Former Socialist Party (PS) deputy Ascenso Simões criticized the government on SIC Notícias, asserting that “the Government lacks a strategy for anything” but is preparing to introduce a set of “radical transformations” following the municipal elections scheduled for October 12.
Simões made these remarks during the program ‘Além do Óbvio’, a political commentary show he co-hosts with Diogo Feio from the CDS, in response to a question about whether the government is aligning with Chega by accelerating the expulsion of illegal immigrants.
“I would like to know if the Government has a strategy for anything. This week marked 100 days of Government, and so far, I haven’t seen any strategy for the country, nor for any specific areas. The only thing I’ve noticed is the alignment of the PSD with Chega regarding immigration and nationality issues. Regarding the country’s specific issues, the PSD and CDS government has presented absolutely nothing relevant,” he replied.
According to Ascenso Simões, “everything the Executive has done so far was executing the PRR, indicating the location of the new airport.”
“It delayed the TGV, hasn’t solved Health problems, hasn’t solved Education issues, hasn’t tackled the Energy sector’s growing issues, hasn’t addressed Agricultural problems. We have a problem in the wine sector, and the government merely purchased band-aids from the Chinese to resolve a small issue in Douro. It hasn’t addressed Labor-related problems; on the contrary, it only increased job instability at a time when the economy doesn’t need it. We need more people working. This encapsulates the situation we currently face,” he lamented, adding that “the Government has so far had the record of not governing” but that this might be about to change.
“I believe that after the municipal elections, the Government will present a set of radical transformations, and then we will truly see what the Government brings. The Government wants the municipal elections to proceed as well as possible, but after the elections, we will have news,” he stated.
Diogo Feio argues that the immigration law has not been given more ‘prominence’ by the AD Executive; instead, it has received “media attention that other matters have not had.”
Presidency Minister António Leitão Amaro also acknowledged on SIC Notícias that regarding immigration policies, AD and Chega identify “the same problems,” asserting that the Executive “proposes solutions.”
In the same television broadcast, the official disclosed that the “Executive is accelerating legislation to expel immigrants.”
