PCP says policies of recent decades have prevented the implementation of the Constitution in practice

This Thursday, the Secretary General of the PKP said that for decades, policies have been in place that impede the implementation of the Constitution and believes that we are witnessing a “brutal attack” on public services and social functions of the state.

At a public meeting on social issues in Alcantara, Lisbon, whose purpose was to advise activists and citizens on the preparation of the CDU’s electoral program, Paulo Raimundo declared that health, education, science, culture, social welfare and sports are “achievements sanctified by the CDU.” community” and for which “revolution, struggle” was necessary.

The Secretary General of the PKP emphasized that these achievements are enshrined in the Constitution, which he called an “extraordinary document” and that it is “not divorced from reality.”

“In practice, we have a political option that has existed for decades, which is truly unconstitutional. This cannot be stated formally, but [é uma opção política] which in practice prevents the implementation of the Constitution in everyday life and the lives of each of us,” he said.

Paulo Raimundo believes that this occurs in “several aspects” of Portuguese society, but in particular in the social functions of the state and in public services, citing the example of the housing sector.

According to the communist leader, the Constitution “transformed housing from a commodity into a constitutional right” and enshrined in Article 65 that “everyone has the right for himself and his family to housing of adequate size, in hygienic conditions.” and comfort and preserves personal intimacy and family privacy.”

“The reality now is that the housing sector is one of the most liberalized sectors of our economy, and the results of this liberalization of our economy are visible every day,” he said.

Paulo Raimundo called on “those who believe that the path of the country, services and benefits” should be the path of liberalization to explain what has happened in housing and the “success” it is achieving “in the lives of one and all.”

“Now apply that recipe to health, education, social security, to see what situation we would be in this Thursday if the path was the one that some want,” he said.

After hearing speeches on health, education and social welfare, the PKP secretary general said this Thursday we are witnessing a “vicious attack” on public services and said the next legislative elections will usher in a scenario of “making choices that will shape the future” .

Among these options, Paulo Raimundo mentioned in particular the choice between “the gradual dismantling of the National Health Service” or its strengthening, between attempts to “revive the public school” or allow its degradation, but also in the field of culture, social security or science.

“Synthetically, [a escolha vai ser] What kind of state do you want, what is the role of the state you want? And depending on this, all other political options will be determined,” he said.

Paulo Raimundo said that the PCP has a “long legacy of accumulated reflections and discussions” on this issue, as well as “the solid basis of a large accumulated and sustainable experience that is Abril, the achievements, the building of the Republic and the values ​​​​of April as a fundamental element for predicting that needs to be done in the future”

“This is a moment of enormous importance at the moment that we are experiencing. (…) We are all committed and energetic to create the solutions we need to guarantee public services, quality public services and guarantee social functions. state,” he said.