The leader of the PSD parliament rejects the immigration referendum proposed by André Ventura, considering that it has nothing to do with the budget issue, and adds the name of Leonor Beleza to the list of possible presidential candidates.
In an interview with the newspaper ExpressIn a statement published this Friday, Hugo Soares said that the conditions announced this week by the leader of Chega were “totally inappropriate”, recalling that negotiations do not take place in the public square and stressing: “We have started badly, the negotiations are not being conducted correctly”.
This week, André Ventura put forward three immigration-related conditions to Chega for the state budget negotiations (OE) with the SDP: a referendum on the creation of immigration quotas, increased border controls and a change in the rules for access to social security benefits for immigrants and refugees.
Hugo Soares believed that the referendum theme had nothing to do with the budget issue, and in fact he considered it “not in line with the political options approved by the Portuguese and included in the government’s programme.”
On Thursday evening, when asked by Sic Notícias about Hugo Soares’ statements, André Ventura, although he said he had not yet heard them, considered them “a bad sign for the country.”
Expressing regret over Hugo Soares’ statements, the Chega leader said he would wait for a response from PSD leader Luis Montenegro, believing that such a position “only shows that the PSD, like the PS, are afraid to listen to the opinions of the people on an issue as important as immigration.”
To the question Express Regarding whether there are privileged partners in the negotiations on the OE, Hugo Soares called for the PS to be “responsible”, recalling that it is the only party that has already approved the measures for the state budget for 2025.
The PSD general secretary also added the name of Leonor Beleza to the list of possible candidates for Belén’s post, recalling that the person in charge was with Prime Minister Luis Montenegro in the Pontal party.
“For me, he is a great example of social democracy in Portugal and another person in our political sphere who has all the skills,” he says.
He believes that a good President of the Republic will be one whose thoughts are known, and recalls that “he cannot just be a media figure” when asked about the name Luis Márquez Méndez.
“He is a politician with an exceptional career, but he will decide for himself whether to run or not,” he replies.
Of Durão Barroso, he says that he is one of the “richest personalities in terms of competence and the global influence that the country has and which he must always use.”
As for Passos Coelho, he said that he “has exactly the same characteristics” as the other names mentioned, and when asked if he could be a candidate for the “great internal reconciliation”, he replied: “But in the PSD.”
“The SDP went to the polls two years ago and this leadership won like no other, which is a sign of the incredible unity of the right in the elections,” he said.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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