Luís Montenegro addressed the media briefly after a public walkabout in Guimarães, where, standing atop a wall, he reiterated his call for a greater majority in the upcoming legislative elections on May 18.
When asked by reporters if he plans to seek an absolute majority – avoiding a direct response to the PSD’s request regarding the disclosure of new information about Spinumviva – the leader of the AD (PSD/CDS-PP coalition) emphasized the desire to maintain “political and social dialogue” without using that term.
“It signifies enhancing our representation, and we expect and have very solid data to support this is underway. However, it’s crucial for people to remember that humility does not win elections, neither before nor after; it’s only on the day,” he stated.
He urged, “No one should take victory for granted,” appealing to undecided voters and those who might prioritize political stability over individual party proposals.
“Certainly, value specific policies, value the program, value government leadership, but also value the only way that ensures stability. Because one thing that won’t happen: if we can’t guarantee stability on election day, the following day will be much more complex and might not align with what people intended,” he warned.
Despite journalists’ insistence – and some supporters calling for an absolute majority – Montenegro repeated his definition of the larger majority he seeks.
“It’s a majority that I feel reflects the will of the Portuguese people, each with their own opinion, which we respect. I say this with the humility of someone who will understand the result, whatever it may be, never overlooking opportunities for political and social dialogue,” he expressed.
“Throughout this year, we’ve managed to engage whenever it was necessary, with all those who are significant, from both political and social landscapes,” he defended.
Faced with repeated inquiries about PSD deputy Hugo Carneiro’s proposal to access deputies’ phones to identify the source of leaks to the press concerning his declaration of interests, Montenegro did not provide an answer.
“I am focused on continuing to give Portuguese people clear political guidance for them to make a well-informed decision about what’s at stake in the upcoming legislative elections, in two weeks. We will keep our campaign focused on clarifying what we’ve done and what we intend to do,” he stated.
This Wednesday, Expresso reported that Luís Montenegro submitted a new declaration to the Entity for Transparency, adding seven companies where he worked at Spinumviva, a company he founded and recently passed on to his children.
In light of new data disclosure, PSD deputy Hugo Carneiro requested the Parliamentary Interest Registration Working Group to ask the Entity for Transparency for records of who accessed information about the Prime Minister to identify the source of the leak to the press.
