13/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio appointed on Monday Pedro Santana Lopes (currently Mayor of Lisbon and new President of the Social Democrat Party) as Prime Minister. Mr Lopes thus succeeds José Manuel Durao Barroso who is candidate for the presidency of the next European Commission. Mr Barroso, however, remains provisionally at the head of a caretaker government until Pedro Santana Lopes officially takes over his duties and the new government is formed.