“Making a deal with someone who insists on not providing explanations? What kind of democracy do we have? […] As long as there is no clarity and transparency [from Luís Montenegro], it will never happen,” stated the leader of Chega.
Governability scenarios emerged as a primary topic during the debate between André Ventura, president of Chega, and Inês de Sousa Real, spokesperson for the PAN, characterized by mutual criticisms and accusations.
The sole deputy of the People-Animals-Nature party claimed that those who were “running after Luís Montenegro to form a government, almost begging on their knees, were Chega.”
Throughout the debate, Ventura accused PAN of being a “crutch for the PS and PSD” and of having “supported Miguel Albuquerque’s corruption in Madeira.”
Conversely, Inês de Sousa Real emphasized that PAN “has been a constructive political force, adept at dialogue” and seeing its proposals approved.
The spokesperson condemned Chega’s “toxic politics” and criticized the behavior of its deputies, noting that they “name-call, constantly interrupt,” comment on female deputies’ bodies, and even mimic “cow mooing.”
“I never heard an apology from André Ventura,” she remarked, deeming the conduct of Chega’s elected officials as “absolutely intolerable.”
The PAN leader also accused Chega’s leaders of being “climate change deniers” and “lying to the country.”
In response, Ventura claimed to be “the most offended deputy in parliamentary history” and urged Sousa Real to stop “playing the victim.”
“PAN is a party against progress” and is “radical and ideologically empty,” Ventura criticized, also accusing the party of wanting to contribute with others to the “invasion of immigrants and chaos.”
The two leaders found little common ground during their exchange, agreeing only on the point that rape should be considered a public crime, with no possibility of a suspended sentence, and on the criticism of animal slaughter under religious norms.
Inês de Sousa Real and André Ventura expressed opposing views on issues such as security, immigration, and fuel prices.
