<P> In the 1999 parliamentary election the Socialist Party and the opposition won exactly the same number of MPs (115). Guterres was re-appointed for the office and from January to July 2000, occupied the six - month rotating presidency of the European Council . This second term in government was not as successful, however . Internal party conflicts along with a slowdown in economic growth and the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge disaster damaged his authority and popularity . Nevertheless, some long - lasting measures were taken during his second term: in October 2000, the Parliament approved the decriminalization of drug use (effective from 1 July 2001) and in March 2001, same - sex civil unions were legalized . </P> <P> In December 2001, following a disastrous defeat for the Socialist Party in local elections, Guterres resigned to "prevent the country from falling into a political swamp". President Jorge Sampaio dissolved Parliament and called for elections . Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, until then Minister for Social Security, assumed the Socialist Party leadership, but the general election was lost to the Social Democratic Party of José Manuel Durão Barroso, who would later become President of the European Commission . </P> <P> Guterres was elected President of Socialist International in November 1999, thus overlapping with his second term as Prime Minister of Portugal until his resignation from the latter post in December 2001 . He remained President of the Socialist International until June 2005 . </P> <P> Guterres was elected UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 2005 . In 2005, following Guterres' proposal, George Papandreou was elected Vice President of the Socialist International; in 2006, Papandreou succeeded him as President of the Socialist International . </P>

Who is the present secretary general of un which country does he belong to