PAN believes the government has lost its opportunity to eradicate poverty

This Friday, a PAN spokesman said the government had lost the opportunity to eradicate poverty in Portugal, stressing that four million people would live in poverty if not for social support.

“There is still a long way to go before we can eradicate poverty in our country. I remember that the absolute majority was missed precisely for this reason,” said Ines Souza Real.

Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to a restaurant where services are provided to homeless people, the head of the Lisbon PAN list said that since 2022 there have been difficulties in placing proposals such as the Casa Primeiro program in the state budget.

“As an absolute majority, it has been very difficult to ensure that we continue to strengthen these types of initiatives, this type of projects, because we know that having a home is absolutely structuring for those who are homeless on the streets or for families who work and do not see strength their income, their work is recognized and who are experiencing so many difficulties,” he noted on the last day of the election campaign.

In advocating for policies that lift people out of poverty, PAN says it is critical to increase investment in the fight against poverty, ensuring that mechanisms to suspend enforcement of family home seizures are in place in the next legislature.

“We cannot allow a wave of bad bank loans, house repossessions and family evictions at a time when the housing crisis is one of the biggest social crises of our time,” he explained.

Ines Souza Real also stressed the need to strengthen the resources of the national strategy for the integration of homeless people, noting that social support needs to be reconsidered.

More than 10.8 million Portuguese are called to vote on Sunday to elect 230 members of the Assembly of the Republic.

18 political forces, 15 parties and three coalitions are participating in the elections.