At the conclusion of a debate luncheon hosted by the Confederação Empresarial de Portugal (CIP), the former head of the Portuguese Navy, Gouveia e Melo, stated that his main focus, if elected President, would be stability, emphasizing that strategies are unattainable if governments change rules every few years.
He criticized the “seasonal loosening of the purse strings” by governments before elections, only to tighten them afterward, arguing this does not constitute a development strategy for the country.
Addressing CIP members, he advocated for increased flexibility in the labor market to adapt to new technologies, highlighting the necessity of social cohesion and the need for a robust middle class.
Gouveia e Melo described current discussions on proposed changes to labor laws as “peripheral” and reassured attendees of his commitment: “You can count on me. I know if there’s agreement between businesses and workers, with flexibility on both sides, our economy can progress significantly.”
“I am absolutely sure that no businessperson wants a precarious society without a strong middle class,” he concluded.
On the impasse regarding labor law revisions, he refrained from further comments in his presidential capacity, warning that political statements could influence negotiations which should occur solely between employers and employees, with the state acting as a moderator without ideological influence.
For Gouveia e Melo, crucial economic points lie in bureaucracy and contextual state-imposed costs, rather than any specific labor regulation or slight tax adjustments.
“We experienced significant progress post-1974 and entry into Europe, but since the 2008 crisis, we stagnated. We are in stagnant waters, and some proposed solutions seem unwilling to move us from these waters,” he criticized.
He highlighted Portugal’s advantageous strategic position but noted stability as a critical missing factor.
“We cannot govern for short cycles or news cycle headlines as doing so leads to tactical decisions devoid of focus and direction. When electoral cycles approach, the state opens the purse strings, only to implement restrictive measures afterward,” he remarked.
“Stability is essential, and being independent of party logic, I guarantee that if there’s governance, regardless of its political leaning, I will ensure it has the longest possible duration to implement necessary structural reforms,” he pledged.
He emphasized that “structural reforms need time.”
“I know what can be done to improve both within the state and how technology and knowledge can transform businesses and the state itself. I am capable of mobilizing these changes due to my knowledge,” he added.
