Montenegro calls on those “deceived” by the PS and those wishing to protest through Chega to vote

The PSD chairman addressed the voices of those who chose the PS two years ago and feel “deceived”, and those who want to express their outrage through Chegu, warning that the protest will not be used to change the government.

At a rally at the University of the Interior of Beira in Covilha (Castelo Branco district), Luis Montenegro returned to his call for a useful vote in the early legislative elections of March 10, which he called “extremely important.”

“The two options on the table – PS or AD – have consequences, they have results,” he warned, although he acknowledged that “both are legal.”

Firstly, I wanted to say a word to those who gave the Socialists an absolute majority in 2022, and as I said, they have “great respect”.

“It is natural that they feel deceived, that they feel disappointed, disappointed (…) To these voters I want to say that they feel safe in these safe, consistent and structured changes,” he said, emphasizing that “no one owns anyone else’s vote” and there is no problem in changing this voting right.

Secondly, Montenegro appealed to those who “do not even agree with everything that Chega offers and with what its protagonist says, but are tired and exhausted,” admitting that “there are many of them.”

“They believe that they need to knock on the table so that nothing remains the same, they want to send a signal, which, in essence, is a message not of trust in Chege, but of mistrust in the PS and SDP. admit it, as far as the SDP is concerned,” he said.

The president of the PSD and leader of AD (the coalition that also unites CDS-PP and PPM) said that “he has great respect for this outrage”, but called on voters to think about it before March 10.

“Protest voting does not contribute to changing the government. If they really want to change the government, then AD is a safe vote for safe changes,” he urged.

Without directly speaking about Pedro Passos Coelho’s participation in the election campaign on Monday, the Social Democratic leader indirectly responded to PS leader Pedro Nuno Santos, who said that the “spirit” of the former prime minister will always be present in the AD campaign.

“For those who want to know what the AD spirit is, it is a positive spirit, hope and ambition,” he said.

Montenegro warned that his political opponents “want to scare the country by saying chaos, cuts, austerity measures are coming and that the Portuguese will make sacrifices.”

“There is no need to discuss what happened ten or fifteen years ago, the Portuguese are very knowledgeable,” he said.

Stating that he would not speak to parties but directly to pensioners, the PSD leader wanted to return to the topic of pensions after he was approached by two female pensioners this afternoon in Portalegre.

As he told the four ladies, he repeated that if he did not fulfill his three obligations in this area – updating all pensions in accordance with the formula of the law, making efforts “if and when possible” to further increase the lowest pensions and updating the cost of benefits solidarity for older people up to 820 euros – “will give up his duties as prime minister.”

“It is an obligation of honor that whoever wants to campaign to spread fear can do so. I believe, believe and will accept the verdict of the Portuguese people,” he said.

In Castelo Branco, Liliana Reis, university professor of political science and international relations, heads the list of AD Liliana Reis, in a circle where the PSD elected only one of four deputies in 2019 and 2022 (the remaining three are elected by the PS).