João Galamba grew up in politics through his father, Jorge Galamba Marques, an anti-fascist activist before April 25, member of the PS, who after the revolution (as commercial director) became associated with Expresso and who, many years later, would become one of are the founders of the Accounts and Political Financing Entity.
But the truth is that Galamba has not found his way into either JS or PS activism. Born in 1976 in Lisbon, he graduated in economics from Nova and then went to England. A biographical summary of him, available on the government portal, says he “completed the academic part of his PhD in political science at the London School of Economics, after teaching political philosophy at the Department of Government” and “worked at the Banco Santander de Negócios, at the consultancy firm DiamondCluster International, in the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and in the Mission Unit for Integrated Continuing Care”.
The importance of blogging
In the mid-2000s, blogs changed his life: the digital platforms that preceded social networks, such as Facebook or Twitter, where it became possible for everyone to have personal media in a very accessible way.
First he created Metablog with friends. He reached the first division of the national blogosphere when they drafted him for Cinco Dias. And then it goes to the Jugular. It was during this period that he met José Sócrates, already Prime Minister at the time (he had won with an absolute majority in 2005).
Blogs also shaped his emotional life: at a blogging party he met the lawyer he married, Laura Cravo de Abreu (they have two daughters). In between, he contributes to the anonymous blog Câmara Corporativa, where Socratism under a collective pseudonym, Miguel Abrantes, fought against those who opposed it. A belligerent, sometimes even hot-tempered young man emerges – a “savage animal” somewhat similar to Socrates himself. Sometimes he really loses his head: he didn’t hesitate on one blog to call another right-wing blogger a “bastard” who had insulted a friend. He has already admitted that he is overly impulsive.
And so, at the age of 33, João Galamba is invited to the candidate lists for PS deputies in the 2009 parliamentary elections. He was elected third on Santarém’s list. With an earring in his left ear – which he always refused to remove, no matter how many people told him it was inappropriate – Galamba arrives at Parliament.
The term of office is dramatic for the PS. Sócrates wins again, but loses his absolute majority and in 2011 the government falls, followed by a request for help from troika. Galamba was reinstated in 2011, but after losing the parliamentary elections, Sócrates resigned and Seguro won the leadership of the PS. The young Socratic turns to internal opposition. In 2014, he warned Sócrates that something was being prepared against him: Operation Marquis.
The following year, Costa created the apparatus and Galamba eventually entered the government as Secretary of State for Energy, replacing Jorge Seguro, protagonist of a difficult relationship with EDP. He will become minister at the beginning of 2023, replacing Pedro Nuno Santos in Infrastructure.
It was at the height of his political career that his downfall began. He resigned in April, but Costa blocked his departure, intended by Marcelo precisely to tell PR that he was in charge of the government. Now, defendant in the case Influencer, he was actually forced to leave. It is highly unlikely that this will return to the PS lists.
Source: DN
