The PSD was already expecting the absence of six delegates; they were on their way on a political mission. What was not expected was that these absences would be accompanied by nine other absences, which the bank management did not explain. A total of 15 PSD deputies did not vote on Chega’s motion of censure against the government this Tuesday. In other words, almost 20 percent of the seat, that is, one in five Social Democratic deputies, was not present. Perhaps the party intended to demonstrate yet another way in which it devalued the initiative of André Ventura’s party – a “childishness”, Luís Montenegro had said a few days ago.
Yesterday afternoon at 6:50 p.m., almost four hours after the start of the debate, the vote confirmed the script that had long been written about the outcome of yet another moment in parliamentary life: Chega’s motion of censure was sinking.
In fact, as expected from the start, only the proponents and the Liberal Initiative voted in favor: 17 votes in total (two deputies from Chega and one from IL were missing).
In the PSD, the voting direction, as announced long ago, was abstention – but of the 77 “orange” deputies, only 62 voted (15 were not present).
As for the votes against, there were 131 in total: 118 from the PS (two deputies were missing), six from the PCP, five from BE, the PAN deputy and the Livre deputy (no one was missing from these four formations). ). It was the legislature’s third motion of censure (the second from Chega, the other from IL).
Shortly after 3 p.m. André Ventura opened the debate. As expected, the Chega leader did not spare himself in his attacks on the government and its leader. This is the worst government ever in our history, and this is the worst prime minister ever in our history,” he said. “I know associations of pensioners who play bisca and Swedish on Fridays and who have more consistency than this government of the republic.” , he would say.
“We expected an attitude from those who promise an alternative. We have a President of the Republic and a country that says ‘show an alternative’ and that destroys our hearts. [do Chega] is that part of the alternative would rather pull the sheet and lie down with the PS.”
However, it did not take long for Ventura to remove the government from his focus and point it towards the parties to the right of the PS, especially the Social Democrats, who had already announced their abstention a few days ago. “They will be accomplices of a government that has destroyed the country, accomplices of a government that has no other solutions or anything to offer other than the continued destruction of Portugal,” he accused. “We expected an attitude from those who promise an alternative. We have a President of the Republic and a country that says ‘show an alternative’ and that destroys our hearts. [do Chega] is that part of the alternative is to pull the sheet and lie down with the PS.”
“Two terms, two motions of censure, but what does Chega actually want with these motions of censure? Challenge its partners on the right.”
António Costa also followed the predictable script in his response: he examined Chega’s motion as an act of struggle for the leadership of the right. “Two legislative sessions, two motions of censure, but what does Chega really want with these motions of censure? To challenge his partners on the right,” he insisted. Immediately afterwards he acknowledged: “The motion of censure was a success. It embarrassed the PSD and dragged down the liberal initiative. But these exercises, which entertain the political and media bubble, mean nothing to the Portuguese.”
However, Costa would not limit himself to exploring the divisions on the right. He would take the opportunity, like his voice every time he goes to Parliament, to announce measures. That turned out, for example On the 28th, the Council of Ministers will approve the diploma that will frame the TAP privatization process – which can be total.
Later, in response to Left Bloc leader Pedro Filipe Soares, he would also tackle the issue of the next increase in the national minimum wage, allowing it to be collected by the IRS. Costa recalled that the executive “has set the calendar for updating the national minimum wage until the end of the legislative term” and added: “with high probability”, will update the subsistence level in accordance with this increase – that is, to prevent the IRS from covering those who earn the minimum wage. The measure, he clarified, will be framed by the discussion of the government’s budget proposal for next year.
In addition, the debate was marked by the PSD’s proposal to the government to conclude a ‘pact’ between the two parties (this was the expression used by the leader of the ‘orange’ bank, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento) that taxation would stabilize for 15 years for young people.
Chega would obviously take advantage of the PSD’s challenge to Costa to once again say that it is the only one opposing the government. “There are no agreements with this government. It’s a fight until they get out of there!” shouted André Ventura.
Around 7 p.m. the plenary meeting rejected the motion. But the debate will continue today, with the PSD planning its resolution aimed at cutting the IRS later this year. Preliminary maneuvers for the budget battle that will start in October.
Source: DN
