André Ventura, addressing journalists ahead of a meeting with the União de Associações do Comércio e Serviços (UACS) in Lisbon, expressed that in the nationality law amendments announced by the government today, “there are elements that need to be coordinated, and Chega is willing to work and coordinate,” indicating there is “a path forward.”
The government unveiled intentions to introduce several changes to the Nationality Law, including allowing judges to decree the loss of nationality as an accessory penalty for naturalized citizens of less than ten years who commit specified “serious crimes” with prison sentences of more than five years.
The leader of Chega suggested “creating conditions for a middle ground where nationality could be subject to a kind of judicial decision within the judicial decision itself, meaning a type of court acknowledgment that these crimes should result in a loss of nationality,” implying it “might not be automatic.”
“If in these matters: expelling those who committed crimes, stripping nationality from criminals, revoking residence permits from offenders, limiting the number of new residence authorizations for family reunification—if there is a way, if the government is ready and available to take this path, we have a good omen; if not, we do not have a good omen,” he warned.
André Ventura considered the announced changes insufficient and overdue, but he welcomed the government’s decision “to affirm what Chega has been saying for a long time” and for reaching this debate, albeit “late” and “playing catch-up.”
“Today, the Prime Minister and the PSD acknowledge that Chega was right, that nationality can and should be lost when committing serious crimes, that nationality should not be granted after just a few years but rather after some years, whether 6 or 10, and that residency or social benefits should not be granted merely for passing through, or in some cases, without even passing through,” he remarked.
The Chega leader also advocated for stricter nationality requirements, asserting that “there cannot be people claiming to be Portuguese who know nothing of the Portuguese language, have never been on Portuguese territory, or possibly do not even know where Portugal is.”
Asked about the proposed creation of the PSP Foreigners and Borders Unit, a proposal not approved in the last legislature, with Chega abstaining, André Ventura did not directly state his party’s voting intention this time, suggesting the country should have “a dedicated border police,” echoing the expression used by the Minister of the Presidency.
An urgent debate called for by Chega on Wednesday, concerning “the lack of control in nationality allocation and the need to limit family reunification,” will serve as a first opportunity to gauge whether “positions align.”
The Chega leader attended the UACS meeting with the party’s candidate for Lisbon City Hall, Bruno Mascarenhas.
Regarding municipal elections, the Chega leader reiterated his aim to win in certain municipalities, particularly in districts where the party triumphed in the last legislative elections, to “transform the political map” and “break the bipartisanship.”
In Lisbon, Chega aims to “enter the municipal executive management.”
