Costa argues that it is necessary to “empower the middle class” to defend democracy.

PS General Secretary Antonio Costa said this Friday that in order to protect democracy and freedom, it is necessary to “empower the middle class”, given that when this social stratum feels “helpless”, it creates a “hotbed” of the far right.

In his speech at the closing session of the Social Summit of the European Socialist Party (PES), which took place this Friday at the cruise terminal in the port of Leixoines in Matosinhos, Costa recalled that “always, throughout history, the middle class has felt insecure and abandoned, here it was then that the extreme right and radicalism managed to grow.”

“The middle class is what makes democracy possible. When the middle class feels abandoned, helpless, insecure, we have fertile ground for the development of radicalism, the growth of populism and the transformation of the extreme right into a threat. “, the prime minister said.

Costa argued that in Europe one should not “look only at the weakest, only at those who are in poverty”, repeating that it is necessary to “defend the middle class” in order to “defend freedom and democracy” in Europe.

“If we want to protect our democracy, our freedom, if we really want to fight the far right, we must empower the middle class and ensure that new generations have a better life than their parents,” he stressed. . . .

The PS leader believed that this was “the hope and meaning of the future”, which must be guaranteed to new generations.

“Yes, we didn’t get there, we know it’s a long way, but 200 years ago, when the socialist movements were born, we were much further than today,” he stressed.

In this speech, which he largely devoted to the response of the European Union during the covid-19 pandemic, António Costa also noted that one of the lessons to be learned from that period is that a “permanent mechanism to stabilize the crisis” is needed. .

“Fortunately, crises do not last forever, but we know that, unfortunately, crises are repeated. And every time there is a crisis, we don’t have to spend endless hours in Council meetings. [da União Europeia] try to find a common solution,” he said.

Costa concluded his speech by citing an alleged quote from former socialist French President François Mitterrand who allegedly said that “socialism is the youngest idea”.

“Many years have passed, but socialism is still a very young idea, so we have a long life ahead of us,” he said.

Before António Costa’s speech at the panel titled “The Socialists Submit!” European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit praised the Portuguese Prime Minister’s management, saying that European countries should start to analyze the “Iberian model”. .

“Dear Antonio, I think you have shown that there is a socialist alternative that works because austerity measures didn’t work, neo-liberalism didn’t work … They have produced a lot of people out of work, in poverty,” said Nicholas Schmitt. Socialist Party of Luxembourg Workers.

In opposition to austerity, Schmit defended that António Costa “has shown that social democratic politics, solidarity and social innovation are not products of dreams, but concrete policies pursued by socialists and social democrats.”

“The social policies that are being successfully developed in Portugal and Spain show that it is possible to have a strong, innovative economy based on solidarity, and at the same time a social policy that tries to leave no one behind,” he said. . . .