The Largo Dom Dinis was abuzz this afternoon as students took to the streets to voice their concerns on various pressing issues such as healthcare, the housing crisis, unemployment, the cost of higher education, and the current political climate in Portugal. The parade featured colorful floats adorned with figures of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and the Minister of Education, surrounded by flowers representing different courses and faculties, along with politically charged messages reflecting student apprehensions.
Participants carried banners with statements like “Portugal educates, Europe employs” and “If dedication paid bills, the nurse would be rich,” highlighting the necessity for job relocation to gain recognition. Solange and Rosa, both 21 years old and with one more year of study ahead, expressed intentions of seeking employment abroad after finishing their nursing studies.
The economics students’ float highlighted the recurrent elections, which, according to 21-year-old Mariana Santos, hinder effective policy implementation. Her float featured a Monopoly game board at the front with a figure of Luís Montenegro holding a “Spinumviva” box, referring to the Prime Minister’s family business.
Political commentary covered the sides of the float with phrases like “Election campaign or reality show casting? Hard to tell” and “Change? Only if it means swapping seats in Parliament.” The aim was to satirize the greater focus on image over substantive policymaking.
Comments on the float included “Nepotism takes priority, merit on hold,” “Forming a government is easier than finding a room in Coimbra,” “Our only medicine is resilience,” “No scholarship, no chance,” and “Students in debt, ministers at ease.”
Margarida Monteiro, 21, from the social and educational animation course at the Higher School of Education, criticized the high cost of higher education, emphasizing that education investments do not translate into higher salaries despite higher qualifications. She highlighted the financial strain of tuition fees and rents, often paid to landlords who do not provide receipts.
Mariana, 23, and her peers, who completed the initial three years of medical studies in the Azores and the last three in Coimbra, criticized the overcrowded emergency services caused by a lack of doctors, resources, and poor hospital management.
Meanwhile, Miguel Fernandes, 23, from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Coimbra, lamented the undervaluation of pharmacists in the National Health Service (SNS). He stressed their potential role in alleviating pressure on the SNS while applying their knowledge in practice, considering emigration as a viable solution for employment.
Despite the social criticisms, the parade atmosphere was lively, marked by the tradition of cane taps on graduates’ hats, beer showers, music, and the presence of thousands of spectators, both on the streets and viewing from windows and balconies.
