Adrião is again calling for internal reforms
The global strategy motion of Daniel Adrião, who has led the internal opposition against António Costa in recent years, admits that the candidacy “does not have the support of illustrious and notable people from the party, ministers, the parliamentary group or federation leaders” and is aimed at “free militants”, who are “neither committed nor dependent on positions of political appointment”.
The leader of the minority group Democracia Plena proposes that it be forbidden to accumulate positions within the PS and the State, because “the party apparatus is increasingly confused with the State apparatus and we are witnessing a non-transparent exercise in the appointment of party cadres . to higher positions in public administration”. And he defends the primaries for the PS candidate for Prime Minister – as well as for the Secretary General, who would no longer be the same person -, and also for candidates for the Assembly of the Republic , the European Parliament and the regional assemblies of the Azores and Madeira, as well as the names proposed by the party for the presidency of municipal and parish councils.
The strategy motion that most often refers to the corruption problem also refers to the problems that António Costa’s last head of government faced. “The PS government was involved in more than a dozen cases of suspected integrity in just two years, making the party and its cadres and its choices, political options and measures an easy target for political attacks in terms of credibility and trust”says one who also defends a regime pact for housing, autonomy for the executive leadership of the National Health Service and a gradual reduction in IRS and IRC rates.
Carneiro wants to regulate lobbying and regionalize
Among the proposals of the national orientation motion “For All, For All”, with which the Minister of the Interior, José Luís Carneiro, wants to be elected Secretary General of the PS, new attempts to resume regionalization and regulation stand out. lobbying which has not been implemented by previous socialist governments.
The document proposes a “broad national debate” with the aim of calling for a new national referendum on regionalization, which is considered necessary to reconcile development and national cohesion. In the same vein, the current government official defends tax breaks for companies, especially technology-based companies, that establish themselves in the interior of the country, as well as a program of public incentives for young qualified entrepreneurs to establish themselves in these areas of the country. national territory.
On the other hand, the motion, which states that “it is the duty of the PS to set a good example”, points to the regulation of lobbying and the registration of the “legislative footprint” that identifies all contributions to a degree as a way to ensure greater transparency in public administration.
Carneiro defends the political autonomy of the PS, “by promoting understanding on both the left and right and seeking broad consensus.” And its priorities are reducing the gap with the minimum wage in Spain, supporting companies with the Mais PME programme, a multi-year commitment to investments in healthcare and a housing pact that will lead to a ‘substantial increase’ in the number of houses at controlled costs, and claims to be the first motion seeking to align a party’s political proposal with the 2030 Agenda, “in line with the vision of the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres”, former Socialist Prime Minister .
Pedro Nuno focused on the economy
As has happened since the session that launched the candidacy to succeed António Costa, Pedro Nuno Santos again focused on economic issues in the nationally oriented political motion “Portugal Inteiro”. The former Minister of Infrastructure proposes a state that promotes investments in innovative sectors, allowing growth that can be reflected in better salaries in Portugal.
Pedro Nuno Santos’ motion provides for incentives and even cooperation of the state with private companies in major investment projects that guarantee better quality of employment and higher wages. This is the recipe of the PS leadership candidate, more than tax cuts, although he acknowledges the increase in the tax burden, from 34.4% of GDP in 2015 to 36.4% in 2022, and admits to studying ways to reduce indirect taxes , namely to reduce VAT. has a greater impact on the disposable income of lower-income families.
Other proposals from Pedro Nuno Santos include the creation of complementary reform systems with broad access, to be negotiated under collective contracts, and the diversification of social security financing sources, with less emphasis on contributions from work and more on income from robotization and digitalization of the economy.
It also calls for the defense and consolidation of the National Health Service and for a family tenancy law capable of “balancing the rights and obligations of owners and tenants”, a regionalization “based on a broad political and social consensus”, the revision of the criteria for access to additional solidarity for the elderly and strengthening social protection for the elderly.
Source: DN
