Marcelo argues that the people are the “supreme lord” of democracy, and there are always ways

The President of the Republic said today that the people are the “supreme ruler of April 25” and “an effective guarantor of stability” and that in a democracy “there is always an opportunity to forge different paths”.

In a solemn commemorative session marking the 49th anniversary of April 25 in the Assembly of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted the various visions that existed right during the Carnation Revolution and spoke of the frustrations of those who did not see their expectations come true during these decades of democracy.

“But this is a time of hope, because freedom and democracy, even when they bring us many disappointments – a sense of lost time, a delay – always give us hope, which dictatorship does not tolerate, which is hope for change.” , thoughtful.

“In a dictatorship, either you are for the dictatorship, or you fight and overthrow the dictatorship. In a democracy there is always the possibility to create different paths, always. imperfect, but always, always existed in these 50 years,” he added.

At the very beginning of his speech, the head of state addressed those who “would prefer that April 25 did not happen”, saying: “To those whose nostalgia and nostalgia are respected, it must be said that time does not go back. And what they see as the past April 24 did not really exist in many of its global features, this is a reworking of History.

At the end of the speech, speaking generally about demonstrations for reasons of domestic and foreign policy, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that, regardless of the “real or imagined number” of people gathered, “this pluralism is necessary, it is part of the essence of democracy”, emphasizing that “Under a dictatorship it would never have happened.”

“And the reason for our hope is that we know that the true supreme ruler of April 25, democracy and freedom, and therefore an effective guarantor of stability, has called himself the people for 50 years. And the people continue to choose, with a sense of the state, with common sense, with moderation and with a good education, in time, April 25, whatever you want. It’s a pity that it was updated or maintained some time later,” he said.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has mentioned stability before, saying that since April 25, 1974, “there have been right-wing presidents with right-wing governments and left-wing governments, left-wing presidents with left-wing governments and right-wing governments. and there were winners and losers.”

“And the realization of the dream of every electoral act was also a realization that was largely thwarted many times. In some cases, leading to the permanence of the legislature, in others, less often, because it is more difficult, to reduce it,” he added.

In this speech, he referred to the Portuguese aspirations for “better democracy” and “greater growth”, as well as “greater equality, greater social justice, better education, better health, better housing, better social solidarity, greater environment, intergenerational vision”. , the role of women, youth activities and sectors excluded or ignored in society”.

The Portuguese also long for, in his opinion, “less poverty and a lack of social and territorial cohesion, this scourge that has unfortunately marked all periods, even the periods of greatest expansion in the last 50 years.” the poor.”

“We yearned, we yearned, because it is part of the logic of democracy and imposed by a complex of challenges that occurred at an extremely accelerated pace, having dreams, aspirations or just expectations, and in many cases not the realization of these dreams, these aspirations and these expectations, disappointing disappointing, disappointing,” he added.

According to the head of state, for “less young” unfulfilled expectations “seem to be a lost life.” while the “younger ones” feel “a life sacrificed at the start”.