The “balance of power in the world is changing: some are going down, some are going up, and international or domestic institutions are changing for the better, or they will change for the worse, late and haphazardly.” The warning was left on Thursday by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, during the October 5 ceremonies at Praça do Município in Lisbon.
Similar to what he had already said when he spoke at the United Nations headquarters three weeks ago, the head of state again warned of the need for “serious reforms” at the level of the institutions. “We can create stronger democracies if we are not satisfied with waiting. It depends on what we want and do,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. “We can seriously reform, continue the path of reform, so that we do not have to see counter-reforms doing or planning to do what we did as if it did not matter to adopt” he defended.
In an eleven-minute speech that was very focused on the future – but which did not lack historical contextualization – the President of the Republic recalled the 1920s, when Europe was convinced that it would “always dominate the universe” and that there would never be any conflicts. again on the continent, after the First World War, when “time seemed slow, especially in the countryside”. This happened with the end of empires (“of which Portugal was the last to end”) and dictatorships that flourished internationally. According to the president, this reflection should open the door to another, deeper one: “We can create stronger universal organizations if we do not get used to promising reforms year after year, knowing that we will not deliver them. It is necessary to generate standing water. Institutions change for better or for worse. And bad because they will change late and haphazardly.”
Speaking – as Carlos Moedas, the mayor of Lisbon, had done before – under the Portuguese flag hoisted in the window where José Relvas proclaimed the Republic 113 years ago, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also emphasized that freedom of expression must not die ” no matter what”. At the end, Marcelo’s speech received a standing ovation, including from António Costa, Prime Minister, who sat next to the President, in a gallery where Augusto Santos Silva, President of the Assembly of the Republic, Carlos Moedas was also present. Mayor of Lisbon, and Maria do Rosário Farmhouse, President of the Lisbon City Council.
Costa speaks about “interesting reflection”
Unlike other years, António Costa was present at the ceremony – although initially the option of not being present at Praça do Munícipio was open for planning reasons. After all, the Summit of the European Political Community took place at the same time in Granada, Spain. And next Friday there will be an informal meeting of the European Council.
Despite overlapping schedules, Costa attended the October 5 celebration, listening intently to both Moedas and Marcelo and even exchanging thoughts with some of the political faces in attendance at the end.
Before leaving the scene, the Prime Minister responded to the Head of State’s speech in a short statement (just over a minute) to the media present on the spot. “The speech of the President of the Republic was a particularly interesting reflection, in which he warned that it is necessary to anticipate problems in order to make good choices”, said the Prime Minister. This “warning” came “particularly at the right time”, he said, taking into account the fact that in a few hours he would already be in the south of Spain, where, in the center of the European work, the debate on “what the future of Europe will be from a strategic point of view and where fundamental decisions should be made”, especially regarding enlargement. António Costa emphasized that for example “guaranteeing a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine ” implies : “As the President of the Republic said: reforms must take place in the European Union so that enlargement can be a success story like all the others”.
Before ending, the Prime Minister recalled that Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and that since then it has “undergone an extraordinary revolution”. “What we must guarantee is that all new Member States, whether Ukraine or the countries of the Western Balkans, can also follow this path and for this it is necessary that the Union prepares for this,” he concluded without space. to more questions and not a word for Carlos Moedas’ speech.
The right praises, the left leaves repairs
With more or less enthusiasm, all right-wing parties, without exception, praised Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s speech.
The PSD – represented by Hugo Soares, Secretary General – believed that the President of the Republic identified “the disconnect between the real and official country”. For the former deputy and current Social Democratic leader, Marcelo carried out “an intervention very close to the real country, the Portuguese in particular, the security forces, the justice officials, the nurses, those who pay too much taxes and have little income “. . Therefore, he emphasized the call of the head of state that it is “necessary to reform, transform and not wait until people’s lives can be solved.” ‘The Socialist Party has been in government for eight years, not fifteen days’he noted.
André Ventura spoke in a “mobilizing speech” by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. “I think it’s a very interesting historical analysis. It managed to leave the message: either we change forever, and now, on the big issues of security, migration, climate, youth, otherwise these changes will disadvantage us”, said the leader of Chega.
The interpretation of Rui Rocha, from the Liberal Initiative, was along the same lines: “It is a clear message for the Prime Minister. In these eight years, the Prime Minister has become something of an unusual resident – he hangs out here. , but don’t know exactly what is going on in the country. Reality runs faster than the measures and in the case of António Costa he is run over by this reality that he could not predict.”
On the other hand, the PCP on the left stated that “the question of change” referred to by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “requires concrete political options” in the face of “concrete problems” such as “the need to increase wages and pensions so that workers and pensioners can improve their living conditions,” emphasizes Parliament Leader Paula Santos.
Pedro Filipe Soares, leader of the Bloco de Esquerda bank, criticized the lack of references to the housing problem. This, he said, “shows some disconnect with reality.” “The problem is repeated and there is no word from the President of the Republic about housing“Something that caused hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets across the country last weekend shows that there is a certain discrepancy with reality,” he said.
Rui Tavares, spokesman and sole deputy of Livre, emphasized the “historical context” of the speech, which he identified “the weaknesses of a democracy when it allows populists, nationalists and authoritarians to take advantage of the rules of the game to undermine the game itself, i.e. put an end to democracy”.
The PS responded through the voice of Eurico Brilhante Dias, parliamentary leader. According to the deputy, the “The intervention was very focused on the future, on the problems we need to solvebut very much for the future, speaking of challenges that are largely within the PS framework, not only concerns but also policies”, also recalling that next Tuesday the 10th the executive will present the state budget for the following year.
Dates
Costa speaks with Hugo Soares
After the ceremony, one of the moments that aroused the most curiosity was the conversation between the Prime Minister and Hugo Soares, Secretary General of the PSD. After leaving the place where he was sitting, next to the other high figures of the state, António Costa greeted some political personalities present there, such as PS councilors. But when he arrived next to Hugo Soares, the Prime Minister lost some time and both exchanged relaxed words. We don’t know what exactly, because the conversation took place out of sight of the cameras. In the absence of Luís Montenegro, it was the Social Democratic general secretary who represented the party. The president of the PSD was not at the ceremony because he was abroad “with a long-planned agenda”, Hugo Soares later clarified.
Carlos Moedas and João Ferreira
Even after the festivities, it was possible to see João Ferreira, councilor elected by the CDU, talking to Carlos Moedas, mayor of Lisbon. Both spoke away from the crowd and away from more curious ears. The conversation between the two took place a day after Carlos Moedas left the council meeting without answering questions from the municipal opposition – and in particular from João Ferreira, who was speaking when Moedas left.
Teachers protest
This year, people stayed away from the place where the ceremonies took place. Several people were gathered at Rua do Arsenal, behind some protective stalls. As the speeches began, two teachers spoke out and sang songs calling for the resignation of António Costa and the Minister of Education, João Costa. The placement of people – about a hundred – in that area sparked protests. “Is this a private ceremony now? They have locked us up here,” said one of the attendees.
Source: DN
