Populism vs socialism – the great ideological battle that pits António Costa against Luís Montenegro, at least judging by the messages the two have exchanged in recent days.
And who started it was Costa, on Wednesday evening, at the dinner with which the PS celebrated 50 years of life, in Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, in Lisbon.
In belligerent language, the Prime Minister and leader of the PS declared: “There is one certainty we can have: today the war may be different, today we must have a new trench, but we will always have a war before us to fight”. Because, he added, “there is no longer a dictatorship that persecutes” as in the days of his party’s founding [19 de abril de 1973], “but there is a populism that threatens democracy and that must be fought”. “Many existing inequalities have been eliminated, but the climate and the digital transition are creating new inequality risks. And we have to say to everyone: we are not leaving anyone behind.” Although he didn’t say it, it was Chega that Costa was talking about – as well as Ventura’s party’s ability to infect others, namely the PSD.
Luís Montenegro responded this Thursday, speaking to journalists before a lunch he had with the three mayors of the PSD in the Lisbon metropolitan region (Lisbon, Cascais and Mafra).
“Europe’s Tail”
When asked if he agrees with Costa’s claims that populism is a major threat to democracy, he replied: “The biggest problem I find in Portuguese politics is actually socialism, which has led to impoverishment, loss of opportunity, low wages, which has ended up in the tail of Europe.” .”
As for the allegations that the right “has envy in its DNA”, the PSD leader found it “completely misguided” and countered that what the party has “is much more ambition, more hope and more confidence in the ability of the Portuguese” . “, accusing António Costa of “applying in reverse” the socialist António Guterres’ maxim that people are not numbers. “Dr. António Costa treats the Portuguese in numbers, but the Portuguese are not statistics.”
“Last chance”
As the ultimate example of the demarcation between socialism and social democracy in Portugal, Montenegro pointed to the way TAP has been managed and repeated, questioned again about the accusations made to the government of “axe in the institutions”, the demands of the PSD within the scope of the parliamentary committee of inquiry. “We want access to any documentation that can clarify the land of the contours based on the decision to terminate functions for good reason” by TAP’s CEO and chairman, who find it “strange and astonishing” that ” no one confirms the existence of any advice to attest to the security of the premises”. “We are giving the government one last chance to change the hand,” he added. With Lusa
Source: DN
