In choosing tactics over strategy the Portuguese Socialists have put another nail in the coffin of the moderate European Left. For the far-Left this is a dream come true, but for the rest of us, it may be the beginning of a nightmare.

By dint of its new deals, Beijing has gained a voice in UK and European business.

Accepting austerity may not lead to political oblivion, Portugal’s elections show. The government of Mariano Rajoy in Spain is resting easy.