The President of the Republic this Wednesday said that there should be more young people in leading political positions and called for a fight against racist and selfish proposals and the idea of a strong European Union closed to the world.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke at the closing session of the “Conference on Democracy: Youth in Action” at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon to an audience consisting mainly of young people.
“It is at your age that the world changes. I hope older people will realize that it’s time to give up lots and lots of space to younger people. If they want to renew Portuguese democracy and European democracies, there is nothing better than to start with the renewal of those who have the final say,” he said at the end of his speech.
The head of state added that “this is also a big challenge for Europe next year,” referring to the European Parliament elections in June 2024, and concluded: “It is in your hands. Now let’s get to it. Long live a democratic, yet social and supportive Europe.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Souza raised the topic of youth participation in politics at the very beginning of his speech, which lasted about half an hour, given that “one of the problems with democracies, and European democracies for that matter, is that there are not enough young people in places of decision-making in national and European politics.”
“This is how regimes grow old,” he warned.
The President of the Republic criticized the fact that a person aged 30 or 40 is called “very young” and stated that this is “a problem of mentality, a problem of civic culture and a fundamental problem of building Europe.” and democracy is stronger.”
The head of state went on to ask young people whether “Europe should close itself or open up to the world” and gave the answer by speaking out against those who believe that “it should be xenophobic, or it should be racist, or it should be selfish.”
“Is this what Europe was created for? No, it was created for the opposite,” he said.
Marcelo Rebelo de Souza warned that “in the debate about the European elections there will be those who will come up with selfish proposals: ignoring the world, closing Europe, protecting Europe, covering Europe, seeing security, not being open, not having dialogue, leaving the EU.” solidarity for the future.”
“This can’t be true,” he said. “You must strive for peace, you must strive for dialogue, you must fight xenophobia, you must fight inequality and injustice, you must promote development. You have to look, as you mentioned, at the problems of young people where there is no growth,” he countered.
“We must avoid the risk of selfishness,” he stressed.
The President of the Republic linked the political participation of young people with the strengthening of democracy within the European Union, to which he attributed a special responsibility at the global level, and considered that women and immigrants also do not have participation commensurate with their weight. in society .
In his opinion, the non-participation of these sections of the population “creates voids” that can be filled by “proposals that have nothing to do with the European process, which come from behind because they are different and begin to gain weight.” gradually in European societies.”
When leaving the country, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa confirmed this position and declared that 50 years after April 25, “the renewal of democracy also implies its renewal by giving these sectors, these areas, these social realities representation.”
He was once again questioned by the media about the case of twins living in Brazil with spinal muscular atrophy who came to Portugal to receive medicine worth four million euros, but the head of state said he had “nothing to add” to the matter. statements he made on Monday.
When asked if he had already spoken to his son Nuno Rebelo de Sousa about his involvement in the matter, he replied: “I said what I said. If I didn’t say it when I said it, it’s because I said what I said. did not tell”.