The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (PS), José Luís Carneiro, convened on Wednesday for the second time in two months. The meeting covered a wide range of topics, from housing to health, including discussions on the immigration law, which is currently under review by the Constitutional Court.
Following the meeting, the socialist leader emphasized that if the government wishes to engage in dialogue, “it should be with the PS that it engages.”
Speaking to reporters on site, the PS Secretary-General made it clear that the “PS is not just any party” and highlighted the importance of maintaining institutional respect for the foundational values of the country, asserting that the dialogue must be constructive and focused on setting things right.
José Luís Carneiro communicated today to the Prime Minister that if dialogue is to occur with the PS, it must indeed involve this party, deferring potential continuation of this “very constructive conversation” to September.
What Was Discussed?
Post-meeting, Carneiro confirmed that the agreement with the Prime Minister is that discussions between the government and the socialists “will continue in the future,” although emphasizing that some issues are “for consensus and others for discord.”
With the State Budget off the agenda, Carneiro and Montenegro discussed one of the headline topics, the immigration law. Carneiro noted that the stance of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who referred the bill for preventive review by the Constitutional Court, aligns entirely with the PS’s position.
Once the Constitutional Court’s decision on the matter is announced, it will need to be “assessed,” and in other areas, the PS is awaiting September to “see how the government presents its proposals to the Assembly of the Republic.”
Regarding the nationality law, Carneiro expressed hope that there would be “conditions for dialogue” but stated the PS will wait to see the terms under which such dialogue might occur.
On the topic of defense, an area that led Carneiro to write a letter to Montenegro at the beginning of July, the socialist indicated that the proposal in this sector “is receiving a favorable reception from the government.”
Regarding health, specifically concerning the proposal already sent to the executive head about coordinating medical emergencies, the PS leader revealed that it has been relayed to him that “there is already a team working” on this PS initiative “to ensure its continuation.”
José Luís Carneiro also committed to sending Luís Montenegro the main proposals on housing in writing, highlighting responses concerning the housing emergency.
“There is a 2021 law regulating temporary and emergency housing. It is very important to strengthen this legal framework with financing to resolve emergency cases, as we have seen recently, notably in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area,” he said.
The PS leader further proposed “solutions that allow for the placement of modular homes to address housing issues more structurally”, emphasizing the importance of launching a program for housing at controlled costs.
