“At this moment, we do not yet have the conditions to ensure the approval of the foreign citizens’ law, and neither does the other side,” stated André Ventura.
Ventura was speaking to journalists prior to a meeting with local government officials and candidates in Loures, where municipal elections are scheduled for October 12. The campaign initiative was closed to the press and held at an event venue in the region.
The leader of the Chega party mentioned that discussions between the two parties and the government, particularly with the Minister of the Presidency, were ongoing and that he hopes an agreement can be reached within the next few hours. The parliamentary review of the legislation governing immigrant entry into the country is set for tomorrow.
Ventura pointed out that Chega insists on a requirement for immigrants arriving in Portugal to have a minimum period of five years before benefiting from Social Security aids, or at least some mention of a timeframe in the law.
He suggested to the Prime Minister the introduction of later legislation in parliament to set this minimum period during which immigrants would be ineligible for social assistance.
The Chega leader stated that the Social Democrats believe “this should not be enshrined in this particular legislation.”
“Chega will not give up on this point,” he emphasized, adding that the two parties are attempting to “reach an understanding” and are “discussing what wording can emerge from these two perspectives.”
“Our stance is that those arriving in Portugal must demonstrate what they possess, such as housing and means of subsistence, and assure that, for a minimum period, they will not rely on social support. Meanwhile, the PSD wants to maintain only the issues of housing and subsistence and remove the minimum benefit period for social supports. This is the current issue under discussion.
Ventura expressed optimism about the potential for rapprochement but noted that it depends on the government’s willingness to accommodate this perspective.
He refused to speculate on what might happen if this condition is not accepted, cautioning that his party cannot be asked to “cancel itself out.”
“I do not want to believe that tomorrow the country will signal its inability to agree on such a decisive matter. I truly believe we can achieve this. Failing to do so would be a bad omen for the country, a bad omen for the near future, and an ill sign for the country’s political stability. Above all, it’s a bad omen for a country facing a massive immigration phenomenon,” he emphasized.
When questioned about the possibility of the Constitutional Court rejecting the legislation’s provisions again, he replied, “Some of the world’s best countries with constitutions similar to ours have this.”
André Ventura was accompanied by the Loures municipal mayoral candidate, MP Bruno Nunes, who did not speak to the press. Ventura, however, voiced confidence that his party would win in this municipality within Lisbon District, currently governed by Ricardo Leão (PS).
