E speaking to journalists during a visit to Wonderland in Lisbon, the candidate supported by Iniciativa Liberal acknowledged the mobilization against the government’s proposed labor package, asserting that “those with convictions, and not merely conveniences, do not view this mobilization as an insurmountable sign of resistance.”
For the presidential candidate, the mobilization observed during Thursday’s general strike should be seen as “a signal to engage in more dialogue and to seek more consensus.”
However, Cotrim Figueiredo argued that the government should not give up even when consensus is not achieved: “If the labor reform is important to those in government, I encourage people to live according to their convictions and not their conveniences.”
On the other hand, the candidate criticized those who are motivated purely by “conveniences and think resistances are a reason to backtrack.”
Cotrim Figueiredo reminded that some measures will face “always resistance” and those who “do not like it” advocating that delaying reform will incur more costs for the country “and take longer to solve the problems.”
“Though not the biggest fan of this labor package, it is a step in the right direction, and I would like to see consensus on most of the measures included. But, if necessary for the country and with that conviction, I would proceed regardless,” he stated, praising the government in this regard for showcasing “one of the few times, a reformist drive.”
Already on Friday, the presidential candidate acknowledged the “significant adherence” to the general strike, urging the government not to reverse priorities “just because it encounters social resistance.”
