The political parties outlined their positions during the political declarations of the first session of the Standing Committee, a body that functions when the Assembly of the Republic is dissolved or during holidays.
André Ventura, leader of Chega, claimed that the country has witnessed “a brutal and significant increase in crime recently,” citing data from the districts of Santarém, Castelo Branco, and Leiria to argue that “the country is sinking into crime from north to south.”
According to Ventura, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro “is not a solution” but rather “one of the problems regarding crime in Portugal,” due to his failure to respond with stricter laws and prison sentences to the nation’s security issues.
“Did we let them roam free? Yes, we did. And today, our own, who were already criminals, and the immigrants who came and also, in many cases, commit crimes. And a brutal increase in drug trafficking and human trafficking networks spread across all districts of the country,” he stated.
André Ventura also accused the Government of conducting an “illusionist act” disguised as a Council of Ministers meeting in Porto, alleging that although the government claimed to have achieved a third of its electoral program, several promises were not fulfilled, such as reducing the IRC by two percentage points or administrative modernization.
Parliamentary leader of the liberals, Mariana Leitão, also focused her intervention on internal security issues, highlighting that the RASI 2024 data reveals a “worrying trend” in areas such as violent and serious crime or juvenile delinquency.
“These numbers cannot be ignored, and the situation, though not yet catastrophic, demands a quick, effective, and modern response. Therefore, the question is: what should be done to reverse this trend?” she questioned.
The liberal deputy argued that, in response to this trend, all necessary means must be ensured for the security forces “who today face lack of resources, aging personnel, and operational difficulties” and the “urgent investment in technology that allows for early detection of crimes and the effective combat against organized crime.”
Mariana Leitão also called for investment in non-lethal means for security forces, arguing they are “decisive in resolving risk situations, minimizing harm while ensuring public safety, protecting both officers’ and citizens’ lives.”
The party further emphasized a greater focus on so-called “proximity policing” and the creation of a “specialized administrative career” within the security forces to “improve the efficiency of police work” and allow “law enforcement officers to concentrate on their public safety duties.”
