In this capacity, Gaspar's policies included a firm intention to accomplish the European Union/IMF-led rescue plan for Portugal's sovereign debt crisis.

These included sharp cuts in spending on state-run healthcare, education and social security systems, along with widespread tax hikes.

[6] Allegedly he had tried to leave office eight months earlier due to pressure of public opinion, but several newspapers reported the pivotal moment came when he was insulted and spat in a supermarket by other customers when he was shopping with his wife without personal security.

[7] Nevertheless, in his resignation letter, Gaspar stated that his departure was due to the growing erosion of public support for austerity measures,[8] although these policies were largely continued by Albuquerque.

The parliamentary hearing is still ongoing and it would appear that the Ministry of Finance, led by Gaspar, may have opted for a short term gain (€2.7 billion) in the last phase of privatisation, which in turn has caused significant long term pain (excessive rents €4 billion) to Portuguese tax payers, consumers and small and medium enterprises as energy costs in Portugal are amongst the highest in the EU.