise.

The handover of the six-month rotating EU presidency from Germany to Portugal will take place on Sunday, a week after an EU summit reached a hard-fought deal on the outline of a new treaty, aimed at streamlining the expanded bloc's operations.

The drafting of the treaty will fall under Portugal's tenure at the EU helm led by the 49-year-old Socrates, who secured a landslide victory for his Socialist Party (PS) in 2005 legislative elections, promising economic revival.

Socrates describes himself as "sober and shy" to counter those who criticize him for being aloof and authoritarian.

In Lisbon, he has not earned a reputation for dialogue as the Portuguese head of government enjoys an absolute majority in parliament and no opposition within his party.

While Socrates embodies the party's moderate wing, the old guard Socialists consider him an "Armani politician", alluding to the distinguished salt-and-pepper haired premier's penchant for designer suits.

Yet Socrates can also surprise observers with his unadorned side. Even on diplomatic trips he can been found out jogging past Beijing's Forbidden City or across Moscow's Red Square -- an early morning ritual he never misses.

Born in the northern city of Oporto on September 6, 1957, he was raised by his architect father after his parents separated. He says his political awakening came on April 25, 1974, the day Portugal's 42 years of right-wing dictatorship ended.

His full name is Jose Socrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, but after entering politics he dropped the family name and began using his middle name as his last name.

Calling himself Socrates, like the ancient Greek philosopher, was a bit of political marketing, his opponents chide.

A civil engineer, Socrates joined the Socialist Party, then in the opposition, in 1981 and was first elected to parliament at the age of 30.

He was re-elected in 1991 and four years later was named state secretary for the environment, followed by deputy minister to Prime Minister Antonio Guterres in charge of youth, sports and the fight against drugs.

While minister for the environment and overseas territories in 1999, he lobbied with success for Portugal to host the 2004 Euro football championship, a major feat for a politician in a country where the sport is king.

He took over the leadership of the PS in 2004 with the backing of 80 percent of party members and after the party's success at the polls was named prime minister in March 2005.

Counting on the private sector to drive the country's revival along with the jolt of a "technological shock," Socrates has not hesitated to make unpopular decisions, including raising the VAT, cutting 10 percent of the country's 700,000 public workforce, raising the retirement age for civil servants to 65 in line with the private sector, and ending automatic promotions.

To critics who say he has forgotten his leftist roots, he points to the law on parity for men and women, legalizing abortion and authorizing embryonic stem-cell rsearch.

Economic growth is expected to pick up to 1.8 percent this year from 0.3 percent in 2005.

Yet investment has been slow in coming to Portugal which has felt the competition from the new EU states in eastern Europe.

With a minimum monthly salary of 400 euros, Portuguese workers continue to emigrate to the more affluent EU countries.

Adamant about shielding his private life from the public eye, Socrates is divorced and said to maintain good relations with his ex-wife Sofia Fava, with whom he has two sons.