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A post on his
Facebook page saying he wanted to slap two newspaper columnists,
followed by what was seen as a half-hearted apology, provoked a
flurry of calls for him to be sacked.
Soares, a Socialist and the son of former president and prime
minister Mario Soares, is the first minister to leave the new
left-leaning government of Socialist Prime Minister Antonio
Costa, which took over in November.
Costa issued a public apology on behalf of his cabinet late on
Thursday, saying that the episode "does not reflect how the
government wants to relate to people" and that he told his
ministers "to be reserved and ... never forget that they are
government members."
He said on Friday he accepted Soares' resignation.
"I respect his decision and I thank him for his efforts and
dedication in his job," Costa told reporters.
After being called "incompetent" and promoting a "work style of
cronyism, domineering and rudeness", Soares said it was time to
slap two columnists at influential daily newspaper Publico.
"I see that I do have to find him (columnist Augusto Seabra),
and now also Vasco Pulido Valente, to give them some sound
slapping. It will be good for them. And for me," Soares, 66,
wrote on Facebook.
After the columnists, media, hundreds of Facebook users and
opposition politicians said his remarks were incompatible with a
ministerial job, especially in charge of culture, Soares said he
"reacted to insults and not opinions" and said: "I am a peaceful
man ... I'm sorry if I scared them."
The apology was again criticized in the media as tongue-in-cheek
and oblivious of the seriousness of the situation.
Before the resignation, the main opposition Social Democratic
Party attacked the ruling Socialists as a whole, saying Soares
represented their "general lack of respect for criticism and
freedom of expression".
(Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
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