Pedro Nuno Santos called economic development the PS’s “biggest priority” during a speech at the presentation of the legislative election program on March 10.
“We want Portugal to grow much more than it is now,” said the Secretary General. “With PS, Portugal can be at the top. (…) We have already begun to demonstrate that it is possible to be at the top. The minimum wage has risen to unprecedented levels. Average wages have not stagnated. “, as they say,” he stressed. To achieve this, the economy “must diversify,” favoring “those who reinvest profits” and exporting “with added value.”
On the contrary, “the right has no vision of the economy,” he emphasized. “We don’t want a divided country. This is a project of all right-wingers, with different tones. We have a vision for community. A problem for some is a problem for everyone,” he said.
In the health sector, Pedro Nuno Santos again criticized the right, namely the Democratic Alliance (AD), for putting the SNS “at risk” with a program for the sector. “AD wants to hide his intentions, but in healthcare he can’t,” he said. The socialist accused the coalition of wanting to divert resources to the private sector. “The idea of the collapse of the SNA is intended to justify what they want to do,” he argued.
Regarding the housing problem, Pedro Nuno Santos proposes a “serious answer” by expanding a “public park for the middle class.” PS “started with tax breaks” as the “right-wing approach to the problem” but moved on to a “big public investment plan” in housing. “I hear AD talking about houses. In their time there were zero. The difficulty with this plan is that it takes time,” he explained. Among the measures of the PS program, Pedro Nuno Santos highlighted the state guarantee of bank financing for the purchase of housing for people under 40 years of age.
In education, PS advocates for the “full restoration of teachers’ working hours” and the improvement of the “entry level of teaching careers.” For higher education students, the goal is to continue “efforts to reduce tuition” until free and universal tuition is achieved. Another priority is investment “in the mental health of young people”, especially “in universities”.
Together with Pedro Nuno Santos, PS is also committed to the energy transition. “We cannot risk Portugal being governed by someone who does not recognize the climate emergency,” he stressed.
Other interventions
Alexandra Leitão, coordinator of the PS action plan, emphasized the need to promote economic complexity and a more resilient social network, “reformed rather than decapitalized or privatized.”
Socialist António Arnaut sees the programs of other parties as a threat to the current public health system model. “Ours is constitutionally enshrined,” he noted.
Finance Minister Fernando Medina highlighted the success of the “income restoration” policy and the “consistent increase” of pensions and social support. “We did not promise what we could not do, but we delivered what we promised,” he said.
The government official highlighted the current “labor market balance” embodied in increased wages above the minimum wage and greater ability to attract foreign direct investment. “The reality of the numbers does not correspond to reality. (…) The employment results are a victory,” he emphasized.
Regarding the electoral program, Fernando Medina welcomed the “predictability” guaranteed to the Portuguese by the socialist proposals.
Author: Miguel Bravo Morais This Philippa Novais
Source: CM Jornal
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