Alexandra Leitan, coordinator of the proposal of the PS secretary general, said this Saturday that Pedro Nuno Santos’ project “aims for a transformative state that invests in infrastructure” and supports companies while maintaining fiscal balance.
“The PS of the future is a party of continuity and renewal, aimed at building a transformative social democracy,” said Alexandra Leitan at the Lisbon International Fair (FIL), where the 24th National Congress of the PS takes place from Friday.
Speaking to introduce the nationally oriented political movement of Pedro Nuno Santos under the name “All Portugal”, the PS deputy called it a document “based on a progressive and reformist vision of Portugal” and emphasized the idea that it has “… a logic of continuity with renewal” .
The new PS secretary general’s project “bet on a transformative state that invests in infrastructure and has an innovation strategy that supports companies” to “bring up a productive profile and reindustrialize” the Portuguese economy, he added.
“Only a developed economy will be able to pay higher wages and have more decent working conditions in both the private and public sectors,” said Alexandra Leitan.
The PS will “invest more in public services” to ensure a “universal, strong and resilient” National Health Service (SNS), “quality” public schools, as well as a “sustainable public pension system and strong housing”. this guarantees decent housing for everyone,” he continued.
“And we will continue and strengthen the fight against poverty, strengthen support for older people and invest in young people,” he promised.
The former Minister of State Modernization and Public Administration then stressed that the new leadership of the PS would not jeopardize the budget balance.
“Harnessing economic growth, investing in public services and strengthening social rights, maintaining control over public spending and the trajectory of the budget deficit and public debt – that is the balance that is possible, that is the desired balance, and that is the balance that we will maintain,” he said.
Regarding the regionalization advocated in the Pedro Nuno Santos proposal, the PS deputy believed that it should be carried out “if possible, on the basis of a broad political and social consensus”, along with decentralization, “as a way of creating and strengthening intermediate levels, regional and decision-making at the local level, democratically legitimized and pursuing the interests of the population and the territories they represent.”
Within the European Union, he stated that “the PS will continue to honor its vocation as a pro-European party and will strive to continue the path towards a more inclusive, supportive and sustainable Europe”, with “solidarity, demand and purpose in the process of European integration”.
At the end of her speech, Alexandra Leitan noted that “2024 is a year full of electoral problems”, with elections in the Azores, legislative and European, and declared: “We will not allow ourselves to be intimidated or interfered with. This Congress marks the beginning of the victorious journey of these ballot measures.”
In addition to the nationally oriented political proposal of Pedro Nuno Santos, the PS Congress is discussing the proposals of Jose Luis Carneiro and Daniel Adrian, the defeated candidates for the post of PS leader, who will vote as an alternative on Sunday.
The 24th National Congress of the PS marks the transition of party leadership from António Costa to Pedro Nuno Santos, who was elected Secretary General in direct elections on December 15 and 16 with 61% of the votes, against José Luis Carneiro who had 37% of the votes. and Daniel Adrian, who had 1%.
This electoral process in the PS began with the resignation of António Costa as Prime Minister on November 7, after it became known that he was the subject of a judicial investigation launched by the Ministry of Justice in the Supreme Court. as a result of Operation Influencer.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, immediately accepted the resignation of the Prime Minister and two days later announced to the country the dissolution of parliament and the appointment of early legislative elections for March 10.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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