The Socialist Party, however, was quick to distance itself from the proposal, despite the prime minister, António Costa, having several times in recent days recalled the fact that the party had opposed the governor's reappointment by the previous right-of-centre government.

Speaking in parliament, Mortágua announced plans for the resolution on the governor as well as another with proposals on reorganising the system of banking supervision, which the government has already said that it has plans to alter.

"It is in the name of the stability of the financial system and also in the name of the interest of the taxpayers whose interests were damaged by the inaction or wrong action of the governor of the Bank of Portugal that the Left Block will present ... a draft resolution to recommend to the government that it remove Carlos Costa from the Bank of Portugal, [by] demanding his resignation," said Mariana Mortágua, a Left Block deputy and one of the party's leading figures.

In comments to Lusa, a senior Socialist official stressed that the party "has never asked for the resignation of the governor of the Bank of Portugal, despite criticisms of his actions ... because of events that took place above all in the previous parliament and which took place before he was reappointed by the previous government."

The Left Block resolution in question is expected to be voted on next week.