José Luís Carneiro, candidate for the PS leadership, urged this Friday to hold debates with his socialist opponents to discuss topics such as Portuguese foreign policy and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
“The debate not only contributes to qualifying democratic life, but also helps to win the trust of the Portuguese, because through the debate the positions of the candidates are known. For example, this position on how Portugal will position itself in relation to the war in Ukraine and in relation to the war in the Middle East is very important,” the Minister of the Interior also defended.
José Luís Carneiro met this morning with independents in the fields of international relations, security and defense to add contributions to his political orientation movement, including the former Minister of Defense and Internal Administration Nuno Severiano Teixeira or Ambassador Francisco Seixas of Coast.
The socialist insisted on holding public debates between himself and the other candidates – an idea already rejected by Pedro Nuno Santos – and emphasized that “Since Mário Soares and the first constitutional government” three priorities have been adopted for Portuguese foreign policy: commitments to the Atlantic Alliance, the European Union and relations with Portuguese-speaking countries.
Carneiro emphasized that too “Every time there were debates between PS candidates, it was the winning candidate [internamente] won the parliamentary elections”taking as an example the disputes over socialist leadership between António Guterres and Jorge Sampaio or António Costa and António José Seguro.
“It is very important that we can guarantee the Portuguese, and this guarantees my candidacy, confidence, security and stability in the obligations that Portugal has always had with its partners, both European and Atlantic, and with our Portuguese language.” , he emphasized.
Regarding the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, José Luís Carneiro argued that he has clear positions.
“In Ukraine, we must continue to support the European Union and actively participate in the defense of Ukraine in relation to the aggression to which the country has been a victim. As far as the Middle East is concerned, I support an immediate ceasefire and I support this ceasefire taking place. for peace negotiations in defense of a principle that we have always affirmed, namely the defense of the two states,” he said.
“That is why I have clear positions on these matters and it is important to know the positions of those who are eligible for the role of Secretary General of the PS, because whoever is Secretary General of the PS is eligible to be the Prime Minister of the country. These matters need to be clarified,” he stressed.
Former minister Nuno Severiano Teixeira emphasized that he is not a PS member and has no right to vote in the Socialists’ internal elections. “But as a citizen, I know what the country needs and who can best win the country, and without a doubt, Doctor José Luís Carneiro, among the various candidates, is the one who has the political and personal conditions to fill these positions,” considered.
Ambassador Francisco Seixas da Costa also emphasized that the PS “has been the party that has shaped Portugal’s positioning in Europe over the last fifty years”, as these aspects have not been emphasized during the internal campaign and that José Luís Carneiro “has ”. made this attempt.”
International Relations specialist Sónia Sénica praised the fact that the academy was consulted during this meeting, which “shows a huge sense of state”.
So far, three candidates have been nominated for the socialist direct elections on December 15 and 16: the current Minister of the Interior, José Luís Carneiro, the former Minister of Infrastructure Pedro Nuno Santos and Daniel Adrião, leader of the minority line opposed to the current general. secretary, António Costa.
Source: DN
