During a public meeting organized by the CDU next to the W Shopping in Santarém, the communist leader emphasized that “people’s lives cannot be dependent on the market,” highlighting that the right to housing is enshrined in the Constitution and should be guaranteed by the State.
“We are not just talking about four walls and a roof. We are talking about lives, families, and children,” he stated, advocating that the Government should allocate at least 1% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — around two billion euros annually — to the construction and rehabilitation of public housing.
Paulo Raimundo also criticized the recent measures of the executive, accusing it of “alienating public assets” and “granting more benefits to the banks” instead of recovering properties to serve the population.
“Do not sell the assets. Recover them and place them at the service of the people, with rooms for students and houses for families,” he urged.
In statements to Lusa, the PCP Secretary-General further stated that the State Budget for 2026 “will pass,” regardless of the parliamentary support it gathers, but warned that the content of the document represents a “disastrous venture” for the country.
The communist leader downplayed reports about a potential distancing of a previous agreement between the Government and Chega, considering that this debate “only serves to entertain.”
“Every time we discuss this, we are fueling a circus. The budget will pass. The only question is which between the PS and Chega will be the Government’s favorite in this race,” he said.
For Paulo Raimundo, the essential issue does not lie in the support that the executive may secure, but rather in the content of the document which, according to him, “continues the Government’s program” and “does not serve the country.”
“What is coming is a budget dismantling the National Health Service, not addressing the housing crisis, offering more tax breaks to large economic groups, and restraining wages and pensions,” he criticized.
Paulo Raimundo’s intervention in Santarém also included references to job insecurity, low wages, and the need to strengthen the public network of nurseries and nursing homes, aiming to ensure “a dignified life for all, from the youngest to the oldest.”
He also highlighted the composition of the CDU’s lists for the upcoming local elections, noting that the coalition is “the only force” to present candidates for all municipal bodies in mainland Portugal and Madeira. According to him, the CDU has about 35,000 candidates, of which 45% are women and 12,000 are independents.
“These are people who are not here for the photo op. They are builders and protagonists of this popular force,” he affirmed, adding that the CDU “did not appear just now” and has “a heritage of connection to the life and problems of the people,” he concluded.
