The President of the Liberal Initiative (IL), Rui Rocha, said this Monday that turning the European elections into a second round of legislative elections is a “disservice to the country”, and also called the possible exclusion of this party from the debate “very worrying”.
“This shouldn’t happen, and whoever wants to change it in the second round, [das legislativas] is actually doing the country a disservice because we have important things to discuss,” Rui Rocha told reporters at Lisbon’s Constitutional Court, where the party submitted its lists for the June 9 European elections.
Rui Rocha spoke in response to PSD President and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro’s call on Sunday for the PS and Chega to take advantage of the European elections to clarify whether they want to create an “alternative government” and “legislate together.” .
The head of the IL list, João Cotrim de Figueiredo, who considered it “possible to elect more than one” liberal MP, also criticized this transformation of the Europeans into “the second episode of the March legislative elections.”
“I think the Prime Minister, when he puts issues in those terms, does a disservice to democracy and the focus of these European elections,” he said, assuring that for IL, “European elections are about Europe.”
According to Rui Rocha, “we have little time to discuss scenarios, tactics, vested interests and self-interested agendas” as Portugal and Europe are on a path of “decline.”
On the other hand, Rui Rocha added: “It would be very worrying if the debates that will take place in Europe focused only on domestic political scenarios and excluded the representation of the fourth Portuguese party, that is, IL, and the best candidate for these elections I consider João Cotrima Figueiredo.”
“I know that there are parties that want to hide the IL candidate, and there are parties that want to hide their own candidate,” he said, referring to the head of the Chegi list, Tangier Correa, whom he did not name, saying he spoke about “Who is the head of the list, whose position clearly corresponds to the interests of Russia and Putin.”
“We don’t want to hide anything, we want the freedom to debate, present our ideas and present our candidates. It would be a disservice to democracy if debate excluded fourth party representation,” he said.
Rui Rocha declared IL’s readiness to “hold debates with all representative parties”, considering it “definitely possible” to find a formula for “holding debates with parties that have representation in the European Parliament and significant representation in the Portuguese Parliament.”
Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo expressed confidence in his debut in the European Parliament, even given that “more than one” liberal MEP can be elected, although he stressed that the goal of the strategic movement is to elect at least one.
“We are only here to make IL’s candidacy for the European Parliament a moment of confirmation of what the Liberals can do for the European project, which needs to be revitalized so that it does not lose the aura of gratitude that the Portuguese have. for the European Union for good reasons and they must have it again,” said Rui Rocha.
At the final meeting of the Universidade Europa on Sunday, Luis Montenegro mentioned last week’s approval of most of the PS, BE and PCP proposals on the IRS, with the government’s proposal ultimately being reduced to a specialty without a vote. just like Chegi and I.L., at a time when their approval seemed in doubt.
“If what seems to be a sign of the first week happens and the idea of the PS and Chega is to feign opposition to the government by creating an alternative government, then they will have to take it head on with the Portuguese government.” “, he challenged, believing that the next campaign would provide an opportunity to make this clarification.
The PSD president said he wanted to focus the campaign on choosing the next European Parliament – even advising voters not to vote for “specific reasons” – but warned that the AD would not be “indifferent to reality”.
“This is not legislative retaliation, but it is an opportunity for all of us to demonstrate our consistency and what we really want for the country,” he said.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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