SDP points to ‘state of impoverishment’ and government ‘messed up’

The leader of the SDP parliamentary group, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, believes that the government has caused “the impoverishment of millions of Portuguese” who pay “increasing taxes” but have “worse public services.”

“The state of the nation is the state of impoverishment of millions of Portuguese,” says Miranda Sarmento.

Speaking to Luza about Thursday’s State of the Nation debate in parliament, the social democratic parliamentary leader believes that “most Portuguese families now have much more difficulty paying their bills, meeting their obligations, paying their mortgage installments.”

“It’s the impoverishment of family incomes, but it’s also a one and a half year increase in the tax burden and tax revenues of the state, which has never happened in the past,” he criticizes.

Miranda Sarmento refers to the fact that “families that are increasingly impoverished and paying more and more taxes also have, from the government, worse and worse public services, whether in the areas of health, education, transportation, justice, security and even defense.

The PSD MP also pointed out that the Prime Minister and his executive branch were entangled “in their own contradictions, in their affairs, in scandals, in riots”, accusing António Costa of not having “the ability to restore internal order in the government.” and “the ability to govern the country and carry out the reforms that the country needs.”

And he points out that there are “all conditions for this: an absolute majority, European funds, like never before in Portugal, stability that simply does not come from the government, because, unfortunately, the prime minister is always chasing problems.” , behind scandals, behind dismissals, behind less clear situations”.

Joaquim Miranda Sarmento calls on the government to reduce the tax burden on the population and points out that the PSD will once again propose in the state budget for next year “the creation of a young IRS with a maximum rate of 15%” for young people up to 35 years old, as well as “tax rates reduction”.

As for “improving public services,” the Social Democratic parliamentary leader argues that more needs to be done in health and housing, pointing out that the party has submitted proposals to this effect.

Joaquim Miranda Sarmento also argues that “it is necessary to solve the problems in schools, the conflict with teachers and restore learning over the past three years”, which have suffered “first because of the pandemic, and this year because of the strikes and with all the instability that has been and lives in schools.

“These were PSD’s priorities for the year under the new leadership of Dr. Luis Montenegro. We presented the social emergency program in early September, we presented the budget priorities, the housing program in February, the health program now in June, and therefore they will remain PSD priorities,” he emphasizes.