The new SDP leader, Luis Montenegro, delivered his closing speech this Sunday afternoon at the 40th Party Congress, where he began with a “friendly welcome” from Porto Mayor Rui Moreira.
To those who attended the congress, Montenegro gave a guarantee: “We held our discussion at the height and left here even more united and united around our political project.”
“The time calls for strong governments,” the leader said, now turning to the topic of modernity, referring to the still Yuval Harari: “There is almost no time for anything, and the most important decisions in the history of mankind must be made in the coming years.”
Luis Montenegro assured that he would never associate the party with “any xenophobic or racist policy” and would never lead a government that violated these principles.
“If I ever come across an assessment of our principles and values, the party can decide what it wants, but I will not be the leader of the party,” he said. never mentioning Cheg’s part, but that was implied in his words.
Luis Montenegro continued his speech, warning and attacking the government of António Costa: “Today, to govern like never before, you need to have the courage to change and reform. None of this has been done in Portugal in the last seven years.”
“This government stinks of old age,” he concluded.
According to the new SDP leader, what is important is “a society that creates wealth for itself, that trusts the free initiative of the private sector and the social sector and delegates the sovereign functions of security, defense and justice to the state.” .
“Portugal is capable of doing much more and much better, we believe that we do not have to be a poor country,” he stressed, adding that he knows he has a long way to go. “I also have a great idea that this cannot be achieved overnight, that trust is achieved through action and perseverance, and demagogy and populism are not our territory.”
Luis Montenegro decided to touch on several different topics, focusing on families, rising prices, the consequences of the war for the country, the future of youth, the national health system, the admission of foreigners and the transition to energy.
“We advocate the creation of a Social Emergency Program from now on, which uses the surplus created by the impact of inflation on tax collection and includes measures such as a monthly food voucher for families with lower incomes,” he said, criticizing “the joy of being that the Prime Minister and PS” announced an increase in pensions for next year, which follows from the law.
“In the period from May 2021 to May 2022, the cost of electricity increased by 25.1%, gas – by 37.4%, fuel – by 26.17%, meat – by 16.9%, fish – by 14.9 %, bread and cereals – by 13.5%, rent for housing – by 3.1%, furniture – by 16.6%,” Montenegro calculated. the current government.
As for the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine for the country, the SDP leader said that the government is not to blame, but “it is responsible for the great vulnerability in which we are, and is responsible for the clearly insufficient response to the social and consequences of the current conjuncture … Answer which does not meet the needs of poor and vulnerable families.”
“This is the SDP, this is the fulfillment of duty, this is the deepest feeling that this great organization of people has in all parts of the country,” concluded Luis Montenegro, the new leader of the Social Democratic Party, at the end of the final meeting. congress. .
In update
Source: CM Jornal
